Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-31

lem. The area. comprises a water
shed of about 2,400 square miles of
which about 440 square miles is LAKE
surface. The improvements required
in Red Lake river channel will begin
at the lake and continue down
stream about 40 miles. A control dam
and gates will be necessary at the out
let Of the Red lakes to conserve flood
waters for power purposes. 1t is pro-
posed to straighten. widen and deepen
the channel to- provide for carrying
1000 cubic feet per second during the
flood water stage. Through the N
troll system 1t is proposed to provide q
minimum of 500 second feet of water
at all lines of the year for the water
power plants in Red Lake river as far
down as Crookston. At the present
time there is efficient water in Red
Lake river for power purposes only
during about seven months each year.
If, after the proposed improvements
are provided. 600 second-feet will be
available during the entire year it is
evident that the additional water
power created will be Of tremendous
advantage to northwestern Minnesota.
Trip of Inspection Reveals Possibi-
Titles.
On a trip of inspection taken July 10
and 20. Adolph F. Meyer, consulting
engineer; f. V. Willard, state COM
missioner Of drainage and waters:
Geo. W. Walker. the district engineer
and c. G. Selvig, president ofHthe
board, made the journey from Nep-
tune to the outlet of Red Lake river
by motor boat in order to- study first
hand the topography of the area. Mr..
Meyer in his preliminary report with
~>f1r4~~~ a. 49, ~...>>-zl .---i -.t.
mitted at the conclusion of this trip.
stated that a shortage a of one
foot is necessary on Red Lake to hold
back the flood waters which run into
the lake until such a time as they
can be discharged safely through the
improved outflow channel. Because
the area of Red Lake is so large in
comparison with the. drainage area
which sends it's runoff into this body
of water, the lake acts as a. natural
reservoir with a. tremendous equaliZ-
ing effect upo the outflow. A stor-
age capacity Of at least three feet is
tentatively recommended by Mr..
Meyer in order to best utilize the wa
ter from Red-Lake for water power
purposes. He states that the regula-
ton of the outflow from Red Lake
would have furnished the water pow
"a phoie 10 IL lllAo NuOiC lSSL y l.
water. during the period from June
1910 to April 1916, in addition to
what they could have utilized in a
state of nature. At one cent per kilo-
watt hour the. amount Of power that
could have been generated was esti-
mated at about $50, 900 a year. CAS-
Stunning all the water power utilized
and all the fall developed, the annual
benefit during these dry years would
have been worth a quarter Of a mil
lion dollars. Considering both dry
n wet years the annual benefit Of
regulation to present power. plants on
the Red Lake river computed on the
same basis would be about $4,000"
said Mr.. Mayer.
Farms Have Always Flooded.
For more than thirty years the
farmers living on lands adjacent to
these streams have suffered enormous
losses from uncontrolled flood waters.
If, in addition to controlling food
water, additional water power can al
so be created, a boon Of inestimab1e
value will be conferred upon the resi-
dents of northwestern Minnesota.
c. G. Selvig. president of the Drain
age board, is optimistic over the de-
velopments pointed out by the engi-
neers in their report. with food
waters controlled and additional wa
ter power created. the people living in
The Red Lake basin face a bright fu-
ture, he said in his opening state.
ment at the conference. with an I'M
equalled soil; and an e~nterprising
population, this section of the Estate
will continue to forge ahead ii it's de-
velopment. The advent Of much
needed railroad facilities in the area
that these improvements will benefit,
will aid wonderfully in building up a
veritable empire