Evening star., 1947-07-16
Flood Control Message

WeSSQ96
work needed to eliminate destructive
floods and provide for the beneficial
use OF water in the Mississippi River
Basin.
The Congress has also provided
legislative authority to proceed with
these plans.
The Flood Control Act Of May 10,
1923, authorized q plan for the pro-
lection of the Lower Mississippi val-
ley. Subsequent legislation has per-
mitted the extension ana Develop
nent Of that plan to . high degree
of completion. The Flood Control
Act Of 1898 approved comprehensive
flood control plans for each Of the
five major tributary basins Of the
Mississippi River and authorized the
expenditure of funds for the i1i-
tiation and partial accomplishment
of those plans Subsequent general
f1ood-control acts have authorised
expenditure of additional sums to
continue this work. These acts pro-
vided that Federal Investigations
and improvements for flood control
and allied purposes should be prose-
cuted by the War Department, un-
der the direction of the Secretary
of War and the supervision of the
chief Of engineers.
Comprehensive Program Essential.
The Flood Control Act of 1885
provided for Federal investigation Of
watersheds and for measures of run
of and water -now retardation and
soil erosion prevention on water-
sheds, to be prosecuted by the De-
partment of Agriculture. The recla-
nation laws authorize irrigation
programs and the prosecution of
such programs by the Bureau Of
Reclamation OF the Department Of
the Interior, in coordination with
plans for flood control. The Fed
eral Water Power Acts and appro-
prite parts of the Flood Control
Acts provide for participation OF
the Federal Power Commission when
hydroeyectric power is involved in
these programs.
A comprehensive program for flood
control In the entire Mississippi Riv-
er Basin is essential. The Lower
Mississippi River, as 1t flows through
it's alluvial valley, must carry the
flood discharge from every tributary
river basin from the Applachians to
the Rocky Mountains. Fortunately
we have never had simultaneous
occurrence of major floods on all the
great tributaries: The Missouri, Ohio,
Upper Mississippi, Arkansas and Red
Rivers. Such a coincidence of flood
crests is highly improbable, but if it
did occur under present conditions,
the floods would overflow the entire
Lower Mississippi Valley from Cairo.
Ill, to the Gulf of Mexico and would
cause untold damage to one Of the
richest areas in the world.
1t would not be feasible to build
levees high enough and foodways
wide enough to pass such a flood
safely to the gulf. Therefore, 1t Is
necessary to prevent the concur
renee of tributary floods by a CO.
ordinated system of storage reser-'
voirs in the major tributary basins.
In these same tributary basins,
levees, floodwalls and diversion
channels are necessary to protect
cities, towns and farms. Farther up
on the headwater tributaries Of each
major basin, and throughout their
watersheds, soil conservation meas
ures are needed to retard the flow
and runof and reduce the loss of
topSoil which is impoyerishing our
farm lands and clogging our reser-
voirs and river chAyneas.
Corollary to the control OF floods
is the harnessing Of flood waters
for productive uses which will re-
turn to the Government a large
share of the initial investment. For
tunately the means available to US
for control Of floods in many cases
furnish the opportunity for use Of
water for irrigation. navigation and
development of hydroelectric power.
Multiple use reservoirs produce
these and other benefits, including
the improvement Of municipal and
industrial water supplies, new recre-
ational areas and opportunities, the
preservation of fish and wildlife,
and the abatement of pollution.
Conflicting Needs Diminish.
The problem confronting us Is OF
prime Importance in. our national
life. During the war it was unayoid-
ably necessary to defer in large part
works of this character. In the i'm
mediate postwar period conflicting
needs for other Government pro-
grams caused further deferment.
These conflicting needs are now
diminishing, and the experience OF
the past few months has presented
convincing evidence that we must
press forward vigorously toward q
solution of this problem.
In the execution Of comprehen-
sive program for the development OF
the Mississippi River Basin, protec-
ton from floods is Of such urgency
that it should be given first atten-
ton. We already have plans for the
projects which will largely provide
this protection. The construction
agencies of the Departments of War,
Interior and Agriculture are ready to
proceed with these projects when
funds are provided.
I therefore urge that this Congress
undertake a program which will
provide for the substantial COM
pletion within 10 years OF the Hood
control projects necessary for the
protection of the Mississippi River
Basin. Most of the necessary prof.
ects have already been authorized
by the Congress. This 10-year pro-
gram should also contain smaller
group of projects which have not
yet been authorized by the Con-