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the Senate, in the event it is submitted later. There must be a deadline.

Mr. DWORSHAK. Can I file a brief report at this point in the hearings?

The CHAIRMAN. Yes.

Are you for or against the project?

Mr. DWORSHAK. I am for it, Mr. Chairman.

I have just returned from Idaho. I personally inspected the area in the Boise Valley which would be affected by the construction of the Lucky Peak project.

We have had recurring floods for many spring seasons in the Boise Valley, and we have had damages amounting to as much as a million dollars in one spring.

The Army engineers have allotted during the past few months. approximately $100,000 to do flood-control work in an effort to avoid the anticipated damages that will arise if there is a flash run-off this spring.

So I can point out at this time that it is vitally important that some project like the Lucky Peak Dam be planned so that it will not be necessary to spend thousands of dollars each year on temporaryflood structures. If we can get consideration of the Lucky Peak project, I am confident that it will be in the interest of economy, because it will not be necessary for the Army engineers to spend these thousands of dollars every year, and we will have an over-all floodcontrol program in the Boise Valley which should be in complete harmony with the plans and program outlined by the Army engineers. The CHAIRMAN. If we get this report before the conclusion of the week I will ask the clerk to notify Mr. Dworshak and Mr. White, and we will give you an opportunity to be heard further. In the meantime, we are glad to have had your statement. You may submit a prepared statement.

Mr. DWORSHAK. I would rather wait until the report comes before the committee.

The CHAIRMAN. There has been put on the agenda for today the Mill Creek, Tex., project. As I understand it, that matter is still in. the field and has not been submitted to the Congress or the Budget? Colonel HERB. That is correct, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And that same situation applies to the Gila River at Tucson, Ariz.?

Colonel HERB. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And that same situation applies to the Skagway River and Harbor, Alaska?

Colonel HERB. Yes, sir.

LEON RIVER, TEX.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Poage, who is interested in the Belton Reservoir and local protection for Eastland, Tex., is here. For the record, at this time, will you tell us generally the flood problem on the Leon River so that may precede the statement of Mr. Poage if he desires

to make it.

Colonel HERB. Floods occur almost any time of the year on the Leon River as a result of storms from the Gulf of Mexico. Minor floods

occur about once every 2 years, and major floods about once every 5 years.

The maximum flood of record in the central and upper portions of the watershed occurred in May 1908. The maximum flood of record in the lower reaches occurred in December 1913. The major recent floods occurred in April 1942 and April 1945. Approximately 51,400 acres of cultivated and urban land are subject to overflow in this basin. The annual flood damages are estimated at $480,890.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the general course of this Leon River and it flows into what?

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

Colonel HERB. The Leon River is formed by the junction of its north and south forks in Eastland County, Tex. It flows southeasterly 299 miles to its junction with Lampasas River, 6 miles southeast of Belton, in Bell County. The Lampasas River flows into the Brazos River, which, in turn, flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there under consideration a general report on the Brazos River, a general study?

Colonel HERB. Yes, sir; there is. The present report is an interim report covering the Leon River.

The CHAIRMAN. Before you describe generally the proposed solution of the problem along the Leon River I will ask you this general question: Have you gone far enough with the study of that problem to advise the committee whether or not, if this particular recommendation is submitted to the Budget and later transmitted to Congress, it would be integrated and coordinated into the general plan?

Colonel HERB. We feel that this project, no matter plans are developed, will fit into the comprehensive plan and it is now necessary for flood protection.

The CHAIRMAN. This project consists of what?

Colonel HERB. It consists of a reservoir which is known as the Belton Reservoir, and local protection works at Eastland, Tex. The Belton Reservoir as proposed by the district engineer has a storage capacity of about 722,000 acre-feet, of which 509,700 acre-feet are reserved for flood control. The Chief of Engineers in his recommendation provided for increasing the size of the dam and reservoir to the extent found economically justified at the time of construction and increased the estimated cost to $15,500,000 for the larger project. The estimated cost of the project includes $15,500,000 for the reservoir and $82,800 for the local protection works at Eastland, Tex., making a total Federal cost of $15,582,800.

