The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

cIalmeo on BooQ authority that II
there had been q similar survey on
the Warrior river and it's tributaries,
and on the Coosa and Its tributaries,
if Muscle Shoals had not lost tC the
Warrior 1t would have lost to the
Coosa river, and IL the Warrior and
the Coosa had not been selected then
if there had been detailed naviga-
ton power survey of the upper Ten
nessee and its tributaries the nitrate
plant would have gone to east Ten
nessee instead If Muscle Shoals.
Flood Control Surveys
In recalling some of the history of
the location of the nitrate plants and
the selection of a power site to serve
them, L have the special purpose of
emphasizing upon your mind and
upon the minds of those who may
chance to read this statement the i'm
portance OF detailed navigation
power-flood control surveys of all
the navigable, and for that matter
non navigable, streams in Alabama.
which have any power possibilities
whatever.
These surveys are regarded in
some states as Sc important that only
recently Governor Pinchot of Penn
which Congress may authorize the
sy;vania asked the legislature of his
STATE 10 %ootVVV LII a.
survey to outline a giant power sys-
tenn intended finally to supply all in
dustries, farms and homes in this
state with cheap and dependable cleo
trio energy" thus showing that
PENNSYLVANIA is not scontented alone
with surveys Of streams in that state
United States engineers to make.
In order to clarity and illustrate
my views about the Warrior river
and it's water powers in connection
with Lock II dam now under con-
sideration by the public service COM
mission of the state (and you may
send this statement to the commits
sion if you elec) let me call your
attention to what is known as the
river. located in northwest Arizona,
$50 miles northeast of Los Angeles,
California.
Division OF Waters.
An agreement called the Colorado
river compact has been entered Into
by Arizona, California, Colorado. Ne
vada New Mexico, Utah and Wyo-
ming, and the principal provisions
and detectives of this treaty between
these states are as follows:
/. The equitable division and ap-
portionment of the use of the waters
of the Colorado basin, in irrigation,
for municipal needs and for general
hydroelectric power service.
2. To secure expeditions agricultur
al and industrial development of the
Colorado basin.
3. To conserve the waters by stor-
4. To protect life and property from
floods.
The estimated power possibilities
on the Colorado river have been
stated by our geological survey at
10
tributaries at more than 100000
horse power, but the power possibili-
ties will be much reduced by irriga-
ton uses of the water of the Colo
RADIO river.
1t is interesting IN examining the
reports on the Boulder dam project
to find that definite conclusions are
impossible because no detailed sur
veys or detailed plans have been
furnished Congress. The report
made on the Colorado river project
is based on an appropriation of 500
900 supplemented by an equal amount
provided by associations in the states
Interested in the irrigation of lands
in the Imperial valley.
Supplies Survey Fund.
The need for detailed survey in
formation became SO obvious to Con-
gress that 100000 was appropriated
for the department of the interior
for the fiscal year ending June 80.
1928, for the continued investigation
of the feasibility of irrigation, water
storage and related problems of the
Colorado river. In the appropriation
for the department of the interior
for the fiscal year ending June 80.
1924 there was included an addition
al 100000 for continued investiga-
ton of the Colorado discriminating
the total appropriation by Congress
With the Inadequate survey infor-
nation it is proposed at the Boulder
dam to develop 100000 primary
horse power, at an estimated cost for
lines of S111.000,000; but Mr.. Hoover
testified before the House committee
on public lands that he estimated this
cost at 5000 per horse power. or
$140,o00.o00.
Congress. however. can not proceed
to authorize and appropriate for the
development of this Colorado river
project until more reliable Informal
ton is furnished by more detailed
surveys.
Likewise. in the case of the pro-
posal to jointly improve navigation
and develop water power on the St
Lawrence river under international
United States, Congress authorized
an international joint commission
which has made a preliminary re-
port The power on the international
section of the st. Lawrence is esti-
mated at 100000 horse power. Pri-
vate engineers have made estimates
from Lake Ontario to Montreal. sue-
costing power installations of over
5000, 900 horse power at an estimated
total cost Of s1.450.O00. 900. of which
it is suggested that $1,000, 900
should be charged to water power
and $150,000,000 to navigation.
The hydroelectric power commits
sion of Ontario has submitted plans
for the st. Lawrence developments,
but all of the plans suggested, both
by the government and private
agencies, are without the necessary
facts which only a complete detailed
survey will disclose. Hence Congress
can not proceed with the proposed
international navigation-power plan
on the st. Lawrence.
Lesson From The valley.
Coming nearer homo and back to
Tennessee. the Warrior and the Coosa
rivers, it is quite interesting and fur
terested in the possible power-navi-
gation-flood control projects on the
Warrior and Coosa to find that the
people of the Tennessee valley,
though they had. secured the build
ing of the dam at Muscle Shoals and
there, did not stop They had learned
a lesson about the necessity of
detailed surveys at Muscle Shoals
and they followed their experience,
and in the sixty-sixth Congress Sc
cured authority for a preliminary
survey of the Tennessee river and
tributaries in Tennessee. North Car
DINA, Alabama and Kentucky" I'm
der this authority an appropriation
of about $4,000 was expended, and
then In the sixty-seventh Congress
100000 was authorized for the fur
Their prosecution of a detailed sur
vey of the Tennessee river and trib-
utaries in the states mentioned: and
in the rivers and harbors appropria-