An Act granting the consent and approval of Congress to the Connecticut River Flood Control Compact
PL 83-52 (S.261), enacted 06/06/1953

67 S T A T.J 
PUBLIC LAW 5 2 - J U N E 6, 1953 
Public Law 52 
CHAPTER 103 
AN ACT 
Granting the consent and approval of Congress to the Connecticut River Flood 
45 
June 6, 1953 
p . 261] 
gress. 
Control Compact. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, Tliat the consent Ri^er "Flood c^o^ 
and approval of Congress is given to the Connecticut River Flood troi compact. 
Control Compact between the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, 
Consent of con-
New Hampshire, and Vermont. Such compact reads as follows: 
CONNECTICUT 
RIVER 
FLOOD 
CONTROL 
COMPACT 
Whereas, the federal government exercises jurisdiction over the 
nation's navigable rivers and their tributaries through passage of the 
flood control act of nineteen hundred and thirty-six and various other 
acts amendatory thereto; and 
"Whereas, these acts provide for construction by the United States 
of dams for flood control and, where feasible, in addition to flood 
control for storage of water to be used for irrigation, recreation or 
hydroelectric power or for any of these purposes; and 
Whereas, the Connecticut is an interstate river and control of major 
floods on it can be obtained only by the construction of dams by the 
United States under authorization of the above mentioned acts; and 
Whereas, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the States of 
Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont recognize that it is in the 
interest of their general welfare that the United States construct 
in the Connecticut River Valley a comprehensive system of local 
protection works and dams and reservoirs to control floods and prevent 
loss of life and property, the disruption of orderly processes and the 
impairment of commerce between the aforesaid states; and 
Whereas, the United States has constructed dikes, flood walls and 
other local protection works at Hartford and East Hartford in the 
State of Connecticut and at Springfield, Riverdale, West Springfield, 
Chicopee, Northampton, Holyoke, and Springdale, in the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts and dams and reservoirs for the storage of 
flood waters at Knightville, Birch Hill and Tully in the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts, at Surry Mountain in the State of New 
Hampshire and at Union Village in the State of Vermont and has 
reached agreements with the state wherein located for construction 
of dams and reservoirs for the storage of flood waters at Barre Falls 
in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and at Ball Mountain and at 
Townshend in the State of Vermont; and 
Wliereas, the Congress has at various times authorized construction 
by the United States of other dams and reservoirs for the storage of 
flood waters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the States 
of New Hampshire and Veimont and has more recently instructed the 
corps of engineers to determine what additional local protection w^orks 
and dams and reservoirs are required for a comprehensive system to 
control floods in the Connecticut River and its tributaries; and 
Whereas, it is believed that such a comprehensive flood control system 
should include dams and reservoirs controlling flood run-off from 
approximately twenty-five (25) per cent of the total drainage area of 
the Connecticut River above Hartford, Connecticut, and strategically 
located in reference to characteristics of tributaries and to damage 
centers; and 
Whereas, construction by the United States of additional dams and 
reservoirs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the States 
of New Hampshire and Vermont, to complete such a comprehensive 
27000 O - 53 
46 
PUBLIC LAW 52-JUNE 6, 1953 
[67 S T A T . 
flood control system, will remove from the tax rolls of local govern-
ments of those states such property as is acquired by the United States 
and may work other hardships against the people of Massachusetts, 
New Hampshire and Vermont; and 
Whereas, it is highly desirable that any flood control dam and reser-
voir constructed by the United States in the Connecticut River Valley 
have the approval of the state w^herein it is located and that states 
benefiting from construction of such dam and reservoir make reim-
bursement for such loss of taxes and for such hardships; and 
Whereas, a comprehensive system for the prevention of destructive 
floods and for water resources utilization in the Connecticut River 
Valley can best be accomplished by cooperation between the several 
states in the valley and by and through a common and joint agency 
of said several states; 
Now, therefore, the said Commonwealth of Massachusetts and States 
of Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont do hereby enter into 
the following compact, to-wit: 
ARTICLE I 
The principal purposes of this compact are: (a) to promote inter-
state comity among and between the signatory states; (b) to assure 
adequate storage capacity for impounding the waters of the Connect-
icut River and its tributaries for the protection of life and property 
from floods; (c) to provide a joint or common agency through which 
the signatory states, while promoting, protecting and preserving to 
each the local interest and sovereignty of the respective signatory 
states, may more effectively cooperate in accomplishing the object of 
flood control and water resources utilization in the basin of the Connect-
icut River and its tributaries. 
