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<br />3885
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<br />.MISSOURI RIVER BASIN
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<br />REVIEW OF REPORTS ON THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN
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<br />SYLLABUS
<br />Approximately 1,800,000 acres of land along the Missouri River between Sioux
<br />City and the mouth are subject t.o dCRtructive floods This area is predomi-
<br />nately agricultural; however, portions of Sioux City; Iowa; Council Bluffs, Iowa;
<br />Omaha., Nebr.; the Kansas Citys in Kansas and Mi~souri, and many smaller,
<br />municipalit.ies are also slIhjcct to flooding in some degree.
<br />Several major floocl~ hs\'e occurred during the past 100 years. These include
<br />the floods of 1844, 1881, 1903. and three severe floods so far during 1943. The
<br />damages C:aused so far during J 943 are e:::timated to be about. $35,000,000.
<br />Between Sioux Cit.y and the mouth, the river is being improved for navigation.
<br />Prior to t.he const.ruction of river-improvement works, t.he rh.er meandered. from
<br />bluff to bluff, and cA.userl serious damage to farm property by bank erosion a.nd
<br />channel Cllt.Otfs. The river-irnprm'cment works have now stabilized the banks
<br />and provided"n. fixed channel in the flood plain, thus eliminating the previous
<br />hazards due to bank erosion and cllt-offs. However, the flood hazard remains.
<br />In an attempt to providc flood prot.ection for their lands. local interests have
<br />constructed levees and drainage works throughout the reach from Sioux City t.o
<br />the mouth. It is estimat.ed that t.he total amount expended on these works to
<br />date is ill excess of $20,000,000. However, the levees are generally inadequat.e
<br />to protect against any except the minor floods, and have not been constrllcted in
<br />accordance with any unified, correlated plan.
<br />Local intere!its are a.nxiOllS to secure a much greater degree of protection than
<br />they now have, but consider that, the problem is of such magnitude that the
<br />burden m\lst be assumed by the Federal Government. There is no question but
<br />that. t.he additional flood protection is ncpnNI and justified. Although B. con-
<br />siderable increase in thc amount of protection now afforded can be provided by
<br />levees, it is impracticable to pr~wide complet.e protection against nil past floods
<br />by levees nlone. However, complete protection against all past floods can and
<br />should be provided by a system or levees supplemented by reservoirs.
<br />The plan proposed herein would provide for n series of levees and appurtenant
<br />works along both sides of the Missouri River from Sioux City to t.he mouth,
<br />supplemented by the presently aut.horized reservoirs in Nebraska, Kansas, and
<br />Missouri. and addit.ional multiple-purpose reservoirs. The estimated cost of
<br />the levee project is $80,000,000 and of the a.dditional multiple-purpose reservoirs
<br />is $410,000,000.
<br />It is recommended that the general comprehensive pln.n for flood cont.rol and
<br />other purposes in t,he Missouri River Basin be expnndcd t.o include the plan as
<br />proposed in this report.
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<br />\VAR DEPARTMENT,
<br />OFFICE OF THE DIVISION ENGINEER,
<br />MISSOURI RIVEn DIVISION,
<br />Omaha, Nebr., AlIgUllt 10, 1943.
<br />Subject: Report on review of I,be reports on the Missouri River Basin.
<br />To: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army, Washington, D, C.
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<br />I. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTlON
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<br />1. Allihor;ty for report.-This report is submitted in compliance
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<br />witb t!", following rcsolut,ion of the Committee on Flood Contro!,
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<br />House of Reprcsc}}a,tives, adopted May 13, 1943. ,
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<br />That the Board ~nginecrs for Rivers and Harbors, created under section 3 of
<br />the TIi\"er and Harf'tl.'r Act approved Junc 13, 1902. be and is hereby requested" to
<br />review the reports dn the Missouri River contained in House Document No. 238,'
<br />Sevent.y-third Congrpss, second session. artd'House Doclllllent 821, Seventy-sixth
<br />Congrc~s, t.hird session, with a view to determining whether any m'odification
<br />sbould be made t.herein nt t.his time wit,h respect. to Hood control along the main
<br />atem of the l\Iissonri River from Sioux City, Iowa, to its mouth. .
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