National Water Resources Administration

Abstract

The federal government's relation to water resources is perplexingly complex. So commonplace has such an observation become that the truth it expresses may require revitalization by example. Take Monday, February 4, I957, an ordinary day of proceedings in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. Senator Ives introduced and explained a bill for construction of a hydroelectric power project at Niagara Falls by the New York State Power Authority.' Senator Neuberger, from across the continent, introduced and spoke for a resolution proposing a Columbia River basin account, through which federal power revenues would help finance irrigation and reclamation projects.2 Senator Beall obtained unanimous consent to publish in the Congressional Record's appendix an editorial on pollution of the upper Potomac River.3 Senator Symington protested alleged neglect of Missouri in the administration of drought relief by Secretary of Agriculture Benson.4 The Senate adopted Senator Murray's joint resolution for a National Conservation Anniversary Commission to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the I908 conservation conference of state governors called by President Theodore Roosevelt.5 Senator Carlson seized this opportunity to urge Senator Murray and his Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs to give favorable consideration to Senator Carlson's bill to establish a commission on the conservation, development, and use of renewable natural resources and particularly problems of drought, decreasing water supply, and the wind erosion of our soil.6