Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-05-03

PORTAGE LEVEE.
What l have just said about the power
OF the state to build a retaining wall at
Black River Falls applies also to the con-
struction and repair of levees at Portage
In each case the authority is the same
In the latter instance indeed two appro-
priations have already been made; one in
in the year 1905 for S. 900.
1t is now asserted that the levees built
or improved by means of these approprla-
tons as well as the one constructed at an
earlier time by the federal gOvernm ent need
to be strengthened and repaired.
special committee of the Senate and
the Assembly appointed by the legislature
of 1907, inspected these levees and made
a written report that contains much val
liable information 1t summarized the
facts as follows:
'"rhe Wisconsin river flowing southwark
and the Fox river flowing nOrthward, are
but one and one half miles apart at Port
age the intervening ground being low and
narShy. AT an average stage of water In
both rivers, the Fox is about nine feet
lower than the Wisconsin, and in time of
high water in the Wisconsin and low wa
ter in the Fox. the difference is nearly
twenty feet. This condition often exists
from the fact that the Fox, heading off to
the south and without forest cover, is
swollen by the early melting of the snow,
and has receded to low water stage be-
fore the effect of the melting snow in the
north and on higher land caused the rise
of water in the Wisconsin. Later, how
ever, the Wisconsin rises while the Fox
is still low.
''rhe fall in the Wisconsin is one and
0ne-half feet per mile in the vicinity of
Portage; the fall in the Fox is a trif1e
over four inches per mile i'll that locality.
1.-The territory protected by these levees
Is. on the south side of the river, about
three miles wide and fifteen miles long
with perhaps an extension up the valley of
the BarabOO river.
This is mostly in farms with the usual
farm houses, except part tperhaps one
fourth) which is too wet for cultivation
con the north side, the extent of pro-
tected country is about the same, in the
vicinity of Portage. and is also under SINH
lar cultivation. Resides this the lower part
of the people that are dependent upon
these levees for protection from damage,
to more or less extent, is 1900: and the
amount of property at over $500O0OO
Besides this the entire Fox river valley
at least as far Lake WinnebagO, must
be considered. distance by river of about
one hundred miles, with it's many villages,
several cities. and vast manufacturing and
agricultural interests.
'"The absolute necessity of maintaining
these levees for all time, and the import
ance of controlling the water flow in the
Wisconsin river are two facts that cannot
be too strongly emphasized
Since this report was written the only
important flood that has occurred was that
of last fall Because the water OF the
Wisconsin river is now confined to the
comparatively narrow channel between
these levees it then rose to the highest
level yet known and actually Oyertopped
and 1905. Only prompt action and unre-
hitting vigilance prevented-and appar-
emily very narrowly prevented-a catas-
trophe in comparison with which the dam
age done at Black River Falls would be
very trifing indeed. When the water
reached the top of the levees the people
prevented a general overflow by laying
bags of sand so as temporarily to increase
the height of the embankment and with an
armed patrol on duty night and day pre-
vented it from being cut through by those
who feared damage to their own property.
The strain then imposed upon these en-
bankments. composed as they are merely
of sand, much Of it fine and insubStantial.
has weakened the levees and caused them
appreciably to settle. 1t appears to be the
unanimous opinion of competent obServ-
The high water of 1911 in the Wisconsin
river the Portage levees, thus weakened
and reduced in height. will prove INSULT
cent to cOnfine the Wisconsin river with
danger that the accumulated water gath
cred from the 10000 square miles EN-
braced in the Wisconsin basin will then
pour into the narrow valley of the Fox,
farm houses, villages and cities and in
evitable injury to other property situated
all the way from Portage to Green Bay.
1t is manifest that the danger here
spoken of is due in measure to the very
existence of these levees themselves. Be-
fore they were constructed the Wisconsin
river in times of high water quietly over
flowed its banks and flooded the entire
marShy area between it and the Fox river.
No harm was done then because the wa
ter spread evenly over large section of
country and the current was nowhere Suffi
GENTLY strong to cut a chennel between
the two rivers. Upon the completion of
the Portage canal however by the United
States government this condition of euui-
HhrI1m fup6a 6icturbnH
a new and highly dangerous factor was
introduced. This canal is ditch mile
and half long, fifty feet wide and deep
enough to accommodate a volume of water
which pouring down an incline of twelve
feet to the mile would soon dig a channel
large enough to divert the entire current
should it not do so? Here is vast tor
rent of water suspended as the chairman
of the Legislative committee has said from
nine to eighteen feet over the valley of
way down an inclined plane of soft allu
vial soil The government canal now fur
nishes the channel Who can say how
soon it will be utilized in way not orig
inally intended or even dreamed Of? This
danger is enhanced by the fact that solid
| rock is nowhere found; the soil instead is
moving at velocity such as would natur-
ally be attained here. To protect against
| this danger the government levee was built.
But it affords only partial protection. 1t
and when overlooked the last time the
| lower lock in the government canal washed
| out also. All that remained then as a
| barrier was the upper lock. The federal
authorities thereupon built new lower
| lock and raised the height of the upper
| lock three four feet. Now however they
absolutely refuse longer to improve or keep
| in repair these government works although
| in flood time their canal is the principal
source of danger.
What will it mean to have the Wisconsin
river diverted at Portage into the Fox
| TO find its way ultimately into the Atlantic
ocean through the Great Lakes instead of
| into the Gulf of Mexico as at present !?
What of the probable loss of life? What
of the property destroyed? What of the
industrial disorganizatiOn both on the low
er Wisconsin thus left with only a dry
river channel and in the valley of the Fox
flooded with this new supply of water?
The possible consequences are indeed
alarming.
The present leyeeS though temporary in
character have been built as strong as
construction would permit. But we cannot
| go on forever temporiZng with situation
such as this While it may be necessary
| now to provide against imminent danger.
| the foundations of permanent policy and
lasting security should also be laid Mem
berS of the Joint Committee on Finance
have visited these levees and will I'M
doubtedly report their conclusions to you.
| I feel it to be my duty to recommend
the appropriation of such an amount of