Evening star., 1945-03-08
Shenandoah Valley
Residents 10 Fight
Dams 10 Finish
BY JAMES BIRCHFIELD,

1AAhAs l SAAIAl1s, va, Mdl. o.-1tcSi-
dents of the Shenandoah Valley ex-
tending from Charles Town, w. Va,
to Front Royal, Va, will fight ito
the last ditch" to prevent post
war construction of dam that
would flood an estimated $4,000
acres of fertile farm land in the
area.
The proposed dam, one of IA COM
bination flood control and power
dams projected for the Potomac
River watershed area by Army engi-
neers, would dam the Shenandoah
River to height of 1873 feet at
Millville, w. Va. creating a lake
that would extend 81 miles to River
ton. near Front Royal At points
along the reservoir, it is estimated
the lake would be miles wide.
There was no figure available on
the number of farms that would be
wholly or partly inundated nor on
the number of dwellings that would
be affected, pending a survey. One
village, Millwood, near Berrys
Ferry, would be submerged.
Little iva Contemplated.
Effects of the proposed dam, ac-
cording to valley residents who were
interviewed by a reporter from The
Star, would be to submerge some
of the areas finest bottom crop
land, reduce tax returns to Warren
and Clarke Counties in Virginia
and Jefferson County, w. Va, sub
merge some schools and roads and
create a health menace from mud
flats.
Interior Department officials and
Army Engineers in Washington said
the project would provide the bene-
fits of little IVA-f1ood control,
cheap power, reforestation and re-
Mobilization of land and wildlife
conservation.
Area residents, however, knew
only that q dam meant inundation
of a great amount of land. They
were not sure whether the project
was designed primarily as a power
or flood control project and added
that the district engineer Office in
Winchester had pledged interested
property owners not to discuss the
project.
Must Be Informed.
The act passed by Congress last
December authorizing such projects
as this one, says that affected
States shall be given information on
the proposals and the opportunity
for consultation on plans to the
extent deemed practicable by the
chief of engineers.
Residents of the area say they are
still "in the dark" regarding plans
and do not have a clear idea of the
amount of land that would be
inundated.
The act provides that electrical
power, in excess of that required for
operation of the dams, shall be
turned over to the Secretary of the
Interior for transmission and dis
posal "in such manner as to en-
courage the most widespread use
- at the lowest possible rates to
consumers consistent with sound
business principles" The rate
schedules would be subject to ap-
proval by the Federal Power Com
mission, and the power would be
authorized for sale to States, NUM-
clpalities, co-operatives or private
companies.
Army Would Operate Dams.
All money received from the sale
of electrical power, under terms of
the act, would be deposited in the
Treasury.
While the proposed project would
have an end product similar to the
Tennessee Valley Authority, several
agencies would be involved. The
Army would operate the dams, the
Interior Department would sell the
power generated and also would
have control of wildlife conserva-
ton, if any, and the Agriculture
Department would control land
conservation and rehabilitation. It
was pointed out by one Government
official that the program might
prove Ineffective" because of the
number of agencies involved.
Asserting that specifications for
the Millville dam make possible an
83-foot drop in the water level,
residents said this would leave mud
flats along the reservoirs edges and
cause a serious health menace.
Fear Stagnant Water.
Pools Of stagnant water, left
when the water level was lowered,
would provide an ideal breeding
place for mosquitoes and the mud
would render the lake inaccessible
for recreational uses, they said.
In addition to the thousands Of
acres of bottom land that, accord
ing to B. s. Morgan Of Berrys
Ferry, will "pay the interest on an
investment Of $1,000 acre." many
estates along the river would be
inundated.
Raymond J. Funkhcuser, Charles
Town industrialist and unsuccessful
candidate for Governor in the last
election, said:
Il believe the cost has been esti-
mated at something around $685.
100000, but certainly no experience
in the past in respect to floods nor
demands for power justif1es such a
vast undertaking The people who
live through this valley should not
be expected nor required to make
such an unnecessary sacrifice to
make possible water power de-
velopment