ernor, and there were a great many interesting developments in the program during the 4 years that I was Governor of Vermont.

The CHAIRMAN. I recall some of the developments. Was the Winooski Reservoir among the number?

Senator AIKEN. A reservoir on a branch of the Winooski River was completed while I was Governor, and two others on branches of the Winooski, I think were completed just before I took office.

The CHAIRMAN. I remember those dams. The Winooski Dam is located not very far from Montpelier, the capital; am I right about. that?

Senator AIKEN. Yes. There are three dams located within 15 miles of the capital, the largest one below the capital, the other two above. The CHAIRMAN. I think I have seen the larger one. I do not recall having seen the smaller ones. I recollect the general area. We are very glad to have had your statement, Senator.

MAHONING-GRAND RIVER FLOODWAY, OHIO

STATEMENT OF HON. MICHAEL J. KIRWAN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM THE NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF OHIO

Mr. KIRWAN. I first want to congratulate this committee. I appeared before you 2 years ago asking for the construction of the Berlin Dam, and I want to say that in the past year, according to the president of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co., that dam was the savior of 1,150,000 tons of steel. That is what would have been lost had it not been for the construction of that dam.

We all know today that raw steel is selling for $40 a ton, and for about $120 a ton when it is finished. You can split that and say that $60,000,000 was saved in that first year alone. Where would the progress of the war be today if we had lost that 1,150,000 tons of steel?

It takes a billion gallons of water to supply the steel plants in Youngstown district daily. The flow of the stream yesterday, according to the report that we got from Youngstown was 1,000,000 gallons. I repeat that we need a billion gallons.

I realize that this is a flood-control committee, but we want to save that water that is being wasted each year in the floods. Berlin Dam, on the first of December each year, has got to catch the floodwaters, and we want not only to keep the dam full the year round, but let the floodwaters run into the Mahoning River Basin, in the swamplands, and after the river is down, then let the water come back in the Mahoning River, and what does not come back, let it flow into Lake Erie.

What we are asking this committee is, if they can see their way clear, to favor this new water project.

Where would the United States be today if this committee, in its wisdom, 8 years ago. had not voted for the construction of Berlin Dam? The CHAIRMAN. The committee authorized that. Specifically, what is the other project in which you are interested?

Mr. KIRWAN. The one we are asking for now is the Mahoning-Grand River floodway, to prevent the water rushing down into the Ohio River.

Before the Berlin Dam was completed, a year ago last Christmas, that dam was successful in holding back 13,000,000,000 gallons of water. The water rose and washed away the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks and the traffic had to go over the B. & O. tracks. We had several regiments of soldiers filling sacks with sand and putting them on the levee down in Portsmouth, Ohio. It came within half a foot of going over the wall at Portsmouth. If it had not been for the Berlin Dam the water would have gone over the wall at Portsmouth and probably washed half the town away.

The CHAIRMAN. You are about the only man in the United States who has succeeded in getting any new reservoirs.

Mr. KIRWAN. We got two dams since the President said there would be no new dams constructed in the United States.

The CHAIRMAN. You got them from the Director of the Budget? Mr. KIRWAN. I again say, if it were not for the wisdom of this committee in giving authorization to construct those two dams, where would the United States be today?

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad that our wisdom has been vindicated. But we authorized a great many other dams. Because of the Youngstown steel interests primarily we were able to have those dams constructed in aid of the war effort.

Mr. KIRWAN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Just as we were able to have them for the protection of some airplane-manufacturing establishments near East Hartford.

What is the situation of Mosquito Creek?

Mr. KIRWAN. It is partially completed.

The CHAIRMAN. You are now interested in the floodway?

Mr. KIRWAN. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that in connection with the Berlin Dam or the Mosquito, or both?

Mr. KIRWAN. We would like to have that dam supply water, but let the floodwaters run into the Grand River, in connection with this new project, so that we can have the water for the steel plant and at the same time give a hundred percent flood protection, not only to Youngstown, Ohio, but all the way down the Ohio River and into the Mississippi.