ARTICLE 
I I 
River vSfe*^ *
F
i
^ od 
There is hereby created "The Connecticut River Valley Flood 
con'troi Comt^s- Coutrol Commissiou", hereinafter referred to as the "commission", 
which shall consist of twelve members, three of whom shall be resi-
dents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; three of whom shall be 
residents of the State of Connecticut; three of whom shall be residents 
of the State of New Hampshire; and three of whom shall be residents 
of the State of Vermont. 
The members of the commission shall be chosen by their respective 
states in such manner and for such term as may be fixed and deter-
mined from time to time by the law of each of said states respectively 
by which they are appointed. A member of the commission may be 
removed or suspended from office as provided by the law of the state 
for which he shall be appointed, and any vacancy occurring in the 
commission shall be filled in accordance with the laws of the state 
wherein such vacancy exists. 
A majority of the members from each state shall constitute a quorum 
for the transaction of business, the exercise of any of its powers or 
the performance of any of its duties, but no action of the commission 
shall be binding unless at least two of the members from each state 
shall vote in favor thereof. 
The compensation of members of the commission shall be fixed, 
determined, and paid by the state which they respectively represent. 
All necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties 
shall be paid from the funds of the commission. 
The commission shall elect from its members a chairman, vice-chair-
man, clerk and treasurer. Such treasurer shall furnish to the commis-
sion, at its expense, a bond with corporate surety, to be approved by 
sion. 
67STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 52-JUNE 6, 1953 
47 
the commission, in such amount as the commission may determine, 
conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties. 
The commission shall adopt suitable by-laws and shall make such 
rules and regulations as it may deem advisable not inconsistent with 
laws of the United States, of the signatory states or with any rules 
or regulations lawfully promulgated thereunder. 
The commission shall make an annual report to the governor and 
legislature of each of the signatory states^ setting forth in detail the 
operations and transactions conducted by it pursuant to this compact. 
The commission shall keep a record of all its meetings and proceed-
ings, contracts and accounts, and shall maintain a suitable office, where 
its maps, plans, documents, records and accounts shall be kept, sub-
ject to public inspection at such times and under such regulations as 
the commission shall determine. 
ARTICLE I I I 
The commission shall constitute a body, both corporate and politic, 
with full power and authority: (1) to sue and be sued; (2) to have 
a seal and alter the same at pleasure; (3) to appoint and employ such 
agents and employees as may be required in the proper performance 
of the duties hereby committed to it and to fix and determine their 
qualifications, duties and compensation; (4) to enter into such con-
tracts and agreements and to do and perform any and all other acts, 
matters and things as may be necessary and essential to the full and 
complete performance of the powers and duties hereby committed to 
and imposed upon it and as may be incidental thereto; (5) to have 
such additional power and duties as may hereafter be delegated to or 
imposed upon it from time to time by the action of the legislature 
of any of said states, concurred in by the legislatures of the other states 
and by the Congress of the United States. 
The commission shall make, or cause to be made, such studies as it 
may deem necessarj/^, in cooperation with the corps of engineers and 
other federal agencies, for the development of a comprehensive plan 
for flood control and for utilization of the water resources of the 
Connecticut River Valley. 
The commission shall not pledge the credit of the signatory states 
or any of them. 
