Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-08-23
ORGANIZATION
NEEDED FOR
COOPERATION
(By Staff Correspondent

4&@Nf ENAAaAa
nent supply Of water in the Rio
Grande Is the main objective Of the
proposed Lower Rio Grande Water
Conservation District, one OF its
more immediate activities would be
TO prevail on the government 10
Coordinate existing flood control
works 20 ecure full effectiveness in
times of high water and 10 con-
struct such additional works as
deemed necessary. according 10
Judge E. c. Couch. chairman Of the
temporary board Of directors.
Studies Of flood control and plans
for additional works are progress
ing vigorously now under a con-
gressional appropriation m ad c
available TO the American section
OF the International Water Commits
sion and a report may be expected
before the end OF the year. Since
the commission is only a fact find
- body II will then be necessary
FOR officials to go before the gov
eminent 10 show definitely the
need for flood control works and
coordination and to secure appro-
p~riations for construction. The
proposed district would perform
this function, Mr.. Couch stated.
Representation Needed
unless representation is made
by a proper organization We are
not going TO get such help he
asserted. IF it Is, however, We
have every reason TO expect that
our national government Will &C
cept the responsibility for flood
control on the Rio Grande and
make proper appropriations there
for.
Particularly is this expected be-
caus OF the international situation
involved. 1t Is clear that If We
proceed with efforts at flood con-
troll as we have in the past there
is a grave probability Of develop
ing International complications.
I'm order to have proper flood
control on this side il IS necessary
that works on the Mexican side
should operate effectively. The
reverse is equally true. Mexico
might have its works OF adequate
capacity and in fully proper condi-
ton and We neglect TO have ours
in shape for carrying off quanti-
ties OF flood waters and the result
would be damage to the Mexican
side. In other words. failure on
either side would hurt the other
side.
The American government has
appropriated an enormous sum for
Mississippi river flood control. And
SIS. OOO. 900 OF the Boulder Dam
appropriation is for flood control
features and will not need 10 be
repaid unless there are surplus
motifs from operation of the dam.
IN the FL Paso valley, represent
atiSps OF the two governments have
agreed to 60 into river rectifica-
ton or strengthening work OF a
flood control nature costing SILL
600. 1000 largely because Of the inter
national situation and desire OF
the American government 10 avoid
international complications due TO
flood damage.
Coordinate Control
ut also Is hoped TO have an in
ternational commission appointed
to coordinate control OF the flood
control works in order that full
effectiveness may be had. Under
present conditions not even all the
works on the American side are
co-ordinated. Cameron and Hidalgo
counties voted S3,OO0,O 900 in bonds
for works which are fully as ef-
fective as could be expected for that
amount of money. The system, has,
however. no control works at the
entrances to the floodways 10 which
would assure letting out Of a certain
amount Of water.
The works are owned by two
counties and no method OF CO.
ordination Of maintenance between
them has been worked out because
their interests are not identical.
Cameron county would like TO have
as much water disposed Of above
as possible and Hidalgo county
would like 10 have as much pass BY
and into Cameron county works as
possible. To operate this unit. a
proper amount OF water should be
let out AZ all points and floodWayS
kept clean.
"Part Of the water should be
taken out on the Mexican side.
Valley representative went into a
discussion with representatives OF
Mexico. and they agreed to take
out one third Of the flood waters
E7rh the other two-thirdS TO BE-
t~3ken care Of on the American side
The MexicanS have been workinr
towards this end but have not
progressed very far. During the last
rise. no water went out between
SaliSeno and Matamoros.
international Problem
I'm order that the control works
function properly. some or the
water should be taken out on both
sides. We have had enough ex-
perience To show that flood control
cannot be handled separately and
voluntarily. The only way is through
international cooperation.
1T was largely through the ac-
tivities OF certain Valley people,
many OF them identified with this
conservation movement. that the
water commission received a liberal
APPROXIMATION from the American
government 10 study the flood con-
trol system and plans for con-
structing adequate additional works
and for proper maintenance and
operation of such works through an
international commission.
"It Is not known how much the
cost OF adequate flood control
works would amount 70 but Il was
estimated BY the u. s. reclamation
service in 1923 that a complete
system on the American side would
rnst in nycess of So nn0 nnn- Whnth-