Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-20
RIVER FLOODS
And The Relation They 8sar to
Forest Drainage.
sffrct Of Removing Underg' owth 0Veresti'
INSTRUMENTATION of Circum-
stances Which Produced
the Late Rise.

At meeting, on Tuesday night, OF the
Engineers Society, at PittsburF, the topic
under discussion was Forests and Floods"
and treated, more specifically, Of thu rels-
ton of forest drainage TO Hoods. Colonel
Roberts read the paper OF the evening and
was prepared with various diagrams show.
ing the heightc attained by various hoots
in different countries. After presenting
statistics Of the different heights II the
waters OF German rivers at different periods,
the speaker closed that portion OF his sub
ject with the statement that, ION the
whole, it can be confidently affirmed that
the records OF many years, on five OF the
II ost important rivers of Europe, indicate
that there is no evidence TO support the
theory that floods are increasing IN height
cr frequency; end as 10 whether the de,
strucuon of forests causes less annual
low water or mean annual discharge, Is an
op.n question" The speaker thea dwelt
st some length upon the changes OF Gil
ms'es, quoting from many authorities upon
climatic changes, who base their theories
'rst The destruction OF forests affects the
high and low water upon this fact.
THE OHIO VALLEY.
Tue numerous floods that have CCcurrei
in the Ohio Valley We're then taken up and
the different dates and stages OF water
wire gwen. In concluding, said the
speaker: The great flood Of 1884 on the
OHIO stands on the record as the hlShes
snoWn. 1t occurred at the usual time for
duods-the early springtime when the
ground is almost invariably soaked with
water from previous rains and SHOWS
Even if the entire Ohio Valley had been
a forest unframed and Astounding with
sWsups the SHOWS and rains which
produced this food would have fallen
on watersoaked leaves and marshes
unable to hold more, and therefore
not TO be accounted restraining res.
Cumberland valley OF this State, where
forests and cleared lands alternately
checker the country, that the fields are fire..
quently bare Of snow at the time Of the
annual spring flood of the creeks. More
over, if it be said that roadside bitches and
other artificial drains expedite the drain
age OF the country into the rivers, We must
recollect that the velocity OF the rivers
current itself will thereby be increased
also. There is quite difference in the
velocity of streams, particularly near the
headwaters, dependent upon the time OF
their rising to given high stage, the de
scending but advancing slope from the
crest being sleeper when the rise is sudden,
The records OF this particular flood at
several points shows that the rlver was
moderately high when the u iod began,
hence the wave came slowly. Rims were
dslly aDG universal for shout two week.
| altogether in tie upper part Of the valley,
| and continued II WEE after the danger was
| all over At Pittsburgh, but not too late TO
| auguent IIt 10 ID at Cincinnati. The area
dir a.
| was III mense, aud il ni1y never occur
| again that the region will be 50 snow-cov-
| ertd and followed BY q combined lhaw and
| protrscted r. my season. There must be q
| copcu renee " things before the food OF
| ISL in the Ohio valley will be dupli-
ca;ed."
The popular opinion, said Mr.. Roberta in
| COZ clusion, no doubt will long be that the
| destruction OF forests increase the height of
| floods, but | am persuaded it is not belief
| founded on established facts.
VIEWS or THE MEMBERS.
At tie conclusions OF the reading OF the
| paper, says the Dispatch, the writer was
| loudly encored, and general discussion
| upon the merits of the question was in,
| vittd by the chair. Several short speeches
we're made endorsing the theory .expound'
| ed by Col. Roberts, in which the society
|
only contrary opinion expressed during
| the discussion was that advanced by Mr.
| Brown, vino said that he had heard the
| opinion expressed that great floods
| occurred in districts were there were
q large number of raj roads the
magnetic influences of iron causing heavy
| rainfall. The gentleman had hardly
ceased speaking until Mr.. Lowrie rose and
asked how lie accounted for the great flood
| of 1852, when there wee no railroads. TGis
Of cry produced 2 great deal Of mirlh,
Which was ended by Mr. Davidson saying
| III, re was not as much water by the same
guage in the rivers in 1892 as there was
this year, and if the people continued to
Ms Ike as much inroad upon the rivers in
tie next 40 years as they were doing at the
Itsent day, it would be impossible to tell
now far the next flood will reach. NJ.
| VI Caif advised the people to build high r.
and get out OF the way Of the next flo ID,
| Il there should be one. After some surt Ter
ii: Cussion the meeting adjourned.
The Young Peoples Mutual Improve
INIT Society" of the Disciples church,