analysis, low water-borne competitive transportation costs are absolutely necessary for the well-being and economic welfare of the agricultural interests, the producers of natural resources, other business interests, and the residents of the entire Missouri River Valley.

Respectfully submitted.

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WYANDOTTE COUNTY, KANS. By RAY WHEAT, Chairman.

BOARD OF CITY COMMISSIONERS, KANSAS CITY, KANS.

By DON C. McCомвS, Mayor.

FAIRFAX DRAINAGE BOARD,

By K. L. BROUNE, President.

KAW VALLEY DRAINAGE BOARD,

By CYRUS W. LONG, President.

Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Chairman, I wonder if at this time you might recognize Mr. Scott, very briefly.

STATEMENT OF WARDNER SCOTT, STATE ENGINEER, NEBRASKA

The CHAIRMAN. Will you please state your full name and official position?

Mr. SCOTT. Wardner Scott, State engineer, from the State of Nebraska.

Mr. CURTIS. You wish to submit a statement in your capacity as engineer?

Mr. SCOTT. I do not have a statement with me. I will be glad to prepare a statement and file it with the clerk of the committee. The CHAIRMAN. That may be done.

(The statement referred to is as follows:)

STATEMENT BY WARDNER G. SCOTT, NEBRASKA STATE ENGINEER

Mr. CHAIRMAN. I am the State engineer for the State of Nebraska, in charge of the department of roads and irrigation. Governor Griswold was unable to appear at this hearing and asked that I attend and make a statement relative to the proposal before this committee for flood control in the Missouri River Basin. Nebraska is vitally interested in flood control on the main stem of the Missouri River because of the many disastrous floods throughout its length during past years. In 1943 one of the most severe floods on record took its toll in Nebraska by damaging thousands of acres of growing crops, destroying them in some instances, leaving a heavy silt deposit on other areas which made it impossible to grow crops during that year. In addition to the damage suffered by the agricultural area, severe damage was incurred, particularly in Omaha, where it was necessary to evacuate some 1,000 homes in east Omaha, and highways, utilities, and residences were severely damaged. In addition to this, there was interruption of production in the industries around Omaha where the same were flooded.

The Corps of Engineers have, in their report, testimony relative to the enormous damages incurred by floods in the Missouri River Basin. We approve of the development of a series of levees from Sioux City to the junction with the Mississippi, together with the necessary flood-control reservoirs to adequately protect the bottom lands of the Missouri River from succeeding disastrous floods. We feel that a comprehensive plan for the entire basin should be worked out in order to make the greatest possible use of the waters originating in the Missouri River Basin for the most benefit to the people. This would mean that consideration must be given, not alone to the construction of levees and floodcontrol reservoirs, but to the construction of these reservoirs in locations that would be most beneficial and desirable from the standpoint of irrigating the arid and semiarid lands lying within the Missouri River Basin. Consideration should be given also in developing this plan to the possibilities of power development and regulation of the river to provide for navigation in the lower reaches

of the river without interference with the use of water for beneficial purposes in the growing of crops. The Missouri Valley is primarily agricultural, and without abundant crops there is no need for any form of transportation in the basin.

In the Republican River Basin in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, the Army engineers have prepared a plan of development of multiple-purpose reservoirs, providing for irrigation, power, and flood control. This work has been authorized, and appropriations have been made for the beginning of such a program; and had it not been for the war, construction would have been under way. In this area it has been necessary to secure complete cooperation between the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army engineers in order to so locate the floodcontrol reservoirs that they might be used also for storing waters for irrigation. In order to assist the development program in the Republican River Basin, the States of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska have entered into a compact for the allocation of these waters, based upon beneficial consumptive use. This compact was ratified by the Congress of the United States and approved by the President during the past year. This will permit the orderly development and use of the waters of this basin.

There are a good many hundred thousands of acres of land under irrigation in Nebraska. The irrigation of several hundred thousand additional acres has been proposed. As Nebraska is primarily an agricultural State, we must look to supplementing the rainfall by using the water in our great rivers.

It appears, therefore, that at this time all interested agencies and committees of Congress, together with representatives of the State in the Missouri River Basin, be adequately informed as to the complete plan of development in this basin, and that an attempt be made to equitably determine the uses of water This would necessarily mean the consideration of the economic use of these waters with particular reference to irrigation, flood control, navigation, and power development.

Assuming that the information is thoroughly studied and that as a result of the study of the entire basin-wide problem agreement can be reached upon a unified plan of development, we endorse not only the flood-control plan presented by the Army engineers to your committee but we also endorse the valley-wide plan of development.

I thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you oppose or favor the proposal we have under consideration?

Mr. Scorr. In general, we are in complete accord with the project as proposed.

The CHAIRMAN. Very well. Thank you.

Mr. SCOTT. I might say this, that in Nebraska we have all of the interests that are common to all of the States along the Missouri River. We are in a position on the river where flood control is vitally important to us. We have a large area of irrigation that has been developed. We have some undeveloped areas and we have on the tributaries multiple-purpose reservoir projects being planned for construction.

