Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-16
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

Another suggestion which the joint
water supply committee for the Wash
ing-on region has made, in the form
Of possibility" to the National Capt.
bal Park and Planning Commission in
wolves a rather complicated agreement
between the several authorities, whereby
Arlington County. Va. would continue
to draw its water from the District Of
Columbia supply but at price sum-
cient to enable the District to obtain
water from other sources than the
Potomac River 10 make up the diff
ference between the Potomac supply
and the combined needs of the District
and Arlington County.
This difference" says the commit
tee in is preliminary report, might
be obtained bv the District cooperating
with the Maryland authorities in the
development Of the Patuxent River
sources"
This possibility, however, has the dis
advantage of not providing for the
Alexandra City and Fairfax County
portions of the Virginia area.
"These areas. continues the report,
"would then probably have to depend
on development of several OF the small
er streams. ms Fad of on the Occoquan
Greek project, because the expense of
the latter protest would probably not
be warranted without the cooperation
of Arlington County
Maryland Has Plan,
The Maryland authorities have al
ready made plans to develop the Patux-
ent River and Seneca Greek in order
to increase the water supply of the
nearby area It has been suggested by
some engineers who have studied the
situation that the Virginia authorities
could combine to develop the Deco
guam Greek project, but it has already
been shown that Arlington County is
not inclined to join in this idea
If Alexandria City and Fairfa,
County should combine to develop Oc
couuan Creek, or a series of loca
projects, tfie committee believes tina
Arlington County would be in diff
cult position unless the Little Fall
project could be made more feasible
than it nov appears"
Whatever solution is finally decided
upon.'' continues the report "the com
n1ittee believes that it would be wise Il
safeguard the possibility Of later de
veloping the Patuxent River, Seneci
Greek and Occoquan Greek, and. there
fore, recommends that these areas b
reserved for this purpose in futur
studies for the regional plan"
AS heretofore pointed out, separat
action by the different authorities
favored by the Maryland Representatives
by the District of Columbia representa-
tives and the United States engineer
Office. This. the committee explains
would involve practically no change il
the existing situation as far as the Dis
trict of Columbia is concerned, bu
would involve new developments for tn
supply of the Maryland and Virgins
areas.
Would Require Dam.
Specifically the Occoquan Cree
project would mean a dam just abov
the District Work House property L
order to impound a large volume o
water and make available a supply c
$4,000. 900 gallons per day for the serv
ice of what the engineers call tn
Northern Virginia area"
Such source Of water supply" say
the committee, would amply serve tn
requirements of Arlington, Fairfax an
Alexandria, as well as areas beyond, fs
into the future"
Among the smaller streams in tn
Virginia area which have been mer
toned as susceptible of developmer
to increase the water supply are Din
cult Run, which flows into the Potoms
River SNORT DISTANCE peloW OAcs
Falls, and Accotink and Pohick Greek
both OF which are south of Alexandra
It is suggested. however, that thei
streams are available merely for loo
water supply.
A number of sites for dams ha'
been studied on the PatuXent Rive
the Middle Pstuxent and Little Patu'
ent Rivers by representatives Of u
United States Engineers office and
the Maryland authorities These studio
indicate that from 20 million gallon
per day to 1os million gallons per d;
might be obtained from these sourc
by the construction Of one or mo
dams
These sources" declares the con
mittee, would, therefore, be sufficiel