The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-07-07


stroyed millions of dollars worth Of
crops, but they have also in many
cases left the land in a condition
which to restore to it's normal condi
ton and place it again suitable fol
agricultural purposes will require
the expenditure of much time anc
money as thousands of acres of the
Minnesota bottoms have been dam.
aged to large extent.by washouts,
deposits of sediment and debris from
these flood waters.
The people of the Minnesota Val.
ley were helpless to prevent these
floods and were obliged to suffer
the disastrous consequences and to
witness their property, which meant
to them in many cases the savings
of lifetime. rendered worthless.
Early in last December, the state
drainage commission ordered sur.
vey made of this river with view
to preparing plans and securing data
looking toward it's improvement, to
the end that these disastrous floods
might be prevented. In January
this survey was begun under the
direction Of the engineer of our com
mission and carried on to success.
full conclusion about three months
later.
This survey was very thorough in
its character, consisting Of not only
complete survey of the river prop
err, but also of the river valley. Com
plete reports of the work are now
being prepared and will be ready for
publication in a few weeks.
These reports will show that it is
entirely feasible to control the flood
waters of the Minnesota river so as
not only to prevent destruction by
floods but so as to use these same
waters in creating more efficient
water powers along the river. to the
great benefit of not only the people
of the Minnesota valley but to the
people of the entire state of Mime
sofa.
1t will show that it is entirely fea-
sible to construct empounding res
ervoirs upon the head waters with a
storage capacity sufficient to hold
the entire flow above Redwood Falls
for period of 80 days and that
these reservoirs can be construct
so that their capacity will be from
twenty to twenty-five billions cubic
feet.
1t will show further, that these
flood waters, when once stored in
these reservoirs, can be released
when required to give greater eff
cheney to water powers along the
streams during the low water stage
and so as to aid navigation on the
lower Minnesota and Mississippi
rivers to very large extent.
The plan of Mr.. Ralph. our engi-
neer, is to create a storage reservoir
of Big Stone Lake. This reservoir
will empound the waters of not only
the Big Stone basin proper but also
of the Milestone river, the waters
from which will be carried into the
reservoir diversion channel con-
structed for that purpose. Work
has already begun on this project
and it is hoped that it will carried to
successful conclusion before the
close of the year 1910.
1t is also planned to create an en-
pounding reservoir of Lac qui Parle
lake, raising the water some eight
or ten feet higher than its normal
stage. This reservoir would not
only furnish storage for the waters
of the Minnesota drainage basin be-
tween Ortonville and the foot of
Lac qui Parle lake, but will also
store the waters of the Chippewa
river, which it is planned to carry
into Lac qui Parle lake through
what is known as the Watson slough.
1t is also planned to create an en-
pounding reservoir in the Minnesota
Valley above Redwood Falls. This
will require a dam about forty feet
high. This dam will not only create