The CHAIRMAN. And that is the reason you state generally you favor the report under consideration?

Mr. SCOTT. Yes, sir.

Mr. O'CONNOR. I wanted to inquire if we were going to continue the hearing tomorrow.

The CHAIRMAN. I was just going to make a statement. The mayor of Sioux City and a number of gentlemen are here from other districts. Mr. O'Connor has some representatives from Montana; then there are representatives here from Wyoming and there are some representatives here from Nebraska, as well as others from Iowa and Missouri, and unless there be objection, I propose to recess at this time, to reconvene at 2 o'clock. You may present the gentlemen at

that time.

(Whereupon, a recess was taken until 2 p. m. of the same day.)

AFTERNOON SESSION

(The hearing was resumed at 2:30 p. m., at the expiration of the recess.)

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order.

There is a telegram from the Northeast Industrial Improvement Association, by Executive Secretary C. P. Esinger, which will be inserted in the record.

(The telegram is as follows:)

FLOOD CONTROL COMMITTEE,

KANSAS CITY, Mo., February 14, 1944.

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.:

The so-called Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City, Mo., has appointed a committee to appear before your body on flood control. The Northeast Industrial District of Kansas City, Mo. is not represented on this committee and we do not expect to be bound by their actions and beg of you to consider our needs and not by-pass this district.

NORTHEAST INDUSTRIAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION,

C. P. ESINGER, Executive Secretary.

The CHAIRMAN. Also a statement by the Upper Missouri Valley Association, in behalf of the project as outlined by the office of the Chief of Engineers, the statement being signed by John D. Forsyth, president of the Upper Missouri Valley Association, whose address is Niobrara, Nebr.

(The statement is as follows:)

UPPER MISSOURI VALLEY ASSOCIATION,
Yankton, S. Dak., February 12, 1944.

Hon. WILL M. WHITTINGTON,

Chairman of the House Flood Control Committee,

Washington, D. C.

HONORABLE AND DEAR CONGRESSMAN: I wish to file with your Flood Control Committee this letter to be entered into the hearing to be held February 16 and 17 on the Missouri River Basin report, recommending the comprehensive development of the water resources of the Missouri River Basin. The report, prepared under the direction of Col. Lewis Pick, has been approved by the Reclamation Department of the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and the Federal Power Commission.

I want to impress on your honorable committee that the report prepared by Col. Lewis Pick, chief of the Missouri River Division, United States engineers, is very definitely the first time any overall practical plan has been worked out to make use of the water in the entire basin to the best advantage of all interests.

This plan can be divided as follows: It controls the floods in the Missouri River Basin by impounding all of the water above Sioux City, Iowa, on the main stem of the river and on the important tributaries.

These seven multiple-purpose dams above Sioux City, Iowa, will store 73,000,000 acre feet of water.

(a) This assures water for a navigable 9-foot channel up to Sioux City, Iowa, and up to Pierre, S. Dak., as many people desire the benefits derived from this form of transportation. These savings would be the greatest benefit that farmers could be handed by Congress. Water transportation is the life-blood of our Nation and if your committee will investigate you will find that population is ever moving to where it is available.

(b) This assures water for irrigation. The States on the upper Missouri Valley need water on their land. It is said that approximately 31⁄2 million acres are now irrigated in this area-that means that all of the easy acres have been done by private money; then a large acreage has been added with Government assistance. Now this plan provides for approximately 3,000,000 more acres of irrigation to be added.

Each and every one of these flood-control dams is designed to take care of the particular part of the river. Those dams up river have, first, so much

water assigned to the Bureau of Reclamation for irrigation of so many acres of land, at or near the project, the Bureau to have priority and make use of such assigned acre-feet of water for irrigation purposes. Second, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Federal Power Commission will specify the amount of power that is required from each dam. There will be a certain height provided for this power. The power will be turned over to other agencies to use or sell. Individual or group pump irrigation projects along the immediate valley of the river will be a large user of this power.

Third, storage of water for navigation use will be that water used for power, plus a sufficent storage in dams to impound all the water that comes down the river thereby eliminating floods from this part of the valley.

This complete storage of all of the water over a period of years shows by stream flows, that there is enough water to serve a reasonable program of irrigation in the States on the upper river, and that all of the power can be produced that may be needed for years to come, and that a 9-foot channel for navigation can be provided as far up stream as economically feasible.

This development of the valley, besides the irrigation, power, and navigation features has greater advantages: The control of floods that almost every year inundate 2,000 miles of river valley, or a total of 2,500,000 acres of rich farm lands, causing a direct loss of $50,000,000, plus untold millions indirectly each flood year.

In addition to this there are 11⁄2 million people living in towns and cities along the Missouri Valley who must build high levees and maintain them or take a great loss amounting to millions of dollars. A flood like the 1943 which overtopped or burst practically all the levees, closed plants, shut down transportation, drowned out crops, and did untold damage, might well be figured to cost our valley $150,000,000, or about 20 percent of the over-all cost of complete protection.

