$2,736,000. Will you give me a breakdown of that as to where it is to be spent on the St. Francis? General HARDIN. We propose to apply $232,000 for the completion of the continuing contract, which I believe the Senator is aware of. It is under way to build 4 miles of levee immediately above the mouth of Big Slough Inlet. Senator MCCLELLAN. That is right up on the Arkansas and Missouri line? General HARDIN. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. But that is for the completion of a contract and not for the complete construction of the levee? General HARDIN. That is right, 4 miles of levee. There is $130,000 for the construction of 4 miles of levee in the vicinity of Macy, Ark. That (indicating) is in Craighead County on the map. Senator MCCLELLAN. Is that levee already under construction? General HARDIN. That levee in that particular area has been constructed down to the point where we will extend it. Senator MCCLELLAN. It is a continuation of a levee? General HARDIN. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. Now the next one. CHANNEL REALINEMENT General HARDIN. Then we have $1,576,000 for the continuation of the continuing contract on that main-channel realinement between Madison and Marianna. Senator MCCLELLAN. How much did you have on that last year for that channel realinement? I think you have an increase this year over the amount last year, and that is what I wanted to ascertain. General HARDIN. We had, originally, in that feature $1,173,000. Senator MCCLELLAN. So this is actually a $400,000 increase over the amount that is available for this current fiscal year? General HARDIN. It is an increase in the amount of actual appropriation. The actual funds available for construction this fiscal year are $1,576,000. Senator MCCLELLAN. You had some carryover and you will have no carryover for the next fiscal year, is that right? General HARDIN. Yes, sir, some. Senator MCCLELLAN. So there will be available for expenditure during fiscal 1955 an amount in excess of $1,576,000? General HARDIN. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. So we are making steady progress on that phase of the St. Francis Basin project? General HARDIN. I think so. That is a dredging operation in which only one dredge can operate. Senator MCCLELLAN. I understand. So you have generally sufficient funds to carry on the work economically in that particular area? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. NORTH BANK, ARKANSAS RIVER Senator MCCLELLAN. Now if we may go to the north bank of the Arkansas River, I see you have $480.000 there. Where is this construction proposed? It is levee work, I assume. General HARDIN. Yes, sir. It is all levee work. General HARDIN. Yes. Senator MCCLELLAN. Instead of building a new levee, is it not raising the existing levee to standard strength? General HARDIN. It is all in raising and strengthening a levee which was built by local interests. Senator MCCLELLAN. In other words, the local interests built the levee originally. It has proved inadequate and now you are building it to standard grade and section. That is what this money is for? General HARDIN. That is correct. The two locations in which we propose to treat with fiscal year 1955 funds are as follows: New Gascony Levee, $216,000; and a levee below Rob Roy, $264,000. Senator MCCLELLAN. Those are the two most dangerous sections of the levee below Pine Bluff on the north bank, are they not? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. In other words, those areas are rather critical? General HARDIN. We are treating those of the greatest urgency first. Senator MCCLELLAN. The urgency has priority over other work that needs to be done on the levees on the north bank? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. TENSAS BASIN Senator MCCLELLAN. Let us go to the next one here. We have the Boeuf-Tensas Basin. I am sure Senator Ellender is equally interested in that with me. I note you have $1,727,000 in the budget this year for that work. That is some $397,000 in excess of the appropriation last year, or for this current year. Does that mean you will have more funds to expend this year, or did you have a large carryover that you were able to use for this curernt fiscal year? General HARDIN. We did have a carryover of funds to assist us in our operations in 1954. Our carryover for 1955 will not be as substantial as it was in the previous years. Senator MCCLELLAN. How much will there be in carryover funds? General HARDIN. In 1954 the total funds available to us for that project were $1,250,100 and in 1955 we will have $2,003,500, according to our present expectations. Senator McCLELLAN. Two million three thousand dollars? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. That includes the carryover from 1954. It is based upon anticipated contractor's operations, of the nature we have had so far and can expect. Senator MCCLELLAN. What I want to determine is, Will this appropriation this year for 1955 of $1,727,000, together with the carryover that you will have on June 30, give you adequate funds to complete this project up to the Arkansas line and begin construction work in the State of Arkansas? General HARDIN. It will only do the first. It will not get us into Arkansas to any appreciable degree. It will enable us, as we best can anticipate the bids we may receive, to just barely go across the line. Senator MCCLELLAN. You will get just across the line. Then any funds that may be appropriated hereafter will be available for doing the work as planned in Arkansas? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. Sentor MCCLELLAN. It was essential from an engineering standpoint and a practical standpoint that the project be constructed first in the State of Louisiana to provide the basic outlet for the surplus water? General HARDIN. It had to be that way. Senator MCCLELLAN. Now that is completed, or at least funds now will be available for completion of all of the works in the State of Louisiana; the work in Arkansas as you progress with that will reduce the benefits that were contemplated and which justified these improve ments. General HARDIN. That is very true, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. How long, at the present rate of appropriations, will it take to get the project completed as orginally planned? General HARDIN. Five years, about. Senator MCCLELLAN. In other words, about 5 years more before the whole project will be completed on the basis of present appropriations. Of course, if appropriations can be accelerated and increased, the job will be completed sooner. And if continued as is, it will take about 5 years? