CONSTRUCTION, GENERAL-LOCAL PROTECTION PROJECTS MISSOURI RIVER, KENSLERS BEND, NEBR., TO SIOUX CITY, IOWA (Continuing) Location:-Local erosion protection along the Missouri River from the vicinity of Miners Bend (about 19 miles above Sioux City) to the Combination Bridge at Sioux City, Iowa. Authorization.-1941 and 1948 Flood Control Acts. Bank stabilization: Construction of dikes, revetment and channel improvement for prevention of bank erosion. The project will protect an area of 55,884 acres from bank erosion by the Missouri River, including agricultural land, lake resorts at McCook Lake and Crystal Lake, industrial areas and the municipalities of Sioux City, Iowa, South Sioux City, Nebr., and North Sioux City, S. Dak. Erosion control benefits estimated at $1,750,000 have accumulated on the work already in place since start of work on the project in 1946. Average annual benefits for the project are estimated at $762,300. Completion of the project at an early date is necessary to eliminate severe bank erosion and prevent loss of the work in place, which has a value of $4,937,100. Fiscal year 1957.-The requested amount of $1,100,000 will be applied toContinue construction necessary to prevent bank erosion in the Miners Bend area... Continue construction in the Kenslers Bend-Sioux City area.. Total. $850,000 250,000 1, 100, 000 The funds requested will be applied to the continuation of construction of stabilization structures necessary to prevent the continued loss of agricultural lands in the Miners Bend area and reduce the potential threat of destruction of the stabilization works downstream therefrom with the resultant threat to the McCook Lake area. They will also be applied to continuation of construction upstream from the confluence of the Big Sioux River to stop serious erosion and correct adverse flow conditions at the lower end of the project which are causing a direct impingement of the current against the bank adjacent to Gordon Drive (U. S. Highway No. 77). Non-Federal costs.-Local interests have provided the required cooperation in furnishing, free of cost to the United States, all lands, easements and rights-ofway amounting to approximately $4,000. They have also agreed to save and to hold the United States free from claims for damages resulting from the improvements. Mr. JENSEN. Going down the river from Kenslers Bend on the Missouri River we get into Harrison County. Now, I got a letter the other day from a man who represents some number of farmers living along the river in Harrison County who are still quite fearful of the river levees being unable to hold even the flow of the water that comes down the river now, and they asked me if the Army engineers were going to attempt to strengthen those levees this spring. I sent his letter to General Sturgis and asked him to contact you, General Potter, at Omaha, and asked that you look into the matter. What do you know about that at the present time? You know where it is? General POTTER. Yes, sir; as you know, Kenslers Bend, Miners Bend, goes as far down river as Sioux City itself. From Sioux City south we have the navigation bank stabilization project. We did not start going into the section between Omaha and Sioux City until last year, the first moneys we had since the end of the war. We are dividing those moneys into three sections: The section around Decatur and north, the section north of Omaha to Blair and from Sioux City down. We have let contracts in all three sections. With the money in this year's budget we propose to continue in each of those three sections until they gradually join and we are getting good bids, Mr. Jensen. We are getting at least as much and probably more work for the money than we first thought and as soon as we get to this particular section the river will be stabilized like it once was. Mr. JENSEN. Wonderful. Between the Blair Bridge and Decatur Bridge that is in Harrison County, you still have a levee problem there to cope with, do you not? You have been working on it, filling in rock for the past 3 years? General POTTER. Yes; the revetment along the river. Mr. JENSEN. But, of course, the farmers there are still very greatly concerned and I know that you will look into the matter and see that they are protected as best you can with the money you have. General POTTER. We will go as fast as we can, Mr. Jensen. We are losing money every year we do not get to some of those older structures. We want to save as many as we can. ABILENE, KANSAS Mr. RABAUT. Put pages 57 and 58 in the record. (Information referred to follows:) CONSTRUCTION, GENERAL-LOCAL PROTECTION PROJECT (FLOOD CONTROL) ABILENE, KANS. (New) Location.