OCR Text |
Show Merrimack River Flood Control Compact, 1956 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 con- trol for storage of water to be used for irrigation, recreation, hydro- electric power, or for any of these purposes; and Whereas, The Merrimack river is an interstate river and control of major floods on it can be obtained onty by the construction of dams by the United States under authorization of the above mentioned acts; and Whereas, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New Hampshire recognize that it is in the interest of their general welfare that the United States construct in the Merrimack 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 Nashua in the State of New Hamp- shire and at Haverhill, Lowell and Fitchburg in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and dams and reservoirs for the storage of flood waters at Franklin Falls, Peterboro and Webster in the State of New Hampshire, and has prepared designs for dikes and flood walls and other local protection works at Lawrence and North Andover in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and Whereas, The congress has at various times authorized construc- tion by the United States of other dams and reservoirs for the storage of flood waters in the State of New Hampshire and has more recently instructed the Corps of Engineers to determine what additional local protection works and dams and reservoirs are required for a compre- hensive system to control floods in the Merrimack river and its tribu- taries; and Whereas, It is believed that such comprehensive flood control sys- tem should include dams and reservoirs controlling1 run-off from approximately thirty per cent of the total drainage area of the Merri- mack river basin and strategically located in reference to characteris- tics of tributaries and to damage centers; and Whereas, Dams and reservoirs to control thirty per cent of flood run-off will be located in the State of New Hampshire and the major benefits from such dams and reservoirs will accrue to the Common- wealth of Massachusetts; and Whereas, Construction by the United States of additional dams and reservoirs in the State of New Hampshire, to complete such a 202 |