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Show with regard to flood control was undertaken in co- operation with the Council of State Governments. The investigation was to determine the adequacy of such laws and suggest possible revisions so as to achieve greater uniformity. One of the principal objectives was to provide the States with more authority in planning and the means of assisting local interests in meeting the requirements for local flood control cooperation. It was also suggested from the experience of other States that State laws encompass zoning rights for flood control use. To date only Iowa has adopted a new law. An item of required local cooperation in connec- tion with local flood protection projects is for the operation and maintenance of the project in accord- ance with regulations presented by the Secretary of War, now Secretary of the Army. The Federal regulations require in part that no encroachment or trespass which will adversely affect the efficient operation and maintenance of the project works shall be permitted upon the rights-of-way for the protective facilities. Even though such a regulation is emphasized in an operation manual furnished to local interests, no means of enforcement is available other than convincing local interests of their desir- ability. If, in a project involving substantial Fed- eral investment, no positive assurance can be ob- tained, voluntary action by local people to restrict the use of areas subject to flooding will probably be even more difficult. In addition, the 1938 Flood Control Act provided that where the cost of a levee can be substantially reduced by evacuation of a portion or all of the area to be protected, the plan of such project could be modified accordingly.31 Investigations of evacu- ation costs have been made in the Missouri Basin, but local interests did not in any case request an evacuation project. Although limited primarily to encroachment on the actual stream channel, another partial solution to zoning restrictions is the establishment of harbor lines. This prevents unauthorized encroachment beyond such established lines. Harbor lines have been set at Kansas City. When local interests become aware of the desir- ability of flood plain zoning for areas of extensive flood damage, zoning will be more widely used. Also if States obtain the authority to zone flood plain lands against further facilities subject to extensive flood damages they may, because of their less local "Act of June 28, 1938, § 3, 52 Stat. 1215, 1216, 33 U. S. G. 701i. and direct interest in the area, be able to utilize flood plain zoning as one of the tools for best develop- ment of the basin. Conclusions Flood plain zoning to avoid excessive flood dam- ages should be encouraged. Its effectiveness de- pends upon the resistance of local governmental units to local pressures and the provision of ade- quate enforcement. Its use would be to limit fur- ther encroachment on flood damage areas. The proposal for or possibility of obtaining flood pro- tection deters serious consideration by local people of utilizing zoning restrictions. The establishment and enforcement of local zoning regulations pro- hibiting encroachment should be imposed as a con- dition of local cooperation in many Federal water control projects. It would serve to protect the Federal investment in such projects. 5. Planning to Meet Drainage Problems The Problem Drainage necessary for full development of water resources, and related considerations. The Situation Approximately 5.8 million acres, excluding irri- gated land, in the basin require some degree of drainage to ensure full and efficient production. Although most of this land has already been drained, approximately half of the systems now installed are unsatisfactory and require some degree of rehabili- tation. The lands involved are mostly adjacent to the main stream channels in eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, and in Minnesota, Iowa, and" Missouri. They include poorly drained farm lands now or formerly cultivated, and a relatively small acreage so wet it has never been put to intensive use. Approximately 1.5 million acres lie behind the levees of the Corps of Engineers along the main stem between Sioux City, Iowa, and Hermann, Mo. As a part of their local cooperation in building these levees, local interests are required to remove surface waters which collect in the protected area. Frequently in planning disposal works, local people also desire to incorporate drainage of wet lands or improved drainage systems to replace those which are inadequate. Such planning should be com- 241 |
