FLOOD CONTROL IN FLORIDA AND ELSEWHERE COMMITTEE ON FLOOD CONTROL, The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Frank R. Reid (chair man) presiding. The committee had under consideration the following bills: [H. R. 14893, Seventieth Congress, second session] A BILL To authorize a preliminary survey of Rough River in Kentucky with a view to the control of its floods Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and is hereby, authorized and directed to cause an examination and survey to be made of Rough River, beginning at Falls of Rough, Grayson County, Kentucky, and extending to the mouth of said river, with a view to securing a channel of such dimensions and courses as will prevent present retarding of the flow of its waters and consequent flooding of thousands of acres of valuable adjacent land, and such other action and relief as is necessary. Also to submit a report to Congress of the feasibility of controlling said flood waters, together with an estimate of the cost of such improvement. [H. R. 14939, Seventieth Congress, second session] A BILL For improvement of navigation and the control of floods of Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee and its drainage area, Florida Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for controlling the floods; constructing, enlarging, and improving canals; the improvement of Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River and Saint Lucie River and connections with Lake Okeechobee, the Saint Lucie Canal, and such other outlets as may be found advisable, Florida, the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to carry on continuously by hired labor or otherwise the plans and such modifications thereof as may be approved by the Chief of Engineers in accordance with the report of the Everglades engineering board of review, dated May 3, 1927, as mentioned and recommended in House Document Numbered 215, Seventieth Congress, first session, but without the conditions therein mentioned, in so far as said plans provide for flood control and navigation, including the levees and the canal mentioned in said report of the Everglades engineering board of review, to be paid for as appropriation may from time to time be made by law not to exceed in the aggregate $5,000,000. SEC. 2. All moneys appropriated under authority of this section shall be expended under the direction of the Secretary of War in accordance with the plans and specifications made in pursuance of the recommendations of the Everglades engineering board of review, as approved by the Chief of Engineers for the control of floods, construction of levees and canals, and improvement of Lake Okeechobee and the Saint Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers, mentioned in said House Document Numbered 215, Seventieth Congress, first session: Provided, That no money shall be expended under authority of this section until assurances have been given satisfactory to the Secretary of War (a) that the State of Florida will contribute annually for such work a sum equal to such sum as may be expended annually therefor by the United States under authority of this section; (b) that such equal contributions by the State of Florda will continue annually until the full equal share of the cost of such work shall have been contributed by said State; and (c) that the lake levees contemplated in the report of the Everglades engineering board of review dated May 3, 1927, and such modification thereof as may be approved by the Chief of Engineers will be constructed to such grade and section and within such time as may be required by said Chief of Engineers: Provided further, That said State shall not be required to expend for such work for any one year a sum larger than that expended thereon by the United States during the same year: And provided further, That the total contributions so required of the State of Florida shall not exceed in the aggregate $5,000,000. SEC. 3. All money contributed by the State of Florida as herein provided shall be expended under the direction of the Chief of Engineers and in such manner as he may require or approve, and no money appropriated under authority of this section shall be expended in the purchase of or payment for any right of way, easement, or land acquired for the purposes of this improvement, but all such rights of way, easements, and lands shall be provided free of cost to the United States: Provided, That no money paid or expense incurred thereof shall be computed as a part of the contribution of the State of Florida toward the work of improvement herein provided for within the meaning of paragraph (a) of this section. SEC. 4. Upon the completion of all works for flood control herein authorized the said works shall be turned over to the State of Florida for maintenance thereafter; but for all other purposes the United States shall retain such control over the same as it may have the right to exercise upon such completion. [H. R. 15031, Seventieth Congress, second session] A BILL To provide a preliminary survey of the Suwannee River in Florida and Georgia, with a view to the control of its floods Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to cause a preliminary survey to be made of the Suwannee River in Florida and Georgia, with a view to the control of its floods, in accordance with the provisions of an act entitled "An act to provide for control of the floods of the Mississippi River, and the Sacramento River, of California, and for other purposes," approved March 1, 1927. [H. R. 15095, Seventieth Congress, second session] A BILL For the improvement of the Caloosahatchie River, Florida, for purposes of navigation and flood control Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Caloosahatchie River, Florida, for purposes of navigation and flood control, be widened to a width not exceeding two hundred feet and a depth not exceeding twelve feet from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf, in