Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-16
THE FLOOD LESSON
Entertainments on Streams
Increased the Losses.
REMEDIES FOR CONDITIONS
Engineer Commission Needed to
Study Whole Problem-Con-
servation of Water.
REMEDIES FOR CONDITIONS

Senator Theodore f. Burton. in Review of Re
AS the most serious damage resulting
from swollen streams occurred in the
cities and towns located along their
banks, naturally most Of the remedies
suggested have related to local condi-
tons. Most Of these proposals contem-
plate the removal or remodeling Of OBJ
structive bridges. and the enlarging and
Strengthening Of channels, and similar
Improvements. The purpose of nearly all
these plans is that of facilitating the dis
charge of flood waters. The difficulty
with all such methods is that while they
may relieve local danger they all tend
to pass the water on with constantly in
creasing volume into the lower reaches of
the stream.
There will be no satisfactory solution of
the problem of flood prevention until a
plan Is devised for a comprehensive con-
troll and Improvement of watercourses in
their entirety. One OF the most trouble
some phases or legislation relating to
both navigable and non-navigable streams
is the multiplicity Of jurisdictions. As
long as the federal, state and local gov
ernments all have certain Jurisdiction,
without any central directing authority,
there are sure to be ill-advised, incon-
sistent and conflicting plans of improve
ment.
Wanted: An Engineer Commission.
AS the country develops and becomes
more thickly populated the necessity OF
Improving all natural watercourses with
view to securing their maximum bene-
ficial use for all purposes, including do
nestle uses, navigation, irrigation, water
power and for flood prevention, becomes
more and more important and increas-
ingiy or national concern. 1t is, there
fore. highly important that the control
OF these streams should pass wholly to
the federal government or to the fed
erai government with the cooperation of
the states, under some plan that will re-
suit in a harmonious and commemorative
plan of Improvement.
To meet the more pressing needs OF
flood prevention 1t would probably be ad-
vtsable that. first Of all, a competent COM
mission of engineers should make a
thorough study of the problem especially
In the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. where
the most serious floods OF recent wears
have occurred. 1t Is manifestly impos-
sible to formulate any intelligent scheme
with the data now at hand. SOME means
should at once be provided for prevent
ing any further obstruction OF streams
and as far as possible for removing OBJ
structfons already existing. For this pur-
pose 1t might prove expedient not to al
low the construction of bridges. levees,
reVetmentS, DOCKS or any other structure
In or along the channel OF q stream with
out the consent of a board Of govern
ment engineers.
The vast areas required, and the enor-
nous cost OF constructing storage reser-
voirs of sufficient capacity to prevent or
materially mitigate floods has so fan
made such a plan appear impracticable
although 1t may prove feasible under GER
tain favorable physical conditions to uti-
lie this method
ReforeStation, especially along the IN
per reaches of streams, has not infre-
quently been urged as a means of fooe
prevention. 1t must, however. be said
that so far as reliance can be placed upor
data already secured the amount of bene
fit from this source is exceedingly limited
The theory that floods were less extern
sive and the precipitation greater during
the period when the country was almost
entirely covered with forest rests very
largely on unreliable data. Scientific in
veStigation falls to substantiate these con-
tentions. 1t is perhaps true that the
adoption of system OF farming which
would retain the rainfall on areas not in
actual cultivation might to limited ex-
tent reduce floods. In general plan
which retains the run-of in the upper
reaches of the streams and accelerates
reaches, especially when adequate chan
nes can be provided, are the two essen
tial elements of an adequate and COM
prehensive system for preventing de-
structive floods.
An examination of the situation in Ohio
leads to the following conclusions:
The flood was unprecedented because OF
the very widespread and unusual rainfall
In it's destructive results 1t was in some
localities as serious and unexpected as a
cyclone or earthquake
None Of the methods which have beer
most earnestly advocated would have beer
sufficient for its prevention. Neither for
estation nor the construction Of reser-
voirs would have prevented the loss OF
life and damage to property which &C.
CURED Probably neither Of these meth
DDS would have appreciably diminished
the disastrous effects. There Is wide
difference Of opinion in the state concern
ing tie desirability Of reservoirs. Some
even advocate the abandonment OF those
already in existence. Others favor then
retention and the construction of still
new ones To these subjects careful at.
tention should be given. though 1t is prob
able that neither the growing OF forests
nor the building of reservoirs VIII AFFORD
any practicable solution.
Distractions to Streams.
In localities where the disaster was
most severe the calamity was undoubted-
" aggravated By local conditions. Mos'
noticeable OF these were the types Of
bridges in use and the resultant en-
croachments upon channels. The river
channels were narrowed by bridges with
70 or ends and hy the