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. BAYOU LA FOURCHE PROJECT Senator ELLENDER. General as I recall last year or the year before when this project was up, I pointed out that the State of Louisiana had done its share of digging the canals and laterals to this Bayou La Fourche. It was shown that these laterals were in some places 6 to 7 feet deeper than the river in which it was to flow. That is, Bayou La Fourche. Has it been brought to your attention that any of these laterals that were dug by the State of Lousiana were affected adversely-that is, through siltation and through dirt going into them--because of the fact that the water that accumulated could not flow into Bayou La Fourche because it was not completed? General HARDIN. It has not come to my attention, but it seems to be a logical conclusion. Senator ELLENDER. I was informed that because of this long delay by the Government in completing its share of the project-that is, the deepening of this main stream-that some of these laterals that were built by the State have deteriorated. General HARDIN. I will look into that. Senator ELLENDER. If there is anything that can be done to assist in that if it is the Government's fault, I was in hopes we might be able to do something about it. General HARDIN. I will give you a letter on that. Senator ELLENDER. I wish you would. It has been a complaint of a year's standing and I would like to check on it. Then I would be able to answer those who write me in regard to it. CACHE RIVER BASIN Senator MCCLELLAN. General, we have one other project in the Mississippi program in Arkansas that has been authorized and appropriations authorized up to $10 million on which apparently no work has ever been done. That is the Cache River Basin. That is a pretty important project for that area of the State of Arkansas. It was approved as authorized, I believe, in 1950, but no appropriations have been made. As I recall, no budget request has ever been submitted for money to get that project started. Will you give me a brief review of the status of it and what the prospects are for it being included in next year's budget to get the work started? I notice you did not request any funds for it this year at all. General HARDIN. It is in the category of a new start. Senator McCLELLAN. I know it would be a new start. It will always be a new start until it gets started, and I want to get it out of that category. General HARDIN. We have not been permitted under the rules under which we prepare our budget to submit funds for that project. Senator MCCLELLAN. You mean you have not been permitted any year since it was authorized because of the ceiling that was given to you to include any funds for it? General HARDIN. No, sir. I would say it is rather the established policy that we are required to follow in that connection rather than the ceiling of funds. There has been a limitation on the undertakings we could initiate by reason of their being called new starts. Senator MCCLELLAN. You say it is that policy rather than the limitation of funds. It is that policy that causes the limitation of funds, is it not? General HARDIN. I would judge they are certainly closely tied together. Senator MCCLELLAN. What are the prospects of having an initial appropriation requested in the next budget for it? General HARDIN. So far as our ability to initiate the work, I think we could undoubtedly initiate the work from an engineering standpoint. Our planning and our ability to do the work, I mean. Senator MCCLELLAN. You regard it as a very meritorious project, one that should be constructed? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. And the problem is the fiscal situation of our Government? General HARDIN. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. That has been and is presently the barrier to getting appropriations for it as a new start? General HARDIN. That is right. Senator MCCLELLAN. You are prepared, though, if funds can be made available, to take that on as part of the work in any fiscal year, so far as you know? General HARDIN. At any time. INCREASE IN BANK STABILIZATION Senator ELLENDER. I would like to clear up a few items that Senator Thye discussed with you before leaving the room. You stated a moment ago that you anticipated a saving in building this revetment material by the utilization of fiberglas reinforcement. However, it is noted that while there was no increase on your overall estimated cost of this reduction, the item for bank stabilization has been increased about $8,912,000; while the overall cost for the main stem work has decreased about $20 million. Can you explain what adjustment you made in your estimate for the main stem work? General HARDIN. Senator, let me clarify one point there about this fiber glass. That is purely an experimental item so far as the use of it goes. We have really nothing more than a good hope that some time the industry that makes this material will find a way to make it effective for our use. It is a light, strong, durable material under certain conditions and we believe it would serve the purpose, if it could be coated, in a fashion to give it life under exposure of sunshine and alternate wetting and drying. But it is not reflected in this program as yet because we are not in a position to use it. With regard to the rest of your question about the savings in the bank stabilization work, I am not entirely clear. If you could repeat those figures for me, I have the tabulation before me now and I will try to answer your question. Senator ELLENDER. You have increased the bank stabilization item by $8,912,000. Your figure last year was $348,023,380 and this year it is $356,935,400. That is a difference of $8,912,020. General HARDIN. May I call on Mr. Aldridge to explain that change in figures? Senator ELLENDER. Yes. Mr. ALDRIDGE. That is the distribution under our overall authorization of $1,292,748,500. We go through there and make our estimate on what we think the individual features will cost. When our authorization was increased in 1950, it was estimated that an increase of $325,534,314 would be needed to care for increase in price level. Only $200 million of this amount was authorized, leaving an amount of $125,534,214 not authorized. Our estimate for bank stabilization was not fully increased to cover the price levels at that time. Thus, as we have savings on other work, we apply it to the bank stabilization to make up part of this deficit. Senator ELLENDER. You mean the overall deficit? Mr. ALDRIDGE. Yes. Senator ELLENDER. It does not affect bank stabilization? Mr. ALDRIDGE. Not the unit cost. Senator ELLENDER. The main stem, according to your figures here, has gone down a little over $20 million from $801,780,380 to $781,692,400. Mr. ALDRIDGE. That is due to deleting the old river control structure from the main stem and placing it under the off main stem, the adjustment in the estimate for bank stabilization previously discussed and a minor adjustment in the plant account which was transferred to the revolving fund. Senator ELLENDER. It may be we could get more information as to that. If you do not mind, I wish you would take this transcript. You might clarify it if it is not sufficiently done. Mr. ALDRIDGE. Almost all of the plant we had was bought with construction funds used for dredging or bank stabilization. Senator ELLENDER. I am going to ask our most efficient clerk to get in touch with you and to make it crystal clear as to why these differences. |