Evening star., 1945-12-16
AnacostiaF Flood
Hearing toGet
ExtensiiveData
Many Agencies Plan
To Submit Proposals
| At Meeting Jan. 9
By ALEXANDER F. PRESTON.

BY ALEXANDER F. PRESTON.
The forthcoming restudy of flood
control and navigation problems
connected with the Anacostia River
md tributaries by the Washington
District Engineer Office will be aug
nented by data from number OF
;ivic, public utility, local government
md commercial interests.
Col Donald G. White, District en-
gineer, has announced a public
hearing on Anacostia River problems
at 1870 pm. January 9, 1916, in the
County Service Building, Hyattsvilie,
to obtain information on plan Of
that will best meet the
desires of local interests involved.
In addition to Prince Georges
County and Maryland State inter-
ests, officials OF Bladensburg, Colmar
Manor, Edmonston, Brentwood,
Berwyn and other season.
ally flooded communities have been
invited to offer suggestions.
Following the district engineers
announcement that an earlier re-.
port on flood control, dated July 81,
1910, would be used as basis for
reopening the study to evolve an
entirely new plan, it was learned
the following agencies will be among
affected interests planning to offer
suggestions: The National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, the
Maryland National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commission,
the Prince Georges County Civic
Federation, the Prince Georges
County Chamber of Commerce and
the town of Colmar Manor.
Embraces Wide Area.
The area embraced by the previous
survey covers territory northward
from the Pennsylvania Railroad
bridge, just inside the District line.
to the Northwest and Northeast
branches of the river and up each
for a total area of approximately
square miles. The areas affected
on the Northwest branch extend
northward and up Indian Greek
and Paint Branch to the vicinity
of Branchville and Daniels Park.
This basin was figured on the high
water mark of a flood on August
%, l933-one of the most severe
ever recorded in the area.
Several times every year the area
around Peace Cross at Bladensburg
is flooded, causing serious property
damage and traffic congestion
At the time of the 1910 report. one
of the objections made by some local
interests was that the plan did not
go into navigation features. A sepa-
rate study of navigation was made
by the engineers Office at that time.
To meet this possible opposition, Col.
Whites office will incorporate food
control and navigation into a single
report. The engineer emphasized
the 1910 report is available at his
Office, First and Douglas streets
NV, for restudy, but that the
earlier survey will form a basis on
which new discussions can begin.
John Nolen, jr.. director of planS
ming, National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, said his group
discussed the problem at its Friday
meeting. The planning body has
worked closely with the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission and other State
agencies in the future development
of the area involved because it is a
part of proposed extension to Ana
costa Park.
400-Acre Tract Acquired.
Over period of years the Mary
land planning agency has acquired
tracts along thes river under the
Capper-Crampton Act until today
the acquisitions total approxi-
mately 400 acres.
Col. E. Brooke Lee of the Mary
land planning body, said his agency
would be represented at the hearing
by Fred Tuemmler, chief planner,
and others.
| The Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission has a number of
interests in any flood control and
navigation improvements which
might alter existing topography and
flow conditions. 1t already has q
sewage treatment plant in the area,
which is protected by levees. Lacy
Shaw. commission member, said
Howard Duckett, counsel; Harry R.
Hall, chief engineer, and Harry v.
Shaw, assistant chief engineer,
would supply data at the hearing.
| Fred w. Cast, Cheverly, will at
tend the hearing in a dual capacity
as chairman of the Parks and Flood
Control Committee, County Civic
Federation, and as chairman of the
Parks and Zoning Committee of the
County Chamber of Commerce.
| Mayor John N. Torvestad, COL
mar Manor, will offer suggestions to
prevent flooding of the area and to
preserve park values of the land.
Other interests involved, accord
ing to the engineer office, include
the State Roads Commission, the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad with
trackage through Hyattsville, Brent
wood and College Park, and the
Pennsylvania Railroad, which owns
the bridge across the river just in
side the District.
Three Solutions Seen.
The problem can be approached
from three principal engineering
standpoilts. Col Whites Office in
dicated. A system of levees or
dykes" series of dams along the
upper branches, or channel i'm
provements as to depth, width,
| corse, etc., or plan can be evolved
embracing features of two or all of
these methods.
Tidewater backs up about to the
junction of the Northwest and
Northeast branches so more rapid
f1owoff can not be accomplished by
channel improvements alone up to
this point. At one time Bladens-
burg was the head of navigation"
on this stream.
| Mr.. Cast recalled that in the
| 1910 study several interests were
opposed to commercializing the
channel, but. favored instead navi-
cation for recreational uses with a
boat basin in the area.
| The engineer Office homes tn have