Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-04-19
Secretary Mississippi River Levee
Association.

Extending from Cairo, ILL.,, at the
mouth of the, Ohio river, to the Gulf
of Mexico, is the main trunk of the
Mississippi river. Into this main sew
err are led the waters from $4,000
miles Of tributary rivers, bearing the
foods from 81 states and a part Of
Canada.
Through this alluvial valley the
channel Of the great river meanders
in d tortuous course with a total
length of 1866 miles, a depth Of from
% to 100 feet. and width varying
from one to two miles, between banks
when a, flood, like the one that is now
coming down, is poured into this low
er river precipitately, because of the
rapid run.off above due to advanced
methods of drainage now in effect
throughout tho 81 states comprising
the drainage basin; the natural banks
are overlooked by the water and it
must be held within the channel by
earth embank:nents Or levees.
Levees Incomplete.
Those levees now hold back the riv-
er throughout its entire length, from
Illinois and Missouri to below New
Orleans. They are by no means COM
plete, although they have been con-
structed to their present height and
~cross-section al a. cost of about $780,
000,0O0,00, twothirds Of which has
been furnished by the lands protected
and one-third by the national govern
ment. -
1t is estimated by the Mississippi
River commission that the entire
levee system al be completed for
s5S,00O,GO0, and that for about $780,
100000 additional, the banks can be
%revetted and A permanent navigable
channel established for commerce.
Much has been spoken and written
of late concerning flood prevention in
this part of the river by the construc-
ton Of reservoirs at the headWa-
ters Of the umerou tributaries, but
if anyone will take the trouble to
make a few simple calculations, they
will soon realize how utterly imprac-
teal this is, however strongly it may
appeal to them on first thought.
Reservoirs ImpracticabIe.
A volume o. water is now passing
Memphis at the rate of 1900, 900 cub
ic feet per second, and it will continue
to pass at this rate during the next
thirty days. This means S,2S0,0 00, 900
cubic feet in an hour; 19S,720 600, 900
in a day; 1851 $685. OO. 600 in thirty
days. There. are 27,91S,40 square
feet to the square mile: If we should
attempt to hold just half of the food
in reservoirs, it would require 107 Of
them, Of 100 square miles each, with
water 10 feet deep. The Roosevelt
dam in Arizona is holding but a frac-
ton of what one or these would hold
and it cost over $50 ,000. If, then,
each reservoir were to cost but $S,O00,-
900, such a scheme, if it were posi-
bic of being carried out, would cost
$S4S, OOO, 900, at the very least guess.
Everyone throughout the United
States was intereste in watching
the news of the flood as it passed
down the river during the two
weeks; and the accompanying map
will serve to illustrate how truly ma
tional the problem is. Nearly $780,
100000 damage was done by a similar
flood last year. in this rich valley and
the national government is being urg-
ed to take charge Of the main body
of the river and complete the levee
system at once through an adequate
appropriation for that purpose.