Evening star., 1935-07-04
POLLUTION DATA
UPON ROCK CREEK
TOBE SUBMITTED
NagIe Report Expected to
Outline Measures for
Remedy.
ESTIMATE OF COST
IS NOT DISCLOSED
Results of Study With P. W. A.
Funds Aid to Be Given Park Di.
rector and Secretary Ickes.

The final report on the pollution OF
Rock Creek-a study that has been
under way for months with the aid
of P. w. A. funds-will be ready by
the end of the week.
This was announced today by John
L. Nagle, senior engineer OF the Ma
tional Park Service. who has been
directing the inquiry. The report,
which will not be made public imme-
diately, will be forwarded to Arno B.
Cammerer. director of the National
Park Service, and to Secretary Ickes,
for further action.
1t is expected to outline remedial
measures. which may be taken in sue
cessive steps. dependent upon the
amount of money the Federal and
District governments are willing to
spend for elimination of pollution
within the District, in Rock Greek
Valley. The report will turn its at
tention also to conditions in Rock
Greek in Maryland. where some OF
the communities, lacking proper
sewage facilities. dump directly into
Rock Greek.
Cost Figures Unrevealed.
No estimate of cost to remedy the
pollution problem was revealed by
Nagle. but this will be embodied in
the report. which will give program
for entirely eliminating the nuisance
The Rock Greek pollution problem
has been studied thoroughly. Nagle
has had the benefit of a committee of
experts. who went into every phase
OF the question. Two of the Nations
outstanding sanitary engineers-Leroy
K. Sherman of Chicago and Wesley
w. Horner Of st. Louis. both members
of the Advisory Board of the Public
Works Administration, who have had
extensive experience in studying sani-
tary problems over the Nation-col-
laborated in the local study In addi-
ton, the technical organization with
in the National Park Service has as
sisted in establishing a remedy. John
B. Gordon, the Districts sanitary en-
gineer, has assisted the Nagle COM
mittee in studying the problem as it
affects the municipality.
Secretary Ickes. as public works ad-
ministrator, early last December made
$4,000 available for the Rock Greek
pollution study. Nagle, himself an
outstanding engineer, who was chiefly
concerned with the building of the
Arlington Memorial Bridge, got to
work without delay on the study. It
mas been proceeding since. with the
cooperation of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
Its Regional Sanitary Committee.
Study in Two Phases.
The engineers divided their STUDY
INTO two main phases-a major en-
gineering problem for the proper dis
posal OF sewage from Piney Branch.
and all the sewers downstream from
tllat point, and the situation above
Piney Branch. There Rock Creek
which originates in Maryland. pre-
sents another problem necessitatine
the cooperation of authorities of the
Free State. This has been secured
through the Maryland National Capi-
tai Park and Planning Commission.
Entirely apart from the park fea-
lures of Rock Greek Valley, Nagle in
sists that the elimination of pollution
from the waters of the creek is need
ed as a desirable municipal improve
ment. The engineers consider it in
congruous for the District government
TO be erecting sewage disposal plant
here to reduce pollution in the Poto-
mac River and at the same time per-
NIT the river to be polluted upstream.
from sewage that flows from Rock
Greek, downstream of K street.
In the past the main offenders, from
the viewpoint of pollution, have been
the Bureau of Standards, Walter Reed
Hospital and the Welfare and Recre-
ational Association of Public Build
ings and Grounds, Inc. which used to
operate the Pierce Mill Tea House,
which has now been abandoned and
restoration of the old mill under
taken. Rock Creek drains some rs
square miles in the District and
nearby Maryland and enters the Po-
tomac River opposite Theodore RooSe-
velt Island, the officials said.