The Washington herald., 1908-03-29
WOULD STOP SPRING FLOODS
Forestry Services Proposes System
Of Dams and Reservoirs.
Would Cover Appalachian Noun
tains with Forest Reserves and
Hold Back Water in Storage.

Government experts OF the National
Forestry Service think they have hit upon
a plan 70 stop the costly spring floods at
Pittsburg and other places along the riv-
ers which drain the Appalachian Mount
aims. These annual devastations ars 50
certain in their recurrence that they have
ccla 70 be considered almost inevitable.
AB the efforts Of the government with
dams. restraining walls. and other engi-
neering works have proved inadequate
10 control the streams when they have
been swollen with the melting winter
SHOWS The government projects have
proved unaviling 70 maintain these same
rivers al a depth great enough TO permit
unhampered navigation later on in the
year. when the flood waters have spent
themselves
This latter trouble possibly causes a
greater financial loss 10 the South than
the foods. but as it is not concentrated
into a brief spectacular outbUrst less is
heard OF IL through the newspapers. II
was, indeed. the problem Of navigation
that gave rise 10 the present scheme
Il is now proposed 10 go TO the seat OF
the evil-to the headwaters Of the rivers
and apply there two remedies: First The
maintenance Of a forest cover which viii
keep the ground porous so that it viii not
shed all the water from its surface al
once. but win soak Il up and release il
gradually, second. 10 establish storage
reservoirs al strategic points which viii
retain surplus flow when II is not useful.
but only does damage by being allowed %
run free, and viii pay il out, little by lit
tie, later on. when it is sorely needed.
The United States has spent S30.O00O coo
10 improve the navigation on the rivers
which have their upland sources in the
Southern Appalachians. and work already
undertaken will cost AT least S5s.O0Oo0O
before il is finished. This does not in
clude the Ohio proper. which is largely
supplied with water from these sources,
on which more than $6.000.0o0 has been
spent.
Despite this outlay navigation is so pre-
caFiogs on many OF these rivers. espe-
eiaIly in the upper stretches. during sew
eral months every year that steamboat
lines have 10 suspend operations and
many companies have abandoned the field
because with the light-draft vessels they
are forced 20 use they cannot compete
with railroads. although steamboat trans
portation is normally much cheaper than
railroad rates The government has striv-
places. for A three-fOot stage. and been
unable 10 maintain il throughout the year
Experts from the Geological Survey.
with the storage reservoir scheme IN
mind last year made careful study OF
the rivers which flow from both 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 various
depths above their lOw-water levels dur
ing the dry seasons. The results OF this
study are published under the title The
Relation Of the Southern Appalachian
Mountains to Inland Water Navigation"
as circular I43 Of the Forest Service. and
can be obtained free by writing TO the
forester at Washington.
The initial cost Of these reservoirs
would be greater than the works under
the present system. but the authors OF
the circular say that the storage reser-
voirs would give the relief. both In re-
gard to navigation and TO foods. which
the present projects fail 70 supply. and
they point out that the relief so gained
would be permanent whereas under the
system now in operation there is a con-
tinlrous. expense in dredging the channels
which become clOgged with sand and silt
washed down by the spring floods. espe-
cially from the interested areas around
some OF the rivers
In the long run the storage reservoir
method would be cheaper as well as more
effective. for. as one OF the sponsors Of
the plan says. it is better business 10 add
to the tops OF the rivers and get what
you want than 10 keep digging out the
bottoms in an attempt 20 get river deep
enough TO float a hOat IN