WATER AND WATERFRONTS 167 



Questions and Discussion 



HAROLD WISE. I want to make some remarks about the Army 

 Corps of Engineers. I think it is high time that we stopped toler- 

 ating the shocking and brutal actions of the Army Corps of Engineers. 



I did a redevelopment planning job in the downtown, central 

 area of Santa Cruz, Calif., about ten years ago. This area was less 

 than a mile from the ocean and a part of a major seaside resort. 

 They had had a flood and the Corps was improving the channel 

 of the San Lorenzo River through the middle of the project. We 

 wanted to take advantage of this opportunity and to make a pleasant 

 and attractive park around the river. We proposed a grass lined 

 channel as wide as necessary for flood control purposes but we lost 

 the battle to the riprap-efficiency boys of the Corps of Engineers. 

 To this day I cannot understand their reasoning. 



I brought a book along called "The Wonder of Water" by Erie 

 Stanley Gardner; if it is good enough for Perry Mason, it is good 

 enough for me. Let me quote about the Sacramento River : 



Miles and miles of trees have been torn up. The once picturesque 

 lagoons have become mere canals fenced in with rock-faced levees. 

 California has lost much of its scenic and recreational charm as a 

 result. If, within the next three or four years, we are told that our 

 systems of dams, millions of dollars invested, have lessened the 

 damages of floods, the barren, treeless levees with the rock-faces re- 

 flecting shimmering heat will be a tragic reminder of our national 

 disregard for natural beauty and our passion to destroy and change 

 in blind worship of the god of efficiency. 



I recommend legislation that would provide that each and every 

 flood control project of the Army Corps of Engineers be referred to 

 the governor of the State within which this takes place for comment 

 and recommendation as to the natural beauty impact of the proposed 

 public works. 



Mrs. DONALD MCLAUGHLIN. Mr. Chairman and members of 

 the panel, it is very heartening that you are aware of the plight of 

 Lake Tahoe and San Francisco Bay; in fact, the waters of Lake 

 Tahoe can turn brown and two-thirds of San Francisco Bay can be 

 filled. 



As a delegate from California, I wish to propose that the out- 

 standing water areas of the United States be designated national 