Fort Peck storage reservoir proved its value in 1943, as the storage of 5,000,000 acre-feet during April 1943, cut the flood peak at Omaha, Nebr., at least 21⁄2 feet, but the site of that dam only controls one-third of the drainage area above Pierre, S. Dak. The storage of Fort Peck last April saved millions of dollars damage as an added 2 to 4 feet would have made a complete job of devastation throughout the entire valley.

It is my belief that this proposed plan that is being presented today to your honorable committee, is a sound, feasible, and complete enough to benefit. First, those States wanting irrigation; second, the part of the river wanting navigation; third, the greater benefits to the valley as a whole-flood control; and fourth, power at a low rate for all purposes.

SUMMARY

3,000,000 acres irrigation will add 300,000 population; yearly income 1,000,000 kilowatts firm power at 3 mills----

$60, 000, 000

26, 000, 000

40, 000, 000

Flood control over a term of years (figures approximately, each year)

Navigation to provide a 9-foot channel, all the year, all the way, to New Orleans, La. (I would estimate saving in transportation costs to the Missouri and Mississippi Valleys as a whole-latter must have our water for their channel).

Total annual benefits___.

120, 000, 000

246, 000, 000

This plan does not do all of the things needed in the valley, such as control of many small tributaries, but it is a great start to do something of value to the valley as a whole and at the same time add to the economic value of the Nation.

There is no question in my mind as to the soundness of the investment. The direct and indirect benefits to the entire valley and to the Nation are great. The control of the waste water of the valley is divided so as to serve the entire length of the valley from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. There should not be any discord from any part of the valley. There should not be jealousy between Government bureaus-there is certainly enough work for all.

I respectfully ask your committee to give your approval to the Pick plan for the improvement of the Missouri River Basin. I am sure when you see the tremendous immediate needs of the basin, you will agree that the Pick plan for the creation of storage multipurpose dams, on the Missouri River and tributaries, for flood control, irrigation, power and navigation are today one of

the best buys that Uncle Sam can make. It is one way of making the Missouri River pay the tremendous dividends that it potentially may and can do to the development of the Middle West and Nation as a whole. Respectfully submitted.

JOHN D. FORSYTH, President.

The CHAIRMAN. There will also be inserted in the record a statement received from Ernest A. Crockett, president of the Gavins Point Lock and Dam Association, Yankton, S. Dak., dated February 16, 1944, in behalf of the report and in behalf of the project.

(The statement is as follows:)

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, my name is Ernest A. Crockett. I am the president of the Gavins Point Lock and Dam Association of Yankton, S. Dak., an association of men formed for the purpose of developing the resources of the Missouri River, none of whom have any direct monetary interest in river improvement.

It has been my privilege to hear the very able report and statement of Col. Miles Reber this morning, together with his reading of letters of recommendation from the Reclamation Commission, Power Commission and others, and after careful consideration of the entire statement and letters, I wish to state that our association is in hearty accord with the general river program as outlined in the report of Colonel Pick and presented by Colonel Reber.

Our association also endorses the statement made by Governor M. Q. Sharpe, of South Dakota.

The CHAIRMAN. Representative Jasper Bell, of Missouri, appears and inserts in the record a statement as to telegrams received from numerous organizations in behalf of the project in the Kansas City and Independence, Mo., areas.

(The statement referred to is as follows:)

A telegram received from 25 business firms, churches, and civic organizations on February 16 by Congressman C. Jasper Bell, of Missouri, urged the building of dikes in the East Bottoms northeast industrial district at the very earliest date. The telegram was signed by the following: Speas Co., National Distillers Corporation, Standard Asbestos Co., Empire Storage Co., Abner-Hood Chemical Co., Kansas City Smelting Co., Mid-Continental Petroleum Corporation, Concrete Specialty Co., Tarkio Mills, Inc., Continental Can Co., Keystone Trailers Co., Orear-Nester Glass Co., St. Francis Seraph Church, Barda-Page, DeGhelder Coal Co., Freemont Land Co., Heim-Overly Realty Co., East Bottoms Community Center, Smith Estate, Walsh's Market, John Meier Co., Schelstrate Co., Rexall Drug Store, Brown-Strauss Corporation, Purina Mills Co., and the Belgian Society.

The CHAIRMAN. There is also a statement from the Atherton levee district, by N. D. Jackson, secretary, with an argument or resolution attached to the statement, all of which will be inserted in the record at this point.

(The statement, with enclosure, is as follows:)

Congressman WILL M. WHITTINGTON,

ATHERTON LEVEE DISTRICT, Independence, Mo., February 14, 1944.

Chairman, Committee on Flood Control,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

DEAR CONGRESSMAN WHITTINGTON: We are enclosing herewith for your information copy of a resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Atherton levee district at a meeting on February 12, 1944, at Independence, Mo.

It is our understanding that a hearing is to be held on February 16 and 17, before your Committee of the United States House of Representatives on Flood Control on the Pick plan, for flood control on the Missouri River. Our district is actively in support of the over-all plan for flood control in the Missouri River Valley as contained in the plans prepared under the direction of Colonel Pick, former division engineer for the Corps of Engineers, United States War Department.