accordance with the report submitted in House Document Numbered 215, Seventieth Congress, first session, except as to width and depth and subject to such additional document or documents as the Chief of Engineers may file: Provided, That the construction of the necessary dams and locks shall be paid for by the Government: Provided further, That local interests will construct and maintain a channel at least six feet deep and not less than eighty feet wide in the North New River Canal from Lake Okeechobee to the eastern boundary of the Everglades drainage district: Provided further, That no expense shall be incurred by the United States for the acquiring of any lands required for the purpose of this improvement. That for the purpose of carrying out this Act there is hereby appropriated the sum of $2,500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary. [H. R. 15390, Seventieth Congress, second session] A BILL Granting authority to the Secretary of War to relocate levee of Conway district numbered 1, Conway County, Arkansas Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in the reconstruction of the levee along the left bank of the Arkansas River in Conway levee district numbered 1, Conway County, Arkansas, as provided under the terms of section 7 of the flood control act (Public, Numbered 391), approved May 15, 1928, authority is hereby granted to the Secretary of War, upon the recommendation and approval of the Chief of Engineers, to relocate all or any part of said levee when in the opinion of the Chief of Engineers such relocation shall be deemed practical and feasible. [H. R. 15809, Seventieth Congress, second session] A BILL To authorize a preliminary survey of Mud Creek in Kentucky with a view to the control of its floods Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to cause a preliminary survey to be made of Mud Creek in Kentucky from Mining City, at which point said creek empties into Green River, up to a point twenty-five or thirty miles in distance where a drainage project has been started by owners of the land on and near said creek, with a view to the control of its floods. Also to submit a report to Congress as to the feasibility of controlling the said flood waters by a drainage project, together with an estimate of the cost of said improvement. [S. J. Res. 80, Seventieth Congress, first session] JOINT RESOLUTION Authorizing an appropriation for bank protection for the control of floods and the prevention of erosion of the Missouri River at and near the town of Niobrara in the State of Nebraska Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is authorized to be appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $250,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for bank protection for the control of floods and the prevention of erosion of the Missouri River at and near the town of Niobrara, in the State of Nebraska; said work to be carried on under the control and supervision of the Chief of Engineers of the War Department: Provided, That the local interests shall contribute one-third of the cost of the said work. [S. J. Res. 91, Seventieth Congress, first session] JOINT RESOLUTION Authorizing an appropriation for bank protection for the control of floods and the prevention of erosion of the Missouri River at and near the town of Yankton in the State of South Dakota Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That there is authorized to be appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $250,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for bank protection for the control of floods and the prevention of erosion of the Missouri River at and near the town of Yankton, in the State of South Dakota; said work to be carried on under the control and supervision of the Chief of Engineers of the War Department: Provided. That the local interests shall contribute one-third of the cost of the said work. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. Mr. Christopherson? [After a pause.] The committee will now hear Mr. Moorman. STATEMENT OF HON. HENRY D. MOORMAN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF KENTUCKY ROUGH RIVER, KY. Mr. MOORMAN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, in support of my bill (H. R. 14893) which seeks to have made an examination and survey of Rough River in Kentucky from its mouth to the Falls of Rough, with a view to securing such a channel and such other action and relief as will prevent flooding of thousands of acres of valuable adjacent lands, I herewith file: (a) Statement of J. D. Sinclair, drainage commissioner of Ohio County, Ky.; (b) statement of John B. Wilson, drainage engineer of Ohio County, Ky.; (c) map showing Rough River in Ohio County and showing the different drainage projects emptying into Rough River by blue lines. Further, I respectfully submit that the facts warrant a favorable committee report. I am submitting the following statements of the facts and conditions as they exist, based on the written statements of the drainage officials and partly on my personal knowledge, namely, Rough River, Ky. That part of Rough River sought to be surveyed and improved begins at Falls of Rough, runs through Grayson and Ohio Counties, and empties into Green River a short distance above the lock and dam on it at Rumsey. There is also a lock and dam in Rough River about 7 miles from its mouth. Rough River is navigable to Hartford and was partly cleaned out at one time. It drains something like 200 square miles of Ohio County and less of Grayson. About 100,000 acres of the most valuable and productive land of Ohio County alone are seriously affected. The crops have been flooded two consecutive years. About one-third of the best farm land of the country has been recently rendered unproductive by floods. The people have tried to help themselves. Something like $150,000 has been spent in recent years in straightening small