GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, The Honorable FRANK SMALL, Jr., United States House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. SMALL: I have noted with much interest that the President has included in his budget recommendations to Congress $1 million for construction in connection with the Anacostia River Basin flood-control project, which includes the long-needed work at Peace Cross in Bladensburg. I earnestly hope that this recommendation will be approved by Congress for two important reasons: (1) The close identification of the Peace Cross area with traffic entering and leaving the District of Columbia, and (2) its tie-in with our civil-defense road network which has recently been approved by the Board of Commissioners. The frequent flooding of the important United States Routes 1 and 50 at Peace Cross necessitates detours which overload roads in the District which are already taxed to capacity with the normal peak-hour traffic with resultant delays and inconvenience to the public, together with an unknown but undoubtedly heavy loss of manhours by both private and Government workers. United States Route 1 into and out of the District of Columbia has been designated as an important military road under our civil-defense traffic regulations. A military road is defined as a highway designated for the use of Armed Forces within the District of Columbia for the movement of military traffic. Route 1 would be rendered useless for this purpose by flood conditions at Peace Cross. I am taking the liberty of sending you a map showing the entire civil-defense road network with the District of Columbia, in order that you may see how these roads tie in with other roads in the Washington metropolitan area, particularly in Maryland and in the vicinity of Peace Cross. I hope that you will make a strong plea before the House subcommittee for approval of the necessary funds for this project, and that your efforts will be successful. With all good wishes, I am Sincerely, GEO. E. KENEIPP, Director of Vehicles and Traffic. Representative SMALL. I would be glad to answer any questions, if you have any. Senator RUSSELL. We are familiar with that project. Representative SMALL. If I may, Mr. Chairman, I would like to introduce Mr. Bellamy, who is chairman of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. and Mr. Ray, who is a member of the Sanitary Commission and in whose hands is the authority to negotiate with the Federal Government. I think the commission has designated Mr. Ray to represent them here. I would also like to present the chief engineer, of whom we are very proud, Mr. Harry Shaw. This is Mr. Ray, gentlemen, a member of the Sanitary Commission. STATEMENT OF L. S. RAY, MEMBER, WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION GENERAL STATEMENT Mr. RAY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the agency delegated by the General Assembly of Maryland to contract with the Federal Government on matters pertaining to the flood control and navigation project on the Anacostia River, respectfully submits a separate statement relative to this project and requests that the subcommittee on Army civil functions recommend to the Congress that the sum of $1 million be appropriated toward the construction of the Anacostia River Basin project as recommended by the Bureau of the Budget so that this work can begin promptly. The following facts are to be particularly noted: (a) That the local public agencies involved are directed to issue bonds to the amount of $2,750,000 and the Maryland State Roads Commission directed to pay $1,500,000 out of its general funds upon the appropriation by the Congress of construction funds for all or part of the Anacostia River flood control and navigation project. (b) That the United States engineers will have plans and specifications ready for the construction of the first section of the project by June 30, 1954, so that it can go ahead promptly if funds for this are made available by the Congress. (c) That 73 percent of the land needed has been acquired. (d) That the elimination of the flooding of the Anacostia over the highways leading in and out of Washington is necessary for the protection of the people of the District of Columbia in the event of an emergency exodus. The commission feels that the history of and necessity for the project are sufficiently outlined in the more detailed statement which is before you and in the reports of the many hearings on the subject before committees of the Congress that further elaboration of them is not required here. As the agency designated by the State legislature to deal with the Federal Government in this matter, the commission herewith advises that it is ready to perform all its obligations in connection therewith. and will, immediately upon the appropriation by the Federal Government of construction funds for the project, set up the necessary organization and secure the funds to carry them out. Mr. Chairman, I would like to request that the supplemental statement which is before you be printed in the record. Senator RUSSELL. Without objection, the matter referred to will be printed in the record. (The material referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER BASIN PROJECT Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the agency delegated by the General Assembly of Maryland to contract with the Federal Government on matters pertaining to the flood control and navigation project on the Anacostia River, respectfully submits a separate statement relative to this project and requests that the subcommittee on Army Civil Functions recomend to the Congress that the sum of $1 million be appropriated towards the construction of the Anacostia River Basin project as recommended by the Bureau of the Budget so that this work can begin promptly. The following facts are to be particularly noted: (a) That the local public agencies involved are directed to issue bonds to the amount of $2,750,000 and the Maryland State Roads Commission directed to pay $1,500,000 out of its general funds upon the appropriation by the Congress of construction funds for all or part of the Anacostia River flood control and navigation