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Title

10

:
Conservation and Development






Chapter

045

:
CONNECTICUT RIVER FLOOD CONTROL COMPACT






Subchapter

001
:
CONNECTICUT RIVER FLOOD CONTROL COMPACT










 

§

1151. Preamble

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 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 or hydroelectric power or for any of these

purposes; and

Whereas, the

Connecticut 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

Whereas, the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the States of Connecticut, New Hampshire and

Vermont recognize that it is in the interest of their general welfare that the

United States construct in the Connecticut 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 Hartford and East Hartford in the State of Connecticut and at

Springfield, Riverdale, West Springfield, Chicopee, Northampton, Holyoke, and

Springdale, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and dams and reservoirs for

the storage of flood waters at Knightville, Birch Hill and Tully in the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at Surry Mountain in the State of New Hampshire

and at Union Village in the State of Vermont and has reached agreements with

the state wherein located for construction of dams and reservoirs for the

storage of flood waters at Barre Falls in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and

at Ball Mountain and at Townshend in the State of Vermont; 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 Commonwealth

of Massachusetts and in the States of New Hampshire and Vermont 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 Connecticut River and its tributaries; and

Whereas, it is

believed that such a comprehensive flood control system should include dams and

reservoirs controlling flood run-off from approximately twenty-five (25)

percent of the total drainage area of the Connecticut River above Hartford,

Connecticut, and strategically located in reference to characteristics of

tributaries and to damage centers; and

Whereas,

construction by the United States of additional dams and reservoirs in the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the States of New Hampshire and Vermont,

to complete such a comprehensive flood control system, will remove from the tax

rolls of local governments of those states such property as is acquired by the

United States and may work other hardships against the people of Massachusetts,

New Hampshire and Vermont; and

Whereas, it is

highly desirable that any flood control dam and reservoir constructed by the

United States in the Connecticut River Valley have the approval of the state

wherein it is located and that states 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 Connecticut River Valley can best be accomplished

by cooperation between the several states in the valley and by and through a

common and joint agency of said several states;

Now, therefore,

the said Commonwealth of Massachusetts and States of Connecticut, New Hampshire

and Vermont do hereby enter into the following compact, to-wit: