Comprehensive Plan for the Columbia Basin

A comprehensive plan for the rapidly growing Columbia Basin (in Oregon and Washington), to supplement Grand Coulee, Bonneville, McNary, and other developments, was completed shortly after the disastrous flood -0f 1948. The planning was done mainly by the Corps of Engineers (United States Army) and the Bureau of Reclamation (United States Department of the Interior), with the participation of other federal and state agencies through a variety of special arrangements, and with general coordination established through the Columbia Basin Interagency Committee. Congress has authorized the construction of most of the proj ects recommended. The paper describes the planning process (including formulation of objectives of water resource development), site investigation and selection, over-all basin studies, and reconciliation of conflicting aims in the choice of projects.