Mr. ASHLEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We appreciate the opportunity to appear before your committee. To answer a question on what the State of Virginia has done, I had the privilege of speaking to the Virginia Outdoor Association 3 weeks ago and on the same program was the chairman of the Virginia State Parks System.
In 1964, the State of Virginia did recommend that a study be made of the Great Dismal Swamp, and this study was made, and this booklet that I will present was written on October 1, and this study recommended that 50,000 acres be purchased by the State of Virginia, and including Lake Drummond, and a recreational area, a national wildlife habitat dealing with the history and uniqueness of the swamp be established, and in view of this, $50,000 was appropriated to make a study.
Out of this study $18,000 was used, and a tract of land along the Portsmouth ditch was surveyed and a cost was put on to this of around $125 per acre, but Virginia Park Division, seeing that the remaining money left of the $50,000 was not enough to even put a dent in it, decided to drop it, and this is where the State of Virginia stands at this particular time.
Senator BIBLE. I understand the State of Virginia can’t handle it, and the State of North Carolina can’t handle it, and they want Uncle Sam to do it.
You don’t need to read your whole statement. I know you have been a valuable ally in this. I am going to recommend the study, and I am going to recommend $75,000 or whatever is necessary, be appropriated to make this study. So you might shorten up your rather detailed statement, which will be incorporated in full in the record.
Mr. ASHLEY. Among those there at the hearing was Alexander Brown, author of the book on the Dismal Swamp. During his statement he noted that the Corps of Engineers were not very good stewards of the use of the water in the inland waterway canal because the locks, one at Deep Creek and one at South Mill, both of these locks are large enough to hold one and a half million gallons of water, and each time a boat is floated through, one and a half million gallons of fresh water is lost.
The canal is 22 miles long running from Deep Creek to South Mill. When the original canal was dug, mostly by paid slave labor, it was found that the seepage of water into the canal from the swamp was not adequate to keep the Canal open to boat traffic. The deeper ditch was dug in 1811, which is about three and a quarter miles long and connects the inland canal with Lake Drummond.
Lake Drummond is used to store water so in times of dry weather it can be used to keep the canal in operation. Lake Drummond consists of 3,148 acres when full, and is 18.65 feet above sea level. When full, the lake is about five and a half feet deep.
Now during the meeting we had, there was a fire—
Senator BIBLE. You are just reciting what you did at the meeting. I am not interested in what you did at the meeting. I told you I would recommend a study of it, so as long as I am on your side, let me remain on your side. This is very valuable, and it has all been made part of the record. These are the preliminary things you have done. I have indicated to you that I am going to recommend to the subcommittee that they go ahead and make the study. That is what you are asking me.
Mr. ASHLEY. Well, good. I will conclude my remarks, and I appreciate the fact that you allowed us to be on this program. At the conclusion of this, those who would like to see some slides, we have some slides showing pictures of exactly what is taking place in the swamp in 1972.
Senator BIBLE. I always like to see pictures providing it is not too long a motion picture show.
Mr. ASHLEY. We can hold this down to about 15 minutes.
Senator BIBLE. All right. We will wait until after we have had all the witnesses, and then we will see pictures.
(The complete statement of Mr. Ashley follows:)
STATEMENT OF W. E. ASHLEY, JR., CLU, CHAIRMAN, DISMAL SWAMP COMMITTEE,
VIRGINIA DIVISION, IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA
Although much had been done in the past—the current drive to save the Great Dismal Swamp began on January 26, 1970, when 83 concerned individuals representing some 25 different conservation groups from Virginia, Washington, and Maryland assembled in Suffolk, Virginia, to review what had been done in the past and to seek new ways not only to preserve, but also to restore this region as much as possible to its natural state. This meeting was brought about at the 1969 State Convention of the Virginia Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America when Reynolds Harnsburger, past National President of the League handed me a letter from Alva Duke of the Virginia Wilderness Society and asked me to look into the matter and report back at the next State meeting.
After corresponding with Mr. Duke, a meeting was held in Suffolk, Virginia, sponsored by the Suffolk-Nansemond Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. Dinner was served at this meeting that lasted some six hours.
Those on the program included Dr. Reginald E. Holland, President of the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society (deceased). Dr. Holland pointed out that unless and until the water table in the region was restored in somewhat its original status, all talk of preservation of the Great Dismal Swamp was a waste of time.
A scientist affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute reminded the group that the Dismal is “one of a kind” in its unique natural qualities.
Alexander Brown, author of the History of the Dismal Swamp Canal, stated that some 1½ million gallons of water was used each time the canal locks were opened to allow boats into the inland waterway canal.
The Canal is 22 miles long, running from Deep Creek to South Mills. When the original Canal was dug—mostly by slave labor—it was soon found that the seepage of water into the canal from the swamp was not adequate to keep the canal open to boat traffic. The feeder ditch was dug in 1811 which is about 3¼ miles long and connects the Inland Canal with Lake Drummond. Lake Drummond is used to store water so in times of dry weather, it can be used to keep the canal in operation. Lake Drummond consists of 3,148 acres and when full is 18.65 feet above sea level. When full the lake is about 5½ feet deep.
During the meeting, the threat of fire in the 678 million tons of peat in the Swamp echoed over and over. A peat fire is unlike any other kind. It can burn for years and is almost impossible to put out.