The CHAIRMAN. How much of that is self-liquidating? Is there any power there?

Colonel HERB. No, sir. There is no power.

The CHAIRMAN. What do you mean by "reserved for flood control"? Colonel HERB. 126,400 acre-feet is for conservation, and 85,900 acrefeet is reserved for sedimentation, and the remaining 509,700 acrefeet will be available at all times for the storage of flood waters.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you an unusual sedimentation problem there? Colonel HERB. No, sir; it is not unusual for that section of the country. Silt records covering the period 1924 through 1929 for the

Little River just below the junction of the Leon and Lampasas Rivers indicate a mean silt load of 0.18 percent by volume.

The CHAIRMAN. What works to minimize and reduce sedimentation would you contemplate at this reservoir and similar reservoirs?

Colonel HERB. No additional works, sir; except reserving part of the storage capacity for that purpose. Application of the silt volume mentioned above to the mean annual run-off of the Leon River watershed at Belton would give an annual silt load of about 1,008 acre-feet. The CHAIRMAN. Would there be any more sedimentation in that area than occurs generally?

Colonel HERB. No, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that more of a silt-bearing stream than in a mountain country?

Colonel HERB. No, sir; not necessarily as it depends upon stream and soil characteristics.

The CHAIRMAN. Would there be a pool there?

Colonel HERB. Yes, sir; 126,000 acre-feet.

The CHAIRMAN. It struck me there might be more sedimentation involved there than generally involved in such pools. I was wondering what your report shows.

Colonel HERB. Just the average condition for this section of the country.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that report in your office at present?
Colonel HERB. That report is in our office at present.

We received the comments of the Interior Department, but to date we have not heard from the Governor of Texas. I talked to Mr. Poage this morning and he informed me that the Governor of Texas would send his report in by the middle of this week. We may be able to get the report to the Bureau of the Budget before your hearings are completed.

The CHAIRMAN. Has it been referred to the Power Commission?
Colonel HERB. No, sir; there is no power involved.

The CHAIRMAN. You have the report of the Department of the Interior?

Colonel HERB. Yes, sir; we have their comments.

(The report of the Chief of Engineers together with the comments of the State of Texas and the Secretary of the Interior are as follows:) WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, D. C.

Subject: Leon River tributary to Brazos River, Tex.
To: The Secretary of War.

1. I submit for transmission to Congress my interim report with accompanying papers and illustrations on preliminary examination and survey of Brazos River and tributaries, Texas, covering Leon River, a secondary tributary, authorized by the Flood Control Acts approved June 22, 1936, and August 28, 1937, and by the River and Harbor Act approved August 26, 1937, providing for a comprehensive survey of Brazos River, Tex., "with a view to preparing plans, estimates of the cost of improvement for navigation, flood control, water conservation and reclamation, excluding therefrom work now in progress under the Works Progress Administration." A final comprehensive report on Brazos River will be submitted at a later date.

2. Leon River is formed by the junction of its north and south forks, 2 miles southeast of Eastland County, Tex., and flows southeasterly 299 miles to its junction with Lampasas River 6 miles southeast of Belton in Bell County, to form Little River which continues southeasterly 102 miles to empty into Brazos River 316 miles above the Gulf of Mexico. Leon River with its principal tributary Cow

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house Creek drains a rolling area of 3,583 square miles with general elevations between 500 and 1,600 feet above mean Gulf level. Thirty-four percent of the drainage area is devoted to crops consisting of cotton, corn, sorghums, peanuts, vegetables, and fruits and the remaining pasture, woodlands, and unclassified lands are used principally for grazing livestock. Mean annual precipitation varies from 35 inches near the mouth of Leon River to 24 inches in the headwater region and averages 30 inches over the basin. Population of the basin in 1940 was about 107,700, of which 41 percent was urban. The principal cities within the basin include Eastland and Belton with populations of 3,849 and 3,572, respectively. Five railroads and a network of improved Federal, State, and county highways provide transportation.

