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STATEMENT BY I. G. VASS, CITY MANAGER, WAYNESBORO, VA.

Mr. VASS. This has nothing to do with the reservoir. There is no opposition to it. I am in favor of it. So far as I know, there is not any opposition at all to this project.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you live in Waynesboro?

Mr. VASS. I am the city manager of Waynesboro.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the population of Waynesboro?

Mr. VASS. We have about 10,000.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that an apple country?

Mr. VASS. Yes, sir; it is quite an apple country. Incidentally, the trees are very beautiful just at this particular time.

Mr. ROBERTSON. Mr. Vass, is this improvement needed there?

Mr. VASS. The improvement is needed very badly. The du Pont Co. has a plant there that they have invested some twelve or fifteen million dollars in and are now spending an additional ten or twelve million dollars. That plant lies in this flooded area.

The CHAIRMAN. You understand you are required to provide the same local rights-of-way and easements required on all other projects? Mr. VASS. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to have had you here this morning.

(Thursday, May 2, 1946)

CUMBERLAND, MD., FLOOD-CONTROL PROJECT

STATEMENT OF HON. J. GLENN BEALL, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND

The CHAIRMAN. You are here on behalf of what matter?

Mr. BEALL. I am here on behalf of the Cumberland, Md., floodcontrol project. In 1936 the Congress authorized $1,000,000 to be spent at Cumberland, Md., for flood prevention, and the district. engineers recently made a resurvey of that area and they made a new plan of flood control up there in which it developed that the expenditures will be some $7,000,000 rather than $1,000,000; and I would like to ask permission at this time that General Crawford and the Army engineers submit a statement in the record showing the need and the justification for this additional expenditure.

The CHAIRMAN. General Crawford, as I recall, the act of June 22, 1936, authorized an improvement at Cumberland, Md., and like a good many projects, as indicated by Mr. Beall, I take it we did not give as careful consideration in that first flood-control act, because we did not have before us the plans and investigations of the engineers, that being an emergency and the work being intended primarily to take care of that emergency. I would be glad to have any statement that you care to submit. Was that work ever constructed?

General CRAWFORD. No, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the purpose of the project?

General CRAWFORD. It was a flood-control project, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What was the nature of it? Was it reservoirs? General CRAWFORD. No, sir; it was a local protection program. Could I have the representative of the Washington district, Colonel Bird, give testimony on this project?

Colonel BIRD. I will ask Mr. Birrell, senior engineer, to speak.

STATEMENT OF D. V. C. BIRRELL, SENIOR ENGINEER, ARMY ENGINEERS

The CHAIRMAN. What was the project authorized for Cumberland? Mr. BIRRELL. The project originally authorized consisted of a diversion channel on the North Branch of the Potomac River through Ridgeley, W. Va.; the removal of an existing dam built for the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which provided water for the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal; and its reconstruction upstream on the North Branch of the Potomac River in order to provide water for local industry.

The CHAIRMAN. Who had to furnish the right-of-way for that diversion channel under the terms of the act?

Mr. BIRRELL. Local interests were to provide it for local protection works but not for the channel diversion, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Did they furnish it; and if not, why not?

Mr. BIRRELL. No, sir; the project was never constructed becaus the project report that was submitted at that time did not prove to be adequate in the light of the flood which occurred after the preparation of the report.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, what modification of that did you recommend?

Mr. BIRRELL. The revised project report extends the limits of the protective works which are necessary as revealed in the light of the 1936 flood, and also because of the increase in the flood estimates for which provision should be made, and also to accommodate structures to the requirements of local facilities, streets, roads, bridges, and so forth.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, what will this work consist of?

Mr. BIRRELL. It will consist of channel improvements, flood walls, and levees, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What channel? Who furnishes the lands for the channel and where is it located?

Mr. BIRRELL. The conditions of local cooperation for the channel portion of the project would be as prescribed in the Flood Control Act of 1936 and as modified in the act of 1938. The channel improvement portion of the project extends from the Knobly Mountain Tunnel railroad bridge crossing of the North Branch of the Potomac below Cumberland to the mouth of Wills Creek and up Wills Creek for the extent of the project for that portion lying between the channel walls. The CHAIRMAN. You understand that that law has been changed. Mr. BIRRELL. Yes; but, as I understand, this project is covered by the provisions of the original act.