ARTICLE 
IV 
The signatory state wherein is located the site of each of the follow-
ing dams and reservoirs agrees to the construction by the United States 
of each such dam and reservoir in accordance with authorization by 
the Congress: 
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, (1) At Barre Falls on the 
Ware River controlling a drainage area of approximately fifty-seven 
^57) square miles and providing flood storage of approximately eight 
(8) inches of run-off from said drainage area. 
In the State of Vermont, (1) At West Townshend on the West River 
controlling a net drainage area of approximately one hundred six 
(106) square miles and providing flood control storage of approxi-
mately six (6) inches of run-off from said drainage area. 
(2) At Ball Mountain on the West River controlling a net drainage 
area of approximately one hundred thirty-two (132) square miles and 
providing flood control storage of approximately six (6) inches of 
run-off from said drainage area. 
(3) At North Hartland on the Ottauquechee River controlling a 
drainage area of approximately two hundred twenty-two (222) square 
miles and providing flood control storage for approximately six (6) 
inches of run-off from said drainage area. 
Report. 
Construction b y 
U. S. 
48 
PUBLIC LAW 52-JUNE 6, 1953 
[67 S T A T . 
(4) At Groton Pond on the Wells River controlling a drainage area 
of approximately seventeen and three-tenths (17.3) square miles and 
providing flood control storage for approximately eight (8) inches of 
run-off from said drainage area. 
(5) At Victory on the Moose River controlling a drainage area of 
approximately sixty-six (66) square miles and providing flood control 
storage for approximately seven (7) inches of run-off from said 
drainage area. 
(6) In Bloomfield on the Nulhegan River controlling a drainage area 
of approximately seventy (70) square miles and providing flood control 
storage for approximately nine (9) inches of run-off from said 
drainage area. 
In the State of New Hampshire, (1) At South Keene on the Otter 
Brook, tributary of the Ashuelot River, controlling a drainage area of 
approximately forty-seven (47) square miles and providing flood 
control storage for approximately seven (7) inches of run-off from 
said drainage area. 
(2) At Walpole on the Cold River controlling a drainage area of 
approximately one hundred one (101) square miles and providing 
flood control storage for approximately eight (8) inches of run-off 
from said drainage area. 
(3) At Bethlehem Junction on the Ammonoosuc River controlling 
a drainage area of approximately ninety (90) square miles and pro-
viding flood control storage for approximately six (6) inches of run-off 
from said drainage area. 
(4) At Franconia on the Ammonoosuc River controlling a drainage 
area of approximately thirty (30) square miles and providing flood 
control storage for approximately eight (8) inches of run-off from 
said drainage area. 
(5) At Swiftwater on the Wild Ammonoosuc River controlling a 
drainage area of approximately fifty-seven (57) square miles and 
providing flood control storage for approximately ten (10) inches of 
run-off from said drainage area. 
ARTICI^ 
V 
Reimbursement. 
^he Commonwcalth of Massachusetts agrees to reimburse the State 
of New Hampshire fifty (50) per cent and the State of Vermont fifty 
(50) per cent of the amount of taxes lost to their political subdivisions 
by reason of ownership by the United States of lands, rights or other 
property therein for the flood control dams and reservoirs at Surry 
Mountain in New Hampshire and at Union Village in Vermont. 
The State of Connecticut agrees to reimburse the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts forty (40) per cent, the State of New Hampshire forty 
(40) per cent and the State of Vermont forty (40) per cent of the 
amount of taxes lost to their political subdivisions by reason of owner-
ship by the United States of lands, rights or other property therein for 
the flood control dams and reservoirs at TuUy, at Knightville and at 
Birch Hill in Massachusetts, at Surry Mountain in New Hampshire 
and at Union Village in Vermont. 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts agrees to reimburse the State 
of New Hampshire fifty (50) per cent and the State of Vermont fifty 
(50) per cent of the amount of taxes lost to their political subdivisions 
bv reason of acquisition and ownership by the United States of lands, 
rights or other property therein for construction in the future of any 
flood control dam and reservoir specified in Article IV and also for 
any other flood control dam and reservoir hereafter constructed by the 
United States in the Connecticut River Valley. 
