As a matter of fact, in Dallas and in Fort Worth the outlays that they have made for levees and reservoirs and so forth far exceed Federal appropriations.

With reference to the Fort Worth Floodway, irrespective of all the reservoirs and levees that were built in the years gone by at local expense, local interests are contributing to this project very considerably more money than they are asking the Federal Government to give.

Now, that small sum which is expected to complete that project will greatly relieve the flood situation from the standpoint of Fort Worth. From the standpoint of Dallas, there are 2 items on continuing projects in the budget estimates and these are the 2 essentials to prevent a disastrous flood in Dallas; and if the action suggested and recommended is not taken Dallas, as Mr. Stemmons will be able to show you very conclusively, is likely to sustain the most devastating flood this country has had in many years.

Now, one of these items is the Garza-Little Elm Reservoir and the budget recommendation for that project is expected to complete that project.

The other is the Dallas Floodway project toward which Dallas is itself contributing very substantially. It is of the utmost importance that these two projects be carried through to completion as rapidly as possible. The appropriation for Garza-Little Elm recommended here is expected to complete it and it will take some subsequent appropriation to complete the work of the Dallas Flood

way.

I want to urge one other thing to which I think the Committee on Appropriations should direct its attention. I refer to the great necessity, in the development of this master plan that the engineers have worked out for the Trinity River and the Trinity River watershed, of proper surveys and investigations. Some of these long since authorized have lapsed and are now inactive for lack of funds.

The Galveston district engineer in 1949 said with reference to one such important investigation and survey that it would be completed in 12 months, but it is still not completed and the necessary funds are not available.

I trust that the committee will give serious consideration also to this imperative feature of our needs.

May I, in addition to what I have said-because I realize that the hour is late and you are tired-submit for the record a little further statement in amplification of the recommendations I have made.

Mr. HAND. Without objection, that will be included in the record at this point.

(Mr. Lanham's statement follows:)

STATEMENT OF FRITZ G. LANHAM TO HOUSE CIVIL FUNCTIONS SUBCOMMITTEE

The budget of the United States Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, includes the following civil functions items for the improvement of the Trinity River, Tex., under authority of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 2, 1945:

It is estimated that the budget recommendations would complete (1) the rectification and enlargement of the Fort Worth Floodway at a total Federal cost of $3,865,000; and (2) the Garza-Little Elm Reservoir at a total cost of $24,732,066, of which the local interests will contribute in cash $3,410,066.

Local interests of Forth Worth are participating in the Federal efforts and are bettering otherwise the local protection system at a current cost of $7,500,000 to themselves; while Dallas interests, in addition to their cash participation, are contributing a reservoir-Lake Dallas, completed in 1929 at a cost exceeding $5 million-which is being inundated by Garza-Little Elm Reservoir.

The Dallas County Flood Control District will present in detail the case of the local interests for the Dallas Floodway, the third Trinity civil function project included in the budget.

The local interests of the Trinity River Basin, represented by the Trinity Improvement Association and its principal affiliates, the Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District, the East Fork Association, the Mid-Trinity Association, and the Trinity Valley Association, are largely satisfied with the construction progress of the authorized flood-control projects of their area.

Three great Corps of Engineers' reservoirs-Benbrook, Grapevine, Lavon― are now functioning as integral parts of what is possibly America's most unique flood control and reclamation system for a major river basin. Included in the system are 6 major multipurpose reservoirs, over 100 different systems of public or private levees, scores of irrigation, drainage, and similar systems, all built previous to 1935 by Trinity local interests, without the monetary assistance of either the State of Texas or the Federal Government.

Trinity local interests by 1952 had spent on their water resource developments over $142 million (in 1951 dollars and exclusive of interest) which can be segregated. Probably over $125 million was so expended earlier than 1935. Nevertheles, since the Federal agencies began construction on their projects for Trinity water resource development under the congressional authorizations of 1944 and 1945, local interests have further participated in amounts aggregating over $20 million. Federal expenditures have totaled about $75 million since 1945. This is less than half the 1951 value of separable local expenditures to date.

