AFTERNOON SESSION TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1949. (Whereupon, at 2 p. m., the subcommittee reconvened pursuant to the taking of the noon recess.) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STATEMENTS OF WM. E. WRATHER, DIRECTOR; GERALD FITZGERALD, CHIEF TOPOGRAPHIC ENGINEER; W. H. BRADLEY, CHIEF GEOLOGIST; C. G. PAULSEN, CHIEF HYDRAULIC ENGINEER; R. E. SPRATT, ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF, CONSERVATION DIVISION; G. J. MOWITT, EXECUTIVE OFFICER; AND J. L. RAMSEY, BUDGET OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Senator HAYDEN. The committee will come to order. Dr. Wrather, do you have a general statement you want to make first? Mr. WRATHER. A short one, Senator. REQUEST FOR RESTORATIONS Mr. WRATHER. The House has reduced five of the appropriation items for the Geological Survey in the 1950 appropriation bill below the amounts proposed in the budget estimates. The Geological Survey is accepting the action of the House fully with respect to one of those items, and in major degree with respect to a second item. However, because of our evaluation of the national needs and of obligations upon the Survey, we feel obliged to urge further consideration and full restoration of the amounts of the reductions in the items for three of our technical and engineering functions-"Topographic surveys," "Mineral resources of Alaska," and "Gaging streams"; and also to seek restoration of a minor part of the amount cut from the appropriation for "Engraving and printing maps." Many Federal, State, and industrial agencies are handicapped in preparing sound plans and programs by the lack of adequate basic data. Within its own specialized fields, the calls upon the Geological Survey for basic data are increasingly more urgent. HOOVER COMMISSION REPORT QUOTED It is pertinent to quote the following statement from the report of the Natural Resources Task Force of the Hoover Commission: The committee is reluctant at this time to recommend increased appropriations for any Federal function within its province of study. It is foolhardy, however, for the Federal Government to undertake a development program running into billions of dollars without spending enough money to obtain the basic hydrologic data essential to sound planning and construction. Yet that is precisely what is being done. Where error commonly runs high-25 percent-it is not difficult to see the possibilities of enormous savings through the collection of more adequate basic data. The committee therefore recommends the immediate expansion of the programs of the basic data collecting agencies, so that the topographic mapping ground-water studies, stream-gaging programs, sedimentation studies, evapotranspiration studies, and run-off and erosion studies can keep pace with development programs. In the face of the increased responsibilities thus placed upon the Geological Survey, I urge that you grant these restorations. Brief justifications for these requests are set forth under the appropriate headings. I will continue under the various headings if I may, Senator. TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS JUSTIFICATION Senator HAYDEN. The first item in the bill is "Topographic surveys," to increase the appropriation by a million and a half. I will place the justification in the record at this point. (The justification follows:) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS (Estimate, $7,000,000; act, $4,350,000+$290,000 pay increases pending) (House Hearings, pt. 1, pp. 225-230) (P. 50, line 12) (1) Page 50, line 12, strike out "$5,500,000" and insert in lieu thereof "$7,000,000," the estimate, or an increase of $1,500,000 in the appropriation. (2) Page 50, line 12, strike out "$650,000" and insert in lieu thereof "$700,000", the estimate, or an increase of $50,000 in the limitation on personal services in the District of Columbia. House Report "The bill contains $5,500,000 for topographic surveys and mapping, which is a reduction of $1,500,000 below the 1950 estimate, and represents an increase of $850,000 above the amount provided in 1949, after making allowances for increases in salaries due to Public Law 900; $700,000 of the amount recommended is provided only for cooperative surveys with States and municipalities". The amendment restores the reduction of $1,500,000 made by the House in the Budget estimate for this appropriation. This amount is distributed to activities as follows Not appropriated, shown for comparative purposes only. A break-down of the restoration request by objects of expenditure follows: The Geological Survey's budget request for $7,000,000 for topographic surveys and mapping represented the minimum estimate of the funds required for the most essential mapping needs of the Nation. With this sum it was planned to carry forward mapping programs in Army-designated startegic areas, in the Columbia River Basin, in the Mississippi River Basin and in certain other areas where planning for economic development, the search for mineral resources, and plans for the utilization of other natural resources require immediate map coverage. The requested appropriation will not, however, provide adequately for a real attack on the problem of completing the mapping of the United States and its possessions within a 20-year period. It is barely sufficient to keep pace with the most urgent of those investigative and planning operations which use topographic maps as essential tools. It If the proposed reduction to $5,500,000 is allowed to stand, not only will the Survey have departed further from its long-range program for the completion of the mapping of the United States, but it will not be able to fulfill its obligations for the immediate mapping of economically and strategically critical areas. will be forced, for instance, to curtail mapping operations in such important areas as Alaska, the Columbia River Basin, the flood conscious areas of the Mississippi River, and the mineral-bearing mountains of the West. The present gap between map needs and map production will be further widened. Because the request for $7,000,000 did represent a minimum estimate of the funds required to carry forward the most important mapping, and because this mapping is so essential to the economic welfare and the safety of the Nation, the Survey is requesting full restoration of the reduction made by the House. Explanation of amendment (2) The amendment restores the reduction of $50,000 made by the House in the budget estimate for the limitation on expenditures from this appropriation for personal services in the District of Columbia. The restoration of this item will be necessary to provide for the increased administrative and service operations normally performed in Washington in connection with the requested restoration in the total amount of the appropriation. It should be pointed out that this increase in personal services in the District amounts to only $50,000 