The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-15
Flood Prevention Bill Intro
duced in the House Today.
1t Provides for Board to Nres-
tie With Big Problems.
BIRD AUTHOR OF MEASURE
Appropriation of $4,000 Asked
to Begin Big Work.
Thousands of Dollars Lost hach
Year Because of Floods.

Preliminary plans for harnesslng
the flood waters of Kansas streams,
were outlined today in bill IN the
house by committee on f lood and
drainage. The measure provides for
the creation of the Kansas water COM
mission of which the governor Will be
ex-officio chairman. An expert ehsl-
ueer is to be employed by the com
mission at a salary not tlXed oy Jaw;
An appropriation of 423,OOO Is asheu
to carry on the work OF the colhiiliS-
sion until June 80, 1919.
BIRD of Shawnee county, chairman
of the house committee on tloous anu
drainage, offered the bill The meas
ure was emerged and Will take lts
place on the house calendar lmmeol,
ately. Birds move today was defined
by house members as the initial step
by the state in an effort to harness.
the flood waters of the state ana TO
work out a system of drainage ana
flood prevention in the Kaw. Marlas
des Cygnes, Cottonwood, Neosho, YER
degris, Republican and other large
streams of the state.
introduction of the bill followed an
eighteen months campaign in Kansas
for flood prevention. Under the
measure as presented in the mousse
legislative members believe the state
will be able to cooperate with the
federal government in a campaign to
prevent the flood conditions which
have caused millions of dollars dam
Il ge to hundreds of thousands of acres
of Kansas SOIL.
Another Bill Planned.
While the present bill does not eX-
tend to the flood commission author
}ty to condemn land or to direct new
water courses for streams of the state,
it enables the body to work out sys-
tenn of flood prevention which is eX-
pected to greatly relieve existing cons
Gitions. 1t is probable, Bird explained
today, that another bill will originate
with the house committee which will
extend the powers of the commission
beyond those defined in the present
bin.
The governor of the state is made
ex-officio chairman of the water or
flood commission. As chairman of
the commission. the governor is given
the power and authority to appoint
two other members who shall serve
with him. The bill provides however.
that the two members be appointed By
The governor must he civil engineers
with sufficient qualifications to war
rant them to membership in the
American Society of Civil Engineers.
Develop Watersheds.
Power is extended to the commits
sion to employ an expert engineer to
direct the flood prevention campaign
in the state. The commission is given
the power to fix salaries and outline
work OF the engineering department.
Members of the commission, however
win serve without pay and shall re-
ceiVe only their actual and necessary
travelling expenses and expenses in
CURED while performing the regular
work of the commission.
II will be within the power of the
commission, under the committee bill
to develop watersheds and to estab-
lish river gauging stations. Funds
under the sand royalty act are made
available for use of the commission
These fees amount to $1,000 or $1O.-
600 a year and may be used by the
commission in addition to the regular
appropriation Of S23 600 provided I'M
Ger. 80 DreSCnt bill