Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-23


cutoff. They are partly Interchange
able About Il third of the run-off. or
tenth of the entire rainfall, passes
through the Mississippi. The run-off
is increasing with deforestation ard
cultivation.
! OF the 100000, 100000 cubic feet
annually flowing into the sea less than
/ per cent is restrained and utilized for
municipal ard community supply. Less
Of that in the arid and semiarid re-
/ gions) is used for irrigation. Perhaps
per cent is used for navigation and
less than per cent for power.
For municipal and community water
supply there are, protected catchment
areas aggregating over 100000 acres,
and over S2J0.000,O00 are invested in
| waterworks. with nearly as much
more in the appurtenant catchment
! areas and other lands. The popula-
tion so supplied approaches 100000,
and the annual consumption is about
81. 100000 cubic feet. The better
1 managed systems protect the catch
ment areas by forests and grass. The
| water is controlled and the storm
product used. but there is large waste
| after the water enters the mains.
For irrigation it Is estimated that
there are $200,090O00 invested in
dams. bitches. reservoirs and other
works for the partial control of the
| waters and that 0,000,O00. 600 cubic
feet are annually diverted TO irrigible
! lands. aggregating some 10000 square
miles. Except in some cases through
forestry. few catchment areas are con-
trolled and few reservoirs are large
enough to hold the storm waters. The
| waste in the public and private prof.
ects exceeds GO per cent. while no more
than % per cent of the water actually
available for irrigation Of the arid
lands is restrained and diverted.
None CT cur rivers are navigated TO
more than Il small fraction even Of
their effective low water capacity.
The water power now in use is
100000 horsepower; the amount run
ming over government dams and not
used is about 100000 horsepower;
the amount reasonably available equals
| or exceeds the entire mechanical pow
er row in use or enough to operate
every mill. drive every spindle, propel
every train aud boat and light every
city. town and village in the country.
While the utilization CT water power
ranks among cur most recent and most
rapid Industrial developments. little
effort has been made to control catch
merit areas or STERN waters in any
large way for power. though most
plants effect LEGAL control through res
ervoirs and other works. Nearly all
the freShet and flood water runs to
waste, and the low waters which limit
the efficiency of power plants are in
crcasing in frequency and duration
with the increasing food run off. The
. direct yearly damage by floods since
1900 has Increased steadily from 49,
. 00O,O00 to over S23S 100000. The indi
: rect loss through depreciation of prop
erty is great, while a large loss arises
! in impeded traffic through navigation
and terminal transfers.
The freShets are attended by de.
!.structive soil erosion. The soil matter
annually carried into lower rivers and
100000 600 tons. Soil wash reduces by
10 or 20 Fer cent the productivity OF
upland farms and increases channel
cutting ard bar building in the rivers
[ The annual less to the farms alone is
fully S50e.Go0.C00. and lar:-c losses fol
low the fouliEg of the waters and the
diminished navigability of the streams
Through imperfect control of tho
running waters lowlands are tempo
rarily or permanently flooded. 1t is es
timated that there are in mainland
United States about 75.000.000 acres OF
overflow and swamp lands requiring
+ drainage, that by systematic operation
5 these can be drained at moderate ex
pense and that they would then b
worth two or three times the presen
l value and cost of drainage and woul
furnish homes for 100000 people.
7 A large part of that half of the an
r nual rainfall not evaporated lodge
temporarily in the soil and earth.
is estimated that the ground water {
5 the depth of 100 feet averages Is =
D per cent of the earth volume, or owe
: 1.400, 000. 0O0.0o0 cubic feet. equiva
e lent to seven years rainfall or twent
: years rua-off. This subsurface resel
p voir is, the essential basis of .agricu