Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-25
Army Engineer
Aims to Provide
Master Plan
By JOHN w. STEPP
Star star Correspondent

mac basin will result in a master
plan that may obviate the need
for any other studies in the fore.
seeable future.
This was the implication Of
a Observation-Disclosures address
here today by the officer die
recting the survey, Col. Ray
Adams. 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 cali
for spending as much as $425, 900.
plus Federal grants of $40 mill
lion for pollution abatement
alone.
The results. he stated, will be
a master plan (timed and basedl
on most urgent needs. events and
conditions"
The study. he added, will em-
brace food control, conservation
of water for all uses of the fu-
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
land the District of Columbia in
which the Potomac basin lies, az
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 az
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
f1scal 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 DOS.
sesses considerable EXPERIENCES.
ne 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 il
a human side that must be
taken into account, made I'D Of
traditions, ways of life and as
pirations.
III 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 sue.
gest definite timetable Of
construction and improvements.
Major Problems Outlined
The master plan, instead, win
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
could make the water supply re.
sources critical in Is years, and
In some locales much sooner.
Upstream, flood control work
IN the Cumberland area is ex-
pected to be finished In two more
years. Flood control studies are
being rushed in communities
farther upstream on the North
Branch and Its tributaries.
Better water resources will
mean more industry attracted
into the basin. The increased
interest in developing Alexan.
dria as an ocean port has Q di.
rect relation TO basin in.
dustry.