The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-25
FLOOD STORAGE.
1t Prevents Damage; Makes IT.
rigatiOn Practicable.

The recent flood has brought out
many ideas and articles in regard to
the prevention of damage from high
waters and the storage of the surplus
Tor irrigation purposes
This paper has already published
Senator Buttons views on the subject.
The senator says that the prevention
or Hoods and irrigation are twin ideas
mat must develop together: that if we
Nill store the surplus water in the arid
and semi-arid regions Of the country
lying west of the Missouri river the
hood problem viii have been solved;
that the storage of the surplus water
viii fertilize the desert; that the de-
ntruction Of forests has increased floods.
that we spend millions of dollars every
year 20 prevent fires. nothing to prevent
Goods that while il viii cost a vast
amount of money. the expenditure will
bring untold blessings.
II my idea is visionary" said Sena-
TOR Burton. 1T VIII vanish before the
Hight OF investigation. If my plan is
not feasible, I viii be glad to see a bet
Ter one I am willing 10 learn"
One Of the most interesting articles on
This subject of floods and irrigation APP
pears In the New York Herald of a re-
cent date and covers the idea of the sec
Rotary OF the geographical society of
Australia, AS follows.
Experts who have made "a study of
tne water supply of the United states
nave had their attention directed again
20 Inc NaGaries of the American rivers.
ne present Hoods in the west especial
~ impressed j. 4. Thomson, honorary
secretary of the Royal Geographical So
clety of Australia who, in making a
tour ol the world, visited this country
especially to study its irrigation sys-
TENS.
Queensland. from which he comes. is
On agricultural country and it's wealth
depends upon the increase of its fields
and of its Hocks. says the New York
Herald. There the subject of water
supply and irrigation has been studied
with 81 diligence dictated by hard ne
cessity, for droughts often continue for
months and occasionally they are of
years duration.
The progress of his country is closely
connected. therefore, with irrigation.
The colonial government dev0tes espec-
ial attention to conserving the rainfall
and to restraining the floods for future
use. DIT. Thomson has given much time
and thought TO schemes for the inn
pounding of waters and he was aston
ished 10 md that no effort is being
made in this country to control the
foods of the Mississippi and Missouri
rivers and make their surplus waters 4
blessing instead OF a means of spread
ing destruction and ruin
Eminent engineers in the United
states have occasionally labored on the
problem OF controlling the Mississippi
aud the Missouri. but their efforts have
been directed mostly to the delta and 10
The aliuFial valley of the great Father
li Waters.
The method advocated bv DR. Thorn
SON. which has been employed with sue
cess by Australian and East Indian en-
Bineers. is that Of getting control of she
tributaries and headWaters by means of
dams. reservoirs and cutOffs for in the
lower section Of the great river it is
oihcuit to keep the stream within
bounds The plans and schemes advO-
Gated by l9r. Thomson are purely tenta-
tive as the problems can be worked out
only hy the aid of actual surveys. which
VIII give accurate Information of the
levels and Of the geological formations
They are general in character and
therefore subject to notifications for
the actual condition. They illustrate
Thar great rivers may be controlled and
The surplus rainfall stored up for use in
irrigation and for conversion into pow
en-
Those who have examined the matter
before have found the chief objection in
the expense which would be entailed by
such system The Investigations OF
Charles Ellet and Gems Humphrey and
Abbott. although they related mostly to
the lower section. were criticised be-
cause they called for an expenditure of
large amount of money.
some or the experts on a generation
ego said that the benefit derived would
not Justify the expenditure Yet the
Mississippi and its tributaries flow at
places through lands which are almost
deserts and which irrigation might re-
claim. The territory which surrounds
the Red and the Arkansas rivers is Of
Ten uafched with heat until fl has the
aridity Of a sahara. In the summer Of
1901 droughts caused the loss Of millions
Of dollars because of the failure of the
corn ere- Since the earlier investiga-
tons il has been found. too, that water
stored in reservoirs may be converted
into power To an extent unknown before
me recent development of electrical
science.
Floods are due to the inadequacy of
the channels or rivers to carry the wa
Ter Channels are the results of the
erosion caused 10y the ordinary flow Of
stream and floods rre not frequent
enough to sufficiently enlarge the pas
sage for times Of emergency.
TO OVERCOME PRESENT CONDT-
TONS.
Among the methods advocated for the
prevention Of floods are. The improve
mfnf of the channel the building of EN-
banEmeuts and the pumping of the wa
ter from the bottoms The plan Of
placing reservoirs along the course CT
streams for taking off the surplus wa
tors is based on the idea that the diff
ference between what "a river viii hold
and the excess is relatively small The
reservoirs provide for the last few feet.
which ara IKE the straw on the back