Alvah Duke, representing the Wilderness Society, presented a resume of the laws passed by the Virginia Legislature that vested the sole water rights of the Swamp in the hands of the canal proprietors. He pointed out that as of that date no official at any government level had been found who would demand enforcement of the laws pertaining to certain drainage violations present in the Dismal Swamp. The use of the water flowing into the canal and also the feeder ditch from the West belongs to the owners of the canal and no ditch can be dug less than one mile apart. These ditches must have water control gates so that in time of drought, they can be closed to allow water to remain in the swamp.
A representative of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science referred to the water table dropping and the population increase in the Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Norfolk areas; he stated that the Dismal Swamp had a direct bearing on the annual rainfall in this region.
As a result of extensive inquiry into whatever plans or proposals the Virginia Department of Conservation and the Wildlife Department of the U.S. Department of the Interior might have for the future of the region, it was found that little, if any, serious concern could be found at any of these critical points of control.
At the conclusion of this meeting it was determined that if anything was to be done, it would have to come through political channels that determine and control the necessary steps that can assure the Dismal Swamp a future. A resolution calling upon the individuals present to seek whatever aid from both State and Federal possible was recommended and adopted.
From that day forward, the Izaak Walton and Wilderness people have worked long and hard at the task of saving this great area from destruction.
During the 1970 General Assembly, a drive was mounted to have an act introduced that would repeal certain previous legislation that made it all but impossible for the State of Virginia to use its right of Eminent Domain in certain parts of the Dismal Swamp should it desire to do so. Statewide newspaper and radio articles and broadcasts triggered sufficient public demand and Chapter 709 in Virginia Legislature became law. The right of eminent domain was restored to all of Virginia.
The collective efforts of concerned individuals have had to fight off some wild proposals—including a jet airport in the swamp and a modern race track.
In 1970 Governor Linwood Holton appointed Gerald P. McCarthy as Director of the Environmental Council of Virginia. After learning the plight of the Swamp, he made a personal visit to the area. It was very cold December 28th, and an ice breaker had to go before the small boats to break ice up the feeder ditch. This trip was hosted by Colonel James Tormey of the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The plight of the Dismal Swamp was stressed many times during this and subsequent meetings. The total outcome of these efforts seems to be reflected in a recent report of this Council stating that the ground water resources in Southeastern Virginia are being dangerously depleted. However, this fact had been established as far back as 1966 by extensive surveys completed by the North Carolina Department of Air and Water Resources.
On January 8, 1971, members of the Izaak Walton and Wilderness committees traveled to Fort Norfolk, Virginia, for a conference with Colonel Tormey and other members of his staff. At this meeting, the laws were passed by the States of Virginia and North Carolina vesting the rights of the use of water in Lake Drummond and the flow of it from the west to the owners of the canal was stressed.
Several hours of discussion followed, ending with a statement from Colonel Tormey that a survey of the drainage ditches flowing into the feeder ditch and the Dismal Swamp Canal would be undertaken. Reports are now in, showing all of these drainage ditches, their exact location, depths, etc.; but we still await word of any positive action.
On March 30, 1971, the conservation committees traveled to Washington to present their case for the Dismal Swamp before a joint meeting of members of both houses of Congress. Congressman Watkins M. Abbitt was kind enough to set up this meeting. Those present included Watkins Abbitt, David E. Satterfield, G. William Whitehurst, Thomas N. Downing, all from Virginia, and Walter B. Jones from North Carolina. Representatives from the Senate offices of Harry Byrd and William B. Spong were present.
The details of the problems besetting the Great Dismal Swamp were discussed. The economical benefits flowing into the region as well as its peculiar and unique features and its historical heritage were counted.
Following this meeting the Congressmen present sent individual and collective letters to various departments of the U.S. Interior Departments seeking assistance in the preservation of the Dismal Swamp. A lot of classy excuses that meant exactly nothing was all that came back.
Finally in the fall of 1971, Senators Jordan and Ervin of North Carolina along with Senators Byrd and Spong of Virginia introduced S. 2441 in the Senate, and Congressman Watkins Abbitt filed H.R. Bill 10511 in the House. Both of these bills carry the exact same language. Both ask the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the best and most feasible means of protecting and preserving the Great Dismal Swamp and the Dismal Swamp Canal.
On March 17, 1972, we traveled to Washington to speak at the Smithsonian Institute about the plight of the Great Dismal Swamp. This lecture was sponsored by the National Parks and Conservation Association. The interest of the people wishing to see the Swamp preserved was shown by the numbers that had to be turned away due to lack of room. Around 568 persons heard the lecture and saw proof of the plight of the Swamp.
The Dismal Swamp Canal is the third oldest artificial waterway cut in this nation and is the oldest still in use. This along with the unique qualities of the Great Dismal Swamp share a common threat—the loss of its water resources as a direct result of uncontrolled drainage of the region.
The future of the Great Dismal Swamp, all of its natural and manmade benefits, and uncounted species of wildlife—not to mention the welfare and health of many citizens living along the outer boundaries of the Swamp will suffer if the Dismal goes down the drain.
This can and will be saved if you take positive action and recommend that Senate bill 2441 be adopted and necessary appropriations are provided.
