Mr. BEARD. None of them was overtopped. The CHAIRMAN. And those improvements consist primarily of levees? Mr. BEARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Generally, about how high are the levees, would you say, and I am asking only for an estimate, that you constructed between Peoria and the mouth of the river at Grafton? Mr. BEARD. They would range from 6 or 8 feet on up to 15 or 20 feet. The CHAIRMAN. Have you got some higher than that? Mr. BEARD. There may be some short areas that are higher. Mr. BEARD. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Now, General Robins, what effect did the navigation dam across the Mississippi at Alton or any other navigation dams including the Keokuk Dam, where power is generated, have on the increase or decrease of the floods in the upper Mississippi and along the tributaries of the Mississippi, including the Illinois? General ROBINS. No effect. The CHAIRMAN. Did this flood do any damage to any of those dams! General ROBINS. No, sir. There has been no damage reported. The CHAIRMAN. None on the navigation dams? General ROBINS. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Now, in the Sangamon River-will you indicate that on the map, Mr. Beard? Mr. BEARD. The Sangamon River enters the Illinois about 5 miles north of Beardstown. From that point, it extends upstream eastward into Illinois and then southeastwardly toward Springfield. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any Federal projects along that river authorized that have been constructed? Mr. BEARD. There are three authorized projects that have been completed. The CHAIRMAN. That have been completed? Mr. BEARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What happened to those completed projects in the flood of 1943? Mr. BEARD. They were all flooded from hill drainage, or were overtopped because the design criterion did not provide for protection against a flood of this magnitude. The CHAIRMAN. Did it provide for protection against the previous maximum flood along the Sangamon River? Mr. BEARD. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. What freeboard was contemplated in that area? Mr. BEARD. In general, there is about 2 or 3 feet of freeboard in the design. The CHAIRMAN. But that didn't contemplate any additional freeboard over and above the previous maximum flood? Mr. BEARD. That is correct. The CHAIRMAN. What is the length of that river generally up to Springfield-the Sangamon? Mr. BEARD. Roughly, 75 miles. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Beard. Now, Colonel Goethals, will you turn to the Great Lakes region, and we will take up the projects along the Great Lakes region reported favorably since the act of 1931. As I understand, the first one is the Moose and Black River, N. Y., project, House Document 405, Seventyseventh Congress, first session. I wish you would describe generally the location, and the type of project and if you have a detailed statement you may pass it to the reporter. STATEMENT OF COL. GEORGE R. GOETHALS, CHIEF OF THE FLOOD CONTROL BRANCH, OFFICE OF CHIEF OF ENGINEERS Resumed Colonel GOETHALS. The authority for this report is in the act of June 22, 1936, the report now before Congress being as cited. The Moose River is in northern New York, rises in Hamilton County in the foothills of the Adirondacks, and flows generally west to join the Black River at Lyons Falls, which is 72 miles above the mouth of the latter. Black River itself rises in Herkimer County and flows generally in a northwest direction for 115 miles, finally discharging into Black River Bay which is an arm of Lake Ontario. It drains an area of 1,917 square miles. The improvement recommended as a result of the studies made in this report is for construction of a multiple-purpose, earth-filled dam and reservoir at the so-called Panther Mountain site on the Moose River, with a total storage capacity of 278,000 acre-feet, of which 44,000 would be reserved for flood control, and 234,000 for streamflow regulation for power. The distribution of costs for this project is quite unusual. It has a total first cost of $3,800,000 of which $600,000 would be the Federal Government's participation, and the balance of $3,200,000 would be provided from local sources. The principal reason for that is the existence in that part of the country of an agency known as the Black River regulating district, which was consulted in connection with the development of the details and the recommendations made in this report. The CHAIRMAN. Generally, the ratio of benefits to costs for flood control is what in that project. Colonel GOETHALS. For combined purposes, 1 to 1.43. The CHAIRMAN. Have you a further statement about that? Colonel GOETHALS. I would like to bring out those conditions of local cooperation which are quite unusual. Before construction, responsible local interests will be required to furnish without cost to the United States all available plans, hydraulic