The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-09

such sales shall be deposited in the
Treasury of the United States as
miscellaneous receipts.
"The Chief of Engineers :. is
authorized to construct, maintain,
and operate public park and recre-
ational facilities in reservoir areas
under the control of the War De-
partment, and to permit the con-
struction of such facilities by 9TH
erS.
plans, proposal, Or reports of
the Chief of Engineers shall
be conducted in such a manner as
to give to the affected State or
States, during the course of the in
vestigation, information developed
by the investigation and also OPP
portunity for consultation regard
ing plans and proposals . . The
Relations of the Chief of Engineers
with any state shall be with the
Governor. of the State or such
agency as the Governor may de-
signate." END QUOTE
This act authorizes the Corps of
Engineers to investigate many riv-
ers. It authorizes investigat; ons by
the Department of Agriculture to
determine the need for run-off re-
tardation and soil erosion preven-
ton. A local example in the South
IS the act which adopted an $780,
900 program for reforestation and
promotion of land use in the Coosa
River watershed above Rome, Ga.
n accordance with plans prepared
by the Department of Agriculture.
Provision is also made for the
use of water from Federally built
reservoirs for domestic and indus
trial purposes. The improvements
authorized are nationwide and are
not limited to specific river basins.
Existing legislation now makes
possible the development of all
river basins by. available Federal
agencies when funds are appro-
priated to the same texent as would
be possible under a series of au-
thorities and, in addition, provides
for coordination between river ba-
sins, which is not attainable I'm
der a series of separate and indie
pendent authorities. This overall
coordination and control is alb
solutely essential, for instance, in
the overall planning of flood control
for the Mississippi River system.
Overall Plan
The overall flood control plan for
the Mississippi River contemplates
the detention of certain portions
of the flood waters in reservoirs
to be constructed on its main trib-
utaries, such as the Missouri,
Cumberland, the White. the Ark
ansas, and the Red. Unless these
detention reservoirs are construct
ed, controlled and coordinated by
one agency, the maximum benefits
cannot be realized. Therefore, if
these large tributaries r handled
independently and on a local basis,
as has been in the ase of the
Tennessee, the complete controls
of floods on the Mississippi will
never be accomplished.
Most important of all, the recent
Flood Control Act clears up. many
years of indecision on the part of
the Federal Government by an
n%ouncing a nationwide policy for
the disposal of power generated at
those hydro-power plants construct
ed and owned by the Federal Gov
eminent.
With this background in mind,
and realizing that the Corps of
Engineers are improving many
river basins step-by-step, as they
have the harbor here at Whining
ton, you can visualize something of
the picture of our inland work. 1t
allows us to treat all sections of
the country equitably with such
funds as Congress may appropriate
from year to year, and to Co
ordinate and keep pace with the
demands of water-borne commerce
on established waterways. Flood
protection must be handled differ
emily. We may protect, by levees,
the most seriously endangered Sec
tons of a city first and later pro-
tect others sections as protection
becomes economically justified.
Likewise we scatter retention res
ervoirs On various basins so as to
give the greatest benefit to the
greatest number, and thus insure
fair treatment for all. Many of
river basins still suffer heavy flood
damage. Our future progress in
controlling floods will depend on
the interest the public exhibits and
on the annual appropriations by
Congress resulting from such in
terest.
The Clark Hill Dam
The Clark Hill dam and reservoir
IS to be located on the Savannah
River, % miles up stream from
Augusta, Ca, opposite Clarks Hill,
South Carolina. The proposed i'm
provements will be one of the larg-
est hydro electric developments
east of the Rockies. and will cost
about $45, 900, 900 when completed.
The site of the proposed dam has
long been considered one of the
finest power sites on any southern
river. In 1928. the Savannah River
Electric Company secured a permit
from the Federal Power Commits
sion to construct and operate a
hydro-power dam at this location.
Economic conditions of the l929-31