Recommendation. The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

3. BRAZOS RIVER

General. The Brazos River has a length of 1,300 miles extending from eastern New Mexico across the State of Texas and joins the Gulf of Mexico about 50 miles southwest of Galveston Harbor. The basin includes an area of 41,700 square miles which contains approximately one-fourth of the entire population of the State of Texas. Most of the population in the basin depends upon ground water for domestic water supplies. In the lower part of the basin in Harris and Waller Counties rice is produced on about 9,000 acres by irrigating from wells.

That portion of the river below Waco is subject to destructive floods throughout its length, the area on the main river subject to flood is estimated at 576,000 acres and the total area in the entire basin subject to floods is estimated at 1,000,000 acres.

The soils of the Brazos Basin are highly erosive, and it is estimated that 100,000,000 tons of soil are being washed annually from the slopes of the watershed. Approximately 35 percent of the basin is under cultivation.

Project. No detailed studies have been made with a view to determining the best plan for the utilization of the water resources of the Brazos River, and no complete plan can be prepared from the data now available.

The major items of the project would be as follows:

(a) Flood control by means of storage reservoirs and levee construction.

(b) Soil conservation through soil erosion control.

(c) Reforestation and adjustments in land use.

(d) Development of additional ground-water supplies.

(e) Collection of additional stream-flow data.

(f) Navigation improvements.

Any estimates of the total cost which can be made at this time can be considered as only approximate, but a tentative figure of $50,000,000 may be set up as representing the probable cost of the most essential parts of the work.

Recommendation. It is recommended that serious consideration be given to the adoption of this project in any comprehensive program of river development.

4. COLORADO RIVER OF TEXAS

General. This river basin has a length of 700 miles and a drainage area of 41,500 square miles. In the upper part of the basin the river runs through high semiarid plains. Rice is grown in the lower basin, there being about 140,000 acres devoted to this crop and under irrigation.

Project. A comprehensive plan for improvement and development involves prevention of soil erosion in some portions, development of

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domestic supplies from wells, flood control by reservoirs and levees, and possibly power development.

Recommendation.-The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area, although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance, are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore, this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

5. APALACHICOLA RIVER

General. This river drains an area of 19,500 square miles and has a population of 1,625,000. The chief industries are farming, lumbering, and naval stores, and manufacturing of textiles. Extensive navigation improvements have been provided and water-power developments with an installed capacity of 175,000 horsepower have been made. About 50 percent of the basin is under cultivation and 25 percent is forested. Seventy percent of the area is subject to severe erosion.

Projects. A comprehensive plan for development and improvement involves an extensive watershed protection program, flood control, and further development of power and navigation.

Recommendation. The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area, although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance, are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore, this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

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6. ALABAMA-COOSA RIVER

General. This basin has an area of 22,530 square miles and is inhabited by a population of 1,125,000. Farming, mining, manufacturing, lumbering, and naval stores production are the chief industries of the basin. Substantial improvements of navigation have been provided. Water-power developments have been made with a total installed capacity of 595,000 horsepower. About 75 percent of the area is of a highly erosive character. Thirty percent of the area is forested.

Project.-A comprehensive plan for development involves an extensive program of prevention of soil erosion, reforestation, flood control, and extensions of development of navigation and power.

Recommendation.-The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area, although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance, are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore, this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

7. GUADALUPE RIVER

General. This river is 425 miles long, has a drainage area of about 6,000 square miles, and is inhabited by a population of 160,000. The principal industries are agriculture, dairy farming, and some oil production. There is some irrigation from spring and well waters.

Project. The plan of development involves measures for prevention of soil erosion, flood control, power development, and navigation. Recommendation.-The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area, although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance, are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

8. TRINITY RIVER

General. This basin has an area of 17,410 square miles and a population of about 985,000. Farming and manufacturing are the principal industries. The Federal Government has expended considerable sums for the improvement of navigation. Irrigation is practiced on 55,000 acres of rice land. Soil erosion presents a serious problem on 80 percent of the basin. About 25 percent of the area is forested.

Project. The plan of development includes a program of watershed management, development of storage reservoirs for flood control and water supply for irrigation and the extension of navigation. facilities.

Recommendation.-The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area, although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance, are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

9. SABINE-NECHES RIVERS

General. The aggregate area drained by these rivers is 20,900 square miles. The waterways are used extensively for navigation. Water supply for irrigation of an extensive rice-growing area is obtained from the rivers.

Project. The plan of development includes prevention of soil erosion, reforestation, and conservation of water for municipal supply and irrigation.

