tion problem there, that might probably justify you in making a larger allocation. I submit that matter to your judgment in any future allocation. Is there anything further?

Mr. BARNES. No, sir; nothing else.

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to have had your statement.

Now, are there any other statements on this matter we have under consideration today?

Mr. W. C. McCLURE. I just want to make an inquiry. I have some representatives here from the Red River and two or three from the White River. Are you through-have you left the river stage and gone to the Agriculture Department for good?

The CHAIRMAN. No, sir. We thought we had finished. We called for anybody else that wanted to make a statement.

Mr. McCLURE. We have Mr. McBride here.

The CHAIRMAN. He was one of the first witnesses we heard this morning, and we asked him to tell all he knew.

Mr. McCLURE. He is also interested in the Red River and has quite a lot of material he would like to submit. Then we have Mr. Á. J. Hawkins, from Eminence, Mo., who is interested in the Current River, a tributary of the White River. Then there is Mr. John P. Morrow, of the State Flood Commission of Arkansas, who has written a brief on the Current River that he would like to file with the committee.

The CHAIRMAN. We asked for everybody from the districts in Arkansas and Mr. McBride was the only person whose name has been furnished to the committee. Mr. McBride, you can come back, if you like.

Mr. MCBRIDE. This is the only statement I wish to make with reference to the Red River project, which has partially been covered by the gentlemen from the Chief's office. We are anxious to have that report in as soon as possible for review by this committee, so that we can review it ourselves. That is about the only statement I care to make at this time, Mr. Chairman, in connection with the Red River project. The CHAIRMAN. Is there anybody here who has anything to say now about any other tributary of the Mississippi River or any other tributary of the Red River?

Mr. MCBRIDE. Not today. You have arranged for my statement on the Washita on Friday.

The CHAIRMAN. Yes; I understand; next Friday. That was my impression, Mr. McBride.

Now, who is the other gentleman from Arkansas.

Mr. MCCLURE. Mr. John P. Morrow, chairman of the State Flood Control Commission of Arkansas.

STATEMENT OF JOHN P. MORROW, CHAIRMAN, STATE FLOOD CONTROL COMMISSION OF ARKANSAS, LITTLE ROCK, ARK.

Mr. MORROW. I just want to file a brief.

The CHAIRMAN. Your name is what?

Mr. MORROW. John P. Morrow.

The CHAIRMAN. You represent what interest!

Mr. MORROW. State Flood Control Commission of Arkansas.

The CHAIRMAN. You desire to submit a statement?

Mr. MORROW. In connection with the Current River, tributary to the

Black which is tributary to the White.

The CHAIRMAN. There is a reservoir that has been constructed on the Black River.

Mr. MORROW. Clearwater is under construction.

The CHAIRMAN. What has the Current River got to do with that? Mr. MORROW. The Current River is below that.

The CHAIRMAN. Below the dam?

Mr. MORROW. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the situation of that Clearwater Reservoir now?

Mr. MORROW. The project has not been approved. You don't really have it before you, but it will come before you shortly.

The CHAIRMAN. You want us to consider your statement in connection with that?

Mr. MORROW. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. All right. We will be very glad to have it in the record.

(The statement is as follows:)

STATE FLOOD CONTROL COMMISSION OF ARKANSAS

Main offices: Little Rock, Ark.

Subject: Current River.

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 14, 1944.

Hon. WILL M. WHITTINGTON,

Chairman, Flood Control Committee,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. WHITTINGTON: For several years we have advocated and endorsed the Current River for development by dual-purpose dams and reservoirs. When the Flood Control Act of 1938 passed, it was then not possible to get anything done on the Current River due to several utilities holding franchises on the several dam sites; but this has all been canceled.

Survey by Army engineers: In recent years the district engineer at Little Rock has made a complete survey and investigation of the Current River, and we understand the report of the Army engineers is about ready. We have reason to believe that this report will be favorable and will recommend the development of this tributary at the expense of the Government.

