DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 239

competent survey, examination, and study of this project to determine its con-
struction and maintenance cost with the same degree of accuracy as in the case
of other river and harbor improvements in general heretofore approved and con-
structed. The investigations undertaken by this Department with respect to
the Atlantic-Gulf waterway have been as exhaustive and detailed as those nor-
mally undertaken in connection with the preliminary examinations and surveys
of river and harbor projects. This Department has realized from the inception
of this examination that the magnitude of the project required a comprehensive
study and its investigations undertaken over a period of 6 years were conducted
in scope and detail sufficient to establish construction costs with reasonable
accuracy. The estimated cost of maintenance, which must be based in large
part on the experience gained from the maintenance of the many river and
harbor projects throughout the country, would also appear to be dependable.
 2 You refer to paragraph 2 of the resolution which proposes an inquiry into
the sufficiency of plans and information to determine whether the canal should
be a sea-level or lock canal, and whether it should be 30 or 35 feet in depth,
and asked if I believe that there has been gathered a sufficiency of such plans
and information to determine whether the canal should be sea level or a lock
canal, and whether it should be 30 or 35 feet in depth. The data before the
Department indicate rather clearly that the effects of the sea-level canal on the
underground water supply of the State will not be of a widespread and serious
nature. Consequently there is no necessity for the construction of a lock canal
at an increase in construction cost and in operating time over a sea-level canal.
The information gathered by the Department shows that a depth of 30 feet will
suffice for practically all vessels now engaged in the Gulf trade, or likely to be
engaged in that trade for some time in the future.
 3. You refer to paragraph 3 of the resolution, which proposes an inquiry into
 the suficency of authentic information to determine whether the canal will
 contaminate the ground-water supply of the adjacent areas, and asked if, in
 my opinion, a sufficiency of information with respect to underground water
 supply has been gathered to make a determination of the effect of the canal
 on such supply. This Department, in its investigations of the canal, has
 utilized the services of expert geologists and water engineers A special board
 of review, formed pursuant to instructions from the President, also had the
 services of a competent water engineer. The preliminary data gathered by
 the Department indicated that there was some possibility of adverse effects
 on the underground water supply. The more detailed information which is
 now available clearly indicates that the adverse effects are largely local and
 not of a serious nature.
 When the project was placed under way as a part of the relief program, I
 had the district engineer at Ocala, Fla., assemble a board of selected experts
 to consider the data gathered by the two boards, the State geological depart-
 ment, and the Geological Survey, and to undertake additional and exhaustive
 field investigations. These experts have recently submitted their interim re-
 port, which definitely concludes that the effects of the sea-level canal on the
 underground water supply will not be serious, but local in nature and capable
 of control with reasonable expenditures for remedial works. The authentic
 information available permits the conclusion that the sea-level canal will not
 contaminate the underground water supply of adjacent areas.
 4. You refer to paragraph 4 of the resolution, which proposes an inquiry into
 the nature and extent of the available traffic to warrant the ultimate expendi-
 ture of between $140,000,000 and $200,000,00--
 The CHAnmAN. Excuse me a moment. Are you going to say
 anything about the possible contamination of the water supply?
 Mr. BUCKMAN. I have a separate section a little later to cover
 that, if you please, Senator.
 The CHAIxxJr All right.
 Mr. BUCKMAN (continuing):
 And asked it a sufficient investigation and examination has been made and
 data compiled to enable a decision as to the amount of cost of the project
 which available traffic will justify. The special board of engineers had avail-
 able data compiled by the Department of Commerce. In addition, they made
 a detailed study to determine the economic benefits to transportation which
 would result from the construction of the canal. While this information and
 data have not been reviewed in detail by the Board of Engineers for Rivers