whereas the increase in total appropriation will amount to $1,500,000. DEMAND FOR TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS Mr. WRATHER. The Geological Survey appreciates the House allowance over the 1949 appropriation. It is, however, acutely aware of the insistent demands of map users for more and better topographic maps. These maps are vitally necessary in the exploration for mineral resources and in the planning of the vast system of public works that are now being planned or are already under construction. Both are now pressing national issues. The $7,000,000 represents a minimum figure for topographic mapping if the Survey is to meet its obligations. At the present rate about 60 years will be required to complete the mapping of the United States. There has been an increasing demand from numerous sources that the mapping program be sharply expedited. The National Military Establishment has been especially insistent that the Geological Survey expedite topographic mapping and, accordingly, a 20-year program was proposed in 1946 for the completion of the mapping of the United States, Alaska, and the island possessions. As part of an agreement reached with the War Department in 1946, the Geological Survey is obligated to provide mapping in domestic areas required for military use. The Survey combines the military and civilian map requirements and established priorities to satisfy the most urgent over-all needs. Special emphasis is placed on Alaska at the present time in view of the military as well as the economic potentialities of the Territory. TRANSFERS TO DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE Senator HAYDEN. Let me ask you at that point this question: Prior to the war appropriations for topographic mapping were entirely in the Interior Department appropriation bill. During the war varying sums of money carried in the Army appropriation for topographic mapping were transferred to you. Have we completely abandoned any transfer to the Department of National Defense? Mr. WRATHER. There is a very small amount available from the Army this year. Mr. Fitzgerald can tell you the circumstances. Mr. FITZGERALD. The Corps of Engineers takes the position that since we are requesting a full mapping program, they will not request money for domestic mapping. This year, however, because our appropriations would not meet their requirements, they did transfer, late in the fiscal year, $50,000, and that is all. RETENTION OF MAP-MAKING ORGANIZATION Senator HAYDEN. My understanding was that during the war there was built up really a magnificent map-making organization, Photographs were taken from the air provided by the Army, or at least they assisted in that respect. You built up a force of men who knew how to do the job and had ample equipment. How much of a shrinkage has there been in that organization since the war? Mr. FITZGERALD. There has been no shrinkage in either the Survey organization or the Army organization, but during the war and since the war the Army has confined most of its operations to mapping foreign areas for military purposes. Senator HAYDEN. Do you make the maps for them after they get back here? Mr. FITZGERALD. We do not. We have a very small program in connection with the Air Forces project of chart compilation, where we compile certain information for aeronautical charts, but that is a small part of our program, and we do nothing at all in connection with foreign mapping under the Department of the Army program. Senator HAYDEN. For example, I understood that when we decided to defend the integrity of the Greek Government, military forces went in there and found the maps inadequate, and there was a lot of air photography. Who made those maps? Mr. FITZGERALD. The Army, principally the Army Map Service under the Corps of Engineers. We had nothing to do with that program. Senator HAYDEN. You do not have anything to do with maps outside of the United States or its Territories? Mr. FITZGERALD. That is correct, sir. ARMY FUNDS FOR MAP MAKING Senator HAYDEN. Any money carried in the Army appropriation bill is for map work outside of the continental United States or the Territories? Mr. FITZGERALD. No, sir. They do have money available for certain mapping in the States and carry on some mapping in connec tion with both their military and civil-works programs. They are doing some mapping in the States now; but, if we can do it with our appropriations, they do not transfer money to us for domestic mapping considered necessary for the military program because, they point out, this mapping is a well-recognized responsibility of the Geological Survey. MISSOURI BASIN TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS Senator HAYDEN. That is the same as in the Missouri Basin building dams. They want a topographic map of the area to be flooded above the dam and perhaps that of the land to be irrigated below, and so forth. Mr. FITZGERALD. That is it exactly. Senator GURNEY. The Army engineers don't have to do anything in the Missouri Basin. Mr. FITZGERALD. They don't do mapping unless it happens to be a construction project that moves up very rapidly and we simply cannot get it mapped in time. The Missouri River Basin alone comprises an area of 5,000 square miles, and only 8 percent of the area is adequately mapped. We are working years behind schedule in an effort to supply the minimum requirements for both the Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers on almost a year-to-year basis. Senator GURNEY. But you are moving ahead of them if you can and keeping ahead of their construction? Mr. FITZGERALD. That is right. Our whole program is oriented toward the objective of keeping ahead of their requirements. Senator GURNEY. The Geological Survey people, Mr Chairman, have been in there ahead of the engineers, I am sure, because I have seen their crews. Senator HAYDEN. The point is that, if you obtain the full amount estimated in the budget, you can do that work. If that amount is substantially cut, will we get a demand from the Army to come in and make up some of the money in their bill, or how will it be? Mr. FITZGERALD. You probably will or, what has generally happened, if the Army or any one else has to have mapping for an immediate project, they will undertake some sort of a stopgap mapping job that will serve immediate needs, generally at almost the same cost that it would have taken to supply a good topographic map in the first place. Senator HAYDEN. You may proceed, Doctor. TRANSFER OF INFORMATION Senator GURNEY. May I ask a question before we get off that subject? When they do that little job that they have immediate need for, they transfer that information to you so you can incorporate it in the over-all United States map you are making? Mr. FITZGERALD. They do that, but generally, because the mapping was done in a hurry by what we call substandard methods, it is not satisfactory for the basic topographic map and in almost every case |