Evening star., 1946-04-05
Survey Of Entire
D.C.WaterF Front
Starts in May
Army Study, First
Of Kind to Control
All Future PIons
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II


A program of hearings and studies
on the water front of Metropolitan
Washington, unusual and as far
reaching in its field as the $41,-
000, 900 50-year plan for improving
Washington's water supply, will be
started the middle of May by the
Army district engineer for the
Potomac, Patuxent and Rappahan-
mock water sheds, 1t was disclosed
today.
The program will start as q pre-
lfminary investigation, with hopes
that it may become a full -fedged
rivers and harbors project. It will
call for development Of long range
co-ordinated plan as a basis for all
present and future plans for WASH
ington's water front development.
Held up during the war, the pro-
gram is a direct result of pressure
from the Washington Board of
Trade, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, the Ma
tional Park Service and other civic
groups and Government agencies
and was called for in a resolution
OF the House Rivers and Harbors
Committe made during the war.
The plan is unusual since Army
engineers never have attempted to
plan Tor the entire water front of
a city. They have dredged certain
channels, specified the height of
bridges and prescribed for design
OF drawbridges. This is the first at
tempt to solve, by a meeting of
minds and coordination of plans
and appropriations, the waterfront
problems OF an entire city and its
environs.
Outlines of Program.
E. A. Schmitt, head engineer of
the Washington Office, and engineers
on the staff of Col Donald G. White.
| olStrlct engineer, today went over
tne ground to be covered with a
Star reporter. In general, here is
now the program is expected to
shape up:
First, the engineers have decided
TO define Metropolitan Washington
water front" as those sections of the
Potomac and Anacostia Rivers
stretching from Chain Bridge to
Mount Vernon and from Bladens-
burg to the mouth of the Anacostia.
Some of the individual improve
ments proposed for this area already
are underway-for example. the rec
lamatlon OF the Anacostia Flats and
the development of the WASHINGTON
Channel water front. Others will not
be undertaken for years. Still others.
perhaps, will not be started for
| decades.
Seek Answers to Questions.
Questions OF a general nature to
which the engineers expect to get
answers are:
| l. Since about 80 per cent of the
water front of the District is already
IN Government ownership, should
not the remainder be so owned and
developed for uses ranging from
sewage disposal and commercial
shipping to park, swimming and
boating facilities?
2. Would greater channel DEPTHS
be justified in the Potomac and
lower Anacostia? Present depth is
"a feet, while channel width in the
immediate vicinity of the city is
400 feet.
s. Should there be a WASHINGTON
port authority, to manage facilities
created by any plan which grows
out OF the hearings?
Future Dumping Grounds.
4. Where can Washington and its
nelghboring communities find fu-
ture dumping grounds for city
refuse?
5. How best could the engineers
aid In abating pollution?
6. What future plans could be in
clooed Tor the eradication of the
troublesome water chestnut?
7. Are present harbor regulations
sumclent to the needs of the CITY?
.. Where could limiting lines and
narbor lines be changed to advan-
tage?
9. Whose responsibility is it to re.
move derelicts?
TO- How should work by the enei-
neers be dovetailed with plans for
additional Potomac and Anacostha
Rivers rail and road crossings.
either bridges or tunnels?
To Aid Pleasure Boating.
Specific proposals which are to be
considered are numerous. Manv
ALREADY are receiving the attention
OF the public and Government agen-
cles. Others are less we'll known,
among those the program will seek
to plan for are:
l. Clearing the river channel be-
tween Chain and Key Bridges and
additional pleasure boating facili-
tles IN that stretch of river.
z: Streamlining the GEORGETOWN
ana Rosslyn water fronts and cas-
ing the flood bottleneck in the
river at the mouth of Rock Greek
s. A possible private seaplane land
ing on the mole at the mouth of
Rock Creek.
Dredging of Mudhats.
4. Oreoglng OF the East Potomac c
Park mudflats.
.. Increased use of the Tidal Basin
ana lagoons near the Pentagon for
pleasure boating.
6. Raising the level of East Pc.
tomac Park, now easily flooded.
7. More boating and commercial
facilities in Washington Channel
than already planned.
8. Improvement of the Alexandria
water front and streamlining the
shoreline for hood-control purposes
on both banks of the river in the
Alexandria area.
Expansion Of Facilities.
9. Additional boating facilities
strategically located along both
banks of the river below the Dis
trict.
10. Assisting wherever possible In
providing fill for the proposed
George Washington Memorial Park
way.
IL. Expansion of commercial shin.
ping facilities along the Anacostia
between the Naval Gun Factory
and BuzZard Point.
II. Additional pleasure boating