and geological studies, results of underground explorations and other available information, and give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of War, (1) that they will furnish to lands, easements, and rightsof-way, (2) hold the United States free from damages resulting from the project, (3) maintain all the works and operate that portion of the reservoir storage reserved for flood control, in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War, and (4) upon completion of the works, they will contribute toward the first cost of construction the sum of $2,950,000. The CHAIRMAN. This Moose River empties into the Black River, and the Black River is an arm of Lake Ontario? Colonel GOETHALS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. If you have an additional statement, you may insert it in the record at this point. This project is located near what large city in New York? Colonel GOETHALS. The largest city in the valley is Watertown. This site is well up in the foothills of the Adirondacks where there are no cities, but the largest ones downstream that would benefit are Carthage and Watertown. The CHAIRMAN. And the next project is Chittenango Creek and tributaries, House Document 625, Seventy-seventh Congress, second session. Will you give us an outline of that project? Colonel GOETHALS. The House document just cited derives from the authority of the Flood Control Act of June 28, 1938. This region lies in central New York, just east of the large city of Syracuse. The creek just mentioned flows into Oneida Lake, whose waters in turn flow into Lake Ontario, via the Oneida and Oswego Rivers. The creek itself is only 48 miles long, and flows northerly. Its flood threat comes from spring thaws and summer floods. Spring thaws have largest flood flows. The CHAIRMAN. Generally, the cost of this project to the Government and the local interests is what? Colonel GOETHALS. The Federal cost of construction, mainly channel clearing, is $111,000, and to local interests is $25,000, cash contribution or a total of $136,000. Local interests must also furnish the necessary lands at an estimated cost of $7,000. The CHAIRMAN. And the ratio of cost to benefit? The CHAIRMAN. Of course, in all these projects the committee will make further detailed studies before any conclusion is taken. We just want a general description at this time. The next project on which report has been submitted since the act of 1941, is Owasco Inlet, Outlet, and their tributaries, Cayuga and Tomkins Counties, N. Y., and Jericho Brook and Cold Spring Brook in Cayuga County, N. Y. That project was authorized-I mean the report was authorized in the Flood Control Act of August 11, 1939, and is printed in House Document 815, Seventy-seventh Congress, second session, and consisted generally of what, according to your report? Colonel GOETHALS. The improvements recommended in the report consist practically entirely of channel clearing, a few cases of adjustment of bridges, channel widening and straightening in certain sections, notably at or near the town of Moravia, N. Y., in what are known locally as Mountville Creek and State ditch, for a total first cost of approximately $102,700, of which the Federal cost is approximately $64,200. The CHAIRMAN. Is that in the Auburn area in New York? Colonel GOETHALS. Yes, sir. Looking at the map, bear in mind it is turned so that east is at the top and north is at the left-hand border. Owasco Lake lies immediately south of the city of Auburn, which is the principal community in the valley concerned in this report. The CHAIRMAN. And the estimated ratio of cost to benefit is what? Colonel GOETHALS. Approximately 1 to 2 for the projects covered. The CHAIRMAN. Those are the three projects in which reports have been made since the previous act in the Great Lakes region. Colonel GOETHALS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Now, in the upper Mississippi, Illinois, and along the Missouri and other tributaries of the Mississippi, what reports have been submitted since the act of 1941? We will take them up in the order they have been submitted, the first being on the Mississippi River at or near Sabula, Iowa, House Document 328, Seventyseventh Congress, first session. Generally, what does that project consist of? Colonel GOETHALS. It is essentially a provision for riprapping of existing levees at certain critical points to prevent erosion, at an estimated Federal cost of $25,000. The CHAIRMAN. Reported in accordance with the resolution on flood control of February 23, 1940. Colonel GOETHALS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What is the ratio of costs to benefits in that project? Colonel GOETHALS. 