Not only are local interests largely satisfied with the progress of civil function construction on the Trinity Basin; they are greatly pleased also with the economy shown by the Army engineers, who apparently are finishing the four great reservoirs-Benbrook, Grapevine, Lavon, Garza-Little Elm-at about 75 percent of the estimated costs.

However, the local interests of the entire Trinity Basin do have the greatest concern over the long-continued lag in Trinity surveys and investigations. Although review of House Document 403. 77th Congress, Trinity River and tributaries, Texas was authorized in 1945 there has been very little progress in field surveys since 1948.

In fact, investigations which the Galveston district engineer said in December 1949 would be completed "within 12 months" are still unfinished. The

delay stems simply from lack of money for completion of field surveys initially halted in 1946 and since lying almost wholly inactive.

The outstanding success of the reservoir-construction phases of the civil-works program started in 1946--the fourth, and last reservoir will be operative within literally a few weeks-has been due primarily to excellent preparations made for it. Trinity local interests are most anxious that the similarly authorized next steps be as well based.

Could not the committee see its way to appropriate for these authorized Trinity investigations a lump sum of $500,000 to remain available until expended? Would it not be in line with the President's suggestion of "public works laid well in advance" in the state of the Union message?

SUMMARY

Local interests of the Trinity River Basin have spent to date over twice as much as the Federal Government on the development of their water resources for flood control, water supply, navigation, and allied purposes.

It is believed that no other major river basin of America has as good a record of cooperation. Probably three-quarters of it was extended before Federal participation even began.

Yet local interests remain eager to continue their participation in waterresource development on the basis of the comprehensive Trinity plan approved by the Congress in 1944 and 1945.

Over a quarter of a billion dollars has already gone into the job of waterresource development on the Trinity River Basin. The lack of possibly less than half a million for completion of the authorized review report is stymieing progress.

Can we not have this indispensable Federal assistance-indispensable, since the Congress rightfully depends solely upon corps' findings in such mattersbefore the civil-function phases of our comprehensive program slows to a halt? Mr. LANHAM. Now I will take pleasure in presenting Mr. John M. Stemmons, chairman of the Dallas County Flood Control Board. Mr. HAND. Mr. Stemmons, we are happy to hear from you. Mr. STEMMONS. This is an aerial photograph on a small scale of the city of Dallas and through the center of it you will note the floodway section of the Dallas Floodway which was constructed by local interests at their own expense in the year 1930 at a cost of about $20 million, with no aid from anybody.

That reclaimed 10.500 acres of land and at that time it was considered to be a very fine flood project. But unfortunately it was built upon a strata of land that was underlaid with gravel and at that time there were not ways known by which construction could be made to put in what is known as positive cutoffs which would avert a possible blowout in a levee system.

The Corps of Engineers have gone into the area and have found that there is very grave danger of a levee break in this area and have recommended certain modifications to be done both to the levee system and to the interior drainage. We have a different situation than we had some years back.

We have in this area, gentlemen, 45,000 people, the roofs of whose houses-not the floors but the roofs-are below the top of the levee. The floor of the land in this district in elevation, we will say, 400, the levee elevation is 430. Therefore the roofs of the houses themselves, are below the top of the levee-45,000 people, gentlemen, 45,000 lowincome people who did not have the convenience of sewer and water until the last few years when the city of Dallas has taken upon itself a program of several million dollars to see they were given that.

The Federal Government in the last 3 years has spent $33 million in developing a Federal low-cost housing project. That photograph

does not look like a big project but that is the largest single publichousing project in the world, 3,500 housing units in which will live 18,000 people. The roofs of those houses are actually at or about the top of the levee height.

There is in addition to that, in this area between the lines which is the area to be protected by the system as is to be modified by the corps, values taken off of the tax rolls of the city of Dallas, based upon which the taxes of the city of Dallas are paid of $600 million. There is in this area which has been turned into a modern industrial district $55 million of building which has been put there since 1946. The Government itself has stored in one building here—a large refrigerated warehouse you see down in this area here-something over $40 million of Government storage.

I know that is a sort of conjectural point at this particular stage. Nevertheless, it is Government surplus stored in that area.

