Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-03
Access Project
Lays, but Dam
Work Proceeds
BY JOHN w. STEPP
star ataff Writer

may Kill the authorized con-
struction Of fishway through
Little Falls Dam on the Po-
tomac.
The dam itself will probably
be completed by summer. The
fishway. for which Congress ap-
propriated 100000 almost 10
months ago. is still on the
drawing boards.
And while cost estimates at
that time were fixed around
$3.50, 900. the official figure has
risen since to $500. 900. I'M
official estimates obtained in
recent weeks by the Washing
ton Engineer District such ap-
purtenances as a f1shway, come
closer TO 100000.
Ironically. the latter figure
is nearly as great as the cost
Of the dam itself.
A Senate subcommittee on
appropriations last summer
voiced concern over the dis
prorortionate" relation of the
100000 estimate TO the cost
of the dam structure. With
that in mind. the committee
ordered a congressional RE-
evaluation" of the f1shway
project during the next ses-
sion.
What the legislators will
think when the latest cost fg.
ures are given makes pro-
fish interests squirm.
Butler Apprehensiye
Among the more apprehen-
sive flshway protagonists is
Senator Butler. Republican Of
Maryland. The Senator car
ried the fishway fight through
Congress. His contention has
been that provided access to
the big river pool and its tribu-
taries between Little Falls and
Great Falls. the shad. herring
and other types would literally
swarm upstream TO new
grounds.
This not only would delight
the fish. but fishermen as well,
his arguments run. And the
Potomac belongs to Mary
lands voters.
Senator Butler yesterday
voiced frank concern over pres
ent fashway prospects.
Its q pesSimistic situation.
The fishway is in grave dam
ger" the legislator said. He
added. however. he has by no
means given UP.
He pointed out that the Fed
eral Fish and Wildlife Service.
which is designing the struc-
ture. has called in special help
TO find a solution.
Speed Importance Emphasized
The service recently detailed
a design specialist from North
Carolina to try to work out a
simpler construction plan for
the present intricate layout. An
engineer has been loaned by the
Federal Reclamation Bureau to
study the cost estimates pro-
vided by the Washington
Engineer District and to deter
mine whether economies are
possible.
In any case. all possible speed
must be made, Senator Butler
emphasized. The main reason
for this. he pointed out. is that
maximum advantage should be
taken Of existing temporary
structures erected to provide
access for construction Of the
dam proper. These works in
clude a bridge atop the dam
to handle such construction
equipment as trucks, shovels
and bulldozers. Also of vital
Importance are the cofferdams
built TO divert the river flow
Of the actual construction site.
The bridge is still intact to
give shore-to-shore access. The
only cofferdam left extends
from the Virginia shore to
about midstream.
Using the access bridge for
the fiShway project now
planned TO run the length OF
Snake Island. near the Mary
land shore. would obviate the
need to build a second special
bridge to the island.
To take advantage Of the
cofferdam near the Virginia
shore would mean relocating
the planned fishway site from
Snake Island to a point close
to Virginia-and leaving the
present access bridge in place
all the way across.
Much Could Be Saved
Both Of these expediencieS
could save substantial sums.
The biggest single item in the
entire fiShway cost estimate is
some $l50.000 for access and
temporary river diversion.
Further time laes. on the other
hand, could mean building the
same temporary works all over
again.
Whether design changes in
the fiShway itself can reduce
costs is problematical. Shad
and their relatives are a touchy
breed when it comes to artificial
crossing Of artificial barriers.
IL seems,
The structure must built not
only to withstand Potomac
flood waterS--but must provide
a constant two-to-three-foot-
per-second water velocity over
a rs per cent grade and a no.
foot length. Moreover the fish
require an l.l00-foot "attrac-
ton pool" downstream from
and parallel to the dam. as well
as a number Of other engine
ering niceties to keep them
from Tipping their fms and
heading back toward Alex