OCR Text |
Show the irrigation of agricultural lands is the major purpose of the compact. There is no record of any use of the Republican River for commercial navigation, and no survey of the river with a view to navigation regulation or improvement has ever been made by the Department or authorized by Con- gress. Surveys for flood control have been authorized, however, and in the Flood Control Act of 191^1 Congress expressly adopted a project fpr the con- struction of a reservoir at a site on the river in Harlan County, Nebr., recommended by the Chief of Engineers in a report printed' in House Document No. 852, Seventy-sixth Congress, and also authorized such other supplement- al flood-control works as the Chief of Engineers and the' Secretary of-War may deem advisable. Work on this project has not been started, and owing to conditions created by the War emergency, is not likely to be begun in the near future. The prosecution of this and similar projects for the 'control of floods which Congress may hereafter sanction is the only Federal interest committed to the 'War Department that would be affected by the: compact* Articles X and XI of the compact directly relate to the exercise of Federal rights in the waters of the river and its tributaries, and, if ap- proved by Congress, the right to prosecute flood-control.projects would be subject thereto. Article X provides, among other things, that nothing in the compact shall be deemed to impair or affect any rights, powers, or jurisdiction of the United States in and to the waters of the basin, nor its capacity to acquire rights in and to the use of said waters. This amounts to a substantial reservation to the United States of its existing rights in the river and its tributaries and in itself is satisfactory and adequate. It is qualified however, by the provisions of article XI which impose certain restrictions on the exercise by the United States of its rights 'and powers*,,* and make the express consent of Congress to these re- strictions a condition precedent to the compactfs becoming operative. It is deemed proper to point out that in its form and substance article XI is unusual in instruments, of this• fcind> and to suggest that t he question of the expediency of such an innovation-merits the special attention of the committee. . ' Upon careful consideration .of the- compact in its entirety the . V/ar De- partment is of the.opinion that its approval by Congress would not cause any serious interference with the prosecution of the presently authorized flood-control project, or with the carrying out of any project which Con- gress may hereafter authorize <>¦• From the standpoint of. the Federal, interests committed to its charge the Department sees no objection to the enactment of the bill, S. 6JL4.9. " ' " Tlie Bureau of the Budget advises there is no objection to the sub- mission of this report. S incerely yours, Henry L« Stimson, Secretary of War. |