-In Dickinson County, along Mud Creek and Smoky Hill River, about 65 miles above its mouth where it joins the Republican River to form the Kansas River. The Abilene, Kans., project will provide protection for this agricultural community with a population of nearly 6,000 people. During the period 1903 to date, estimated flood damages of $882,000 have been experienced in Abilene. In 1927, due to damages experienced in past floods, local interests constructed a cutoff channel on Mud Creek about 800 feet long. However, subsequent to the construction of this cutoff channel, Abilene has experienced four damaging floods. Damages ranged from $39,000 for the 1948 flood to $479,000 for the 1951 flood. The voters of Abilene have already voted issuance of a $185,000 bond issue to cover estimated costs of local participation in the project. Fiscal year 1957.-The requested amount of $200,000 will be applied as follows: Initiation of construction of Mud Creek cutoff channel levees and flood Non-Federal costs.-The investment required of local interest in constructiton of the authorized project is estimated at $150,000, broken down as follows: Lands_-_ Relocation of highways, bridges, buildings, etc-- Total_----- $82, 500 67, 500 150,000 Local interests are required to maintain and operate the project upon completion. It is estimated that the average annual expenditure for maintenance, operation, and replacements will total $2,800. In addition, local interests advise that they have incurred costs estimated at $6,200 for administration expense in connection with the project and the passage of a bond issue for financing the costs of local cooperation. These latter costs exclude the value of rights-of-way already owned by the city. KANSAS CITYS ON MISSOURI AND KANSAS RIVERS, MO., AND KAN& Mr. RABAUT. Kansas Citys, Mo. and Kans., page 61. Put pages 61 to 64, inclusive, in the record. (Information referred to follows:) CONSTRUCTION, GENERAL-LOCAL PROTECTION PROJECTS (FLOOD CONTROL) KANSAS CITYS ON MISSOURI AND KANSAS RIVERS, MO. AND KANS. (Continuing) Location.-At the confluence of the Kansas and Misssouri Rivers in and adjacent to Kansas City, Mo.; Kansas City, Kans.; and North Kansas City, Mo. Authorization.-1936 and 1944 Flood Control Acts. Benefit-cost ratio.-2.791 to 1. 1 A reevaluation of flood-control benefits is underway. As soon as this review is completed, revised benefits will be furnished. Revised to $1,000,000 by H. Doc. 379. PHYSICAL DATA Levees: Average height: 10-15 feet. Floodwalls: Average height: 10-15 feet. Length: 30,000 feet. Relocations: Railroad bridges: Permanent raise: 9. Temporary lifting facilities: 2. Railroad bridge approaches: 9.1 miles single track. The flood plains at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers have become highly industrialized because of their central location, relative flatness, and the excellent transportation provided by the many transcontinental railroad lines and highways that traverse the bottoms area, and barge line service. Recognizing the importance of protecting these bottoms areas from floods, local interests formed drainage and levee districts and initiated construction of levees and other improvements. However, there was little coordination or organized planning and, as a consequence, the works, which were in general constructed to provide protection against flooding equal to that caused by some past flood, afforded various degrees of protection. It is presently estimated that the value of properties in the protected areas is about $1,750 million. The levees and floodwalls being constructed under this project, together with upstream reservoirs, will provide flood protection for this area. In July 1951, a disastrous flood overtopped the protective works due to lack of upstream reservoir control, and inundated the Argentine, Armourdale, Central Industrial, and Fairfax-Jersey Creek units. This flood also threatened the North Kansas City, East Bottoms, and Birmingham units, which were saved through intensive flood-fighting activities. A survey of flood damages caused by the 1951 flood indicates damage to the extent of $461 million. The extensive damages from this recent flood attest the need for completing protection which this project will afford. Again in the spring of 1952, the existing facilities along the Missouri River were seriously threatened by a major flood originating in the upper reaches of the Missouri River. The average annual flood-control benefits for this project are estimated to be $6,059,000. |