Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-02-07
DRAINAGE AND ITS EFFECT ON SOIL AND
CLIMATE.

SltMAtE.
There is question among successful and pro
gressive farmers as to utility of the artificial
drainage OF MI lands that are not favored by
natural drainage. In this state it has reclaimed
and made arabic and productive hundreds of
thousands of acres of lands that were formerly
comparatively worthless, covered by stagnant
pools and masmatic boys These contain the
deepest and richest deposits OF the elements of
crop production, and when thoroughly drained
are the most valuable lands in the state
The effect OF tile-6raiuage upon the soil is to
make it warmer, more porous, and better able
to withstand the extremes OF wet or dry seasons.
The water Is more quickly removed from the
surface, where it may become harmful, and is
absorbed by the Sub-So, where 1t is made
available for plant growth. AS to this matter
there ought to be 10 occasion for controversy
among wel-read and experienced farmers, and
the only question for discussion should be that
relating to the best methods OF drainage, to Sc
cure therefrom the best results.
But of late new issue has been raised, and
many are now graVely asking iftheSe tiIedrained
and reclaimed lands have not been purchased
at an excessive price. In other words they are
iuqurfng if by this extensive drainage of ponds
and wet lands we have not ruined our climate.
If that is true, If it can be demonstrated that
drainage of tbs soil is the direct or indirect cause
of our occasional destructive dr0uths, then the
evil effects greatly exceed all incidental benefits
and we should ut once plug up our tile-drans
and set to work to restore the Old-time sloughs
and frog ponds. Certainly we had better cult
vate only the dry ridges, and convert the bottoms
and wales into lakes or quagmres, If that is the
only method whereby we can save the state
from becoming desert.
Let us, however, not condemn hastily, without
u hearing or the benefit of argument. Possibly
we shall find, upon careful investigation of the
facts in the case, that the alleged cause of our
destructive drouths is wholly inadequate to pro-
duce such a tremendous and widespread effect
upon the climate of this region.
And that is the plea which may be entered in
defense Of drainage, that it is too small and in
significant in itself to produce so great aresult
The simple little eartlen tubes, when placed in
the ground ut proper DEPTH may be able to
warm the soil, and make it more iriable and
productive, but we may not therefore assume
that they possess sufficient potency to control
the sweep of atmospheric currents and change
the climate Of an entire continent. The means
is wholly inadequate to produce so vast result
somewhat like the attempt of Mrs. Partington
to sweep back with her broom the tides of the
ocean.
The total area of drained land in this state is
relatively very small. Probably it does not ex-
coed five per cent OF the farmcd lands, or about
1900 900 acres Is it credible that this Ave per
cent, if it had remained wet and Soggy, would
have been sufficient to furnish vapor to condense
into rainfall to amply irrigate the 05 per cent Of
dry lands?
The great drouth of 1894 was altogether too
big u thing to be accounted for by this hypothe-
sis The drouth began in the midsummer OF
1893, the records showing a deficiency Of GOO
inches in the rainfall OF the last six months of
that year. For the year 1891 the average rain
fall for the state was about 1900 inches below
the normal amount, making Il total shortage OF
1900 inches Of water for that year and IL half.
Did you ever figure up the vast amount of
water that would be required to fiji that denci-
ency? TO furnish that amount by local eyapo-
ration or irrigation would require II reservoir or
lake 40 miles long, 30 miles wide, and 16 feet
deep. II would make river one mile wide. 10
feet deep and $500 miles in length. The great
Mississippi river, from its source to its mouth,
amount of water.
These figures represent merely the deficiency
of our rainfall during the late drOuihy period.
But to represent our average or normal rainfall
for the same time, we must increase the capacity
OF our suppOsitiOus channel or reservoir II little
more than two and Il half times, making it 50
feet instead of 1G feet in depth.
Would it not require a pretty extensive area
! of ponds and slOughs to make enough yapOr to
be condensed into rainfall of sufficient amount
to fill that vast chasm? A bare statement of the
question in this form affords sufficient reftl-
tatiOn of that theory
The truth is, this region does not depend up
on evaporation from the surface of its lakes,
rivers and sOughs to supply its normal quota of
moisture. II it did, this great fertile valley
would soon become in fact as IL was at one time
in name-"The Great American Desert" Every
drop of rainfall upon our fields, and every grain
! of vapOr in the air, come primarily from the
sea, and in the order of nature every drop must
| find its way back to the source whence it came.
The surface of the globe is about thrce-fouFths
water and One-fourth land. he continents are
| irrigated by natures dual process Of eyapora-
| ton and precipitation, and all the water they
receive comes from the ocean. From the effect s
of great heat in the tropical zone and the earths
motion, the waters of the ocean are kept NOV
| ing in mighty currents or rivers, carrying some
measure of the warmth and moisture Of the
tropics through the temperate and into the are
tic region. The atmospheric currents and ed,
dies perform a similar office in this distribution
of portion OF the surplus heat and humidity OF
! the great equatorial belt. And the amount OF
moisture which any portion OF a continent re-
ceives depends upon its general topography, and
its favorable or unfavorable location near the
pathway of the great air currents which are
laden with moisture. In the distribution Of
rainfall over this continent the great mountain
ranges bear an important part, by DETECTING OIL
uplifting the humid winds.
In this Upper Mississippi valley it is probable
that 90 per cent Of our annual rainfall come:
from the Gulf OF Mexico. The remaining TIVE
per cent may reach us from the Pacific, borne
hither on the wings of the cyclones which SWEEP
down from the northwest. The great interior
lakes and the larger rivers of the continent ar
| fed by humid air currents from the Gulf ant
oceans. Taking this enlarged view of the ques
tion, we may see the utter folly of the charg
that our poor innocent little drainage system
10 thnn If,,