Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 71.djvu/55

 71

STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 85-23-APR. 23. 1957

18

'"''Whereas^ The federal government exercises jurisdiction over the nation's navigable rivers and their tributaries through passage of the flood control act of nineteen hundred and thirty-six and various other ^9 Stat. is70. acts amendatory thereto; and '•'•Whereas, These acts provide for construction by the United States of dams for flood control and, where feasible, in addition to flood control for storage of water to be used for irrigation, recreation, hydroelectric power, or for any of these purposes; and Wherem, The Merrimack river is an interstate river and control of major floods on it can be obtained only by the construction of dams by the United States under authorization of the above mentioned acts; and "TFAerea-?, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New Hampshire recognize that it is in the interest of their general Avelfare that the United States construct in the Merrimack river valley a comprehensive system of local protection works and dams and reservoirs to control floods and prevent loss of life and property, the disruption of orderly processes and the impairment of commerce between the aforesaid states; and '•''Whereas, The United States has constructed dikes, flood walls and other local protection works at Xashua in the State of XeAV Hampshire and at Haverhill, Lowell and Fitchburg in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and dams and reservoirs for the storage of flood waters at Franklin Falls, Peterboro and Webster in the State of New Hampshire, and has prepared designs for dikes and flood walls and other local protection works at Lawrence and North Andover in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and '•'•Whereas^ The congress has at various times authorized construction by the United States of other dams and reservoirs for the storage of flood waters in the State of New Hampshire and has more recently instructed the Corps of Engineers to determine what additional local protection works and dams and reservoirs are required for a comprehensive system to control floods in the Merrimack river and its tributaries; and '•''WhereaH, I t is believed that such a comprehensive flood control system should include dams and reservoirs controlling flood run-off from approximately thirty per cent of the total drainage area of the Merrimack river basin and strategically located in reference to characteristics of tributaries and to damage centers; and '•'•Whereas, Dams and reservoirs to control thirty per cent of flood run-off will be located in the State of New Hampshire and the major benefits from such dams and reservoirs will accrue to the CommonAvealth of Massachusetts; and '•'•Whereas^ Construction by the United States of additional dams and reservoirs in the State of New Hampshire, to complete such a comprehensive flood control system, will remove from the tax rolls of local governments of the State of New Hampshire such property as is acquired by the United States and may work other hardships against the people of New Hampshire; and ^^ Whereas, I t is highly desirable that any flood control dam and reservoir constructed by the United States in the Merrimack river valley have the approval of the State of New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts benefiting from construction of such dam and reservoir make reimbursement for such loss of taxes and for such hardships; and '•'•Whereas, A comprehensive system for the prevention of destructive floods and for water resources utilization in the Merrimack river valley can best be accomplished by cooperation between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New Hampshire and by

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