New Ulm review., 1920-06-23
FLOOD CONTROL INT
IS PARAMOUNT | n | /
PRESIDENT A. B. KAERCHER
OF TRI-STATE ASSN.
SENDS LETTER.
ENTIRE WATERSHED TO BE
INCORPORATED INTO ONE
DISTRICT.

In a letter to the press, President A. B.
Kaercher OF the Tri-State Flood Control
Association, urges immediate action in
forming a single district for the entire
Minnesota Valley 50 far as it is affected
by the spring floods. Mr.. Kaercher has
been active in the flood control move
ment for number Of years. He lives
at Ortonville, Minnesota. During the
course Of the year, he attended a number
of meetings here in New Ulm in the in
terest of this important movement.
His Communication reads: b
Not Fully Appreciated.
eve fear many, who are the most
vitally interested, in saving the rich
lands of the Minnesota river valley from
almost annual inundation and the con-
sequent damage as well as to the public
highways, connecting the towns and cities
along, and territory tributary to, the
Minnesota river, do not fully appreciate
the necessity of immediate, united, and
persistent action, and perhaps they, do
not fully appreciate the immense benefits
that may be derived from a valley-Wide
improvement including tile entire water
shed of the Minnesota river.
Entire Watershed.
Individually or in small districts
we can accomplish but little, therefore
it is proposed to incorporate the entire
watershed into single flood control and
conservency district with all the powers
of municipal corporation under the
regulation, control and management of a
board of directors consisting of a member
from each county affected and all under
the direction Of the district courts OF the
territory embraced in the district.
{, ''The first steps to organize the district
which is done by petition to the district
court, and the filing of a bond for 2, ,O00-,
to cover the expense Of publishing the
necessary notice of the time and place Of
hearing on the petition giving the boun-
diaries of the proposed district. All Of
the Judges Of the district courts in the
territory embraced' would sit at this
hearing. S5 a~ all NJ
q ,i Preliminary Survey.
''The next step is to make preliminary
survey and develop a plan for the I'M
provement Of the. entire watershed as
an harmonious whole.
"When this is done petitions may be;
filed with the district court for any i'm
provement desired and proceed in har-
mony with the general plan to improve
any particular division Of the work under
proceedings similar to those used in
judicial ditch proceedings.
ttThe necessity for, immediate action
is simply this, under the law as originally
passed, district could not be formed
extending further than 40 miles below
Big Stone Lake. Such a district was
formed and proceedings have been had
to such an extent that such district is
now ready to petition the court for spe-
cifc work which would require the
drainage of Marsh lake! and under the
larger or valley-wide plan, Marsh lake
would become part of Lac Qui Parle
LAKE, which would render the work done
! in draining Marsh lake useless and a
complete loss. /
! Is 'Ncthirg can be done at the source
of the Minnesota river without to some
extent affecting the entire river and
| nothing should be done except in the
! bestinterest of the entire valley. Further
more the entire watershed should be
/ under single head and control There
| fore, the big district is the only practical
plan and we suggest that owing to the
present high price Of labor and materia1
and the scarcity of money, that further
] proceedings on the upper Minnesota
/ district be deferred for the present and
/ that an earnest and determined effort
be. made to organize the large district. Il
III For The Common Good.
4 eve woulds be prepared t1aenito work
i in harmony i n a coEnnon cause ito a com.
4 mon purpose foGuthe4 Il common good
! Sucn district would have weight with
the state legislature and with congress
1 Ne will really not sbe in working condi-
!; tion ellnti l NE get such an organization
Let US organize the entire valley, tanc
a then wait until the legislature convenes
and ask farathe necessary assistance te
work out a definite practical plan that viii
be successful beyond any, question o1
/ doubt before entailing large outlay
of money We may also later on be able