Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-05
$500 Million Plan.
For Dams Drafted
U. S, Engineers;
Mop Program
For Voter Needs
BY DAN. GOTTLIEB
star staff Writer

building dams and reservoirs
to provide for the water needs
Of the Washington Metropoli-
tan Area through the year 2olo
will be recommended by the
North Atlantic Division OF the
Army Corps of Engineers.
The plan also would benefit
other communities In the four
State Potomac River Basin.
The report from the division
engineer is not expected to be
available for general distribu-
ton until April 20. ~
Covering nine volumes, the
report will show that the Fed
eral Government would pick Up
about $426 million Of the con-
struction cost and local and
State governments about 3T3
million. The Washington
Metropolitan Area probably
would bear the greater portion
Of the non-Federal costs, al
though this breakdown could
not be Immediately ascertained
from the information available.
Series Of Reviews
Before the plan can 90 to
Congress for authorization, II
must pass several review steps
expected to take until early
next year. Judging from pro-
nounced opposition to the plan
as announced by the district
engineer last May. the proposed
dams can be expected to come
under close scrutiny from GER
tain local interests and MEM
bers Of Congress. The official
review steps viii include study
by the Board Of Engineers for
Rivers and Harbofs. the chief
Of the Engineer Corps, .Secre-
tary Of the Army and Budget
Bureau. 49,
Written comments from In
terested parties must be sub.
mitted to the board by June
80, after which public hearings
may be held. V
/ The outcome OF the compre-
hensive study Of water re-
sources In the river basin au.
thorized by Congress and be-
gun In 1886, the plan calls for
construction Of nine major re-
servoirs by 1877. The largest
land last Of these scheduled 4
TO be near Seneca. Md. 10 be
created BY an az-fcot dam, the
nr0ject would cost about $ii6
million.
The first reservoir. at Bloom.
ltngton. Md, Is 10 be built a.
soon as possible.
/ Seven other major reservoirs
iare also included.
Alternatives Offered
The summary Of the. report,
which also contains three al
Tentative basin development
lplans. says the recommended
lplan win provide "the greatest
excess Of benefits over costs Of
any Of the plans considered /"
The construction costs Of the
alternative plans. none ofwhich
call for q major dam on the
lower Potomac such Is the Sem
eca structure. range from $3.50
million to SSH million, the
summary states. w ~,
The benefits Of the recon.
,lmended plan are estimated ct
about t42 million annually, and
the average annual cost. In
cluding operation and main.
tenance. over the 50-year pc
Rod covered BY the plan. about
t25 milton ~, tg
The Bloomington project, al
READY authorized b. Congress
IN 1862. Is estimated 10 cost s5I
million Of which about sil MIL
lion Of initial construction costs
would be assigned TO local and
State governments.
| Other locations ~
The seven other major re-
servoirs are 10 be located as fol-
lows scheduled completion date
In parentheseO South Branch
Of the Potomac upstream from
Petersburg. w. Va (io6ey:
Conococheague Creek near
Chambersburg. Pa. 1882 (:
Middle River downstream from
stanton. Va. (l970): Monocacy
River. upstream from Frederick,
Md. de7D; West Branch Of
Conococheaeie Greek, IN Penn
sylvania I0T2): North Fork OF
the Shenandoah River. Blocks
Gap, Va. 1873, and opequon
Greek near Winchester. Va
1870.