The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-12-16
EXTENSION OF FORESTS AN Es-
SENTIAL PART OF FLOOD
CONTROL, SAYS CHIEF
FORESTER

of denuded lands are declared out
standing necessities in the program
for flood control by Col. William b.
Greeley, chief of the Forest Service,
United States Department of Agricul-
ture, in his annual report issued on
Monday.
The great flood disasters which
occurred this year have called into
question the adequacy of our public
program of forestry, Colonel Greeley
declares. While the main reliance
for the control of destructive floods
must be placed upon engineering
works, the improvement or extern
sion of forest cover is an essential
supplement, and must be taken into
account in any far-sighted program
for flood prevention Forests aic
in the regulation of streams by hold
ing the soil in place and holding
back rain and snow water more eft
fectively than any other form OF
vegetative cover. In the vast drain
age system OF the Mississippi, which
extends from southwestern New
York to Idaho and from Canada t.
the Gulf of Mexico, the condition O.
the watersheds of the innumerablr
feeder streams bears a significant
relation to the total volume OF water
poured into the main channel.
ITO attain the most complete con
troll of floods" says Colonel Greeley
prevention of the rapid movement
of water and silt at the source Of
rivers is necessary no less thar
structures for controlling the results
of such movements in their lower
channels. Forests can not prevent
floods, but can reduce them. They
retard the melting snow. They re,
tard surface run-off both directly
and through the greater porosity OF
the underlying soil which they main
tain. They retard erosion and re
duce the silt burden of sterams
Their relative influence in these re
spects may be greater or less If
comparison with the many other fac
tors which affect the regimen, OF
streams. 1t can not be separated
and measured in exact, quantltatlve
terms. Nevertheless it is an infiu-
ence which should be brought into
play in the progressive betterment
of conditions which contribute to
destructive foods"
Pointing out the most obvious
needs in applying forestry to the
flood situation, the Chief Forester
Says:
"a need will undoubtedly appear
for the extension OF public forest
ownership under the Weeks law OF
the Clarke McNary law in the noun,
famous drainage where the natura
balance Between topography, soil
and cover is easily upset and surface
conditions augmenting flood dischar
ges are easily brought about by de
structive numbering, forest fires, OF
temporary and shifting agriculture
Need will undoubtedly also appear
for intensifying the protection O.
forests from fire on critical drain
ages of the Mississippi through en-
'arged cooperation between thu
States and the Federal Government
under the Clarke McNary Act. For
est planting should undoubtedly be
promoted aggressively on abondon'
ed or .aroding farm lands and denud
ed forest lands where erosion anc
National leadership and the neee
for national action should be fully
recognized, Colonel Greeley declares
but the fullest measure OF coopera
ton with the States and landowners
Immediately concerned should be
secured.
ITO sum up the situation" tho
Forester concludes, the behavior OF
our great rivers and the plans pro
jected for their control can not be
separated from the use of land. Be
hind the great floods in the lower
Mississippi lie S00,0O0,0O0 acres o.
tand-farms. pastures, ranges, an6
forests. The conservation and pro
uuCllNG USE VI ILLS sc pant VI III
soil of the United States fully Justify
on its own account all of the fore
sight and National and State actor
that can be brought to bear. The
loss of farm soils and farm fertilit,
through erosion is a national los
greater in the long run than the
pr r1,rty damage created by destruc
tive floods. The creation of produc
tive forests and improved pastur'
lands will pay dividends on their
own account greater than the ait
they will render to the regulation o.
rivers. The main point to be borne
in mind is that just as the condition
and use OF the land have part If
flood prevention, so is the protection
of streams one of the inseparable
national benefits obtainable through
sound policy OF land USE"
State Game Warden LeCompte has
n if