.

The CHAIRMAN. You have with you today the secretary of the Mahoning Valley Industrial Council, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Youngquist? Mr. KIRWAN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. We will reach those gentlemen as soon as we can. Mr. ELLIOTT. Mr. Kirwan, your experience in connection with what you have been talking about and your experience on the Appropriations Committee bears out the fact that water is used in the production of steel and in the production of agriculture, and that we ought to do everything we can to control all water?

Mr. KIRWAN. It is for the protection of America, whether you build dams in California, Arizona. New Mexico, Connecticut, Massachusetts, or wherever they may go. Instead of destroying America, let us try to reclaim it; and we can reclaim it through proper dams.

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to have your statement, Mr. Kirwan, and we will reach the witnesses you have left with us just as quickly

as we can.

TAYLORSVILLE, KY., SALT RIVER

STATEMENT OF COL. GEORGE R. GOETHALS, CORPS OF
ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY

The CHAIRMAN. Colonel, as you have stated, the only project that has been submitted to the Congress since the June hearings, in the area that we have under consideration today, is the project at Taylorsville, Ky., on the Salt River. Will you identify for us generally that project?

Colonel GOETHALS. The report is contained in Senate Document 105, Seventy-eighth Congress, first session, and is in response to Senate Commerce Committee resolution adopted April 26, 1940, requesting the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to review the report on Salt River, Ky., published in House Document 477, Seventy-first Congress, second session, with a view to determining whether flood protection at Taylorsville, Ky., is advisable at this time.

The river is a stream in north central Kentucky, which flows westerly. It is being identified on the map while I am speaking. It drains a basin of about 2,900 square miles and empties into the Ohio River 26 miles below Louisville. Brashears Creek enters the Salt River at about river mile No. 55, right at the town of Taylorsville. The situation in Taylorsville is peculiar, the topography being relatively flat with the exception of a knoll about 50 feet high in the center of the town. From Taylorsville upstream for 25 miles the river is characterized by many meanders, deep pools, and many shallow crossings, so that when Brashears Creek and Salt River are in flood Taylorsville is nearly encircled by those two streams.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the population of Taylorsville?

Colonel GOETHALS. The population of Taylorsville is, according to the 1940 census, 920; and the population of the county in which it lies is 6,800.

The CHAIRMAN. And the interests there are agricultural, industrial, or what?

Colonel GOETHALS. The principal industry is dairying, for which Taylorsville is the chief trading and collection center, although live stock, tobacco, and corn are other important products of the neighborhood and the surrounding country.

At the present time there is no existing Federal flood-control project at Taylorsville, but there have been other improvements made by local interests, notably the Spencer County, Ky., levee flood control and drainage district No. 1, which has been working on plans for levees and other works and for the disposal of sewage during floods and the making of channel improvements along both streams. The channel clearing has been completed at a cost of $5,000. The initiation of the other phases of the plan awaits the outcome of current negotiations with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation.

Damaging floods occur nearly every year at Taylorsville and are usually caused by cyclonic storms that produce a high rate of run-off. These floods are of short duration. In the immediate vicinity of Taylorsville about 155 acres of urban land are located in the flood plain.

The most severe storm of record occurred in 1909. Such a storm is estimated to have a frequency of once in 43 years. The second largest

was in 1937, with a frequency of once in 35 years; the latter causing damage estimated at $92.000. The estimated future direct average annual flood damage is $25,400.

In each flood the entire town has been under water with the exception of the little knoll known as Schoolhouse Hill.

The plan of improvement consists of a ring levee to protect the town from flood flows from Salt River and Brashears Creek, with riprap toe protection where needed, a sewage pumping plant and with an interceptor ditch to take care of interior drainage during floods.

The estimated Federal investment is $129,350, with local interests contributing $27,800 for the customary purchases of lands, rights-ofway, and so forth. The project has a favorable cost to benefit ratio of 1 to more than 3.

