Evening star., 1937-01-22
D. D.C.AREASTREAMS.
REDUCE RUN-0FF.
Flood Waters Subside, but
More Rain Seems
Imminent.

Although more rain seemed imni-
nent. flood waters that yesterday in
undated Washington parks and low
areas here and in nearby Maryland
had subsidized today.
Rock Creek and the Northwest
Branch Of the Anacostia River were
still running high, but within their
banks, and the Potomac, which rose
considerably. but not alarmingly.
showed no signs of overfiowing in this
section.
Park police announced roads closed
yesterday after they were found
dangerous for driving were open for
travel through Rock Creek Park.
Highways in the Brentwood and
Bladensburg sections also were carry
ing their normal load of traffic after
high waters had forced them to be
abandoned "a hours before.
Rain and much colder" was the
forecast for tonight and Saturday,
with the minimum tonight expected TO
be about 38 degrees. The winds, ac-
cording to the Weather Bureau. will
be gentle, moderate and shifting"
After a close study of Weather Bu-
reau figures and charts, Lieut.. William
J. Matteson, district engineer for the
War Department for this area, said
he did not believe Washington was
in danger of any serious floods un-
less rains in the Upper Potomac Basin
| phn,,1l tho 70 rico eho n
ly and a strong east or southeast
wind comes along at the same time.
Surveying conditions in the upper
Potomac, Lieut.. Matteson said the
river at Cumberland, Md. was only
30 feet above the low stage, with II
feet considered flood stage.
17.2 Feet at Hancock.
At Hancock, the waters are 17.2
feet above the low stage. but there
the flood stage is 90 feet. At Riverton
the river had dropped from IA feet
at pm. yesterday to 11.2 feet at
am. today. Flood stage there is %
feet.
On the basis of Weather Bureau
figures, E. A. Schmitt, senior en-
gineer in Lieut.. Matteson's office, said
at Harpers Ferry there may be a rise
to Is feet when the Riverton crest
goes by.
Meanwhile, Vincent Osterman, head
OF Bladensburg's Board of Commits
sioners, was planning renewed efforts
to bring relief from recurrent over
flows of the Northwest and Northeast
Branches of the Anacostia River.
The official contemplates a visit to
the Army district engineers office in
Washington, with other members of
the board, to determine the status of
plans for flood-relief measures.
Osterman said he would urge his
colleagues to accompany him to the en-
gineer's Office as the first step in a
drive to obtain relief from floods which
strike the Peace Cross area here at
least once each year. His plans to in
tensify the long-standing campaign
will be presented to the board at its
next meeting on Wednesday, Osterman
said.
Boulevard Closed.
The washington Baltimore bOule-
ward and the Defense Highway were
closed to trafic for nearly IL hours be-
ginning late Wednesday afternoon
when waters from the Northwest
branch submerged the thoroughfares.
Also flooded was q 30-house COM
munity in North Brentwood. Although
damage was not heavy, regular traffic
around the Peace Cross could not be
resumed until after o'clock yesterday
morning.
Officials at the district engineers
office in Washington said they were
studying the problem at Bladens-
burg" Several suggestions for food
control measures have been made.
They include dredging of the river
branches, construction of levees or
raising of the road. Engineer authori-
ties indicated that immediate action on
the situation was improbable. since
any such work here would necessitate
congressional sanction and heavy ex-
pense.
Also working On the problem = Tie