3. Floods occur at almost any time of the year on Leon River as a result of storms from the Gulf of Mexico producing excessive precipitation in the basin. Minor floods occur about once every 2 years and major floods about once every 5 years causing considerable damage in Leon River Valley and contributing to the flood damages in the Little River and Brazos River Valleys. The maximum known flood in the central and upper portions of the watershed occurred in May 1908, causing a stage 7 feet over the banks near Hamilton about 175 miles above the mouth of Leon River. The maximum known flood in the lower reaches occurred in December 1913 with a stage 12 feet above bankfull. Major recent floods occurred in April 1942 and April 1945. Several levee systems and dams have been built by local interests along and on Leon River and its tributaries to protect local areas against floods and to conserve water for municipal and industrial uses and some channel rectification work has been done. Three levee systems provide protection to 1,080 acres of agricultural land against all but the maximum floods. The other works have only incidental or slight effect on flood conditions in the Leon River watershed. Areas susceptible to major flood damages lie along the North Fork in and near Eastland, along the lower 194 miles of Leon River and on the lower 24 miles of Cowhouse Creek, aggregating about 51,400 acres, of which 33,250 acres are cultivated and 90 acres are urban. The total property value in these areas amounts to $6,116,000. Average annual direct and indirect flood damages are estimated to total $480,890.

4. State agencies, local organizations, and individuals representing the Leon River watershed desire generally the construction of a system of reservoirs which would relieve flooding on the Leon River and its tributaries and conserve water for municipal, industrial, agricultural, and other beneficial uses. Local interests at Eastland, Tex., desire protection from floods on North Fork of Leon River to be provided by modification of an abandoned railway embankment, now owned by the city, for use as a levee, and by minor related work, for which they are willing to furnish rights-of-way free of cost to the United States. Definite proposals for reservoirs included major dams and reservoirs at the following location: On South Fork of Leon River near Eastland originally proposed as a Works Progress Administration project; at sites on Leon River below Colony Creek, below Sabana River, near Jonesboro and near Belton; on Cowhouse Creek below House Creek; on Coryell Creek east of Gatesville; and on Mustang Creek south of Alter. Low water dams and small multiple-purpose reservoirs on minor tributary streams are also included in the general proposals. The dam and reservoir near Belton is desired by downstream interests for flood protection in Little River Valley and as part of a comprehensive plan of improvement for the Brazos River Basin.

5. The district engineer, after investigation of the various proposals by local interests, finds two plans of reservoir development and a project for local flood protection at Eastland to be economically justifiable at this time. Plan I for reservoir development provides for construction of a concrete and earth-fill dam at mile 15.5 on Leon River, to create Belton Reservoir with a total capacity of 722,000 acre-feet of which 509,700 acre-feet would be for flood control, 126,400 for conservation and 85,900 for sedimentation. Total first cost of the dam and reservoir is estimated at $11,733,000 and the annual cost at $517,600 including $35,000 for operation and maintenance, all costs to be borne by the Federal Government. Estimated annual benefits total $641,900 consisting of $451,900 from flood control of which $71,900 is on Leon River and $380,000 along Little River and Brazos River, $150,000 from conservation of low water flow for domestic and industrial water supplies, and $40,000 for land enhancement. The ratio of estimated annual costs to annual benefits is 1 to 1.24. Plan II provides for construction of Jonesboro Reservoir at mile 144.3 on Leon River and of Elijah Reser› voir at mile 23.9 on Cowhouse Creek. Jonesboro Reservoir would have a total

