The Parker post., 1914-01-31
FLOOD WATER
CONSERVATION
SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION IN
SESSION AT ATLANTA GIVES
NEWLANDS' CONSERVATION
BILL A BIG BOOST.

One of the important questions be-
fore congress, is that of the conser-
walton of the flood waters OF the
streams of the country, so as to pro-
tect property. The terrible destruc-
tive floods of the past few years
have made this one of the burning
issues of the day. Senator NeWlands
of Nevada has a bill pending which
provides for not only the conserving
of the flood waters but of doing so in
such a manner that they will be made
useful as we'll as safe, and not a
menace to property.
At the annual meeting of the Amer
ican Association for the advance
ment of science, held at Atlanta a
few days ago, Honorable Judson G..
Wall vice-president of the associa-
tion, addressed the division of so
cial and economic science on the sub
ject of flood control. Mr. Wall is
tax commissioner of New York city
and has made a deep study Of the
problems presented by soil erosi,
and the unnecessary waste of waters.
In this address, Mr.. Wall gave strong
endorsement to the Newlands bill,
in part saying:
''The present river regulation pol
icy is wrong.
First, because it does not pre-
vent flood losses averaging over one
hundred million dollars a year.
Second, because it not only per
mits, but provides for the unimpeded
passage to the sea of countless bill
lions of tons of water that is sorely
needed where it falls, for crop rails
ing purposes.
''The Newlands bill, now before
congress, proposes a new policy of
flood prevention and river regulation,
a policy that clearly recognizes the
vital necessity of conserving the flood
absolutely dependent upon water.
''This policy provides for the con-
struction of storage reservoirs on the
source streams, which would supply
water for navigation during the dry
season 1t also provides for diver
sion canals along the upper levels,
for irrigating purposes, and for other
wise distributing water where it will
be most beneficial
Under this plan water would be
compelled to perform it's proper and
normal function of enriching the soil,
before seeking through seepage, the
river and the sea. The season of
freshets would thus provide for the
season of drouth. There would be no
possibility of floods. And there would
he assurance of a safe and certain
volume of water in our navigable
streams at all seasons of the year.
''The storage of water on the
streams would result in the develop
mint of an enormous number of
hydro-electric power plants, which
would lessen the cost of production
and should lower the cost of living.
''G'here are nearly three hundred
million acres of land now idle, owing
to g deficient rainfall, but which
could be made productive, if the
amount of precipitation that does oc-
cur were all utilized, which it is prac-
ticable to do. This plan of making
the best use of all precipitation, would
also increase the productiveness and
tntj eby enhance the value of farms
in all parts of the country.
Hundreds Of business organiza-
TORS and newspapers throughout the
country are demanding from congress
the adoption of this new policy of
projection by conservation And they
ask that the plan be turned over to
the army engineers who constructed
the Panama Canal, for execution
''If these engineers are ordered to
stop the floods they can do So And
tney will at the same time stop the
frightful waste of soil by erosion,
and the wicked waste of water,
which is one of the most valuable as
sets of the nation"