Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-13
River Bend Dam

The article, "Man-Made
Dams Make Wilderness a
Recreation Area Along Pa
tuxent," appearing in The
Sunday Star for October 81,
points out numerous recrea-
tional advantages to the pub
lie said to have resulted from
the damming Of the Patuxent
for water supply. The article
implies that similar benefits
would arise from construction
of a major storage dam on
the Potomac, presumably the
controversial River Bend dam
just above Great Falls.
AS one who opposes con-
struction of the River Bend
dam on the ground that less
destructive alternatives can
meet the water supply needs
of Metropolitan Washington,
would like to point out some
serious qualifications on your
article.
/. Many of the recrea-
tional features along the Pa
tuxent, such as the picnic
grounds, the bride trails. the
timberlands with wildlife.
were made possible by public
ownership Of the land, not by
the damming of the river it
self. These would all have
been available If the Patuxent
valley had been bought for a
park, as wise planning would
have provided if no reser-
voirs were constructed.
Along the Potomac, fea-
lures of this kind already
exist in the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal park under the
jurisdiction of the natural
park reserve and would be
enlarged if the proposed leg
islation establishing the Ches-
apeake and Ohio National
Historical Park we're enacted.
All of these existing facilities
would be wiped out If the Po-
tomac were damned, as would
the canal itself, one of the
outstanding historical monu-
ments of the East. Even now
the canal property is used by
far more people than visit the
Patuxent reservoirs. 1t should
also be remembered that
under present land acquisi-
ton policies of the Corps Of
Engineers. an impoundment
at River Bend would presum-
ably not be surrounded by
miles of public land. Instead.
the property would be left IN
private hands with easements
for flooding.
2. Although the reservoirs
have created a completely
new place for boating on the
Patuxent, much more extern
sive and varied opportunities
for the recreational use Of
the water are to be found on
the Potomac and the canal.
These are not subject to the
severe restrictions imposed
by the Sanitary Commission,
such as the ban on canoes.
Again, the number of people
enjoying the waters Of the
Potomac is much greater
than at the Patuxent.
8. Most important Of all.
a region should preserve
varied types of outdoor rec
reational opportunities. With
Chesapeake Bay nearby and
with several man-made lakes
already in existence, the
Washington area is already
unusually we'll furnished with
saltwater recreation. The
Potomac today is an out
standing example Of a nat
ural, flowing stream. unique
so near a large city in the
East. 1t should be main
tanned for the recreational
and esthetic values that such
river alone can offer.
In short. from a recrea-
tional and historical point Of
view. as we'll as from other
standpoints, the construction
of the River Bend dam is
to be regarded not as a boon
but as a last resort, to- be
undertaken only If growth
of population and water use
ultimately outstrip the sup
ply which can be developed
in other ways.
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