Recommendation. -The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area although important and requiring wise and timely governmental guidance are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

10. PEARL RIVER

General. This basin has an area of 7,700 square miles. The chief industries are farming, lumbering, and naval stores production. Navigation improvements have been provided to a limited extent, but navigation is apparently now dormant. Over 50 percent of the basin is forested.

Project. The plan for development involves prevention of soil erosion, reforestation, flood control, power development, and navigation.

Recommenda ion.-The problems affecting the development of the water resources in this area, although important and requiring wise

and timely governmental guidance, are not especially complex or urgent. Therefore this project is regarded of secondary importance as relating to the need for immediate and special attention by the Federal Government.

RÉSUMÉ OF THE REPORT ON THE EASTERN MISSISSIPPI REGION

The region comprising the drainage areas of the upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers presents a wide range both of natural resources related to water and of developments by man. As a result of these diversified conditions many problems relating directly or indirectly to the utilization and control of water resources present themselves for solution before these resources can be developed to the best advantage for all concerned.

The natural navigational features of many of the larger rivers of this region have been improved through the construction of locks and dams and the main rivers now form integral parts of the Nation's great inland waterway system. Further improvements should result in increased navigational facilities with their attendant advantages.

While the power resources of this region are in general somewhat limited by the flat topography of a large portion of the area, this fact furnishes a strong argument for the intensive development of such existing resources. This problem is partially related to the question of flood control which is a vital issue in many parts of the region.

A large portion of the population of the area is dependent for its water supply on underground sources. The importance of these ground-water supplies and of their relation to surface run-off is emphasized.

Among the problems which confront the regional planner and which require solution on a broad scale, to a large extent independent of drainage area lines, are the reforestation of cutover and submarginal lands, the control of soil erosion, the retirement of submarginal lands from agriculture, and the consequent shifting of population from unproductive ares of greater productive potentialities.

The 10 projects included in this subdivision are briefly summarized below.

1. UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER

General. The upper Mississippi Valley (that portion of the Mississippi Valley above Missouri River) includes parts of the States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. The region consists largely of treeless prairie, except in Wisconsin and Minnesota, where forests and lakes abound. The principal uses of water are for navigation, domestic supply, sewage disposal, and for recreational and wildlife refuge purposes. Water-power potentialties are relatively small, except in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Project. The project proposed for the upper Mississippi River includes:

(a) The completion of the existing 9-foot navigation project from Alton to St. Paul at an estimated cost, in addition to funds already provided, of about $80,000,000.

(b) The establishment of extensive publicly owned forests, of which about 500,000 acres are immediately needed for erosion control; the remainder to be acquired over a period of years. This program should

also include the conversion of some 2,500,000 acres of devastated farm lands to forests.

(c) The provision of technical leadership and example in the correction of faulty practices in land use and drainage.

(d) The continued investigation of stream-flow and ground-water conditions at an estimated cost of $150,000.

Recommendation.-On account of the size of the area involved in this project and its diverse problems, many of which were touched upon only lightly in the committee report, this project is considered to offer the greatest possibilities for further investigation of any of the 10 projects of this region. It is therefore recommended for favorable consideration, subject to a more detailed investigation and report on proposed subprojects. The estimated cost of this project relating to construction work alone is $80,000,000.

2. ILLINOIS RIVER

General. The Illinois River has a drainage area of some 28,200 square miles above the point where it enters the Mississippi 38 miles above St. Louis. Most of this area is within the State of Illinois. The principal uses of water in the basin are for domestic supply and navigation. Water-power potentialities are limited. Flood control is an important consideration.

Project. The project proposed for the Illinois River includes:

(a) The immediate completion of the existing navigation project on Illinois River by the construction of two locks and dams and channel widening at a cost of about $15,530,000.

(b) The early construction of flood-control works involving channel improvement on the Kankakee and Sangamon Rivers and levees on the Illinois River at a cost of about $6,300,000, and possible future construction of additional works on the Sangamon and Illinois Rivers at an additional cost of $600,000.

(c) The progressive development of the water-power possibilities of the valley, particularly those at the navigation dams on the Illinois (presumably by the State of Illinois) involving an installed capacity of 48,500 kilowatts, at a cost of about $4,200,000.

(d) The continued investigation of stream-flow and ground-water conditions at an estimated cost of $105,000.

(e) The restoration to forest of about 300,000 acres of eroded farm lands.

(f) The continued study of the existing problems of land drainage and land use, including conflicting requirements of agriculture, recreation, and wildlife preservation, to develop a coordinated program of development for all wet and overflowed land in the watershed.

Recommendation.-The Illinois project offers a diversified program of work which, if carried out, should prove of decided social and economic value to the basin. The favorable consideration of this project is therefore recommended, subject to the imposed limitation on the number of selected projects throughout the United States. The estimated cost of this project relating to construction work alone is $27,000,000.