Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-24
MENACE FROM
RIVER FLOODS
ELIMINATED
Periodic Rises of Rio
Crande No Longer
Cause Apprehension
In the Valley

The periodic flood season Of the
Rio Grande will be ON I'm about
three months. but residents OF the
Lower Rio Grande Valley no longer
worry about the vagaries OF the
considerable apprehension the APP
preach Of the flood season.
The Valleys flood control system
now Is practically completed From
the upper part OF the Valley near
Mission to Mercedes, and thence
east to the Laguna Madre stretches
a line OF levees which will dis
charge the surplus waters or flood
periods into the Gulf OF Mexico.
And from Mission to Brownsville q
secondary line Of defense has been
constructed--huge levees which
parallel the Rio Grande. practically
assuring that unless some flood or
unprecedented proportions rLlls
down the border stream, the rich
farm lands and cities or the entire
Valley viii be protected.
For all practical purposes the
flood control system has been COM
pleted. A few finishing touches
remain. In Hidalgo county levees
r being strengthened: In Willacy
a few miles OF levees remain to ke
constructed I'm the coastal area cart
OF Paso Real: and In Cameron tire
dredges are working on levees On
the lower Arroyo Colorado. River
levees have been practically com
pleted. but r being strengthened.
The Mexican System
Mexico Is cooperating with the
Valley by construction of IN system
which will utilize the Arroyo del
Tigre extending southeastward
from a point several miles abov8
Matamcros to the Gulf. "A series
OF cuts have been made through
the Cabras Pintas ridge q few
miles south OF Matamoros which
will permit rapid discharge OF accu-
mulated flood waters into the AFRO
yo del Tigre. and also will protecf
the city OF Matamoros end relieve
pressure on the American 1evees-
According to estimates OF engf-
neers the Mexican flood control
system win handle $4,000 second
feet. and erosion OF the channels
through the Cabras Pintas ridge
viii increase the capacity. Levee.
on the Mexican side win prevent
the flood waters. which I'm former
years accumulated around the city
OF Matamoros, from flooding large
areas. directing them through tins
channels into the arroyo.
The Cabras Pintas ridge. which
has q maximum height OF 8 feet.
formerly prevented discharge into
the Arroyo del TiEre. forcing the
flood waters which accumulated ON
the Mexican side 20 f1ow back fntn
the river channel. As n result the
lowlands often were inundated for
weeks during the spring and fall
floods. and were practically useless
except for grazing. At no time
since the flood OF June. 1872. when
the Valley sustained considerable
loss. has the Rio Grande reached u
height sufficient TO extensively
damage crops on the American side.
but ON the Mexican side the low
lands have received their annual
inundation. n condition which fE
being remedicd by the control
works.
An Efficient System
That the flood control system
practically eliminates NIL menace of
damage from the Rio Grandc's per-
iodic floods IN the unanimous YER
dict OF engineers who have made q
survey of the system The plan.
which was originated by the or
Continued on page two.)