Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-04
STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION
TELLs OF WORK OF PREsER-
WALTON AND OBSERVATION.
ONE HUNDRED AND THREE
LAkGs AND MARSHES LISTED
Water ohsds and Property Lines De-
tevnsinsd and Sentiment Of Each
communlty on Drainage Obtained
comn,ission to File Report and Rec
omnsndation With Next Legislature
ecial to Times-Republican.

D
/ IDes Moines, Sept. with the in
,rease In the value of farm lands there
nas been more or less pressure on
state officials and on the legislature
in recent years to drain lake beds in
various parts of the state. 1t will be
remembered that the last legislature
provided for complete survey Of each
lake and marsh in the state and
turned the work over to the state
highway commission. The legislature
also provided that the commission file
its report and recommendations as to
the disposition Of each Lake with the
next general assembly.
The service bulletin just put out by
the state highway commission gives a
most interesting account Of the prog
ress of the work and observations con-
corning IoWa's hunting and fishing
grounds and beauty spots. The high
way commission has found this big
task but has undertaken the work with
five crews Of men, one provided by the
civil engineering department OF the
Iowa State College, one from the state
game warden's department, and three
from the men directly employed by the
state highway commission. The work
is now about completed.
Investigation Thorough.
There are 103 lakes and marshes in
the state which the state included i'll
its list turned over to the highway
fcommission. Many Of these had al
Jready been surveyed
4 The surveys now being made By the
highway commission provide a COM
iplete Typographical record of all The
How country surrounding the lake or
tmarsh. The water sheds have been
run out and the property lines deter
mined. The drainage and the effect Of
namming has been made study. The
lakes have been sounded and the ma
leriaI in the bottom has been analysed
with a view to determining the value
of the lake bed for agricultural pur-
poses If the water were drained out
and also to ascertain the possible cost
In case the lake were dredged out, Hof
Improving the lake as a body OF water.
There has also been made an effort
10 find out the sentiment in the vi
entity Of each lake or marsh as to IT'S
probable drainage or improvement"
he highway commission declares in
is service bulletin. This has been
lone largely by personal interviews
With residents in the immediate vi
tinity. Considerable study has been
made of the actual use now being
made of the land and whether the
trainage project has been Of value
tcrth while
I'm general way it has been noted
lat the development Of lake bed
fer drainage is very slow process
ia one involving considerable ex-
bense. 1t takes a number Of years for
{he land to Become mellow and adapt
ed to cultivation. It has been found
that one of the chief values in draining
1.-THE lakes and marshes has been to
provide drainage for the surrounding
farm land rather than In the value Of
the crop or practical use Of the former
Jake bed itself"
A study of the flood control system
s,ser iowa cHesks and rivers is also be-
ing made The northern Iowa lakes
form : natural Feservoir for flood COZ
|; troll but the sta&s highway commission
|. roints ont chat Il = not the people in
the northern part Of Iowa alone who
are concerned IN the drainage of the
northern Iowa lakes and marshes. The
matter is one for the consideration Of
aeS state as whole, says the COM
sbydon.