North groin was constructed in 1951. Groin at Waterworks Park was con- Kenilworth: Evanston: Chicago: 1 Latest estimate of cost as of July 1, 1954. Approved by Office, Chief of Engineers, by 2d endorsement, Subject: Submission of project estimates for projects contained in 1954 authorization act, dated Oct. 12, 1954. In conjunction with the cooperative beach erosion study for the Illinois shore of Lake Mich gan, the Chief of Engineers authorized additional studies and report for the vicinity of Fort Sheridan, Ill. The plan of improvement recommended in the beach erosion control report consists of a system of 10 groins to protect the pumping plant and 2 beach areas at Fort Sheridan. The design and construction of the 10 steel groins was authorized by the Chief of Engineers on May 5 and October 5, 1950. Construction was completed in 1953 at a cost of $131,850. Subsequently, the Chief of Engineers on October 20 and December 22, 1954, authorized the design and construction of three additional steel groins. Construction of those groins was completed in September 1955 at a cost of $59,500. Pursuant to a House of Representatives resolution adopted March 26, 1952, the division engineer, north central division, prepared a preliminary examination report on property damage on the Great Lakes resulting from changes in lake levels. It was found that damage along the United States shores of the Great Lakes during the reriod between the spring of 1951 and the spring of 1952 was $61 million, of which $50 million resulted from wave action and $11 million from flooding. That report recommended congressional authorization for a comprehensive study of survey scope to determine the property damages resulting from changes in levels of the Great Lakes and the feasibility of measures, including local flood protection and lake regulation, to prevent recurrence of such damages. Such a study was authorized by a resolution of the House of Representatives adopted June 26, 1952, and is presently underway. In addit on to the above formal studies conducted, the district engineer assists local interests to the fullest extent practicable, consistent with existing regula tions, in problems of beach erosion and shore protection. Such assistan e includes furnishing technical advice and suggested general plans of shore protection. However, there is no authority to prepare detailed plans and specifications for specific reaches of shorelines. PHILIP F. KROMER, Jr., Mr. KIRSHNER. In view of the fact that several of the witnesses have discussed the problem of the rise and fall of lake levels, I thought it would be useful to the committee if I would present you with several of our official records, the first being a hydrograph of the levels of all of the Great Lakes, from 1920 to date. I have as many copies as you would care to have. Mr. REUSS. I think if we may have four copies, one for each member of the committee. Because of the difficulties of reproduction this will not be received as a formal exhibit. (The document referred to will be found in the files of the subcommittee.) Mr. KIRSHNER. This is an official publication and we can supply as many copies as may be needed in the future. The next record I have is the most recent monthly report of lake levels, the lake levels for October. Mr. REUSS. We would like to have that, too, not as a formal exhibit, but for the guidance of the committee, only. (The document referred to will be found in the files of the subcommittee.) Mr. KIRSHNER. Finally, is a forecast of lake levels. This is the expected levels at the winter load. Mr. REUSS. This third exhibit, too, will be received for guidance of the committee members. (The document referred to will be found in the files of the subcommittee.) [News release for release on October 3, 1955] CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER UNITED STATES LAKE SURVEY Detroit 26, Mich. MINIMUM LEVELS OF THE GREAT LAKES DURING THE WINTER 1955-56 The United States Lake Survey, Corps of Engineers, Detroit, Mich., today announced forecasts of the minimum monthly average levels of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair during the coming winter, as follows: Col. Edward J. Gallagher, district engineer of the United States Lake Survey, stated that the forecasts indicate the 1955-56 winter minimum levels of all of the Great Lakes, with the exception of Lake Superior, will be substantially below the levels of last winter. United States Lake Survey long-range forecasts of the levels of the Great Lakes are routinely published twice each year; a forecast of winter minimum levels is made in the fall, and a forecast of summer maximum levels is made in the spring. Forecasts are based on past lake level behavior with consideration given to current drainage basin conditions and probable precipitation. Mr. KIRSHNER. That is all I have to present. Mr. REUSS. We appreciate your splendid cooperation, Mr. Kirshner. Mr. Wisniewski, will you come forward, please? STATEMENT OF THEODORE F. WISNIEWSKI, DIRECTOR, Mr. WISNIEWSKI. I just want to bring out the fact that we consider the State of Wisconsin a leading State in water-pollution control and we have the facts to back that. Our status of orders issued January 1, 1955, a copy of which I will leave with you, reviews the status of orders as of the increased activity, beginning in 1949, or rather beginning in 1950, following the act of the legislature in 1949. This shows that in the period 1948 through 1954, the committee on water pollution issued 814 orders requiring abatement of pollution in the Great Lakes and upper Mississippi River Basins. Forty-eight of these are orders revising previous orders giving a net amount of something like 766 orders issued and the rate of compliance has been as follows: Prior to 1950 there were 7 orders satisfied. In 1950, there were 19. In 1951, there were 21. In 1952, there were 46. In 1953, there were 84. In 1954, there were 71 satisfied. 70818-56-pt. 7- 19 The rate of satisfaction today is 10 times the rate of satisfaction prior to 1950. The report has attached to it the status of sewage-treatment projects. broken down under communities without treatment plants, communities without sewers, or treatment plants; communities having treatment facilities requiring improvements, and institutional sewage treatments, covering all of those, whether they have orders issued against them or not. I might point out that in 1949 when we started our increased activity. there were 62 communities in Wisconsin that were discharging untreated sewage into the streams. That figure has now been reduced to 25. We are going still farther down on that. We expect to get that figure down to zero. Some of the smaller ones or some of the last ones are going to be a little more difficult and we are going to have difficulty raising funds. Mr. REUSS. Will you make that statement available for the record ? Mr. WISNIEWSKI. Yes. Mr. REUSS. Without objection it is received and I want to congratu late you, Mr. Wisniewski not only on your excellent presentation this afternoon but on the really fine job you are doing throughout the State. (The prepared statement referred to follows:) STATUS OF ORDERS, JANUARY 1, 1955 It should be noted There are now 31 projEngineers retained by 96 The status of orders is summarized in the attached table. that the number of orders satisfied in 1954 totaled 71. ects under construction and 26 have plans approved. are now preparing plans for improvements. During 1954, detailed surveys were completed in 19 percent of the area of the State bringing the total area surveyed to 96 percent of the area of the State. The program for 1955 contemplates completion of surveys in the remaining 4 percent, along with detailed studies of critical problem areas along major streams. More stress will also be placed on followup of orders previously issued. It has been necessary at times to turn cases over to the attorney general in order to gain compliance. Of the 45 cases referred to the attorney general, 17 have been completed, 6 are under construction, 5 have plans approved, 5 have engineers retained, and 12 involve formation of sanitary districts or provision of private waste disposal facilities. The attached listing shows the industrial-waste treatment projects completed in 1954, and includes 8 installations which were made voluntarily when the problem was called to the attention of the industry. The summary on status of sewage treatment projects is also attached. It should be noted that of the 62 communities with sewers which provided no treatment in 1949, 32 still need to provide facilities. Four of these have plants under construction, and 12 have plans approved. Respectfully submitted. THEODORE F. WISNIEWSKI, Director, Committee on Water Pollution. |