Drainage area: The drainage area of the Current River, as reported in House Document 102, Seventy-third Congress, first session, for the White River, Mo., and Ark., is 2,860 square miles. It is anticipated that the engineers are recommending two, possibly three, dams on this stream. It is hoped that the report of the engineers on the Current River can be made available to this committee. Remarkable stream: According to information from the district engineer's office at Little Rock, under date of February 1, 1944, we find that the minimum flow of this stream is 900 cubic feet per second while the average annual discharge is 3,250 cubic feet per second. By the same letter it is noted that the minimum flow of the White River at the Bull Shoals Dam site, the Buffalo River and the North Fork River shows a total of 497 cubic feet per second. The drainage area reported on the Current River at the mouth is 2,613 square miles. The total drainage area for the White River at Bull Shoals, plus North Fork and Buffalo tributaries, is 9,173 square miles. In other words, the Current River, with about 30 percent of the drainage area of the White at Bull Shoals, Buffalo, and North Fork, has a minimum discharge of nearly twice as much as the White, Buffalo, and North Fork. The average annual flow of the White, Buffalo, and North Fork is 9,710 cubic feet per second while the Current River shows an average of 3,250 cubic feet per second.

This remarkable stream flow of the Current River, especially its high low discharge, is due to six or seven large springs in the basin of the Current that furnish this great amount of water at dead low flow.

Flood control: The Current River is a tributary of the Black River. The Black comes into the White River at Newport. Above Newport on the White River is 11,500 square miles. The four dams authorized for the White River,

the Norfork, Lone Rock, Bull Shoals, and Table Rock, show a total flood-control storage in excess of 41⁄2 million acre-feet, while the Black River, above Newport, with 8,500 square miles, has a total combined flood storage of just a little in excess of 1,000,000 acre-feet. This indicates beyond question that we need more flood storage on the Black River. The three dams on the Black River (Bell Foley on Strawberry River, Water Valley on Eleven Point River, and Clearwater on the Black River above Poplar Bluff) show a total flood storage of a little over 1,000,000 acre-feet. The Black River has a low channel capacity, relatively speaking. The Black drains an area of level land, and the floods of the Black are often seen at 4 to 6 miles wide. It is not difficult to see the very great need of this additional storage wanted on the Black River. The lands are very fertile, a considerable amount of it in cultivation and with flood losses running high nearly every year.

The Current River drains about 500 square miles more than the Black River Basin above where the Current comes in.

The Clearwater Dam on the Black is about half completed-construction was stopped due to the war. We believe it will provide very beneficial flood protection for the upper Black River.

The Current River has a fall or slope down to Doniphan, Mo., near the Arkansas line, of possibly 7 to 8 feet per mile. The profile of the Army engineers shows from source to mouth a slope in excess of 5 feet per mile. For 30 miles or so along the lower Current is level delta land. In other words, local people say that the Current River does not flow into the Black, but it jumps into it. Several times the floods of the Current River have made the Black River run upstream 5, 6, or 7 miles.

The flood flows of the Current River are exceedingly dangerous and destructive. We hope the Army engineers are providing for at least 1,000,000 acre-feet of flood storage on the Current and certainly, with the great high average flow of that stream, much hydroelectric energy can be generated at these dual-purpose dams.

We earnestly appeal to this committee for the adoption of the Current River development.

The flood storage provided on the four dams of the upper White River will give excellent flood protection.

It is thought that even with the Current River under control, the future will see more flood losses on the Black River than we believe are likely to occur on the White.

The engineers at the Little Rock office are now working on surveys of the Spring River (another tributary of the Black) with a high water discharge due to springs and with about 1,250 square miles drainage area. The surveys of the Spring River have just been started. We hope the reports will be favorable. This will come up later.

In the meantime, since the surveys and investigations of the Current River have been completed, it is very much hoped that this committee will find it possible to include development of the Current River in whatever legislation is passed.

Appreciating highly this hearing you are holding and with every good wish, we remain,

Yours very truly,

STATE FLOOD CONTROL COMMISSION OF ARKANSAS, By JOHN P. MORROW, Chairman.

STATEMENT OF A. J. HAWKINS, EMINENCE, MO.

The CHAIRMAN. The Current River is a tributary of the Black River?

Mr. HAWKINS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. What project is there on the Black River that involves the Current River that you are interested in?

Mr. HAWKINS. I am interested in the entire length of the Current River which flows into the Black, below Clearwater Dam.

The CHAIRMAN. What project that has been reported to Congress by the Chief Engineer that involves the Current River is it that you are interested in?

Mr. HAWKINS. Interested in possibly three dams that are being considered, and they are in Missouri.

The CHAIRMAN. You understand our situation; we have no report transmitted to us officially as a committee on that.

