Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1909-12-23
TslIahstchis Drainage Plans.
tContInued FROM last lssue.l

/
it is necessary to construct enough
outlet channels to carry the drainage
water through the district, for In
stance, iu the st. Frrncis drainage
district in Arkansas, for which l have
prepared plans and estimates, more
than THOUSAND miles of artificial
channels will be necessary for drain
| ing an area approximately equal in
size to the Tallahatchie drainage dis
| trict. In that district the lateral drain
| age channels willapproximately equal
in cost the main drainage system. In
the Tallahatchie district, however, a
very remarkable condition exists.
The Mississippi River, in overhowing
the delta, has formed vast number
of bayous and channels. 1t is esti-
mated that there are not less than
1900 or 1000 miles of these. a thor
ough cleaning of them will be mex
pensive as compared with the cost of
excavating bitches, and will complete
the surface drainage for very larse
part of the area. leaving compare
lively few new channels to be con-
structed. In fact, there are more
miles of natural drainage channels in
this district than there will be of both
natural and artificial channels in st.
Francis drainage district when that
work is completed.
"The Tallahatchie drainage district
is exceptionally well situated in that
with the completion of the main drains
and the clearing of the natural chan
nels, the question Of surface drainage
to large extent will be solved. In
time the people OF the delta will de-
mand tile drainage and this will re-
auire additional expenditure for tiling
and in some cases for deepening OUT
let's, as it has ing all other localities
where this final form Of drainage i'm
provement has been undertaken.
I'm the study of this situation there
is one single fact which has impressed
me as of more immediate import than
all others. Itis'that while great care
and mature consideration should be
given to the choice of the method
adopted for improving this area, it is
very necessary for the welfare of the
people of the Tallahatchie- Coldwater
Valley that this problem be worked
out as a single enterprise, and by a
single, well prepared plan. This is
great engineering problem, and to be
successful it must be handled ina
comprehensive and an able manner.
To temporize with the situation by
dismembering the district at the pres
-ent time, and by organizing in it's
place a number of smaller districts,
will inevitably mean much greater
cost Of drainage, continual conflict
of plans and of interests, failure
ever to receive the full results of a
comprehensive development, and ia
loss of all collateual benefits such as
the development of power and the i'm
provement of navigation.
IF the people of the district ought
earnestly too support the working
out Of this problem as whole, the
inhabitants of the counties below the
district ought to be none the less in
sistent that this course be taken; for
by the plan proposed a large part of
the flood waters of the district will
be prevented ever reaching their ter
ritory; while haphazard system of
Improvement must inevitably result
IN increasing the food stages on the
over river {
Mr.. Morgan quotes Mr.. Proutt's re- i
port to the effect that the water which
would be available for power pur-
ooses during the year of lowest rain
all since 1871 would generate con- :
inuous output Of 1900 horse power
or "a hours per day or 1900 for y z
lours per day, delivered to consumers
n Memphis. With a conservative
ninimum price for this power, he
links that net revenue Of 500, 900
er year should result, after allowing
II fixed, maintenance and operating J.
harges for the power plant, the first :
ost Of which, with accessories, is es-
mated at $54O, 900. B
AS bearing upon the general solu- 5
on Of this problem and its effect upon
avigation, General Ernst's report is,
! part, as follows:
From the foregoing summary it
ay be inferred thai the plan which
'omises the best results from the