Beginning November 1, 1956 and ending December 14, 1956, the Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the Brazos River Authority released 73,000 acre-feet of water (as measured at the gaging station on Leon river near Belton) from the Belton Reservoir for industrial use in the vicinity of Freeport, Tex. (see fig. 1). The need for this water at Freeport came as a result of the prolonged drought conditions causing flows in the Brazos River in the vicinity of Freeport to be insufficient to satisfy the industrial and other uses of vital importance.