approved, the application to the I. J. C. can be reinstated, and it is hoped that prompt action will be taken by the Commission on the resubmission. INDEMNIFYING CANADA The principal problem involved in consideration of the application by the Commission is the matter of indemnifying Canada for the loss of the potential land and water uses of the 17,000 acres and 42-mile reach of the river in Canada that are necessary for the project. Canada has indicated that it will not object to construction of the project if satisfactory indemnification is made for this loss of resource development potential as well as for actual property damages. Canada can be indemnified in two ways; allocating a certain amount of the power from Libby to our neighbor or by a direct payment of Federal funds. I prefer the latter. If the Canadian Government should insist on a share of the power produced at Libby, perhaps it would be necessary to select another site which would not involve an international agreement. A decision from the I. J. C. at the earliest possible date is quite important in planning the project. I wish to stress the importance of the Libby Dam as it is the most important project for the next construction in the comprehensive development for the Columbia River. It will make a major contribution to the power supply of the region and provide needed regulation of flood flows. GREAT FALLS FLOOD-CONTROL PROJECT It is gratifying to see that President Eisenhower's budget now be fore Congress provides $700,000 for construction on the Bull Hook flood-protection project at Havre, Mont. This would complete the construction of the Bull Hook unit and permit construction to be initiated on the levees and drainage facilities of the Milk River unit. This is a project that was badly needed, but there is another area in Montana which has a dire need for a flood-control project. The area of which I speak is at Great Falls where the Sun River has flooded causing considerable damage twice during the past 5 years. Torrential rains which fell in the Highwood Mountains and surrounding area of central Montana during the latter part of May and early June of last year caused extensive damage in the Great Falls, Belt area. Cascade County was declared a disaster area and the Army engineers were called in to assist approximately 2,000 families affected by the flooding waters of the Missouri and Sun Rivers. Damage during the 1953 flood was estimated at over $5 million. The recent flood was considered even more devastating than the 1948 flood. Flooding conditions are appearing more frequently and with more severity. It is time to do something about this problem. Temporary measures and relief funds each year are costly and it is imperative that a flood-control project be started soon to prevent future floods in certral Montana. The big problem along the Sun River is to straighten out the streams and removal of trees, bridges, and so forth, as the valleys were so full of water that the streams made the channel in the soft spots and has moved several hundred yards in many cases settling through rich meadows or directly toward farm buildings where now only a normal flood would complete the damage. There is no use in attempting rehabilitation of farmland or buildings until this situation is corrected. REPORT UNDER CONSIDERATION I understand that plans for a flood-control project at Great Falls are under consideration in an interim report now being prepared relative to conditions of flooding caused by the Sun River. With the extensive development in both the lower Sun River and Missouri areas in Great Falls, particularly since the destructive 1953 flooding, it seems to me that any reasonable preventive program can have ample justification and it should not be delayed. Something needs to be done in the immediate future to prevent flooding in the years to come. The tentative allocation of $15,000 is not sufficient action on the part of the Government as I see it. Activating a flood-control project at Great Falls should not be put off, the sooner actual work can be started, the better. No one knows when another flash flood on the Sun River will ravage the area again. There are other power and flood-control projects in Montana of considerable merit and I feel that should receive the proper attention from the appropriation committees. FORT PECK DAM The second powerplant at Fort Peck Dam and the flood-control project at Billings are among those projects in the Nation set aside to receive funds for the initiation of advance engineering and design in the budget estimate now before Congress for fiscal year 1955. It is my hope that the planning work on these projects will go right along and will not be delayed so that actual construction can be started in the near future. The second powerplant at Fort Peck Dam will be a great asset to the production of hydroelectric power in the Missouri River Basin. PLANNING FUNDS REQUIRED Flood-control projects have been authorized as various sites throughout Montana, but as yet they have not received any sufficient amount of funds with which to begin the planning work. The sites designated for future flood-control projects are at Missoula, St. Regis, Harlem, Miles City, and Saco, Mont. A report from the Corps of Engineers shows that the majority of the funds for these projects, with the exception of the Missoula-St. Regis area will not be allocated until some time after fiscal year 1955. I sincerely hope that it is not the intention of the Appropriation Committee to postpone the allocation of funds indefinitely. (The following information was supplied:) MISCELLANEOUS DATA ON CIVIL-WORKS PROJECTS IN THE STATE OF MONTANA 1. Great Falls, Mont. The amount of $15,000 has been tentatively allocated to the completion of the interim report on flood control of the lower Sun River at Great Falls Mont, from funds in the fiscal year 1955 budget estimate now before Congress, for general investigations. It is anticipated that the interim report can he completed with these funds in fiscal year 1955. 