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Lands acquired, or to be acquired, by the United States for certain flood-control projects in the lower Mississippi Valley are as follows:

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Rentals received from certain specified flood-control projects are as follows:

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The amounts paid to States for these projects are as follows:

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No rentals have been received from the Granada Reservoir since that project has not as yet been constructed. In the case of the Atchafalaya floodway, no rentals have been received since the Government interest in that floodway is flowage easements only.

(April 17, 1946-Continued)

The CHAIRMAN. We also have a bill to be considered before our hearings have been completed. That bill was introduced by our valued Member from Oklahoma. An opportunity will be given for the consideration of that tomorrow or the following day.

LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN, LA.

Representative Paul Maloney has come in. We called the Pontchartrain Lake project, fostered by you, and stated that you favored that project.

STATEMENT OF HON. PAUL H. MALONEY, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA

Mr. MALONEY. You are correct. I have a little statement I have to make.

The CHAIRMAN. We will be glad to have you make the statement at this time.

Mr. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I wish to thank you for the privilege and opportunity of appearing before you this morning for the purpose of submitting to you the reasons why we ask approval of legislation that will authorize a project for the protection of the citizens of Jefferson Parish. The construction of this project, a land-side levee enlargement, has been recommended by the United States engineers and is to be located along the Lake Fontchartrain shore line in Jefferson Parish from the OrleansJefferson Parish line westward and northward in the vicinity of Frenier.

This flood protection is made necessary due to the fact that the Bonnet Carre spillway, which connects the Mississippi River with Lake Pontchartrain, is used for an additional outlet for the water from the Mississippi River via Lake Pontchartrain when the water in the river reaches the flood stage. On such occasions the spillway has been opened, the water level in the lake has risen, and when the winds were high the water washed away the lake-shore road and shore embankments. This condition is getting worse with the succeeding use of the spillway. As long as the shore line is not protected, whenever the spillway is used the water in Lake Pontchartrain will be a continued menace to the safety of lives and property back of the lakeshore line.

As you gentlemen probably know, we have suffered much loss of life and property damage by floods. The job of adequate protection was too much for the States and local communities to care for and it was not until legislation was enacted whereby the Federal Government recognized their responsibility in this work that we obtained relief.

The construction of the Bonnet Carre spillway was a part of the program to give relief to the city of New Orleans and adjacent com

munities.

There is no doubt that this spillway has been of incalculable value in diverting the floodwater. However, in constructing this spillway an additional menace has been created to the lives and property behind the shore line of Lake Pontchartrain by discharging water through Lake Pontchartrain and it is for that reason, Mr. Chairman, that we are urging this legislation.

United States engineers have made a survey of the situation and have recommended the construction of an embankment along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the construction of which we feel will give the needed protection. The estimated cost of this embankment is $1,200,000 and its distribution, as recommended by the United States engineers, is that local interests would contribute 25 percent of the cost, not to exceed $300,000, and also to furnish all rights-of-way, and so forth. This proposal has the approval of the official government body of the parish of Jefferson.

I may also say that at a hearing for the consideration of the proposal before the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, there appeared at that hearing, recommending this proposal and urging its approval:

Mr. Joseph Holtgreve, representing the parish of Jefferson; Mr. Rene F. Clerc, representing the Governor of the State of Louisiana; Mr. Francis Williams, representing the mayor of New Orleans; Mr. Deal Lanstaff, executive director, representing the Mossaire Airport, the largest international airport in this country, which, by the way, will suffer considerably if we should ever have a flood; Dr. S. S. Lewis and Dr. Rolanc C. Steib, representing the civic bodies of the parish of Jefferson; Mr. William J. Guste, representing the Young Men's Business Club of New Orleans. In addition, the chief engineer of the Orleans Levee Board, advises that this project is needed, and the president of the Lake Pontchartrain Levee Board recognizes its need with the statement that it is a Federal responsibility as this spillway is controlled by the Federal Government.

All of these witnesses fully realize the great need for this project and they all realize that it is a Federal Government obligation. There have been some questions raised by the Director of the Budget as to the justification of the economical value of the project. In this respect we believe that there is more than sufficient value that will be protected by this undertaking than is needed to justify its economical value and in respect to that question, I should like, Mr. Chairman, to include a copy of a letter from the United States engineers addressed to the Director of the Budget on the subject but in addition to the question of the justification of the economical value, we believe the problem to be one of flood protection. As the situation exists today, it is a menace to the lives, health, and property of those beyond the shore line.

(The letter referred to is as follows:)

Hon. HAROLD D. SMITH,

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 1, 1946.

