| OCR Text |
Show in 1944 but unfavorably reported by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and the Chief of Engineers in 1945 because of local opposition. It includes the following: Seven storage reservoirs, at Riverbend above Great Falls, at Millville, Brocks Gap, Springfield, Edes Fort, Royal Glen, and Pat- terson Creek sites, all to be operated coordinately for flood control, electric power, and pollution abatement; six head development reservoirs at the Chain Bridge, Bear Island, Harpers Ferry, Pines- burg, Rocky Marsh Run, and Orleans sites, to be operated mainly for power generation in conjunc- tion with the storage reservoirs; and one reservoir at the Keyser, W. Va., site to divert water from the north branch of Potomac River to Patterson Creek. The proposed schedule for construction of these reservoirs was based* on a program of 11 stages over a period of years, as requirements developed for ad- ditional power, pollution abatement, and industrial water supply. The proposed priority of construc- tion would be in stages as follows: (1) Riverbend, (2) Chain Bridge, (3) Bear Island, (4) Millville, (5) Springfield, (6) Harpers Ferry, (7) Edes Fort and Pinesburg, (8) Patterson Creek, Keyser, and Orleans, (9) Rocky Marsh Run, (10) Royal Glen, and (11) Brocks Gap. With the reservoirs through stage 8 of the plan in operation, it was estimated that the flow of the largest flood on record at Washington could have been reduced from 484,000 to 220,000 cubic feet per second and the maximum stage at Washington lowered by about 7.6 feet. Costs and evaluated benefits as presented in the above-mentioned report (1942 price levels) are summarized as follows: Percent of total Total first cost (all Federal)- $235, 720, 000 ------- Total annual economic carry- ing charge_______________ 11,855,000 ------- Annual flood control benefits- 322, 000 2. 0 Annual domestic water supply benefits_________________ 170,000 1.1 Annual pollution abatement benefits__________________ 573, 000 3. 6 Annual recreation benefits____ 289, 000 1. 8 Annual navigation benefits------ 13,000 . 1 Annual power benefits_______ 14,345,000 91.4 Total annual evaluated benefits____________ 15, 712, 000 100. 0 15,712,000 Benefit-cost ratio________________---------------= 1.33 11,855,000 The principal flood control benefits from the reservoirs would accrue to Washington and some upstream communities. Power benefits would ac- crue to the industrial Baltimore-Washington area and the adjoining eastern Pennsylvania-New Jersey area to the north. Principal pollution abatement beneficiaries would be Washington, the industrial areas along the north branch Potomac River be- tween Luke and Cumberland, Md., and the fish- eries of the tidal reach of the river. Domestic water supply benefits would accrue to Washington and Hagerstown, Md. The Federal Government in particular and navigation interests generally would be benefited by the reduction of silting in the navigation channels at and below Washington. Recreation benefits from reservoir construction would be provided for the people in the Washing- ton-Baltimore area, and to communities in western Maryland, northern Virginia, northeastern West Virginia, and southern Pennsylvania. 589 |