The CHAIRMAN. We had to change the law; is that right or wrong? The local interests now have to furnish lands and rights for channelization.

Mr. BEARD. Under the 1938 act the Federal Government furnishes the right-of-way for a channel improvement, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Under the 1936 act?

Mr. BEARD. The 1938 act, sir, also applied to projects authorized in the 1936 act.

The CHAIRMAN. I know we changed the law in 1938 and 1941. Mr. BEARD. You changed the law for future projects, but did not repeal the law in regard to projects already authorized.

The CHAIRMAN. That is right; it did not. In other words, the only authority for channelization at Federal expense was in those cases like Los Angeles under the act of 1936 and cases like this, and they were brought forward in 1938 and that act was modified subsequently, and it is your view that those projects authorized under the 1936 act would be construed also under the act of 1938?

Mr. BEARD. Yes, sir; that is correct.

The CHAIRMAN. What are the local interests required to do in this case?

Mr. BIRRELL. Local interests are required to secure land easements and rights-of-way for flood walls and levees and for alterations to certain existing improvements.

The CHAIRMAN. What land easements?

Mr. BIRRELL. Land easements and rights-of-way for construction of flood protection along Wills Creek, which is a tributary of the North Branch and which causes a great deal of damage by floods in that area and for other areas protected by walls and levees.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the estimated cost?

Mr. BIRRELL. The estimated cost for Federal participation is $7,420,000, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And for the local interests?

Mr. BIRRELL. My recollection is $1,520,000, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the ratio of benefits to costs?

Mr. BIRRELL. The ratio of benefits to costs is in excess of unity. In other words, for all the benefits which can be definitely evaluated the ratio of benefits to costs is in excess of one to one. There are many benefits, however, which are not subject to monetary evaluation which should receive consideration.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you.

(April 9, 1946-Continued)

ALTAMAHA RIVER, GA.

The next matter under consideration is local protective project for the city of Macon, Ga. It has been submitted to the Director of the Budget.

Hon. Carl Vinson appears before the committee and makes the following statement in behalf of this project, and the statement of Representative Vinson, previously appearing, is now passed to the reporter to be inserted in connection with this project. (The statement referred to is as follows:)

STATEMENT OF HON. CARL VINSON, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF GEORGIA

Mr. Chairman, I desire to thank you for giving me an opportunity to express to your committee my views on the pending rivers and harbors bill.

I am particularly interested in the recommendations with respect to improvements of the Altamaha River, Ga., and its tributaries.

The proposal before you in connection with the improvement of existing levees and extending the same has been recommended by the district and regional engineers, the Chief of Engineers, and the Governor of Georgia.

Since the details of the recommendations are outlined in the report of the Chief of Engineers to the Secretary of War which I am attaching as a part of my remarks, I shall not go into the details of the same; however, I desire to ask very special consideration for this project, for it means a great deal to the city

of Macon, Ga., and particularly the southern part of the city. The area within the city which is not protected is a heavily built up industrial area and it contains 12 manufacturing establishments, railroad yards, and a large recreation park.

The improvements will greatly benefit the city of Macon, for they are subjected to flood conditions at all seasons of the year and there is an annual flood damage amounting to an average of about $17,000.

I respectfully urge the committee's favorable consideration of the Chief of Engineers' recommendations for the improvement of the levees along the Altamaha River system.

The CHAIRMAN. You will please give us a summary of the problem and the proposed solution with the recommendations of the Chief of Engineers.

STATEMENT OF COL. E. G. HERB, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CIVIL WORKS DIVISION, OFFICE, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS

Colonel HERB. The authority for this study was the Flood Control Act approved June 22, 1936.

The Ocmulgee River, Ga., is formed about 40 miles southeast of the city of Atlanta by the junction of South River and Yellow River. It flows in a general southeasterly direction for about 255 miles and joins Oconee River to form Altamaha River. Macon, a city with a metropolitan population of 84,000, is located on the west of Ocmulgee River, 205 miles above the mouth. The basin above Macon covers about 2,240 square miles of hilly, central upland. The average annual rainfall in the Ocmulgee River basin is 48.8.

