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\, .. . . . for pulling.snags out of the river. From that date to now the problems of the Missouri Basin have always been a constant source of debate in the nation's capitol. In 1871 an appropriation was made for the purpose of opening navigation on the Osage River with a three foot channel. In 1882 the Army Engineers proposed to Congress that they undertake a comprehensive plan for the opening of the entire river from St. Louis all the way to Ft. Benton. A three foot channel was suggested. Congress passed the Rivers and Harbors Act that year which authorized the development of the Missouri as a tlational waterway for its entire lenght. The 1862 plan was never carried out, but by small i telnS the work was kept going throughout the years until in 1912 a bill. authorizing a six foot channel the entire 400 miles from st. Louis to Kansas City. was passed It is agreed boY all students of the problem that the only effect- ive means of controlling floods on the main stem of the Hissouri is storage behind large dams. Remembering that we have about three centuries of history about the Missouri River and after struggling for m~ decades in building levees and other forms of protection, the nation decided, in 1944, on a basin wide project to solve this problem. It is eminently clear that VIe should not now start diversionary tactics to hamper the com- pletion of this program. Dams half way completed do nothing to solve the problem. The program should be full steam ahead until these dams are completed. It is also clear that even when the dams on the main stem of the Missouri are completed and the waters of the main river are controlled, we still have the real problems of the erratic tributaries to deal with. 2477 5