Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-05-08
machine at Work Dtching in Red River Valley.
Cutting Ditch wide top on bottom feet deep

s
eroded a channel varying from 100
to 300 feet in width, from 20 to 60
feet deep, and which has an average
fall OF only 6 inches to the mile. The
capacity OF the river, however, is suf-
fcient to carry Off the surplus water
from the summers rains and the
spring waters from the melting of an
average winter snowfall, but after
seasons Of unusually heavy snowfall,
or when the snow melts suddenly
with the aid OF rain, the river is in
capable of caring for the surplus
water, and the resulting food has
been known to extend over the mid
die OF the Valley in places for width
OF ten to fifteen miles. When the
early settlers came into this region,
the undrained surface presented an
aspect most forbidding;; but by per-
severance III draining, through
bitches and road making, the aspect
has altogether changed
The River of the North has been
aptly called the "Nile of America
True, it flows northward; it's broad.
fertile valley is formed of a lacus-
trian or alluvial deposit; and it is in
a sense still subjected to occasional
inundations. The total area within
the United States covers between
eight and nine million acres, or is
considerably greater than the
productive area of the Nile Valley.
But unlike the Nile, the Red River
Valley is located in a region having
cold winters which renders the land
unproductive for one half the year.
The Red River Valley lies on the bor-
der Of the sub-humid area, receiving
an average annual precipitation
(about twenty inches) sufficient to
produce the large crops for which
this valley is famous, even though
the moisture is very uncertain in its
distribution. However, depending
upon variable cyclonic storms for it's
rainfall, which varies from fifteen in
ches, it is seldom that conditions fa-
vor a maximum crop yield OF which
this rich sell is capable.
AS the country develops and inten-
sive and diversified agriculture re-
suits, the question is not alone that
of drainage and getting rid OF sur
plus water in wet seasons, but also
that of equal Importance how to con
verse and utilize this water during
dry seasons, or dry periods OF each
season. The Nile Valley, with pro-
ductive area of only three-fourths
the size of that OF the Red River Val
ley within the United States, and
with crude methods of irrigation
and agriculture, was able in 1890 to
support population OF over 5000,
900 people, while the population OF
the Red River Valley is less than one
thirtieth of that number. The Red
River Valley, for climatic reasons,
can never hope to equal in produc-
tiveness that of the Nile, yet with in
tensive agriculture which is rapidly
developing, who will dare predict
the future shall be, when it's natural
resources are fully developed? The
one question in either Of the areas
above compared has been that of
the natural development and control
of the water resources. The demand
has been growing for a mum Der of
years that some effort be made to
determine whether a better control
Of the surface waters Of the Red Ri
yer Valley could not be accomplished.
In response to these demands. and
recognizing their Importance. the
United States Government has,
through the photographic division
of the q. S. Geological Survey, taken
up the work in the Red River Valley
with the view of determining the an
nual discharge and capacity OF the
principal streams, the location of
possible reservoir sites where water
may be stored not only to relieve
the spring floods, but to be used
later for power or irrigation. Gage
stations are being maintained along
the Red River and on its principal
tributaries, and the results of these
Investigations will be published each
year as a part OF the annual report
OF the Q. S. Geological Survey.