The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1920-11-24
Reservoirs TO
Prevent Floods
RESULT OF SURVEYS AND FIND
INGS MADE PUBLIC BY E. V.
WILLARD.

CUIiSII USUlOIi VI lllISS tdI Se IeSSL-
voirs with total capacity Of 18,500,-
100000 cubic feet at various sites in
the Minnesota river valley to protect
most of the valley from devastating
floods, is recommended in the report
Of the Minnesota department on flood
Investigations.
The report, which is result of in
vestigations conducted during this
and past seasons in the Minnesota
river valley, and consists Of seven
teen conclusions, has been made pub
lie by E V. Willard, commissioner of
the state department Of drainage and
waters.
The report declares that material
reduction Of devastating floods is pos
sible, but that some lands must be
sacrificed for the protection of others.
The cost of the project is estimated at
nearly $2,OOO,OOO.
Big Stone Lake Cited
The first reservoir site. according to
the report, is Big Stone lake, where
1000, 100000 feet of storage capacity
is available. During the winter the
lake can be drawn down two feet more
in the interest of water powers locat-
GU Dll LIlc SlItdIl DclO" anu 1OI DuI-
poses of storing more of the early
spring run-off. The report recon-
nends that the Milestone river be
directed into the lake.
The site for the second reservoir is
Lac Qui Parle and Marsh lakes, where
capacity Of 9,O0O,00O,000 cubic feet
is available. Both the Lac qui Parle
and the Chippewa river are to be di-
verted into the reservoir.
The valley at the mouth of the Cot
tonWoOd, where a capacity of $780,
100000 cubic feet can be obtained is
the third site mentioned in the report.
No substantial protection Of the
lands below Mankato is possible by
means Of the upper reservoirs alone.
Even lands above New Ulm can not
receive the desired protection from the
upper reservoir because they are
now so frequently flooded by the Cot
t0nWOod sending its water fifteen
miles or more upstream. These lands
above the mouth of the Cottonwood
are. very low and flat. Some Of the
marshes are no higher than the mea-
dows at the mouth of the Cottonwood,
twenty-five miles downstream. The
Cottonwood river is almost capable of
maintaining a lake in this part of the
valley in the same manner that the
MILESTONE formed and maintains Big
Stone lake and Lac qui Parle river
formed and maintains Lac qui Parle.
All three of the proposed reservoirs
are located where there are natural
lakes Of ponds, marshes and low-lying
lands, and the main stream has very
little fall.
Complete Protection Impossible.
Complete protection of all lands in
the Minnesota river valley against
yearly floods is not possible because
larger areas must be used for the pro-
lection of the remainder, the report
continues. "Upland bitches must out
Vet into the valley or into tributaries
leading to it. Reservoir construction
for retarding the flood waters of the
individual tributaries, before they
reach the main stream is not possible
because no adequate sites are avail
able. Water must be stored in the val
ley ITSELF" it says.
Following are the conclusions reach
ed by the department following its
Investigations:
mo substantial protection of the
Minnesota river valley lands from
flood; can be accomplished by either
levee construction - or channel I'M
prOvement.
Flood protection must and can be
accomplished by reservoir construc-
ton.
Held Worth Twice Cost.
THE protection of most of the val
ley lands from frequent flooding is
possible and it is believed that it is
worth twice as much as it would cost.
THE best paying project is that
which protects the valley lands from
all floods except those which may be
expected to recur, on an average, once
in ten or fifteen years.
"Automatic retarding basins are not
practical on the Minnesota river, Man
ually controlled reservoirs must be
used.
"No satisfactory reservoir sites are
available on the tributary streams.
'Yirtually all lowlands in the Min
nesbta river valley, aggregating about
100 acres, now are flooded at least
every other year on an average.
about 10000 acres of agricultural
lands lying in the reservoirs will be
deprecated because they will be flood
ed more frequently than at present"