About 1870 the city of Macon built the first levee along the west bank of the river to protect the present recreational grounds south of Fifth Street. Later, a corporation known as the Ocmulgee Levee Co. built a low levee approximately 4.25 miles long along the west bank of the river. In 1929 the low levee was raised from the lower part of the recreational area to the Macon, Dublin, and Savannah Railroad bridge. Two types of storms result in high average rainfall over the Ocmulgee River Basin-extratropical cyclones which occur throughout the year, and tropical hurricanes which usually occur during July to October. Floods on Ocmulgee River result from the run-off from heavy rainfall which occurs during all seasons of the year. In general, Macon occupies lands above the maximum recorded floods, however, major floods inundate lands in the southern part of the city below Fifth Street Bridge, which is the area under consideration in this report. Flood losses average $17,715 annually.

The plan of improvement provides for extending and enlarging the present levee by constructing a sheet pile wall extending from Fifth Street south 1,160 feet to the upper end of the city levee, enlargement of the city levee, thence to a point about 13,600 feet south of Fifth Street, and the construction of a levee southward for about 7.000 feet. then west 7,900 feet to the tracks of the Southern Railroad, and gravity drainage outlets.

The total first cost of the project is $388,500, of which the non-Federal cost is $39,500.

Ratio of costs to benefits are 1.0 to 1.3.

The recommendation of the Chief of Engineers is in accord with the plan that I have presented, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation.

87116 46- -10

Responsible local agencies must give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of War that they will (a) provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements and rights-of-way necessary for construction of the improvements; (b) hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction works; and (c) maintain and operate all the works after completion in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War.

The CHAIRMAN. The local people are required to furnish the rightsof-way?

Colonel HERB. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any flood gates to be constructed or maintained?

Colonel HERB. No, sir.; just drainage outlets through the levee. The CHAIRMAN. And the project is justified?

Colonel HERB. That is correct.

(The report of the Chief of Engineers is as follows:)

Subject: Altamaha River, Ga.
To: The Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
Washington, February 1, 1946.

1. I submit for transmission to Congress my interim report with accompanying papers and illustrations on preliminary examination and survey of Altamaha River, Ga., authorized by the Flood Control Act approved June 22, 1936. It is devoted to consideration of the food problems in the vicinity of Macon, Ga., on Ocmulgee River, a tributary of Altamaha River. The advisability of improving Altamaha River and its tributaries for the control of floods in other areas will be covered in a separate report.

2. Ocmulgee River, Ga., is formed about 40 miles southeast of the city of Atlanta by the junction of South River and Yellow River. It flows in a general southeasterly direction for about 255 miles and joins Oconee River to form Altamaha River which continues southeasterly about 137 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. Macon, a city with a metropolitan population of 84,000, is located on the west bank of Ocmulgee River with its Fifth Street Highway Bridge crossing the river 205 miles above the mouth. The river basin upstream from Macon consists of 2,240 square miles of the hilly central upland of Georgia in which the stream valleys are narrow. Below Macon, the river meanders in a comparatively wide flood plain through the flatter coastal lands. The Federal navigation project for Altamaha, Oconee and Ocmulgee Rivers contemplates an appropriation of $40,000 annually for maintenance of a 3-foot depth by open channel work in Altamaha River, the lower 145 miles of Oconee River and in Ocmulgee River to Macon and for the accomplishment of such increase in depth as may be secured within the expenditure of that total amount. During the most favorable 9 months of the year, the controlling depth of Macon is at present about 1 foot. Existing navigation is confined to Altamaha River and the lower sections of its source tributaries. 3. In general the city of Macon occupies lands above the elevation of maximum recorded floods. However, major floods exceed the elevation of the lands in the southern part of the city downstream from the Fifth Street Bridge. This portion of the city and the flood plain extending thence downstream to the Southern Railway bridge at mile 194.9 is the area under consideration in this report. On the east bank of the river, the flood plain between these points contains 700 acres of cultivated lands in narrow tracts and 3,460 acres of low poorly drained wooded lands. The area on the west bank contains 6,500 acres. The northerly 700 acres of this, comprising area A, contains 12 manufacturing establishments, tracks of the Central of Georgia Railway which crosses the river on a bridge about 500 feet below Fifth Street, railroad yards, a park and recreation area of the city, and some farm land. It extends downstream to the bridge at mile 203.4 on which the Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad crosses the river. Thence area B extends south for about 11,000 feet containing 2.600 acres, principally farm lands but with some woodland and mine areas from which clay is obtained for manufacturing in area A. The flood plain in areas A and B combined embraces 540 acres of cultivated land, 1,400 acres of hay and idle lands, 510 industrialized

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