Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-02-26

Contracts we're let for lOc per cube
yard, the estimated c. s I II Tue entire
work was 36i2 i57 But the contract
ors f4i.el W furnish satisfactory
bono.
/ The situation was further complicat-
ed BY the fact that dam had been
constructed near the lower end of the
proposed canal by a railroad company.
The right to maintain this dam was
contested in the courts, and decision
rendered in favor of the railroad COM
pany.
Qlite recently this drainage project
has been revived with a good prospect
of completion in the near future
In the Red River Valley, in Mime
sofa, the extensive marsh lands and
swamps, and the excess of soil water
has prevented the successful cultiva-
tiOn OF large tracts of land. Blu: the
state authorities are now successfully
overcoming these difficulties by the
systematic construction of state
bitches, which are virtually small
rivers. will report a few facts taken
from report of the state drainage
commission.
First-In order to understand the
conditions, IL should be SAID that the
Minnesota side of the Red River Valley
is m .de up of three plains VT one water
sheG--if we can cali that a WAFER SHE'D
which fails To shed water All nf these
plains have slight drainage toward
the north--ths same as the Red river
itself, which has a Stops of three inches
miles of It's course These plains are
different slopes tow ard the river. The
one auj .cent to the river has slope
sufficient to rid itself of { xcasslve slOf,n
water, and ha, ample We'll defined
channels and water courses and over
flow Is uncommon. The eastern OF re-
mote sumlt plane has even better dram
aye, AS it, is IN the y ope of the old lake
Agassiz. and its stream, easily denver
the water TO ITS western boundary.
Tbs middle section, however, ten miles
wide and go miles long, has q natural
slope of a few inches to the mule. and
sm All streams cannot MAINTAIN their
COURSES with so slight q fall The low
velocity cannot keep the cnannes open
by natural erosion and sedlmeltatlun,
aud tbs growth of vegetation soon aU-
llterates all traces of water course
In facL no small streams exist ON this
middle belt, an thu few large ones
that cross 1T are menace rather than
/. safeguard In llm, of food the
small available slope III these large
streams Is consumed IN bends aud
CROOKS, and disastrous owe flows result
from any extra dem ,Dd put on them.
The middle section must therefore
dispose of excess water b7 the slow
process in lniiltraiion and ev operation.
IL accomplishes this tn a great ex ent
mainly on account of a relatively small
rain fall and d.ep porous soil.
But III addition to Its own rainfall
1T receives that from an even larger
area to the east through numerous
small streams thstliterally loose hem
selves bv spreading over the prairies
of the middle section.
Only part of this middle section is
really swamp land, it is all slluv .il de-
pOslt over Clay sub SOFT -axcAedinglv
fertile and of the finest quality for all
around agricultural purposes when
drained.
1t is for the purpose of retaining
this territory about $50 square miles
in extent--that the state Is conduct
ing its drainage work.
While the state cannot supply the
necessary slope to produce natural
rivers. it can cut deep, straight chan
nels across this belt, and thus do awav
with the velocity consuming bends
and make available the existing slope
AS the resulting small velocity of
one to three miles per hour is not sutfi
cient to prevent the growth of grass
and vegetation in the bottom of the
bitches, this grass must be removed
from time to time.
The Great Northern railroad crosses
this territory and after suffering severe
loss by the washing away of their road
bed by repeated overflows in 1879 con-
structed for the protection of their line
about forty-five miles of bitches.
These bitches we're three feet wide
in the bottom, with side slopes of one
or one and One-half varied in depth to
meet local conditions.
These bitches drained the storm
water from the roa6bed, and they we're
object lessons to the adjacent land
owners, showing that even small
bitches, we'll located, were of great
benefit.
In 1886 a convention was called TO
formulate some practical plan for the
general drainage of that section.
1t was very properly decidedwas 8
an accurate Typographical survey that
needed first, and $ 900 was subscribed
at once for this purpose.
This survey was made. and plans
matured which called Tor 275 miles of
main bitches at an estimated cost OF
$3.50, 600.
The legislature passed bill creating
the Red River drainage commission
and appropriated 100000 with which
to commence the work.
A study of the map resulted in di-
viding the area to be drained into 20
sub-dralnage districts varying in sizs
from 1900 to $500 acres each.
The bitches for these are of various
lengths, depths, and carrying capacity
o suit the local demands.
Their cost is from 3 400 to $4,000
per mile. and the contract price for
these bitches was &c per cubic yard.
and at this price the system of main
bitches would cost 75c per acre of the
land benefited.
The ultimate success of the under
taking is assured. and the work of the
state is being supplemented by the
building of systems of secondary
bitches at the cost of the nine counties
interested.
The commission reported to the gov
srnor thatln 1897 the completed bitches
had saved crops valued at three times
the cost of the work in that one year
Polk county was so we'll pleased with