OCR Text |
Show monuments, and use of water resources for other purposes. The Situation Current proposals for the construction of dams and reservoirs by the Corps of Engineers in the Ohio River Basin involve two conflicts with use of existing or proposed national park or monument areas. One is Mammoth Cave National Park and the other involves two sites in the proposed Pioneer National Monument. It appears that Mining City Dam on the Green River of Kentucky, as presently proposed, will ad- versely affect Mammoth Cave National Park by extending the period when large floods would affect the park. During these periods the underground waters of the Echo River within the cave are backed up by the backwater of the Green River and mate- rial scoured from the upper sections of the Echo River is deposited in the section which is normally exhibited to the park visitors. Sections of the park surface would also be flooded. The exact extent and nature of this conflict is not known. However, existence of a possible adverse effect of the dam on the park resulted in the following restriction in the Flood Control Act of 1950 r12 Provided, That the Mining City Dam and Reservoir, Ky., and alternates therefor, au- thorized by the Flood Control Act, approved June 28, 1938 (Public Law 761, 75th Cong., 3d sess.) shall not be constructed if such con- struction would have any adverse effect on Mammoth Cave National Park. The Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service are now conducting studies to determine the effects on the park of various alternative plans for Mining City Dam with the objective of pre- venting adverse effects on the park. Congress has authorized the establishment of the Pioneer National Monument, which includes four sites in Kentucky historically significant because of their association with Daniel Boone and other American pioneers. Two reservoirs proposed by the Corps of En- gineers will affect the major units-the Falmouth on the Licking River, and the Jessamine on the Kentucky River. A high dam at Falmouth, planned to provide for power generation, would inundate the major portion of Blue Licks Battle- M Act of May 17,1950, 64 Stat. 163. field. A lower dam at Falmouth, for flood control only, would adversely affect this area, but might not entirely preclude its use for national monument purposes. The proposed Jessamine Reservoir for flood control and power would inundate the Boones- boro site. Although this national monument has been au- thorized by Congress and many of the necessary lands have been acquired, its establishment will remain an uncertainty until the reservoir questions are settled. For national monument purposes the Blue Licks Battlefield site has little value without its companion site at Boonesboro. Conclusions A resolution of the conflicts between scenic and historic areas on the one hand, and proposed water developments on the other, is necessary and desir- able. All factors involved in any location where such a conflict develops should be studied, the study to include full consideration of alternative project locations to avoid destruction of nationally signifi- cant and unique features, and alternative oppor- tunities for equal recreation and scenic attractions where that is feasible. In general, the following principles are considered applicable to the Ohio River Basin: (1) Water and related land resources develop- ments should not adversely affect any area which has been established by appropriate public authority as having unique and irreplaceable scenic, scientific, cultural, or historical values of national significance. (2) Whenever practicable, developments in con- flict with scenic, historical, or scientific areas of a lesser order should be deferred as long as equally feasible alternative projects are at hand for the same use. (3) In the Ohio River Basin the presence of an already dense and still growing population creates needs which give particular importance to social benefits of park and wilderness areas. These as- pects should be duly weighed in resolving conflicts. (4) Final determination of ultimate use should be on the basis of highest beneficial use and should be resolved, in the case of the Federal Government, on the basis of the highest beneficial use to the people of the United States as a whole. (5) Where reservoirs are created, every effort should be made to insure the maximum develop- ment and utilization of all recreation facilities cre- ated thereby. 681 |