1 to 1. The CHAIRMAN. Generally, it is located where? Colonel GOETHALS. Sabula is on a sandy ridge on the west bank of the Mississippi River 52 miles above Davenport, Iowa, and 535 miles above the mouth of the Ohio. The CHAIRMAN. The next project is the St. Genevieve project, House Document 727, Seventy-seventh Congress, second session. That was authorized by resolution of the Flood Control Committee on February 23, 1940, and according to your report, which is favorable, what does the project generally consist of? Colonel GOETHALS. The plan of improvement recommended consists in the construction of a levee from the bluffs to the Mississippi River along what is known as Valley Spring Branch, as is indicated on the map, thence downstream along the river to the upper end of the existing levee system for the St. Genevieve levee district No. 1, thence along the levee to its lower terminus and continuing back to the bluffs above Dodge Creek, built so as to provide 1 foot freeboard above a stage of 37.5 on the Chester gage, corresponding to a discharge at this locality of 900,000 second-feet. The area for which this protection is being considered lies on the right bank of the Mississippi River between miles 119 and 123 above the mouth of the Ohio, or in other words, about 60 miles below St. Louis. The CHAIRMAN. And generally, what is the cost to the Federal Government and to the local interests? Colonel GOETHALS. The total first cost is $155,000, of which the Federal component is $141,000 and the balance local. The CHAIRMAN. The next is the Galena River in Illinois and Wisconsin, authorized by the Flood Control Act of August 28, 1937, and as I understand, the report is contained in House Document 336, Seventy-seventh Congress, first session. I will ask you generally to state what that project consists of. Colonel GOETHALS. The project consists of a plan of improvement giving local flood protection for the city of Galena against a discharge of 25,000 second-feet at Galena, by the construction of a system of levees and flood walls 5 feet above the crest height of the maximum flood of record; namely, that of February 1937, together with sewers 96833-44-vol. 1 and pumping plants; the removal of certain obstructive bridges; the raising of Spring Street highway bridge; provision for related and incidental works, and the enlargement and improvement of the channel near the mouth of the Galena and elsewhere in and below the city of Galena. The total estimated first cost is $423,500, of which the Federal component is $300,000 and the balance contributed by local interests. The CHAIRMAN. And the ratio of cost to benefits? Colonel GOETHALS. 1 to 2.1. The CHAIRMAN. Very interesting. One of the greatest and most magnanimous gentlemen of all time had to do with this place of Galena, General Grant, and I would like to keep that in mind in connection with it. The next is Turkey River, Iowa. That investigation was authorized in the Flood Control Act of August 28, 1937, and the report is contained in House Document 700, Seventy-seventh Congress, second session. The project consists generally of what? Colonel GOETHALS. Merely the construction of a levee at the town of Elkport, Iowa, indicated on the map, at an estimated cost for construction of $18,000, of which $13,000 is the Federal component, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation. The cost benefit ratio is 1 to 2.5. The CHAIRMAN. Now, generally, what is the recommendation and the projects in House Document 699, Seventy-seventh Congress, second session, Illinois River? The report is authorized by resolution of February 5, 1937, and what generally is embraced in the report, with the general location, cost to the Federal Government, and cost to the local interests? Colonel GOETHALS. The final recommendation, after considering several different localities, is that the so-called Big Prairie drainage levee district be purchased by the United States at an estimated cost of $95,000, including cost of land acquisition, and that the levee be suitably degraded, at an estimated cost of $16,500. This will provide an enlarged floodway below Beardstown, thereby lowering flood stages upstream. The CHAIRMAN. And the ratio of cost to benefits is what? Colonel GOETHALS. 1 to 1.86. The CHAIRMAN. The next is the Missouri River Basin. That project consists of what? Colonel GOETHALS. That project consists of a comprehensive plan of improvement through a system of reservoirs for which at the present time the available authorization is $16,000,000. The amount required to complete the entire plan would be $128,500,000. The plan at the present time recommends that the committee approve increased authorization to cover two additional reservoirs. The order in which they are named carries no significance at this time, but it is suggested that two out of three be chosen according as conditions at the time when funds become available indicate the most desirable. They are Osceola, Tuttle Creek, and Harlan County Reservoirs; for this selection an additional amount of $70,000,000 is recommended to be authorized at this time. The CHAIRMAN. That is along the Republican River? Colonel GOETHALS. Harlan County Reservoir is on the Republican River. |