Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-14
FLOODS BLAMED
ON GREENBELT.
Edmonston Citizens Up in
Arms, Asserts Head of
Town Committee.
BY \ stan CORRESPONDENT # The Star.

BY Stan CORRESPONDENT # The Star.
EDMONSTON, Md, Nov. 13.-
Charles F. Luebner, chairman OF the
Edmonston Flood Control Committee
said today he believed Government
development of Greenbelt was largely
to blame for increasing flood damage
in lowlsnds along the Eastern Branch
of the Anacostia River.
They have leveled out the rugged
hills and valleys and denuded the
land" Mr.. Luebner said, land now
millions Of gallons of water drain of
Greenbelt every time there is a heavy
rain and come down here to force
the river out of its banks. 1t is
getting worse and worse"
In Washington. officials Of the Farm
Security Administration, in charge of
the Greenbelt community develop
ment, promptly declared there was no
basis Of his contention. They said
the best OF engineers worked in close
cooperation with county and State
ofncials In planning the development
OF Greenbelt 50 as not to change the
natural topography Of the region.
Mr.. Luebner contended the develop
ment OF Greenbelt had helped do for
the Eastern Branch watershed what
Government engineers have blamed
for the growing flood problem in the
Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys
wipe out natures provision for flood
prevention in the form of wooded hills
to hold back overflow water.
Vincent A. Osterman, president of
the Bladensburg Board of Commits
sioners and one of the leaders in a
movement for an adequate flood con-
troll program in this area, said Mr..
Luebner's theories should receive seri-
Gus consideration.
He has lived here long enough to
be in position to know what he is
talking about" Mr.. Osterman said.
Il do not know personally what the
Greenbelt development may have to
do with our floods, but something
certainly Is radically wrong.
The comparatively brief period of
rain we had last night has caused the
water to rise in this section almost as
high as 1t ever has in our worst floods,
after long periods of wet weather.
There must be some reason for this.
and for the increasing frequency of
the floods"
Mr.. Luebner said he had lived in
the Edmonston area for "a years and
to his knowledge there we're no floods
here for 10 years prior to 1893, when
there was severe damage.
They have been coming more and
more often the last few years" he said.
This year we have had five noods-on
April 26. August 81, october %, Oc-
tober 20 and now
The citizens here are up in arms
and demanding something be done
about it. More than so persons have
been driven out of their homes by
the high waters this morning. Sew
age is backing up from the river into
our cellars, endangering health. Dur
ing the last flood the health officer
warned every one to be inoculated
against typhoid on account of the in
sanitary conditions"
Mr.. Luebner said development of
Greenbelt had changed the course of
several small streams that empty into
the Eastern Branch, and that clear
ing Of the land was forcing more and
more drainage water into these
streams. Edmonston is miles east
OF Greenbelt. on the banks of the
Eastern Branch.
On the other hand, Farm Security
Administration officials said the
Greenbelt development did not change
the course OF any streams or level of
the hills and valleys of the section.
Planners also stroye to save as many
trees as possible in clearing the land,
it was said. The F. S. A. engineers
could see no way possible for this
development to increase flood dan
gers"
There are 1000 acres in the Green
belt tract. oficials said. and only 200
acres have been cleared for building
Of the town. the remainder still being
mostly woodland.
A dam, built to form small lake at
Greenbelt, should serve to hold back
high water rather than cause floods
officials said.