We feel local interests are participating in the project; we feel that we have a meritorious project. We have spent our local funds on the project, and we have not paid for it yet; we have bonded our lands and are paying for it now. This 10,500 acres that have been reclaimed have been bonded and they are paying for the land and we ask that you continue this worthwhile project as speedily as possible so that we may avert what we consider to be the worst tragedy that could happen to our part of the country, and, for that matter, we feel to the country as a whole.

In that connection, we were very happy to have Mr. Sanders make an inspection of the project this year and I think he can verify the statement which I have tried to make to you-not particularly from the standpoint of the figures, but from the standpoint of the fact that all rail traffic and all vehicular traffic amounting to some 2 or 3 hundred thousand units per day of necessity must come through this area because Dallas is split by this river. A quarter of a million people here, 350,000 people there. This is the hub, this is the center of the entire area. We ask, gentlemen, your favorable consideration to this appropriation and we assure you that local interests will stand ready at all times to take care of that portion of the project that they are called upon to participate in.

Mr. Robert Jones who is on the board of supervisors of the city and county of Dallas Levee Improvement District, the actual owning agency of this area, is present here today. He has to do with the handling of the debt that I spoke of a moment ago, because that is his primary job-my primary job is to see this is maintained and operated properly. I do not know whether Mr. Jones has anything to say to you further. I appreciate your time.

Mr. HAND. What was the necessity that impelled the housing project and the storage of Government refrigerated surplus to be located where it is?

Mr. STEMMONS. To begin with, the storage of refrigerated surplus is in this building, Mr. Chairman. It is 750,000 square feet, Mr. Chairman, a little more than half of which is refrigerated warehouse. Actually it is one of the largest refrigerated warehouses in the country. It was built by a loan from, I think, the RFC.

That was called for by the War Department, feeling that in this. area there should be a storage facility not only for surplus but Army supplies.

Mr. HAND. How far could it have been located elsewhere and be removed from the danger?

Mr. STEMMONS. I could not tell you that. Let me show you on this picture here. Of course, this is, of necessity, a small-scale map. This is the warehouse right here. Now to have rail facilities and various other things and to be in a central location-there could have been no better location than the one it was put in.

Mr. HAND. Where is the housing project?

Mr. STEMMONS. Right here, sir, 675 acres.

Mr. JONES. I sincerely believe with the situation of danger that a real catastrophe could take place and it could be so easily prevented by the expenditure of a comparatively small amount of money to make the situation safe. If the river should break loose there I think the Kansas City damage would probably be smaller than what would occur at this point.

Mr. HAND. We are very much obliged to you for your appearance.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1954.

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF.

WITNESS

ALBERT H. MORGAN, JR., CHAIRMAN, TAXPAYERS COMMITTEE OF REDWOOD CITY, CALIF.

Mr. HAND. Mr. Morgan, the committee will be glad to hear from you in connection with Redwood City.

Mr. MORGAN. At the start, I want to give you a little background of myself, because I am making a very unusual request today.

I was a member of the California State Assembly for two terms and have worked on school boards, planning commissions, and so forth and, naturally, I am very much interested in civic affairs; because, as we all know, taxes are going up. So we are all very much interested along that line.

If you will permit, I will read this letter addressed to the Honorable Glenn Davis, chairman, Civil Functions Subcommittee, House Appropriations Committee:

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., February 14, 1954.

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, my name is Albert H. Morgan, Jr. I am a resident of Redwood City, Calif., and am the chairman of the Taxpayers Comittee of Redwood City, Calif.

First, I wish to thank you for permitting me to appear before you so that I may outline the reasons the Taxpayers Committee are requesting you not to include an appropriation of $7 million in the proposed budget, for improvements of the waterways of Redwood Harbor.

We are not obstructionists, but are citizens with families, who have devoted a great deal of time to our community in furthering the development of sound projects that are for the best interests of the general public. We are proud of the rapid growth of our city and county, which, as you gentlemen know, costs a large figure in increased taxes. If we could in any way be convinced that the improvement of the port was necessary and would serve any real purpose, I would now be before you asking for this appropriation instead of opposing it.

The citizens of Redwood City, Calif., on three different occasions have, by their vote, denied additional money for what we believe to be money used for an unnecessary further development of this port. We know that if additional funds