The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-01-14

sion feature for tunnels, canals, ETC.,
will cost possibly $4,000, 900. and it
is the inclusion of this part Of the
project that makes it the most ex-
pressive of pure greed"
Colonel Baker belittles the amount
of diversion a Of inconsequential ef-
feet in the flood control %purporting
to be the motive of the plan. He
says:
mfr. Kennedy states that it is only
planned to divert 500 cubic feet per
second. If so, pray what effect might
this have on a Mississippi flood where
in places the flooded stream bed Of
the Mississippi is 100 miles wide and
the Ohio is dumping in water at the
rate of yer q billion cubic feet per
second? Five-hundred cubic feet per
second is 10 per cent OF the flow of
the river when the river is as low as
1t was this fall. What does that
amount to when we have an extreme
high river that is carrying 10000 GU
bic feet per second and from which
flow it is claimed is the time when
the water will be taken? The Mis-
sissippi flood season is confined to
the period from February is to May l.
sometimes to May Is. The only high
water in this section of the Missouri
comes in early April and in June.
Therefore. the only high water that
could affect the Mississippi is the
April run All of the water that goes
by Bismarck in the April flood in ex-
cess of a normal flow of. 5000 cubic
feet per second would not make one
tenth of an inch difference In the
height of the Mississippi flood"
Army Engineers Minds Open
Colonel Baker also takes exception
to the statements OF Engineer Ken
nedy as to the position of army en-
gineers. that they consider it a
thoroughly feasible project to divert
stored flood waters from the streams
to save the lakes and rivers
This" retorts Colonel Baker,
may, as a statement, be correct. but
army engineers have not gone on
record as stating that they believe
this to be a desirable project for the
government to undertake with our
money and to build and develop this
Gam and diversion system. The same
army engineers are studying the
effect that the storage of waters in
these projected upper river dams
would have and could be made to
have on navigation.
The idea is that the controlled
flow of water from stored floods may
be utilized to provide an economical
means Of maintaining the six or nine
foot chsnnel necessary to provide for
consistent navigation and which is
now being attempted from Kansas
City to st. Louis. Il is my personal
opinion that were the projected dam
built. the army engineers would use
the stored water in this way rather
than permit it to be diverted and to
spend $4,000, 900 on it.
Would Be Largest Earth Dam
Army engineers have computed
that the 5000 cubic feet per second
average low water flow amounts to
absolute minimum that can provide
a six-foot channel. Were an en-
deavor made to provide a x-foot
channel from Bismarck down, then in
seasons like the past. it would re-
quire the utilization of all of the wa
ter that could be stored to furnish
the 5000 minimum during the dead
low stage.
THE dam projected would be the
larges earth dam in the world. It's
nearest competitor would be the
Gatun dam in Panama. To permit
a INSTALLATION of size: There Is a
complete golf course laid out on the
Gatun dam and the dam area is so
large that it represents an upthrust
hill with gently sloping sides.
THE dam itself would cost any
where from $50, O 900 to 500, OOO, 900.
This makes the basis for another
of the main objections raised by navi-
CATION interests, and the reason for
the objection is plain. because that
amount Of money judiciously spent
will go q long way towards improv-
ing the river in q practical way from
Bismarck to Kansas City without
throwing In the extra $50, 900 for
the diversion feature.
Another statement by MIR. Ken
nedy would lead one to infer that
the convention in st. Louis in No.
vember caused the engineers to be-
gin to preparing an estimate Of the
cost Of q nine-foot channel from
Sioux City to st. Louis. The state
ment Is wholly unfair and uncalled
Tor.
Facts StilI To Re Studied
An estimate OF this project was
started" says Colonel Baker, and
studies begun almost two years ago,
and questionnaires were sent out
months ago to various agencies
throughout the valley, calling for
estimates Of potential tonnage that
would flow up and down the river
were . channel provided. A survey
Of tho river - far north as Yankton
vas authorized by congress two years
ago. but al Of the money necessary
for its completion has not been au-