The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-05-29
FOREST FIRES AFFECT
STREAM-FlOW IN IOWA.

Residents of Wallace, Idaho, now
claim that results of the disastrous
forest fires in Northern Idaho in 1910
are being made evident in the chang
ed flow from a watershed then burned
over, which furnishes the water sup
ply of the city. This basin included
an area of approximately two thous-
and acres and was formerly we'll tim
bered with trees from so to 200 years
old. These were almost wholly des-
troyed by the fires of 1910. From
this watershed the city gets its supply
not only for domestic purposes, but
also for the development of electric
ity for power and light, so that the
maintenance of a considerable flow
is essential to the city.
1t is stated that before the fires
the flow of the stream at it's lowest
stages was never below, one thousand
miners inches, the unit of measure
ment which has been used. But since
the fire, the records show that the
minimum flow has fallen to about $50
miners inches and it is now necessa-
nv for the company which furnishes
water, light and power to expend a
considerable amount of money each
year in developing power from steam
and to use a considerable part of this
power in pumping water. Records
of the weather bureau at Wallace
show that the precipitation for the
wears since the fire has been about
normal for the region. This seems
to demonstrate to the tOwnspeople
that the unevenness in the flow must
be due to the destruction of the for
est cover of the watershed and not to
any change in climate or precipita-
ton.
In view of the situation, the forest
service has undertaken to reforest
the denuded watershed. Some plant
ing has already been done and even.
tually all of the watershed which is
included within National forest
boundaries is to be reforested. The
:, people of Wallace are taking consid
e cradle interest in the work and ex
Y press themselves as thoroughly in
# sympathy with the effort that the ser
g vice is making. The experts of the
/ department, however, point out that
d the planting will probably have no i'm
l mediate effect, yet it should influence
d run-Off as soon as forest conditions
y are restored, and re-establish event
ually a more stable streamf1ow. In
the mean time the forest officers are
n taking measurements of the stream
in connection with the records of pre-
cipitation, to determine just what re
l. lation exists, and what results will
$ follow refOrestation.
A definite relation between the
amount of humus, or vegetable matter
a in the soil, and it's crop-producine
2. power as shown by yields of corn, is
given in figures just issued by the de
s partment of agriculture. The depart
$ ment therefore advocates the use oil
various methods to introduce the re
quired humus into the soil.
Experts of the forest service state
that the soils of the whole country
and particularly of the South, have
lost and are losing immense amounts
| of this source of soil fertility through
] forest fires which apparently do lit
| tie immediate damage but rob the
} soil of accumulations of humus. In
! many parts of the South, land is be
ing cleared for farming, and where
such forest land has not been burned
I there is a large percentage of vegeta
] BILE matter, which provides consider
able fertility, and good texture
Moreover, this soil has a greater ca
ipacity to absorb and retain moisture
and thus is less likely to be washed
, and quilted under heavy rains. For
! these reasons, leaving out of account
the damage to standing timber, the
l departments authorities are agreed
that fire should be rigidly kept out OF
woodlands.
Striking facts regarding our forest
, resources, their value and their waste,
are condensed in an eight-page illus
trated circular of the American for
lestry association just issued. The
lumber industry is said to employ
$4,000 people, to whom are paid an
Inually $685., 100000 in wages, the
, worth of products being 81, ESQ, 100000
The forests of the country cover
550,000,000 acres.
An average of 70 human lives are
sacrificed annually in forest fires, says
the circular, and loss of $4,000, 900.
Damage from insects and tree dis
/, leases, which follow fire, costs each
wear S5O,OOO,00O The cost of de-
struction resulting from floods is not
estimated, but is given as countless
millions"
But the circular expresses hope
more than pessimism. AS well as the
colored pictures showing the forest
fire, the effects of the fire, and the
damage caused by floods, it shows
also forests planted and grown under
intensive management, and the ma
tional forest ranger scouting for fires
lon the mountain lookout station. The
effective patrol referred to has re