The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-04-01
PRACTICAL FLOOD PROJECTIONS.

PRACTICAL FLOOD PROTECTION.
The near approach to a food stage
In the Ohio river al this point restves
interest IN the various preventive pro
jects that were discussed after the
destructive food OF last year. The
promotion and exploitation OF the res
erVoir system at the headwaters.
which started IN Pittsburgh and is be-
Ing followed up in the river front
towns and cities along the West Viz
einia and Ohio borders. has its advo-
Gates. but the most competent author
ities on this subject have declared this
system OF food protection TO be i'm
practical. as was shown by Major
Mitchell. OF the United States Engi-
neer Corps. OF this city. He advo-
Gated the levee. or embankment form
OF protection TO Wheeling as the only
plan by which definite results could
be secured. The agitation of the res
eryoir system Is distracting public at
tentlon from something practical. and
attempting TO mould public sentiment
for project that would possibly bene-
NJ Pittsburgh. but afford no relief 10
cities and towns situated further down
the Ohio river.
The levee. or embankment. plan
suggested by Major Mitchell is sus-
tanned by Colonel Townsend. OF the
Engineer Corps. and president OF the
Mississippi River Commission. In his
report on the Mississippi river foods
be maintains that levees AFFORD the
only practicable means OF preventing
the damages which might be caused
by floods. They have been success
fully employed on European rivers.
and ARE the only means OF food pro-
lection that have been tested. or, II
tested. have not failed" Is not sue
cessful test a safer criterion than an
improved project? IL is true. reser-
voirs do help TO some extent, but their
protective powers are limited. This
is shown in an address made by Colo
mel Townsend on this matter last Sep
TENDER. in which he said:
Reservoir control OF the Mississippi
river was discussed by Humphreys and
Abbott In 1855. and on the upper Missis-
slppl the corps OF engineers had con-
structcd the largest system OF reservoirs
for regulating rivers that has been built
In any country. having nearly TWICE
THE CAPACITY OF THOSE PROPOSED
BY THE PITTSBURGH FLOOD COM
pittsburgh. Conditions are extremely
favorable for reservoir construction at
the hoadwaters OF the Mississippi. but
CREASE. THE Low WATER Dis
CHARGE AT ST. PAUL AND MARKED
LY REDUCE FLOOD HEIGHTS. YET
RIVER 1T Is IMPOSSIBLE To DE-
TECT THEIR INFLUENCE DURING
EITHER HIGH OR Low WATER.
That is the point. Pittsburgh might
be protected from damage by food
through the reservoir system. but how
would Wheeling fare 100 miles below.
and other cities still lower down?
The Pittsburgh Flood Commission has
carefully prepared project which
proposes to store in II reservoirs 3d.
O00.000,00O cubic feet of water at an
estimated cost of about S21. OO0, 900.
which Colonel Townsend considers
reasonable. and he adds:
F1fty-nine thousand million is a pref
- large looking figure. but | made a
little computation TO see what II meant
when translated into unit applicable
To the Mississippi river. and found that
during less than seven hours 80 coo. OOO.-
goo cubic feet OF water flowed by the
latitude OF Red River at the crest Of the
recent flood. and. based on the estimate
or the flood commission. ~ would there
fore require over &73.000.0OO to build
reservoirs that would hold the water
that passed down the river in one day.
The cost OF storing one days flow r.
ample for all the lcvce construction re-
placed on reservoirs. provision must also
be made for the other IS days the river
was above bank-full stage
The most convincing argument
against the impracticability Of the
reservoir plan is found in another adj
dress made by Colonel Townsend on
food control. wherein he sets forth the
arrangement Of the benehcent laws of
nature through construction OF reser-
vOirs:
The water which f. distracted from
the tfulf Of Mexico h. usually precipi-
tated IN the Mississippi valley within
a period 81 two days. The return flow
extends over a period OF two or three
months. The sum Of the maximum dis
charges Of the various tributaries Of the
Mississippi River ~ nearly 1000 900
second-fcet. while the greatest measured
discharge Of the river itself is about
$500. 900. This apparent discrepancy
arises from the fact that the floods %
the tributaries do not reach the Gulf az
the same time. The crest Of the Ohio
River flood usually passes down the
river in March or April. that ~ the Mis-
souri, in May or June. Moreover. the
same law applies TO the tributaries Of n
tributary. The waters % the southern
branches q the ohio tend 90 discharge
into that river before those IN Ohio. In
diana. and Illinois
Ey the construction % reservoirs this
hcncflcCut law of nature ia deranged.
Instead of the crest 81 the flood Of one
stream passing down the river before
that ~ another reaches 10. two prolonged
high stages viii obtain. which viii tend
90 syuchronlze. and the resultant com
hiuafiou mey BE- higher than either flood
would have boon hy Itself
a system ~ flood control designed 20
BE- satisfactory Tor ono city may BE-
b most disastrous 90 another locality far