Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-15

Advocates VI CuahhSs NSA~.6-
have many points Of fact with them
The fundamental principle underly-
ing this method is the hurrying away
OF water already In the channel 80
that it may not be present when the
last Of the flood waters arrive. Any
thing whatever which impedes tne
water current in a stream tends to
produce a flood. In its qualitative
Influence 1t becomes a flood produ-
Ger. because 1t holds back the water
already in the channel until new
rainfall water may overtake 1t, Con-
yersely, anly influence which Will
hurry water along and get 1t out OF
the way tends to prevent flood, ana
therefore, should be applied where
ever feasible. The universal ten
dency OF streams with flood-plains Is
to silt up their channels as ALREADY
nointed out. This filling In process
Il greatly increased by driftwood'
stumps, and other objects becoming
lodged which retard the velocity OF
the water in the bottom Of the river.
Clearing a river channel OF stumps
and trees and snags, therefore, in a
measure increases the velocity OF the
thnt
water. One can hardly believe that
intelligent land owners would spend
vast sums Of money in river improve
ments to prevent floods and at the
same time neglect to provide against
such river distractions. But we find
these contradictory actions in many
parts Of America.
Suppose drop of rain falling at
Junction City occupies four days IN
travelling to Kansas City, and sup
pose again that by removing impede
ments in its pathway its velocity
could be increased SO that 1t would
make its journey in three days Ger
tainly at any given point throughout
its course 1t would be out OF the way
much earlier than should no I'M
provements be made and, therefore
its influence as a flood producer
would be correspondingly lessened'
II now. we find stream which has
carried its meanderings to such an
extent that the length of its course
has been doubled, the length OF the
time required for water to travel the
course, likewise would be doubled
YES. more than doubled, because itf
actual velocity would be in a mea'
sure retarded. Throughout the
course Of every stream with q flooc
plain meandering Is more in pro
nounced in some places than II
Others, and in such places maxi
mum good could be accomplished BY
STRENGTHENING the channel.
In the southeast corner Of Bates
county, Missouri, the Marais des
Cygnes river has excessive windingi
throughout stretch of about TWEEN
ty-five miles. Under provisions OF 9
state law a drainage district was In
corporated and all the land within \
taxed to defray the expenses Of
Strengthening the chained. A skilled
engineer was employed and improve
ments are now well under way. By
building a new channel twenty-thret
and a half miles in length the present
channel, seventy-three miles Ions
will be abandoned. 1t is estimated
that 1t now requires water three ant
4 half days to travel this seventy
three miles, while but eight hour
viii be required to travel the twenty
three and half miles. This short
ening Of time is much greater thar
shortening OF distance because nc
curves will encounter the water
Again the twenty-three and a hal
miles will have the same absolute
fall as the seventy-three miles
changing the fall per mile from eigh
inches to about twenty-six inches
which Of itself would almost double
the velocity Of the water.
one Of the phases Of this subiee
that should be emphasized in the pos
sibility Of using the waste energy o
the water current to help in cuttinI
new channels. There is no more nee
essity Of using man power and steam
power to do all the work than Their
is for using like power to turn tn
turbine wheels at a water powe
plant. An engineer who fully under