capacity of 493,700 acre-feet with 361,900 allocated to flood control, 80,500 to conservation and 51,300 to sedimentation. Elijah Reservoir with 121,800 acrefeet allocated to flood control, 26,500 to conservation and 15,600 to sedimentation would have a total capacity of 163,900 acre-feet. Total first cost of both reservoirs in plan II is estimated at $15,397,000 and the annual charges, including $45,000 for maintenance and operation, at $680,000, all to be borne by the Federal Government. Estimated annual benefits are $607,800 from flood control of which $302,800 is in Leon River Basin and $305,000 along Little and Brazos Rivers, $118,000 from water conservation, and $36,000 from land enhancement, totaling in all $761,800. The ratio of estimated annual costs to annual benefits is 1 to 1.12. Local flood protection at Eastland would be provided by modifying an abandoned railroad embankment for use as a levee, minor channel rectification works, and construction of about 900 feet of storm-sewer ditch and two drainage structures through the embankment. The first cost is estimated at $82,800 and annual charges at $3,400 of which $200 is for maintenance and operation by local interests. Average annual flood-control benefits are estimated at $4,270. The cost-benefit ratio is 1 to 1.26.

6. The district engineer notes that either plan I or plan II could serve as a unit of the comprehensive plan of improvement for the Brazos River watershed and has designed their component works accordingly. In addition, plan I would provide a high degree of flood protection to 6,135 acres of agricultural land along the lower 15.5 miles of Leon River Valley and plan II would provide similar protection to 33,915 acres of land along Leon River and 3,838 acres along Cowhouse Creek. He finds, however, that the incremental benefits of plan II over plan I is not sufficient to justify the additional expenditure required, and further, that plan I would provide a more dependable and higher degree of flood protection to the important Little River and Brazos River Valleys. Accordingly, the district engineer recommends the adoption of plan I for reservoir construction at an estimated cost to the United States of $11,733,000 for construction with $35,000 annually for operation and maintenance, and the local flood protection project at Eastland at an estimated total cost to the United States of $82,800 subject to certain conditions of local cooperation. The division engineer concurs. 7. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors concurs in general in the views and recommendations of the reporting officers. It is of the opinion that the local protection works at Eastland, Tex., as proposed by the district engineer are fully justified by the prospective benefits. It notes that construction of the Belton Reservoir under plan I in the interests of an ultimate comprehensive plan of improvement for the Brazos River watershed will provide more positive flood protection in the Little River and Brazos River Valleys than the alternate plan considered, and will provide benefits both in Leon River Basin and below, which are clearly sufficient to justify the expenditures required. The Board recommends construction of the Belton Reservoir by the United States at an estimated first cost of $11,733,000 with $35,000 annually for maintenance and operation; and construction of the local flood-protection works at Eastland, Tex., at an estimated cost to the United States of $82,800 subject to the conditions applying to the local protection project that local interests furnish all lands, easements, and rights-of-way necessary for the construction of the project, hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction works, and maintain and operate the project after completion.

8. After due consideration of these reports, I am of the opinion that the Belton Reservoir as proposed in plan I, should be built as an integral part of the ultimate comprehensive plan of improvement for the Brazos River watershed. Supplemental studies of the flood-protection provided by the Belton Reservoir indicate that additional flood-control storage is desirable and economically justified in the Leon River Basin. The first cost of the larger dam and reservoir is estimated at $15,500,000. The annual charges and annual benefits for the larger project are estimated at $667,200 and $694,800, respectively. I believe that when construction is undertaken, the storage capacity of the reservoir should be increased to the extent found economically justified at that time.

9. I recommend construction of the Belton Reservoir on Leon River at an estimated cost to the United States of $15,500,000 for construction with $35,000 annually for maintenance and operation in substantial accordance with the plans (plan I) of the district engineer and my comments herein, with such modifications thereof as in the discretion of the Secretary of War and the Chief of Engineers may be advisable; and construction of the local protection works at Eastland, Tex., in accordance with the plans of the district engineer at an 87116-46- -31

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