Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-25

of water resources of the Potion
plan that may obviate the need
seeable future.
This was the implication
here today by the officer direct
Washington District Engineer
Col. Adams addressed the
morning session of the spring
meeting of the Interstate Com
mission on the Potomac River
Basin at the Hotel Shenandoah.
The engineer did not once re-
fer to the three pending Federal
bills proposing comprehensive
surveys for all Or parts of the
basin.
Resolutions on Books
Rather, he referred to two
congressional resolutions on the
books for months requesting"
both survey and master plan by
the corps. Funds to start were
provided last February. Col.
Adams left no doubt that the
current undertaking is at least
as comprehensive in scope as
that proposed in the pending
bills. These study measures call
for spending as much as $425, 900,
plus Federal grants of $40 mil
lion for pollution abatement
alone.
The results. he stated. will be
a master plan timed and based)
on most urgent needs, events and
conditions.
The study. he added, will en-
brace flood control, conservation
of water for all uses of the flu
ture. pollution abatement and
development of "other desirable
water resource potentials.
The whole effort, he said, will
involve the cooperation and
participation of the four States
and the District of Columbia in
which the Potomac basin lies, as
well as the aid of the basin COM
mission and the National Capital
Region Planning Council.
Survey Presents Challenge"
Never before. Col. Adams said.
has the Engineer Corps tackled
so exhaustive a river study. In
some respects it is without prec-
edent. Involving, as it does.
one of the Nations 10 major
river basins--and the least de-
veloped of the lott comes as
a distinct challenge" the en-
gineer said.
Col. Adams said he is confident
that adequate funds will be sup
piled by the Federal Government
to carry the survey through the
fiscal year beginning July /.
The project is expected to last
three years. Under this schedule.
Col. Adams said, the work can
proceed AT an. adequate rate
and allow time for absorption
and response by concerned seq
ments of the public
The engineer repeatedly
pounded home the need for in
terstate. inter-agency and inter-
community cooperation. The
utmost Importance will be at
tached to the views of the many
interests that have a stake in
the Potomac basin, he empha-
sized.
Good Plan Predicted
I'VE believe our Office pos
sesses considerable experiences. F"
he said. I'VE believe we can
produce good plan largely by
ourselves on the basis of cold
economics alone.
But people do not live by
cold economics alone. There is
a human side that must be
taken into account, made up of
traditions, ways of life and as
piratlons.
If we are TO work with the
basin, to make a truly compre-
hensive plan for the basin. we
must put these less tangible mat
tiers in perspective and give them
their proper weight"
Col. Adams said his Office does
not intend to recommend au-
thorization of specific projects.
That detail will be handled in
separate documents covering
specific projects when required"
Nor does the corps plan to sug-
gest a definite timetable Of
construction and Improvements.
The master plan, instead, will
"provide the means for making
each project a properly fitting
increment of an integral pro-
gram he said.
Col. Adams sketched some OF
the major problem spots.
In the Washington area. water
supply and flood control largely
through construction Of storage
dams appear to be an absolute"
necessity. Flood damage could
amount to millions Of dollars to
the waterfront, Southwest sec
ton and West Potomac Park
area without further protection.
Continued population increases