The State of Connecticut agrees to reimburse the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts forty (40) per cent, the State of New Hampshire forty 
67 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 52-JUNE 6, 1953 
49 
(40) per cent and the State of Vermont forty (40) per cent of the 
amount of taxes lost to their political subdivisions by reason of acquisi-
tion and ownership by the United States of lands, rights or other 
property therein for construction in the future of any flood control 
dam and reservoir specified in Article IV and also for any other flood 
control dam and reservoir hereafter constructed by the United States 
in the Connecticut River Valley. 
Annually, not later than November first of each year, the commission 
shall determine the loss of taxes resulting to political subdivisions of 
each signatory state by reason of acquisition and ownership therein by 
the United States of lands, rights or other property in connection with 
each flood control dam and reservoir for which provision for tax reim-
bursement has been made in the four paragraphs next above. 
Such 
losses of taxes as determined by the commission shall be based on the 
tax rate then current in each such political subdivision and on the 
average assessed valuation for a period of five years prior to the acqui-
sition by the United States of such property, provided that whenever a 
political subdivision wherein a flood control dam and reservoir or por-
tion thereof is located shall have made a general revaluation of 
property subject to the annual municipal taxes of such subdivision, the 
commission may use such revaluation for the purpose of determining 
the amount of taxes for which reimbursement shall be made. 
Using 
the percentage of payment agreed to in said four paragraphs, the com-
mission shall then compute the sum, if any, due from each signatory 
state to each other signatory state and shall send a notice to the treas-
urer of each signatory state setting forth in detail the sums, if anj, 
each is to pay to and to receive from each other signatory state m 
reimbursement of tax losses. 
Each signatory state on receipt of formal notification from the com-
mission of the sum which it is to pay in reimbursement for tax losses, 
shall, not later than July first of the following year, make its payment 
for such tax losses to the signatory state wherein such loss or losses 
occur, except that in case of the first annual payment for tax losses at 
any dam or reservoir such payment shall be made by payor states not 
later than July first of the year in which the next regular session of 
its legislature is held. 
Payment by a signatory state of its share of reimbursement for 
taxes in accordance with formal notification received from the com-
mission shall be a complete and final discharge of all liability by the 
payor state to the payee state for each flood control dam and reservoir 
within the payee state for the time specified in such formal notifica-
tion. 
Each payee signatory state shall have full responsibility for 
distributing or expending all such sums received, and no agency or 
political subdivision shall have any claim against any signatory state 
other than the payee state, nor against the commission relative to tax 
losses covered by such payments. 
Whenever a state which makes reimbursement for tax losses and 
a state which receives such reimbursement from it shall agree, through 
the commission, on a lump sum payment in lieu of annual payments 
and such lump sum payment has been made and received, the require-
ment that tlie commission annually shall determine the tax losses, 
compute sums due from each state and send notice thereof to the 
treasurer of each state shall no longer apply to the aforesaid states 
with respect to any flood control dam and reservoir for which lump-
sum payment has been made and received. 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut 
each agrees to pay its respective share in reimbursement, as determined 
by the commission under the procedure following, for economic losses 
and damages occurring by reason of ownership of property by the 
50 
PUBLIC LAW 52-JUNE 6, 1953 
[67 STAT. 
United States for construction and operation of a flood control dam 
and reservoir at any site specified in Article IV, and for any other 
flood control dam and reservoir constructed hereafter by the United 
States in the Connecticut River Valley, provided, however, that no 
reimbursement shall be made for speculative losses and damages or 
losses or damages for which the United States is liable. 
