The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-10-30
DRAINAGE PLANS
FOR 500 VALLEY
CHIEF OF DRAINAGE iNVESTlGA.
TONS FOR GOVERNMENT
WILL MAKE PLAN
PROBABLE COST IS NOT PROHBT|VE
Good News For Farmers In the Sioux
Bottoms Comes From High OFFICIAL
Who Made Personal Survey.

The matter of the drainage of the
farm lands in the Sioux Valley, which
are so prone to damage by overflow,
has been made the subject of a special
study by a high official of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. s. H. McCrory
is the chief of the drainage investiga-
tions and he came to the county and
made a personal visit to the valley
and saw the lay of the land, This he
did at his own instance and the re-
suit Of his Investigations point to a
probable solution of the situation. A
citizen of Bookings, who Is interested,
has received q telegram and a letter
from MI. McCrory, and he permits the
Register to give these to the public
to show hat something is being done
along the line of controlling the flood
waters Of the Sioux river. 1t is ex-
pected that q further survey will be
made this winter and plans laid fol-
proposing the work to the land owner
by spring. The following is the COM
munication received from Mr. Nc
Crory:
Il have not had an opportunity be
fore today to write you in regard to
the Big Sioux river bottoms in the
vicinity of Bookings. Accordingly,
| wired you as follows:
"'My inspection Sioux River bot
toms vicinity Brookings indicates that
practically complete protection from
overflow on these lands can be Sc
cured at a reasonable cost. Improve
present no unusual difficulties.
Land owners should find better drain
age profitable investment. Letter
follows
my inspection of the overlooked
lands along the Big Sioux river and
of the channel OF that river indicates
taat there is need for improved drain
age and protection, from overflow.
Physical conditions are such that
there should apparently be no diff
Guilty in securing adequate drainage
and practically complete protection
from overflow for the lands that it Is
proposed to include in the district.
Present channel Of the Big Sioux
is very crooked and In places
is badly Obstructed by underground
and trees. The channel has a fair
fall; as one goes down stream the
amount Of slope seems to decrease.
By following the methods usually
in retaining lands OF this
character, it should be possible to Sc
cure adequate drainage for practically
all of the land in the valley and to
prevent over1ows except for excessive
which will occur only at in
of many years. In planning
improvements it is probable that
the present channel Of the river should
not be used to any great extent, but
a new channel constructed through
the lowest part OF the valley. Small
and sloughs should be carried
the new channel or the old channel
of the river in bitches of proper size.
The location and sizes of the new
channels cannot be determined until
topographic survey of the bot
has been made. Judging
from experience with other streams of
a similar character in South Dakota
and other nearby states, 1t should be
possible to reclaim and protect these
lands for a cost that the land owners
can well afford to pay when the bene-
that they will receive are taken
into account. l do not believe that
the land owners will make any mis-
If they proceed with the organ
ization of the district and the con-
Of the improvements neces-
sary to protect these lands. AS soon
as | return to the Office / will collect
such information as I can and submit
a brief preliminary report upon this
project. II we can be of further as
sistance to o in connection with
this project, I hope that you and the
other land owners will feel free to
call upon us.
Very truly yours,