The CHAIRMAN. General, what is the type of work that had been done by local interests prior to the time the United States took over? General ROBINS. The local interests built two dams on the San Gabriel.

The CHAIRMAN. Where?

General ROBINS. Up here [indicating], San Gabriel No. 2, and San Gabriel No. 1, and they did a lot of channel improvement as shown by these yellow lines, the channel improvement being of the type of concrete revetment and paving of the channels. Some of them were practically box culverts, very expensive, and very elaborate.

The United States has extended the work of the local interests by constructing the Hansen Reservoir shown in red; that project is nearly finished; the Sepulveda Reservoir, which has been started-

The CHAIRMAN. That is on what stream?

General ROBINS. Hansen Dam is located on Tujunga Wash, a tributary of the Los Angeles River. The Sepulveda Dam is located on the Los Angeles River proper. Both dams are under construction; they are detention reservoirs.

The CHAIRMAN. And they are tributaries to what river?

General ROBINS. The Los Angeles River. There is an additional reservoir considered in the system, called the Lopez Basin, shown up here in green; but work on that reservoir has not been started because of lack of money authorization.

Over on the San Gabriel River, the Santa Fe Reservoir is going to be put under construction in the near future when funds become available. There still remains to be constructed the Whittier Narrows Reservoir, shown in green here [indicating], to make the system complete, and the channel improvements shown in green both below Whittier Narrows and above.

The CHAIRMAN. Is the Santa Ana shown on that map?

General ROBINS. The Santa Ana River is in a different watershed; it is mostly in Orange County, but a small portion lies in Los Angeles County.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, what amount of money has been spent since we authorized the project?

General ROBINS. Captain Reber will give you that information. Captain REBER. For the Los Angeles County project, the allotments up to March 31, 1940, from regular funds, have amounted to $48,545,900.

The CHAIRMAN. That is on what project?

Captain REBER. That is on the Los Angeles-San Gabriel River project.

The CHAIRMAN. Los Angeles and San Gabriel projects?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir; that is from regular funds, and we have had

The CHAIRMAN. By "regular funds," you mean what?

Captain REBER. Funds appropriated for flood control by the regular War Department Civil Appropriation Acts of Congress. Emergency relief funds have been made available not only to this Department, but also to the local interests, and a large sum from those emergency relief funds was utilized by the local interests prior to the initiation. of the authorized Federal project.

The CHAIRMAN. Subsequent to the authorization of the project in 1936, what other funds, relief or otherwise, have been expended by the Federal Government?

Captain REBER. Subsequent to the authorizing of the present project, $11,009,373 of relief funds have been made available. They have been substantially expended.

The CHAIRMAN. By whom?

Captain REBER. By this Department.

The CHAIRMAN. So that you have spent approximately $60,000,000?
Captain REBER. Not entirely expended; it has been allocated.
The CHAIRMAN. $60,000,000 has been allocated?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir; approximately that amount.

The CHAIRMAN. And those relief funds of around $11,000,000 have been used in the prosecution of the project, have they?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. So that there remains authorized substantially what amount for this project?

Captain REBER. Of the $70,000,000 authorized for construction, we estimate at the present time that there is a balance of approximately $15,000,000 left for construction purposes.

The CHAIRMAN. $15,000,000 is left of the amount authorized?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir; but the total is more than that amount; it is about $23,000,000, because the present estimated cost of the project, as we understand it today, is $82,540,000. Of that $82,540,000, the $70,000,000 is a construction limit and the remaining $12,540,000 is the estimated cost of the necessary lands and damages for that amount of construction. In other words, the $70,000,000 is for construction only.

The CHAIRMAN. You have given the figures for both the San Gabriel and Los Angeles?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir; both the San Gabriel and Los Angeles Rivers.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, prior to the authorization of this project in the act of 1936, what amount of Federal funds had been expended by local interests?

Captain REBER. Approximately in the neighborhood of $50,000,000; not all Federal; these were local and Federal emergency relief funds. The CHAIRMAN. What amount of that had been contributed by the Federal Government?