The requirements of local cooperation are the normal, plus the following:

Make all necessary road relocations, pave all road ramps over the levee where required, construct sanitary sewage pumping stations and interceptor ditch, and prevent all encroachments which would endanger the improvement or make it less effective.

The CHAIRMAN. When you say that the local contribution is normal, you mean it is the usual requirement of contribution plus the additional requirements that you have enumerated?

Colonel GOETHALS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. As you have stated, the local people have made expenditures that you have outlined, for their own protection? Colonel GOETHALS. So far; yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any questions by members of the committee? [No response.]

Is there anyone here who desires to advocate or oppose this project? [No response.]

You have previously reported, Colonel Goethals, as to the status of works along the upper and the lower Ohio River, and generally the matter under consideration before this committee is for additional authorizations on projects previously approved in accordance with the reports submitted to Congress that have been approved by the committee?

Colonel GOETHALS. Correct, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Both for local protective works and for reservoirs on the tributaries of the Ohio River?

Colonel GOETHALS. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Specifically the Berlin Reservoir has been authorized and constructed, and the Mosquito Creek reservoir has been authorized and constructed. Representative Kirwan made reference to a floodway. For the record will you give us a brief description of that project and tell us whether or not it has been authorized and, if so, by what act?

Colonel GOETHALS. The project has not yet been authorized, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the status of it?

Colonel GOETHALS. We are preparing some preliminary field studies on it, but as a project it has not yet reached Congress.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you need any additional authorization for further studies of this matter that Mr. Kirwan has brought to our attention!

Colonel GOETHALS. As far as making and completing the studies, we have sufficient authorization.

The CHAIRMAN. Under what authority?

Colonel GOETHALS. The resolution of the Senate Committee on Commerce dated June 17, 1942, requested the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to review any available reports or data on the Mahoning and Grand River Basins in Ohio with a view to formulating the most advisable plan for the utilization of the water resources of said basins to obtain the greatest economic benefits for these basins and the surrounding territory.

The CHAIRMAN. You have enough authority and ample authorization to continue the work?

Colonel GOETHALS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. But you have transmitted nothing to us with reference to it, and your studies are not completed?

Colonel GOETHALS. They are not completed.

LOYALHANNA CREEK, LATROBE, PA.

The CHAIRMAN. Colonel Goethals, is there any other matter that you have not brought to our attention in connection with the Ohio or tributaries?

Colonel GOETHALS. One other matter, Mr. Chairman, in case you want to bring it up today rather than at a later date, is the interim report, which is on its way to Congress and which you will receive in a day or so, on the local improvement of Loyalhanna Creek, at Latrobe, Pa. That can be put in the record today if the committee desires. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have an abstract of it? If so, we will take it at this time.

Colonel GOETHALS. This is an interim report which, as I stated, is on its way to Congress; hence, it is not yet printed.

Pursuant to the Flood Control Act approved August 28, 1937, this report was made. The creek in question lies in Westmoreland County, Pa., east of Pittsburgh, flowing northerly for 49 miles, and at Saltsburg, Pa., uniting with the Conemaugh River, flowing thence to the Allegheny.

The creek drains an area of about 300 square miles, of which 211 square miles lie above Latrobe. Latrobe is an incorporated borough with a 1940 population of 11,100, 23 miles above the creek mouth. Within the town limits the creek follows a very tortuous course with a sharp bend in the lower part of the borough as shown on the map, now being pointed out.

The CHAIRMAN. The Conemaugh River goes through the city of Johnstown, does it not?

Colonel GOETHALS. The Conemaugh River is formed by the confluence of Stony Creek and Little Conemaugh River at Johnstown. The CHAIRMAN. Farther up. You have made the improvements authorized by the act of 1936 as amended by the act of 1937? Colonel GOETHALS. That is correct, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And there has been an expenditure to relieve the flood hazard at Johnstown, a great steel manufacturing center, where they had one of the worst catastrophes, in 1889, that the Nation ever had. The stream in question is a tributary of the Conemaugh River? Colonel GOETHALS. Yes, sir.