On receipt of information from the chief of engineers that request 
is to be made for funds for the purpose of preparing detailed plans 
and specifications for any flood control dam and reservoir proposed to 
be constructed in the Connecticut River Valley, including those speci-
fied in Article IV, the commission shall make an estimate of the 
amount of taxes which would be lost to and of economic losses and 
damages which would occur in political subdivisions of the signatory 
state wherein such dam and reservoir would be located, wholly or in 
part, by reason of acquisition and ownership by the United States of 
lands, rights or other property for the construction and operation 
of such flood control dam and reservoir and shall decide whether the 
flood control benefits to be derived in the signatory states from such 
flood control dam and reservoir, both by itself and as a unit of a 
comprehensive flood control plan, justifies, in the opinion of the 
commission, the assumption by signatory states of the obligation to 
make reimbursement for loss of taxes and for economic losses and 
damages. Such estimate and decision shall thereafter be reviewed by 
the commission at five-year intervals until such time as the United 
States shall have acquired title to the site of such flood control dam 
or plans for its construction are abandoned. The commission shall 
notify the governor, the members of the United States Senate and the 
members of the United States House of Representatives from each 
signatory state and the chief of engineers as to the commission's 
decision and as to any change in such decision. 
On receipt of information from the chief of engineers that any 
flood control dam and reservoir is to be constructed, reconstructed, 
altered or used for any purpose in addition to flood control, including 
those flood control dams and reservoirs heretofore constructed and 
those specified in Article IV, the commission shall make a separate 
estimate of the amount of taxes which would be lost to and of 
economic losses and damages which would occur in political subdi-
visions of the signatory state wherein such dam and reservoir would 
be located, wholly or in part, by reason of acquisition and ownership 
by the United States of lands, rights or other property for the 
construction and operation of such dam and reservoir in excess of 
the estimated amount of taxes which would be lost and of the economic 
losses and damages which would occur if the dam were constructed 
and operated for flood control only and the commission shall decide 
the extent to which, in its opinion, the signatory states would be 
justified in making reimbursement for loss of taxes and for economic 
losses and damages in addition to reimbursement for such dam and 
reservoir if constructed and used for flood control only. 
Such estimate 
and decision shall thereafter be reviewed by the commission at five-year 
intervals until such time as such dam and reservoir shall be so 
constructed, reconstructed, altered or used or plans for 
such 
construction, reconstruction, alteration or use are abandoned. 
The 
commission shall notify the governor, the members of the United 
States Senate and the members of the United States House of Repre-
sentatives from each signatory state as to the commission's decision 
and as to any change in such decision. 
Within thirty days after acquisition by the United States of the site 
of any flood control dam the commission shall proceed to make a final 
determination of economic losses and damages occasioned by such dam 
67 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 52-jrUNE 6, 1953 
51 
and reservoir. 
The commission shall not include in such determination 
either speculative losses and damages or losses and damages for which 
the United States is liable. 
The commission shall compute the share of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut shall each pay to the state 
wherein such dam and reservoir is located by multiplying the sum 
of such losses and damages, as previously determined, by the percentage 
of flood control benefits which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
and the State of Connecticut each receives, in the allocation by states, 
of the flood control benefits resulting from the dam and reservoir. 
The commission shall send a notice to the treasurer of the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts and to the treasurer of the State of Connect-
icut setting forth in detail the sum, if any, each is to pay to the state 
wherein such dam and reservoir is located in reimbursement for 
economic losses and damages and shall also send such notice to the 
treasurer of the state wherein such dam and reservoir is located. 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut 
on receipt of such formal notification by the commission shall each 
pay its share of such economic losses or damages to the signatory states 
wherein such losses or damages occur. 
Full payment by either state 
of the Sinn specified in such formal notification from the commission 
as to the amount of economic losses and damages for which such state 
is to make reimbursement shall be a complete and final discharge of 
all liability by the payor state to the payee state for economic losses 
and damages for each flood control dam and reservoir within the 
payee state designated in such formal notification. 
Each payee signa-
tory state shall have full responsibility for distributing or expending 
all such sums received and no agency, political subdivision, private 
person, partnership, firm, association or corporation shall have any 
claim against any signatory state other than the payee state, nor 
against the commission relative to such economic losses and damages. 