Mr. HAWKINS. I had a letter from the chairman of the committee at Little Rock saying that it is in transit.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, it is still in transit. It has not reached us. What is it you wanted to say about it?

Mr. HAWKINS. The volume of the flow in the Current River Basin, the size and the amount of the springs we have in it, and the annual flow of that river, which is all clear water, and thus far you have been dealing in muddy water. This is a clear-water proposition.

The CHAIRMAN. What do you want us to do?

Mr. HAWKINS. We want a dual-purpose dam up there.

The CHAIRMAN. Where?

Mr. HAWKINS. On the Current River.

The CHAIRMAN. You want some dams on the Current River?
Mr. HAWKINS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. What do you want them for?

Mr. HAWKINS. Hydroelectric purposes, power, and flood control. The CHAIRMAN. What is the difference between hydroelectric and power?

Mr. HAWKINS. Hydroelectric for power and flood control to save the lower valleys and to conserve the soil.

The CHAIRMAN. On the Current River you are interested in protecting the valleys further down?

Mr. HAWKINS. Indeed I think it should be.

The CHAIRMAN. And concurrently up there on the Current River you are interested in the development of hydroelectric power?

Mr. HAWKINS. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the soil formation?

Mr. HAWKINS. It is a Silurian limestone formation on top of an igneous formation.

The CHAIRMAN. In the Ozarks?

Mr. HAWKINS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there canyons up and down there?

Mr. HAWKINS. Yes; it is nothing but narrow canyons for miles. The mouth of the river is smaller than the head. The mouth of the Current River is smaller than its head, because there are big springs there. The CHAIRMAN. In the headwaters?

Mr. HAWKINS. Yes; I could give you the flow of those springs. They are in the upper end of the Current River. Big springs, 26 of them, up there.

The CHAIRMAN. And that is below the Clearwater Dam?

Mr. HAWKINS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. We are hearing you informally, of course, because we haven't any report on that.

Is there any other statement you would like to make?

Mr. HAWKINS. No; I have more data on it, but it wouldn't be of benefit at this time, I suppose.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, you may go ahead with any statement you want to make.

Mr. HAWKINS. At the Current River we have about 26 large springs from which the water is infiltrated down in the southeast curve of the basin, which makes this wonderful water flowage, and it goes right on into the White River and Black River. The fact of the matter is, we are furnishing more water down there than there is in the low ebb tide. That emanates from the spring. We do not have any muddy water. Even in the big rains those springs keep it clear. We don't know where those subterranean channels come from.

The CHAIRMAN. What are you going to do with your power when you develop it?

Mr. HAWKINS. I suppose the engineers will find that out. I would like to state that all this land is owned by three large companies. It was devoted to forestry, but now much of the land is off the tax roll and we have got to get something to utilize it better. There is nothing only a dual-purpose dam that will take care of that. We do have mineral resources there.

The CHAIRMAN. How do you make a living?

Mr. HAWKINS. We have been making it by forestry. Three-fourths of the wealth of Arkansas comes from forestry, and now it is largely gone.

The CHAIRMAN. You advocate how many reservoirs? How many do you want?

Mr. HAWKINS. I think there ought to be at least two.

The CHAIRMAN. What size river is the Current River at the mouth? Mr. HAWKINS. It is an ordinary flow.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the low-water flow?

Mr. MORROW. I can answer that. The low-water flow of the Current River is 900 second-feet.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the high-water flow?

Mr. MORROW. The average annual is 2,316, and the Current River drains an area in excess of 2,600 square miles. That is about 500 square miles more than the Black River, and there is the Clearwater Dam up on the Black.

The CHAIRMAN. In other words, you emphasize there is plenty of room up there for a good reservoir to generate power?

Mr. HAWKINS. The upper part, where all those big springs are, has 1,260 square miles-I have a blueprint that the surveyors made, and I counted the square miles in this upper basin. That is where all the big springs emanate. It goes on through those into the Black River.

Mr. McCLURE. I think that is all covered in Mr. Morrow's brief. The CHAIRMAN. Well, we don't want any repetition.

Mr. Hawkins, have you anything further to say?

Mr. HAWKINS. I don't believe there is anything further.

The CHAIRMAN. You understand we can only keep in mind what

you say? It may be necessary to have further testimony.

Mr. HAWKINS. It will be based on these data I have with me.

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to have had your statement.

Are there any other witnesses who desire to oppose any of the projects we have had under consideration?

(There was no response.)

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