The Cairo bulletin., 1908-05-15
RESERVOIRS To
PREVENT FLOODS
EXPECTED TO STOP FOREVER DE-
VAsTATlNG SPRING FLOODS
IN UPPER OHIO RIVER.
Work Already Under Way to Cost
S56, ooo,0 oo-system of Reser-
voirs in Appalachian
Mountains.

Washington, May IA plan has
been proposed to stop forever the
costly spring foods at Pittsburg and
other places along the rivers which
drain the Appalachian Mountains,
These annual devastations are so GER
tain in their recurrence that they
have come to be considered almost
inevitable All the efforts of the gov,
ernment with dams, restraining walls,
ana other engineering works have
proved inadequate to control the
streams when they have been
swollen with the melting winter
SHOWS, On the other hand. the gov
eminent projects have proved I'M
avaling to maintain these same rivers
ut a depth great enough TO permit
unhompered navigation later on in
the year, when the flood waters have
spent themselves. This latter trouble
possibly causes greater financial hss
to the South than the flods. but as
it is not concentrated into brief
spectacular outburst, less is heard of
it through the newspapers. 1t was.
indeed, the problem of navigation that
gave rise to the present scheme.
1t is now proposed to go to the
seat Of the evil--to the headwaters of
the rivers-and apply there two rene
dies: First, the maintenance Of a
forest cover which will keep the
ground porous so that il will not shed
all the water from its surface at once
but will soak it up and release it grad
ually; second, to establish storage
reservoirs at strategic points which
will retain surplus flow when it is not
useful but only does damage by being
allowed to run free. and will pay it
out little by little. later on, when it
is sorely needed.
The United States has spent $780,
100000 to improve navigation on the
rivers which have their upland
sources in the Southern Appalachians
and work already undertaken will
cost S56,010000 before it is finished.
This does not include the Ohio river
proper. which is largely supplied with
water from these sources. on which
more than s6,O00,OO0 has been spent.
Despite this outlay navigation is so
precarious on many OF these rivers,
especially in the upper stretches. dur
ing several months every year that
steamboat lines have to suspend
operations and many companies have
abandoned the field because with the
lght-draft vessels they are forced to
use they can not compete with rail
rOals. although steamboat transporta-
tfon is normally much cheaper than
railroad rates. The government has
striven for a 4-foot depth or even. in
some places, for 3-foot stage and
been unable to maintain it throughout
the year.
Experts from the Geological Survey
with the storage reservoir scheme in
mind. last year made a careful study
of the rivers which flow from beth
sides of this watershed, located
reservoir sites. computed the amount
of water they would hold, the heights
of the necessary dams, and the
periods during which the rivers could
be maintained at Yarlosu depths
above their low-water levels during
the dry seasons. The results of this
study are published under the title
The Relation of the Southern APP
palachian Mountains to Inland Water
Navigation" as Circular 143 of the
Forest Service. can be obtaind free
by writing to the Forester at Wash
inetOn. The initial cost of Their reser-
voirs would be greater than the works
under the present system. but the
authors of the circular say that the
storage reservoirs would give the re
lief both in regard to NAVIGATION and
to feeds. which the present projects
fail to supply and they point out that
the relief so gained would be per