Evening star., 1946-11-17
BirchfieId
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Where the discharge Of industrial
wastes is such that the river be-
comes unusable for water supplies
Of any nature for many miles below.
The most serious area is that Of the
Luke Cumberland district, where q
combination Of acid mine waters
from abandoned coal mines and in
dustrial and domestic sewage so pol
lutte the stream during low water
that the river actually has the con-
sistency Of soup rather than that Of
water.
"The solution of this problem Is
not simply to treat the wastes to Q
degree economically possible. IN
stead, 1t will be necessary to In
crease the dry weather flow ofsths
stream by means Of storage reser.
voirs on its headwaters. s.a. aHs1'
"One OF the difficulties in carryini
forward any multiple purpose prof
ect in conjunction with water re
sources IS that political subdivision
and private organizations have d re.
luctance to assume their rightfu
share Of the costs desirinf
that the funds be provided by the
Federal Government. It Is the com.
missions belief that where benefits
occur, local and private agencies
should share In the costs.
"In addition, one of the most i'm
portant problems in basin develop
ment is the protection Of personal
liberty. This is one Of the funda-
mental problems, and I believe II
can best be solved where interstate
river basins are concerned through
the use of interstate compacts."
Civic leaders throughout the ba-
sin, mindful of plans made three
years ago by the Army engineers for
construction Of IA flood-control and
power dams within the basin, agree
that plans for the Potomac's devel-
opment should be left in the hands
Of the nearly two million people who
inl1abit its watershed. Coupled with
the fear of future Federal encroach-
ment, Is the fear that the co-opera-
tive method may prove too slow and
lag behind normal progress.
From Senator Sothoron's state
ment may be gathered the implica-
tions of pollution control. 1t hinges
on successful plan for the develop
ment Of all phases Of the basin.
For example: The control of poll
luton depends on flood control, an-
dustrial and municipal planning
And these. in turn, depend on land
use, which can have its effect on
navigation and the industrial fish,
cries in the lower river Arising out
Of flood control also is the power po-
tential, the development of which
should be planned so as to fit In with
the future overall development of
the basin.
Compact Method Favored.
So far there have been several
methods of river-basin development.
Most notable has been the author
ity method which obtained remark
able results with the Tennessee. It
is the opinion. Of observers in the
Potomac area, however, that the
authority method offers too, great
q vehicle for autonomy and re-
gardleSS of the swiftness with which
1t may function, a slower, more
democratic method Is preferable.
These observers believe that the
compact method, which receives its
power from the member States, al
though slower in getting results,
offers the means of allowing the
people to chart their own future.
1t is felt in some quarters that
perhaps the powers granted COM
missions through State compacts
should be widened, while some
students Of basin development adj
yocate the formation Of an over
all Federal reviewing agency, whose
duty it would be to provide O
forum for state and Federal voices
in formulating the machinery Of
basin development.
Observers agree that the time for
planning Is now. Already industrial
expansion is beginning within the
basin and there is need for regu-
latory measures.
If cooperative planning proves
successful in the Potomac Basin, 1t
Is believed that the way win be
cleared for the development along
similar lines OF many river basins
throughout the Nation.