The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-10-29
Proposed improvements in Red
Lake River Basin Would :
Aid Development @a-
MEETING HERE CALLED
BY BOARD PRESIDENT
Thousands of Acres of Land
Would Be Protected From
Devastating Floods =

, A marked development will take
place in the Red Lake River basin
as a result of the proposed improve.
ments of the Clearwater and Red
Lake river channels, according to the
drainage and flood control experts
who met here Friday. A preliminary
report on the proposed levels OF Red
Lake, which will be used as a storage
reservoir, if the contemplated i'm
provements are constructed, was pre-
sented by the engineers of the Red
Lake I Drainage and Conservancy
board which has the matter in charge.
Thousands of acres Of Minnesota's
most fertile land will be protected
from floods and many more THOUSANDS
of acres now unfit for settlement
when these rivers are deepened and
widened, making possible the drain
age of the adjacent lands. The Red
Lake project includes an area of ap-
proximately 100000 acres located
on both sides of the Red lakes. The
Clearwater project involves an area
Of 100000 acres lying on both sides
of the river and extending back from
the headwaters a distance of about
forty miles. A large part Of this area
lies within the Red Lake Indian Res
ervation. ~.
In conjunction with the drainage
improvements it is proposed to build
a new railroad connecting at Redby
or short distance south with the
Red Lake railway running north
from Bemidji. The proposed railway
will skirt Red lake along the west,
extending from there to Grygla in
eastern Marshall. county, and thence
north thorugh a rich agricultural
country4to Rosseau or WarrGad..&3 -;
+ The conference in Bemidji was
by C. G. .Selvig- of Crookstcn, presi-
dent of the Red Lake Drainage and
Conservancy board. and was attended
by E.. V. Willard, state commissioner
of drainage and waters; A. F. Meyer,
expert in flood control matters and
the consulting engineer Of the Red
lake drainage board; Major E. H.
Marks, representing the United States
war. department; George W. Cross,
representing the Indian bureau and
! the Red Lake Agency lying within the
drainage district; Mr.. Surber of the
state game and fish department, St.
Paul; the members of the drainage
board and engineer and by repre-
sentatives of the farmers, and NUM-
cipalities of this section of the state.
The cities of Crookston, Red Lake
Falls and Thief River Falls each had
representatives and delegation
representing the farming interests
on the northeastern part of the
Red lakes was present.
The Red Lake Drainage and Con-
servancy district shall construct the
improvements necessary under plans
which shall have been approved joint
ly beforehand by the war department,
the interior department and the drain
age board. The meeting held here yes
terday was in the nature of a pre-
liminary conference regarding these
proposed improvements particularly
to ascertain the viewpoints of inter-
ested parties with reference to the
minimum level of the Red lakes, and
also, the maximum elevation up to
which the level shall be permitted to
fuctuate in order to best conserve
and protect all interests involved.
Opinions expressed by residents on
the casts ide of the lakes were that
the lakes should be lowered to min
imum of at least 1,169 feet above
sea level, and maximum of 1,172 or
1,173 feet above sea level. The pres
ent level of the lake is slightly over