project. (b) That the United States engineers will have plans and specifications ready for the construction of the first section of the project by June 30, 1954, so that it can go ahead promptly if funds for this are made available by the Congress. (c) That 73 percent of the land needed has been acquired. (d) That the elimination of the flooding of the Anacostia over the highways leading in and out of Washington is necessary for the protection of the people of the District of Columbia in event of an emergency exodus. The commission feels that the history of and necessity for the project are sufficiently outlined in the more detailed statement which is before you and in the reports of the many hearings on the subject before committees of the Congress that further elaboration of them is not required here. As the agency designated by the State legislature to deal with the Federal Government in this matter, the commission herewith advises that it is ready to perform all its obligations in connection therewith and will immediately upon the appropriation by the Federal Government of construction funds for the project set up the necessary organization and secure the funds to carry them out. THE PROPOSED FLOOD CONTROL AND NAVIGATION PROJECT ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER IN MARYLAND AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (To accompany statement of Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, dated February 15, 1954) PRESENT STATUS The project was authorized by Public Law 516, 81st Congress, as a result of a report by the Corps of Engineers to the Congress, contained in House Document No. 202, 81st Congress. The planning report covering the definite design studies and estimates of cost of the project have been completed by the Army engineers and we understand submitted to the Congress. Also, contract plans and specifications for the portion of the project along the Northeast Branch of the river will be completed by June 30, 1954. This means that, as the local authorities have been directed by the State legislature to issue bonds to cover the local costs of the project as soon as the Federal Government provides construction funds for all or part of the project, work can be begun promptly if the Congress provides such funds at this session. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT The project consists essentially of: (a) Constructing levees on both sides of the river from points slightly south of Bladensburg upstream to the towns of Brentwood and Riverdale. (b) The reconstruction of roads and bridges in the area to conform to the levee plan. (c) The construction of four pumping stations behind the levees to discharge the drainage flow occurring behind the levees into the river when in flood. (d) The widening and straightening of the river channel from the end of the existing navigation project at 15th Street SE., to Bladensburg to a depth of 8 feet and bottom width of 80 feet, and (e) The construction of commercial and recreational boat basins near Bladensburg. HISTORY The Anacostia River is a tidal stream and once was navigable as far as Bladensburg. However, over the years the stream has silted up as a result of the development of the watershed. Its improvement has been considered by numerous sessions of the Congress since the 52d. Commercial navigation is nonexistent in the Maryland reaches of the river and the flooding of the stream has progressively become a more serious matter not only to the Maryland suburbs but to the District of Columbia and the Federal Government as well, particularly in recent years from the standpoints of civilian and national defense. NECESSITY The damage from the recurrent flooding of the Anacostia River has greatly increased due to the intensive development in the Anacostia Valley. The river at frequent intervals overflows its flood plain. For example, U. S. Highways 1 and 50 which meet at the Peace Cross in Bladensburg were flooded for a greater or lesser period on 14, 25, 29, and 32 days respectively in 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1953. The annual flood control benefits are estimated by the United States engineers at $852,300. Traffic on the above mentioned and other highways in the area has to be diverted around the frequently flooded roads. We are informed by a representative of the State roads commission that U. S. No. 1 north of the Peace Cross showed a daily average traffic count in 1953 of 25,404 vehicles, U. S. No. 50 east of the Peace Cross, 34,638 vehicles, and the two combined west of the Peace Cross, 40,367 vehicles. Utility projects, notably the construction of a sewage pumping station at Bladensburg, are being held in abeyance until the flood control plan is settled. The Bladensburg area has important industrial potentialities which can only be fully realized when the flood control and navigation project is consummated. U. S. Highways Nos. 1 and 50, being main highways into and out of Washington, must, because of civilian and military defense requirements of the District of Columbia and Federal Governments, be kept open for traffic at all times, which is not the case now because of their frequent flooding by the Anacostia River. BENEFITS This commission is convinced that the plan of the Army engineers, as outlined in House Document 202, 81st Congress, and as extended and revised since, will effectually eliminate the damage caused by the recurrent flooding of the Anacostia River, enhance land values in the area and will permit the uninterrupted flow of traffic through the Anacostia flood plain. The approval of the plan will enable this commission to construct a pumping station at Bladensburg, which will eliminate sewage pollution of the river at that point. The construction of the recreational boat basin would relieve the overcrowding of the present facilities for small boats in the Washington-Metropolitan area. This location would be more desirable to many boat owners for basing their craft than the present more remotely located moorings. The improved river channel would provide recreational advantages for the owners of such craft. By combining the commercial and recreational boat basins very