creeks emptying into Rough River and otherwise producing drainage. The farms are under bond for the payment of this drainage debt. Hundreds of acres are tiled. Rough River failing to carry away the water is impairing the whole drainage system and gets worse every year. The condition is doubtless due to locks and dams, deforestation, the river bed filling with dirt, drift, and bank growths, and the carrying capacity of the river is reduced so as to retard the flow and produce the flooding and consequent hundreds of thousands of dollars damage to the landowners. The Red Cross sent special agents into the flooded district last year and distributed between $5,000 and $10,000 worth of seeds and supplies to the sufferers. The facts present a distressing condition. The situation demands immediate attention. If provision for the dredging of Rough River is made, and any other necessary things are done, such action would relieve hundreds of farmers of great annual loss in the overflowed area. I believe this bill has great merit and should be favorably reported and then passed by Congress, and I hope the committee so recommends. The statement that I make here is a statement which is borne out by the drainage commissioner and drainage surveyor of the county, and all I intend to ask is a preliminary survey. Mr. Chairman, I shall be glad to answer any questions that are propounded. The CHAIRMAN. What about Rough River? Is that included?. Mr. DRIVER. What is Rough River tributary to? Mr. MOORMAN. It is tributary to Green River. It empties into the Ohio a short distance below. The situation is this: I asked Senator Barkley to introduce a similar bill in the Senate and tried to get it tacked on to your omnibus bill, H. R. 13484, and he is endeavoring to do that, but I think I am entitled to a favorable report. If I can secure a favorable report from this committee, it will help with the Senate committee. To be frank about it, that is the way I feel, and what I desire. The CHAIRMAN. I will ask the clerk, what did you find out about Rough River? Mr. WEBB (the clerk). The department says that there is no authorization for that survey now under House Document No. 208. (The statements submitted by Mr. Moorman are here printed in the record in full, as follows: Hon. HENRY DEHAVEN MOORMAN, M. C., HARTFORD, KY., December 18, 1928. Room 172, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. MOORMAN: I noticed in last week's paper the text of your bill for the benefit of the landowners in the Rough River Valley, relating particularly to the question of flood control, and I am very anxious that an investigation and recommendation should be made as early as possible and as thoroughly as possible. I have lived at Hartford, Ky., on Rough River, about 30 miles above its junction with Green River, and am familiar with it from the mouth to Heights Falls, approximately 100 miles by water from where it empties into Green River. There is a lock and dam in Green River at Rumsey, Ky., about 10 miles below the mouth of Rough River, and a lock and dam in Rough River, about 6 or 8 miles above its mouth. There was once a milldam at Hartford, but it has been practically abandoned and is most all decayed and washed out. There is a milldam at Dundee, about 30 miles above Hartford, and the next dam that I know of is at the Falls of Rough, on the line between Grayson and Breckinridge Counties. I know very little of the conditions existing above Heights Falls, in Ohio County, but from my knowledge of the Rough River watershed, or drainage system, it is a safe estimate to say that at least 200 square miles of Ohio County is within the drainage area of Rough River, or between the watershed of Rough River on either side. I am further convinced, from my knowledge of Ohio County as a land surveyor and engineer for the last 40 years, that the farm lands along Rough River and its immediate tributaries-Caney Creek, Adams Fork, Barnetts Creek, Muddy Creek, and numerous smaller streams-will aggregate 100,000 acres or more that are seriously affected, and on which the crops have been ruined for the. last two years from floods. It is true that deforestation has had much to do with the increasing of the burden placed on Rough River as a carrier of surplus water, but the most serious handicap is the fact that Rough River, for the last 20 or 30 years, has been gradually filling with drift and logs of all description, and the growth of small timber on and under the bank during the low-water season, and the caves or slides of the bank, making in many places small islands, so that Rough River can not and does not bear more than half the burden that it bore some 15 to 25 years ago. As a drainage engineer, I am of the opinion that the conditions could be materially remedied and material benefits reached by cleaning out the drifts, logs, etc., and grubbing the small timber from the banks and dredging in many places so as to permit the water a more uninterrupted flow. I believe further that it will be necessary and beneficial to dredge the portion of the river at and immediately above the present Rough River lock and dam. Rough River is navigable as far as Hartford, Ky., with a 4-foot stage of water at Hartford, and at or about the time of the building of the lock and dam the river was cleaned out and the heavy timber cut off of the banks, drifts removed, but so far as I know, nothing has been done since, and the result is many slides of the bank, creating small islands and narrows in the river; and considerable work will be necessary to remedy the conditions below Hartford. Above Hartford at this time the river is so full of drifts and logs that it would be impossible to run a skiff or dinkey boat for any distance, and this condition has existed, to my personal knowledge, for the last 40 years, and by hearsay from old residenters, nothing was ever done toward cleaning out or assisting in keeping the river in repair above Hartford. |