A signatory state may, in agreement with the commission and the 
chief of engineers, acquire title or option to acquire title to any or all 
lands, rights or other property required for any flood control dam 
and reservoir within its boundaries and transfer such titles or options 
to the United States. Whenever the fair cost to said signatory state 
for such titles or options, as determined by the commission, is greater 
than the amount received therefor from the United States, the Com-
monwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut shall each 
pay its share of such excess cost to said signatory state, such share to 
be determined by the commission in accordance with procedure herein 
contained for determining reimbursement for economic losses and 
damages. 
Whenever the commission shall not agree, within a reasonable time 
or within sixty days after a formal request from the governor of any 
signatory state, concerning reimbursement for loss of taxes or for eco-
nomic losses and damages at any flood control dam and reservoir 
heretofore or hereafter constructed by the United States in the Con-
necticut River Valley, or concerning the extent, if any, to which 
reimbursement shall be made for additional loss of taxes and for addi-
tional economic losses and damages caused by construction, recon-
struction, alteration or use of any such dam for purposes other than 
flood control, the governor of each signatory state shall designate a 
person from his state as a member of a board of arbitration, hereinafter 
called the board, and the members so designated shall choose one addi-
tional member who shall be chairman of such board. Whenever the 
members appointed by the governors to such board shall not agree 
within sixty days on such additional member of the board, the gov-
ernors of such signatory states shall jointly designate the additional 
52 
PUBLIC LAW 53-JUNE 6, 1953 
[67 S T A T 
A p p r opriatlons 
by States. 
S epar a b i l i t y 
clause. 
Notice of approv-
al. 
Rights reserved. 
member. The board shall by majority vote decide the question referred 
to it and shall do so in accordance with the provisions, of this com-
pact concerning such reimbursement. The decision of ithe board on 
each question referred to it concerning reimbursement for loss of taxes 
and for economic losses and damages shall be binding on the commis-
sion and on each signatory state, notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of this compact. 
ARTICLE VI 
Nothing contained in this compact shall be construed as a limita-
tion upon the authority of the United States. 
ARTICLE 
VII 
The signatory states agree to appropriate for compensation of 
agents and employees of the commission and for office, administrative, 
travel and other expenses on recommendation of the commission sub-
ject to limitations as follows: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
obligates itself to not more than seventy-five hundred (7500) dollars 
in any one year, the State of New Hampshire obligates itself to not 
more than one thousand (1000) dollars in any one year, the State of 
Vermont obligates itself to not more than one thousand (1000) dollars 
in any one year and the State of Connecticut obligates itself to not more 
than sixty-five hundred (6500) dollars in any one year. 
ARTICIIE V I I I 
Should any part of this compact be held to be contrary to the con-
stitution of any signatory state or of the United States, all other 
parts thereof shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
ARTICLE 
I X 
This compact shall become operative and eflfective when ratified by 
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the States of New Hamp-
shire, Vermont and Connecticut and approved by the Congress of the 
United States. Notice of ratification shall be given by the governor 
of each state to the governors of the other states and to the President 
of the United States, and the President of the United States is requested 
to give notice to the governors of each of the signatory states of 
approval by the Congress of the United States. 
SEC. 2. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly 
reserved. 
Approved June 6, 1953. 
Public Law 53 
CHAPTER 104 
T 
. 
,nc, 
AN A C T 
June 6, 1953 
[S- 380j 
To authorize the sale or lease by the State of Kansas of certain lands situated 
near Garden City, Kansas. 
Kansas. 
Lease or sale of 
land. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress a^ssemhled^ That the Act entitled 
"An Act to authorize the sale of certain lands near Garden City, 
Kansas", approved March 10, 1928, is amended to read as follows: 
"That the State of Kansas is hereby authorized to sell or lease for any 
purpose all or any part of the lands granted to the State under the 
provisions of the Act entitled 'An Act granting to the State of Kansas