substantial savings in cost are provided without interfering with either the recreational use of the basin or the foreseeable commercial navigational needs of the area. The straightening and improvement of the river channel and the provisions for boating will open up and encourage the development of the adjacent lands for park purposes, much of which have already been acquired. The park areas would be an extension of the District of Columbia park system and could be made one of the finest metropolitan parks in the world because of its extent, location, and varied facilities. In creating the park large areas of mosquitobreeding swamp would be done away with. House Document No. 202, 81st Congress, sets forth the above benefits and others in much more detail. The Federal Government will also be saved considerable money by the reduction in dredging costs on the lower Anacostia by the construction of the flood-control and navigation project. The carrying out of the Anacostia project by permitting a free flow of traffic in and out of Washington to the northeast at all times would save the Government many thousands of dollars annually in time lost by its employees in detouring the roads frequently flooded by the Anacostia. It is probably not possible to overstress the value of having the highways out of Washington which cross the Anacostia and its main tributaries open at all times to traffic in the event of the necessity of quickly evacuating large segments of the population of the District of Columbia. Should the bridges to Virginia or on the lower Anacostia becomes unusable at such a time and the Anacostia be in flood, as now frequently occurs, the result would probably be castastrophic. This hazard could be greatly reduced by the construction of the Anacostia flood-control project. It is understood that the Bladensburg Road has been recently designated by civil defense as a major evacuation route for the District of Columbia in event of attack. LOCAL PARTICIPATION In House Document No. 202, 81st Congress, page 53, the Federal and nonFederal costs of the project are respectively $4,531,200 and $3,396,100. The people of Prince Georges County and their local governmental agencies have showed that they are sincere in their advocacy of the project as through their efforts the General Assembly of Maryland, 1949 regular session, by chapter 728 of its acts (a) Designated this commission as the local authority "to cooperate or contract with the Federal Government in any matters relating to any projects for flood control and navigation in the valleys of the Anacostia River and tributaries within Prince Georges County" (b) Authorized— 1. The State Roads Commission to pay up to $1,500,000 out of its general funds for relocating and building State roads and bridges within the limits of such projects. 2. County Commissioners of Prince Georges County to issue $1,500,000 in bonds for financing such projects. 3. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission to issue $500,000 in bonds for financing such projects. 4. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to issue $250,000 in bonds for financing such projects. (c) Designated the Washington Surban Sanitary Commission as the organization to maintain and operate the flood control and navigation works when completed and provided for the financing of such operation and maintenance. A photostat of the certified copy of this act was filed with the subcommittee when the commission appeared before it. The 1953 session of the General Assembly of Maryland similarly recognized the importance of this project and amended the above act to make it mandatory upon the local authorities to issue the bonds previously authorized by it upon appropriation by Congress of construction funds for the project. It likewise recognized that due to increased costs of land and construction that additional local contribution would be necessary and authorized the issuance of an additional $500,000 in bonds for this purpose. The duly constituted local authority thus is ready and has the legal authority to proceed to make the expenditures outlined above in connection with the flood control and navigation project on the Anacostia River whenever the Federal Government is ready to proceed. While the present estimated cost of the project to Maryland exceeds these amounts, they are far more than sufficient to carry out its obligations under its first construction phase for which the present appropriation is asked. Based upon the estimates of the United States engineers, which it is believed are certainly ample, if costs remain the same, if the contingencies are as great as estimated and if all the phases of the project plan are carried out, including the boat basin development, it is estimated that the local contribution authorization would have to be increased some $367,000. This does not appear to represent any problem as, if needed, it will not be until near the end of the project several years hence and is not of such magnitude to represent a serious financial problem. The Federal Government should not delay any longer with this project, but should go ahead and get it started. The frequent floodings of the Anacostia are becoming constantly worse and hence an increasing hazard to the defense of and the movement of materiel and personnel to and from the Capital and the proper functioning of the civil defense plans for the area. Mr. RAY. I would now like to introduce Mr. Harry Shaw, the engineer, who will be glad to answer any technical questions. Senator CORDON. Mr. Shaw? STATEMENT OF HARRY B. SHAW, CHIEF ENGINEER, WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION GENERAL STATEMENT Mr. SHAW. There has been so much said about the Anacostia floodcontrol project, that I am not going to trespass upon your time with repetition. I would like to call your attention to the map, if I may, which shows the location of the project. The green area is the extent of the flood in 1933, and the red lines are the major highways leading east and northeast out of Washington. I would like to call your attention to the fact that this is a situation which is becoming no better. As has been pointed out, the character |