2. Havre, Mont. Construction of the Bull Hook unit was initiated during September 1953. The amount of $700,000 in the budget estimate for fiscal year 1955 now before Congress will complete the construction of the Bull Hook unit and permit construction to be initiated on the levees and drainage facilities of the Milk River unit. Based on the amount included in the President's budget for fiscal year 1955 there would be a further requirement, after fiscal year 1955, of $369,800 for completion of the Milk River unit. 3. Libby Reservoir, Mont. No action has yet been taken to resubmit this project for approval to the International Joint Commission. It is anticipated that it will be resubmitted as soon as certain domestic questions involved in the construction of the project have been settled within the regular channels. 4. Fort Peck Dam, second powerplant Funds in the amount of $220,000 are contained in the budget estimate now before Congress for fiscal year 1955 for advance engineering and design on the second powerplant. 5. Billings, Mont. Funds in the amount of $25,000 are included in the fiscal year 1955 President's budget estimate for initiation of advance engineering and design. The total cost of design studies required prior to initiation of construction is estimated at $46,400. through rich meadows or directly toward farm buildings where now only a normal flood would complete the damage. There is no use in attempting rehabilitation of farmland or buildings until this situation is corrected. REPORT UNDER CONSIDERATION I understand that plans for a flood-control project at Great Falls are under consideration in an interim report now being prepared relative to conditions of flooding caused by the Sun River. With the extensive development in both the lower Sun River and Missouri areas in Great Falls, particularly since the destructive 1953 flooding, it seems to me that any reasonable preventive program can have ample justification and it should not be delayed. Something needs to be done in the immediate future to prevent flooding in the years to come. The tentative allocation of $15,000 is not sufficient action on the part of the Government as I see it. Activating a flood-control project at Great Falls should not be put off, the sooner actual work can be started, the better. No one knows when another flash flood on the Sun River will ravage the area again. There are other power and flood-control projects in Montana of considerable merit and I feel that should receive the proper attention from the appropriation committees. FORT PECK DAM The second powerplant at Fort Peck Dam and the flood-control project at Billings are among those projects in the Nation set aside to receive funds for the initiation of advance engineering and design in the budget estimate now before Congress for fiscal year 1955. It is my hope that the planning work on these projects will go right along and will not be delayed so that actual construction can be started in the near future. The second powerplant at Fort Peck Dam will be a great asset to the production of hydroelectric power in the Missouri River Basin. PLANNING FUNDS REQUIRED Flood-control projects have been authorized as various sites throughout Montana, but as yet they have not received any sufficient amount of funds with which to begin the planning work. The sites designated for future flood-control projects are at Missoula, St. Regis, Harlem, Miles City, and Saco, Mont. A report from the Corps of Engineers shows that the majority of the funds for these projects, with the exception of the Missoula-St. Regis area will not be allocated until some time after fiscal year 1955. I sincerely hope that it is not the intention of the Appropriation Committee to postpone the allocation of funds indefinitely. (The following information was supplied:) MISCELLANEOUS DATA ON CIVIL-WORKS PROJECTS IN THE STATE OF MONTANA 1. Great Falls, Mont. The amount of $15,000 has been tentatively allocated to the completion of the interim report on flood control of the lower Sun River at Great Falls, Mont from funds in the fiscal year 1955 budget estimate now before Congress, for general investigations. It is anticipated that the interim report can he completed with these funds in fiscal year 1955. 2. Havre, Mont. Construction of the Bull Hook unit was initiated during September 1953. The amount of $700,000 in the budget estimate for fiscal year 1955 now before Congress will complete the construction of the Bull Hook unit and permit construction to be initiated on the levees and drainage facilities of the Milk River unit. Based on the amount included in the President's budget for fiscal year 1955 there would be a further requirement, after fiscal year 1955, of $369,800 for completion of the Milk River unit. 3. Libby Reservoir, Mont. No action has yet been taken to resubmit this project for approval to the International Joint Commission. It is anticipated that it will be resubmitted as soon as certain domestic questions involved in the construction of the project have been settled within the regular channels. 4. Fort Peck Dam, second powerplant Funds in the amount of $220,000 are contained in the budget estimate now before Congress for fiscal year 1955 for advance engineering and design on the second powerplant. 5. Billings, Mont. Funds in the amount of $25,000 are included in the fiscal year 1955 President's budget estimate for initiation of advance engineering and design. The total cost of design studies required prior to initiation of construction is estimated at $46,400. |