Director, Bureau of the Budget, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR MR. SMITH: Reference is made to your letter dated February 19, 1946, in which you request certain additional information concerning the proposed report of the Chief of Engineers on Lake Pontchartrain, La. Your letter was referred to the Chief of Engineers for his consideration with the request that he supply the information desired by the Bureau of the Budget.

The Chief of Engineers informs me that, although prevention of damage to be expected from recurrence of actual past floods is the usual basis for estimating the annual benefit of flood-control improvements, the improvement recommended in the report on Lake Pontchartrain is essentially preservation of a major drainage improvement and provides for protection from permanent flooding that would result from the failure of the existing lake-shore embankment with attendant destruction of improved urban property with an appraised value in excess of $6,000,000.

The area to be protected in Jefferson Parish has been reclaimed by the Fourth Jefferson Drainage District which utilized an abandoned highway embankment as the lake-shore levee. Flood protection for this area has been dependent upon the effectiveness of the levees and drainage works provided by the Fourth Jefferson Drainage District. The entire area that would be protected by the proposed project is subject to local flooding incident to excess rainfall during tropical storms, the removal of which depends upon pumping operations.

The operation of the drainage district to improve swamplands by means of levees and artificial drainage involved the lowering of the water table with

attendant consolidation and subsidence of muck soil. A considerable portion of the property in this area is now below lake level and is subject not only to temporary flooding from direct rainfall and run-off from adjoining areas but also to submergence by the lake in case of failure of the lake-shore embankment. The existing lake-shore embankment has deteriorated, and continued erosion of the embankment by wave wash will result in a breach, or breaches, of the embankment, permitting tidal inflow from the lake in excess of the pumping capacity of the drainage works. In the event of the recurrence of the stages of Lake Pontchartrain observed between 1915 and 1943, the existing embankment in its deteriorated condition can be expected to fail. Flooding would then occur at the frequencies indicated below:

Areas at and under elevation 2.5 will be submerged so frequently that improvements appraised in excess of $6,000,000 will be valueless.

Areas between elevations 2.5 and 3 will be flooded once in 8 years. Areas between elevations 3 and 3.5 will be flooded once in 10 years. Areas between elevations 3.5 and 4 will be flooded once in 40 years. Areas between elevations 3 and 4 include the Moissant Airport with a valuation of $12,000,000.

The average annual flood damage resulting from lake inflow which would be prevented by the recommended improvements during an assumed life of 40 years is estimated at $220,000. Annual charges for the improvement recommended are estimated at $77,000, as shown in our report.

The removal of precipitation and run-off from within the area protected by the project has been accomplished in the past by the operation of the facilities of the fourth Jefferson drainage district. Since no improvement of the drainage system was requested by local interests, the plan of improvement presented in the report presupposes continued maintenance and operation of these facilities by the drainage district.

Sincerely yours,

Secretary of War.

Mr. MALONEY. This condition has been positively caused by the construction of the Bonnet Carre spillway. Our greatest moments of anxiety in fighting the water along the shore line has been when the spillway was open. So, therefore, we believe that this project is amply justified from both viewpoints. The past several years, on account of the war, we did not urge the necessary legislation. However, the war is over, we are gradually getting back to normalcy, the surveys have been completed, the reports have been made, and now is the time for us to obtain the necessary legislation. We believe that there should not be any delay as no one can ever tell when and what the Mississippi River will do. We in any year can have another rise in the Mississippi that would require the use of the spillway that could cause incalculable damage.

So, gentlemen, the interested groups that I have mentioned, and myself, will feel very grateful for your kind and favorable consideration for the necessary legislation to put into effect the recommendation of the United States engineer.

Mr. ALLEN. We have here from Alexandria, La., Mr. Homer H. Harris, Mr. Fred C. Barksdale, Mr. Harry Henderson, Jr.; and from Natchez, La., Mr. J. E. Bailes; and from Shreveport, La., Mr. V. V. Whittington, Mr. Edgar W. Fullilove, Mr. Lane H. Mitchell, and Mr L. R. Matthias.

The CHAIRMAN. Senator Overton, we are delighted to have you present Do you desire to make a statement?

Senator OVERTON. No, thank you.

Mr. ALLEN. I would like for the record to show the presence of General Tyler. I would like to state that we in the Mississippi Valley

think a great deal of General Tyler. We know that we have had no better friend than General Tyler.

The CHAIRMAN. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.)

The CHAIRMAN. Back on the record.

The committee stands adjourned until 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. (Thereupon, at 10:45 a. m., the committee adjourned until Thurs

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