Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-16
Benefits of Proper
drainage Are Told
By Valley Engineer

where the elevation OF the land is
lower and neceSitateS only one lift
to the water. The lands are cur
up by reSacas or cid river channels,
the land sloping away from the
banks and the soil, for a consider
able distance back, being q very
rich silt. The land lying between
the reSacaS is lower, and forms de-
pre5sions. In a great many cases
we find these depressions very near
ly the same elevation as the water
in the resacas. The soil in these
~depressions is generally a heavier
clay and extends down to a conSid-
cradle depth. We have found the
contours Of the Substrata in the low
CT valley to be very irregular, form
ing pockets in places which fill with
water; in some places within a few
feet Of the surface. These condi-
tions. by making craeful surveys,
makes subdrainage very easy and
inexpensive.
-Four Cameron Districts
There are now four drainage dis
tricts in Cameron county compris-
ing 800 miles Of drains. These dis
tricts in Cameron county compris-
ing 800 miles Of drains. These dis
tricts function apart from the ir-
rigation districts, they are managed
by a board of drainage commission
ers appointed by the commissioners
court.
AS there was not sufficient pro-
vision made in the organization Of
thees districts for maintenance.
there are many miles of drainage
bitches which are not functiCning
owing TO the sediment and tulle
growth.
Open drains are essential for out
lets for tile drains and should be
eXcavated as deep as the outlet
will permit. They should be located
so as to tap the water bearing
strata, without cutting into it to
such a depth that the banks will
cave, as 1t is very hard to main
tain a ditch in quicksand. A very
good method and one that is used in
a great many places in the west.
is to lay a large tile line in the bot
lOIAl VI IAsE AAIAA1s Will OiANAA Julie
placing an observation well or flush
pipe at advantageous places along
the line. This pipe will afford an
outlet for subdrainage. IL parallel
to a canal which seeps. will inter-
cept the seepage and will keep the
drain dry in normal periods between
rains, so that tulle and other wa
ter plants requiring lots OF water
will not grow. This plan leaves
the open drain TO take car Of eX-
cessive rainfall and irrigation wa
ter, eliminates stagnant water and
mosquitoes and best Of all requires
no maintenance except an OCCASION
al flushing out.
The average cost Of the drainage
work IS $500 per acre. The cost
Of a tile drainage system depends
TO a great extent on the number Of
acres to be drained. The larger
the area to be drained the cheaper
the cost per acre.
Small Owner Hurt
The small land owner who is I'M
fortunate in having his land sit
uated in a vicinity with salty or wa
terlogged land all around him IS
very much handicapped for sub
drainage unless his neighbors will
cooperate in retaining the entire
community. We find in a great
many cases that his neighbors are
out of town owners and not inter
ested in retaining their land.
AS all irrigated land will need
subdraining eventually unless lOcat-
ed so as TO have natural drainage,
the drainage should be done be-
fore the water table rises, as 10
makes It more expensive to fight
the water.
One should not become discour-
aged and frightened when salt
shows up on your land as it costs
very little more TO subdrain and
make the land more productive than
ever. than 1t did TO clear it Of brush.
and il the neighbors will cooperate
1t will cost considerably less.
Tile drainage in the valley is diff
ferent from that in Indiana and
Iowa, as the formation OF the
country Is very different.
Tile lines have lowered the water
table 300 to 400 feet on either side
OF the line to a safe distance be-
low the surface. But do not make
the mistake to think you can drain
any piece of land with drains spaced
400 feet apart. The location Of the
tile lines depend altogether upon
the Substrata. This strata is sur
veyed by making numerous Dor
ings, and contour maps, and pro-
files r plotted from the data OBJ
tanned. 1t is also necessary to an
alyze the different stratas for the
amount and class Of salts.
One would not think Of locating
a field lateral from which you ex-
pected to irrigate, on the lowest
part Of your land, nor a drainage
ditch for surface drainage on top
Of q hill. Tile improperly located.
is a much a waste OF time and
money as the canal in the low land
and the drain on top Of the hill,
would be.
The deeper the tile can be placed
in the depreSsions in the sand
strata, the greater the area that
Will be drained and the fewer tile
lines TO be required.
1t is important TO keep the water
table at least five feet from the