Captain REBER. Complete information is not available to the Department in that connection, but I shall endeavor to obtain the amount and insert it in the record, if the committee so desires.

Mr. ENGLEBRIGHT. Now, Captain, can you give an approximation of that portion? Is it 60 percent Federal Government?

Captain REBER. We do not have much information on that point, because we did not have any control over the expenditure of those funds, and I should prefer to have that information furnished by the local people.

Mr. VOORHIS. That will be furnished by the local people.

The CHAIRMAN. With respect now to the works that were constructed prior to the authorization of the flood project, I will ask you to state to the committee whether or not those works were of such a character that they have been utilized, or have you discarded or eliminated those works, largely?

Captain REBER. They have largely been utilized, sir. There had been a great deal of work done on the project by local interests, which we are now using as part of our system. As to the total amount of

work done by the local interests with Federal funds and with their own local funds, done by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, they constructed 12 flood-control dams; 2 flood-control debris storage basins; 1 diversion dam; many miles of channel improvement, many debris basins and the development of several areas as spreading grounds, so that all improvements fitted into a comprehensive system. The CHAIRMAN. When did construction begin by the local interests? Captain REBER. I do not have the exact date, but it was some few years ago.

General ROBINS. It was prior to 1930.

Captain REBER. It was prior to 1930, at least.

The CHAIRMAN. Can you state substantially the amount that has been expended by the local interests out there?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir; I can.

The CHAIRMAN. Aside from Federal contributions, or relief or other funds?

Captain REBER. The local flood-control district and other local interests have expended approximately $112,000,000 of their own funds and, in addition to that amount, there has been $54,000,000 spent, the latter figure being a combination of local and Federal funds, which I mentioned a few minutes ago. I do not have the break-down of that $54,000,000.

The CHAIRMAN. And all of those works are presently existing?

Captain REBER. So far as I know, they are substantially presently existing.

The CHAIRMAN. They were not destroyed by the flood of 1938, which was the major flood?

Captain REBER. Some of them were damaged by that flood and had to be repaired or strengthened.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, you gentlemen will be subject to recall to answer questions by members later. I will ask Mr. Voorhis now to make a general statement, and then he will be privileged to make a further statement next Tuesday.

STATEMENT OF HON. JERRY VOORHIS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Mr. VOORHIS. Mr. Chairman, in March 1938, a most disastrous flood struck southern California. I am sure that had this project which we are now considering been substantially further along in the flood of 1938 there would not have been any loss to the works, as there was under the circumstances. The only reason there was any damage to those works is because of the fact that project was not further advanced at that time. The project consists of dams, retarding basins, channel and levee work. It is a very comprehensive project designed to protect the very densely populated region of southern California. What we are primarily concerned about here is to be sure that we do not come to a time when this work might have to be slackened off, or possibly stopped altogether, because there was not sufficient authorization to permit its continuance. We feel we are close enough to that point so that, unless some additional authorization is granted in this year's bill, if one is passed, then before the time we have another bill, presumably 2 years from now, we will have come to the end of the authorization. Such an eventuality would of course mean, necessarily, serious hampering of the work and perhaps almost discontinuance. 229579-40- -32

My own district is the district that comprises the major portion of the east side of this map over there [indicating], and you can see this is a rather serious matter, so far as our people are concerned, because those colored areas are areas that are subject to flood hazard in the opinion of the engineers.

The CHAIRMAN. What are the red areas?

Mr. VOORHIS. The red areas are the ones that are subject to flood hazard in the opinion of the engineers.

The CHAIRMAN. What do the blue areas indicate?

Mr. VOORHIS. Those are areas that are subject to flood hazard but which would be substantially protected, as I understand, by the works now under construction.

The fact of the matter is that, although a considerable amount of money has been spent on this flood-control project, in the flood of 1938 there was a very great deal of damage done. There are a number of tributaries to the main streams which have, in recent years, become very heavily populated by people, where their little homes are absolutely exposed to floods.

We have in that area all together, not only including metropolitan Los Angeles, but the whole county, nearly 3,000,000 people, and the assessed valuation of the areas subject to flood damage is about a billion dollars. In the flood of 1938, it is estimated there was $50,000,000 worth of damage done and over 100 lives lost.

