The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-24
Mcpherson County VIII Reclaim
5000 Acres of Land.
Work Is Authorized Under Kan
sas Law Regarding Drainage.
FIVE THOUSAND ACRES
Prospect Provides Reclamation
to Value of $25O,OOO.
Other Items of General Interest
to State Readers.

Mcpherson, Kan, Nov. 24.-At last
the much talked of idea of draining
the Basin and Blaze Fork district
seems to be sure of realization. This
is to be done under the new state law
on drainage, which is modelled after
the Illinois law, and was adopted by
the state legislature several years ago.
Much preliminary work already has
been done and in a few days a petit
ton will be filed in the district court
asking to have the court authorize the
work to be done.
For the first time in the history of
the many attempts TO drain the vast
area lying between the big basin and
the southern part of the county there
is practical unanimity among those af-
fected. There is no opposition and
most of the property owners along the
line of the proposed improvement are
becoming enthusiastic. And we'll they
may be, for the realization of the pro-
1ect will mean the reclamation of some
of the most valuable land TO be round
anywhere in the county. The improve
ment will also be of much value to
those fiat lands southwest of McPher-
son that are annually inundated and
made difficult to farm.
Not only is the project to be accom-
pIished under a new law, but new
scheme in engineering will be utilized
10 carry off the water. While novel,
it is so simple that almost everyone
asks why 1t was not thought of be-
fore. It is simply this: Don't let the
water from the high lands reach the
low lands, but divert it in bitches I'M
til it reaches the outlet.
Formerly it was thought necessary
to find the lowest place and then to
dig a ditch deep enough to carry on
all the water. Engineers have devel-
oped a better and much cheaper way
and this will be followed in this coun-
ty The water will not be allowed to
get into the low places. The rain that
falls on the depression is very little
and can easily be taken care of If
none ran in from high lands.
The way the play is now projected
is for the ditch to start from the lit
tie basin on the Maxwell quarter in
Jackson township. 1t then joins
ditch along the west edge of the basin,
on the section line between sections
81 and %, Jackson township following
this line south to Blaze Fork.
The ditch so far is an easy PROPOSE
ton. It will have only to care, for
the drainage of some ten thousand
acres of very level land which would
not require a capacity of more than
ten million cubic feet a day even dur
ing the heaviest rains. But from the
time the ditch touches Blaze Fork the
problem is changed. Here Is a run
off from some eighty thousand acres
of more rolling land, having fall
of some $50 feet in a distance Of ten
miles. To take care Of the water from
this area will take capacity of $50
million cubic feet a day.
The water now leaves the hills
south of Conway, enters the fats,
spreads out over territory about
two miles wide and gradually finds
its way south. Although the damage
is not great as a rule, it makes the
farming of those flat lands difficult.
The plan is to carry the water
straight south along the section line
a little over a mile and through the
pond west of John Moore'S residence,
and from there a mile south and one
east to the Cheney pond, then south
along the section line to the Cheney
Branch. This branch is to be straight
ened and deepened to its junction
with Blaze Fork.
In the drainage of these ponds the
unique feature referred to above will
be used. The ponds are lower than
the bottom of the ditch and the water
will flow between raised bikes in
some places as high as six or seven
feet above the surrounding land. The
ponds themselves will be drained by
bitches outside of the bikes having a
much less fall than the main ditch.
The Cheney branch or creek drains
six thousand acres of moderately roll
about twelve billion cubic feet OF
water. Cheney creek empties into
Blaze Fork, which latter below the
junction runs due south along the
section line for nearly three miles
through more rolling ground. 1t has
a greater fall than elsewhere an6
there will be but little work tc
straighten 1t and grade UP the road
along the section line.
At about this place the south
branch empties into Blaze Fork, bring.
ing about the same amount of watel
as Cheney creek.
From a mile south of Lake InmaI
1t is proposed to run a ditch along
the section line, making an entirely
new channel for two and one-hal
miles, then to enlarge and straighteI
the main channel to its junction will
Little River.
The main feature of draining thu