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Show tion of valuable ores. The decision has been to defer construction to permit the mining and utiliza- tion of these minerals. Although there is some doubt as to the probable effect of the reservoir on mining activities, the decision to defer appears to have been proper because of the availability of alter- native sites. By contrast the decision to construct the Albeni Falls (Idaho) Project with storage ca- pacity 1.1 million acre-feet instead of 3 million acre-feet because of local and State objections to the larger project may be questionable. When the storage and power values forgone are compared with agricultural and other values preserved, the economic losses in the agreed-upon project seem great. However, the difficulty of balancing the eco- nomic losses of a project forgone against social values (like the preservation of established homes) which local people consider important is often in- capable of a satisfactory answer. The Paradise (Mont.) Project, on the Clark Fork, downstream from the existing Kerr hydro- electric plant, raises problems similar to those raised by the Albeni Falls Project. In this case, however, it is not proposed to construct a smaller project but to avoid the conflict with local and State ob- jectors by deferring construction to some indefinite future date. This action has had to be taken even though Paradise is one of the most valuable projects possible in the eastern part of the basin. Usable storage amounting to about 4 million acre-feet must be forgone during the period of deferment. Power generating facilities of 576,000 kilowatts would be built initially at the project, with provisions for an ultimate installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts. About 12,000 acres of irrigated and other cul- tivated land would be inundated. It was proposed to replace these lands with new irrigated land de- veloped by pumping with low-cost power from the Paradise project. Some 26 miles of main line and 27 miles of branch lines of the Northern Pacific Railroad would be relocated at project cost; simi- larly, some 54 miles of United States highway and 63 miles of county and farm roads would be relo- cated along with telephone and power lines. Mines are not involved but the estimate of project costs includes moving some mine mill buildings and three small sawmills. A total of 2,300 people would be displaced, and Indian rights and properties would be affected. Similar conflicts exist elsewhere in the basin. The raising of the height of Kerr Dam on Flathead Lake, for example, was objected to locally, and some of the most efficient storage in the upper basin was lost. Roads in the basin submerged by reservoirs usually are in comparatively flat valley bottoms where they can be widened and improved at rela- tively little cost to modern design standards. On the valley floor an 18-foot pavement with narrow shoulders can be widened to a 24-foot pavement with wide shoulders; or a 2-lane road can be widened to 4 lanes at normal cost. Forced reloca- tion of such roads above reservoir levels often places the road on steep rugged hillsides where costly cuts and fills are necessary, and where serious limita- tions usually are encountered from the standpoint of topography, curvature, design speed, and cost of construction and maintenance. If a road is ad- jacent to the reservoir, flatter, more costly slopes or expensive riprapping are needed to protect the roadbed from being washed away by the rise and fall of water and wave action. Under replacement-in-kind practices, these prob- lems are not given sufficient weight, and highway funds are required to bear additional costs. Fed- eral water resources agencies frequently do not give appropriate consideration to the effect which forced relocations have on long-range highway planning. There is need for exchange of basic data between highway and water resources agencies to prevent economic waste resulting from having recently im- proved highways inundated by reservoir projects. Conclusions The problems of inundation by reservoirs within the basin indicate the need for: (1) Close participation by all Federal agricul- tural agencies in studies of projects, beginning with the initiation of the studies and including reports and advice to the constructing agencies on the im- pact of projects upon agriculture and agricultural and forest economy within the directly affected and related areas; displacements and rehabilitation on account thereof; and monetary evaluation of the losses and costs. (2) Full consideration of the available data on mineral resources within proposed reservoir areas, for intelligent programing and project selection. (3) Consideration of the need for and practi- cability of flood plain zoning15 within the areas 15 Use of State police power to restrict flood plains to uses and structures which suffer the minimum disruption or damage during time of flood. 911610-51- 51 |