I do not know that I need to elaborate on this matter. So far as the work of the Corps of Engineers is concerned, the people of our section appreciate it more than we can say. I should say, in candor, that in my own district there is opposition locally to the Whittier Narrows Dam, but I have told the people there, that as far as I am concerned, I would present their views as best I could but I was in the position necessarily of having to trust ultimately to the judgment of the engineers on any matter of that kind. The people-or at any rate some of them in the El Monte area-have been objecting to the dam with its necessary overflowing of valuable lands. They have advocated a wider channel instead but I am advised the cost of the wider channel would be very much greater.

There is only one other point I would like to make, and that is this: The type of flood we have in our section is a "flash" flood coming down out of the mountains, with scarcely any warning, and one against which there can be no protection beyond the protection we are getting through this program.

Our people of Los Angeles County, as will be brought out later in more detail by other witnesses, have spent of their own money upwards of $66,000,000 on this flood-control project, over a period of time, both prior to the time of the inauguration of our national flood-control program and since, and we certainly have demonstrated, I believe, our willingness to do just as much as we possibly can; but we do appeal to the committee and to the Congress that we not be left in the position where there will not be sufficient authorization to permit the engineers to continue with this project.

The CHAIRMAN. You will have an opportunity to make a further statement at a later time, if you desire, Mr. Voorhis.

Mr. VOORHIS. Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. In the meantime, do you care to make any general statement about the Santa Ana project?

Mr. VOORHIS. Yes, if you please, Mr. Chairman. I do not know whether there is anyone here to represent that project specifically, but I will do so briefly. I may say that one section of that Santa Ana project which was authorized in the act of 1938 is shown by the yellow strip away to the extreme right of the map there, San Antonio Creek. In the flood of 1938 that stream for the first time in many years became a serious flood hazard. It literally scoured its canyon and washed boulders and debris right through the campus and the buildings of a very beautiful college property there, and inundated parts of our cities. The report of the engineers proposed a dam near the mouth of the canyon and channel work below the dam to prevent recurrence of this. This is only part of the Santa Ana project. But what is needed is additional authorization to permit channel work below the projected and already authorized San Antonio Dam. The balance of the project consists of a dam, called the Prado Dam, farther down the river, now under construction. Am I right about that? Captain REBER. Yes, sir.

Mr. VOORHIS. That is substantially what the Santa Ana project comprises.

The CHAIRMAN. We will be glad to have a further statement from you later, if you desire.

Now, General Robins, at this time, with respect to the Santa Ana project, will you tell us generally what it contemplates, the character of the improvements, the amount of money authorized and what has been spent?

General ROBINS. The project for the Santa Ana River Basin contemplates the same type of improvement that we have just been discussing for the Los Angeles Basin-a detention reservoir supplemented by channel improvements.

The CHAIRMAN. How far from San Gabriel?"

General ROBINS. About 20 or 30 miles east of the San Gabriel River. The CHAIRMAN. Substantially what population is involved? General ROBINS. I would say probably 200,000 or 300,000 people. The CHAIRMAN. And what is the estimated value of the property? General ROBINS. I will have to put that in the record. Just as a guess, I would say

Captain REBER. $242,000,000 is the value of the overflow area. The CHAIRMAN. How much money has been allocated to that project?

Captain REBER. The allotments to date total $7,504,499.

The CHAIRMAN. And about $19,000,000 have been authorized?
Captain REBER. Approximately that amount, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. $13,000,000 in the act of 1936?

Captain REBER. And $6,500,000

The CHAIRMAN. In the act of 1938?

Captain REBER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Required to complete is how much?

Captain REBER. Approximately $7,500,000 to complete the authorized plan.

Mr. ENGLEBRIGHT. How much is available in actual appropriation now to continue any of the projects we have been discussing with reference to this Southern California area?

Captain REBER. At the end of this fiscal year there will be substantially no funds that are not obligated. The amount of funds then available will depend entirely upon next year's appropriation.