The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-09-01
STATE DRAINAGE BOARD
is GATHERING MUCH DATA
Dam and Locks at Outlet of Red Lake River, IT'S Be-
lieved, Would Drain Swamp Lands and Prevent
Floods Further West

The trip to the Red Lake section
which has just been completed b!
the members of the State Drainag'
Board has been for the purpose o
personally visiting the grounds ant
observing the conditions that pre-
vail there with relation to the
needs of drainage and regulating thu
flow of waters in the lakes and tn.
possibility of creating reservoirs GU
of the Red lakes, and deepening
and Strengthening the channel of the
Red Lake river. These improve
ments, if brought about, would
result in regulating the flow on the
Red Lake river and the Red River
of the North.
Government engineers have al
ready made surveys of Red lake.
and two or three reports have beer
submitted to the departments al
Washington, on the feasibility Of
the project. These reports have
been generally favorable. They
estimate the cost at something like
:$15O,0O0 for putting in a substantial
dam and locks at the outlet of Rec
Lake river, and improving the river
proper.
1t is estimated that, by lowering
the waters of Red lake some three
feet, all of the water forming the
watershed of Red lake could be
drained into Red lake; and it woule
take some six months to bring tn,
lake back to its normal level. Thi!
being true, according to George A
Ralph, state drainage engineer wht
was member of the party which
has visited the Red lake section, i
would be possible to control tn
ifoodwaters of the Red Lake rive
and Red River of the North at
comparatively small cost.
A depth of three feet on the SUI
face of Red Lake would mean ;
volume of between 30,0O0,OOO,O0(
and 4O,00O,O0O,OOO cubic feet o
water, or about the total capacit.
of the five reservoirs on the head
waters of the Mississippi river.
The Department of Geological
Survey at Washington recently com
pleted a Typographical and drainag
map of the country tributary to tn
Upper and Lower Red lakes. Thi
drainage map plans large numbe
of bitches emptying into Red lake
which, when constructed, woult
greatly augment the volume of Re-
lake during flood time, hence tn
necessity of storing the waters
when it can be done at such small
.cost, thereby lessening the DANCE
from foods to lands in the Re-
River Valley.
This plan provides for the drain
age of all swamp lands tributary tt
Red Lake. bitches are general,
laid out along section lines, an
when constructed, will have high
ways along their banks, givin
direct communication, direct outlet
and routes of travel between Spoone
and Baudette to southern Beltrau
county.
The State Drainage Commission
in connection with the Department
of Geological survey at Washington
are making measurements of tn
water resources of the entire state
These measurements consist Q
:gauging all streams through variou
stages of high and low water an
measurement of the discharge a
such stages.
A profile of the surveys is ais
being made along the entire lengt
of the water courses. These SUI
veys, when completed, will show tn
fall in all streams of the state frol
point to point along the streams an
the available waterpower. The SUI
veys also include the examinatio
and survey of reservoir sites, for tt
purpose of storing water for til
prevention of foods and increasin