The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-10-21
Conservation
FLOOD THREAT
AFTER DRAINAGE
OF LAND SHOWN
Condition of Eel River Area
Is Cited as Example
of Result.
BY WILLIAM F. COLLINS
Times Special Writer

here are INO lIlJcI cSlulS NAO-
ramas in the government hall at a
Century of Progress that should be
placed on wheels and shown
throughout Indiana. Both pertain
to flood control. One shows NINA
ture forest through which flows a
small stream. The forest floor is
ancient with leaf mold ana the root
system of the old trees have pene-
trated to a great depth, visible
through the plate glass front Of the
exhibit.
Opposite is an eXpanse Of barren
hillside leveling off into a plowed
field. Through the field and down
the hill runs a stream of water
Over both displays a steady rain is
falling reminding me of the liquid
spring of 1888.
In the forest the steady drip of
rain from the foliage on the forest
litter creates the small stream of
clear water that finally empties into
large basin in the foreground.
The water that does not find its
way into the basin via the stream,
more than 80 per cent of it makes
its way deep into the soil following
the root systems.
Makes Little Impression
A wide f1uctuation in the amount
OF water falling from the artificial
rain making machine makes very
little impression on the volume of
flow through the stream bed and at
all times, it remains clear.
The rain sloshes down on the
plowed ground and over the hillside
of the deforested area. Six inches
below the surface is very little evil
dence that water is penetrating
through the soil. The stream flows
full and muddy and the catch basin
in the foreground is heavy with
silt and turbid as the Missouri
river
When the volume of rainfall is
varied, the stream responds imme
diately. There is nothing to catch
the peak load, no litter of leaf mold
no sponge of tree rootletS opening
channels into the subsoil, no marsh
or back water eddies behind log
and brush barbados.
Multiply these two pictures by
a hundred thousand and you create
MissisSinewa, by four hundred
thousand and a Wabash is created
and you can take your choice of
pictures.
Traces Eel River
Forty years ago, Indiana's south
ern Eel river, flowing into the White
at Worthington, was the deepest
stream in the state. The channel
measured ninety feet in depth at
the wagon bridge on the old Indian
apolis- Vincennes road. Above
Worthington along the borders Of
the river, lay marsh after marsh
forest joining to forest and the
higher fertile fields between held
the farm homes of the older families
of agricultural wealth. Lemon creek
smaller tributary, joined the Fee
few miles above town and turn
ing west created another vast
marsh.
1 am not writing about ducks OF
fish, I am writing about flood con-
troll. Otherwise this paragraph
would mark the spot for me to rave
through another two hundred words
for in those clean, clear waters OF
the Eel and in the great marshes
of Greene county lay the finest out
door sport this state ever saw.
Eel river did not overflow then
In flood periods the waters OF the
Eel gradually raised and then
gradually dropped over a period OF
weeks. There was no sudden, out
rageous Illuminating outburst OF
flood water that came believing
down the channel to pour into
White river a peak load of ruin far
beyond the capacity of the larger
channel to manage.
Swamps Are Drained
After a while, along came drain
age expert. He saw possibilities. He
persuaded the owners of the marsh
lands. Greed for something OF
other; more pillow land, more none!
possibly brought about the f1na
drainage of the vast swamps. A huge
dredge cut a line as straight as the
line. And the ditch tax was levlec
at $25 an acre.
Today the water under the OLE
bridge above Worthington is so shall
low two fiat boats that drew only si1
inches of water had to be removed
this summer to prevent grounding
When the rain falls at YOUNGSTOWN
eighteen miles up Eel dredge Gee
river no longer, in the language o.
Worthington old timer:
Hell pops down here in abou
three hours"
There is no storage capacity nov
along Eel dredge, water rum
through it as off barn roof
Water that came down over pc
Rod of weeks and ran off into TIT
White river made little demand or
the White to carry it, but now the
run-off is almost immediate anC
White river can not accommodate
the peak load upon it.
The result greatly increases the
flood damage by White river from
Worthington downstream and up.
The fast water has carried off thu
soils, has filled the ninety foo
channel at Worthington, has washed
the banks and eroded the hillside!
and passes out of the valley 81
quickly no water is left to carry
over through the drought periods o.
summer.
AS a direct result of all this, lane
in Lemon creek marsh that sold fol
500 an acre a few years ago sole
for $40 an acre eighteen months
ago. I can not persuade myself thai
draining the Eel has accomplished {
single valuable result for the state
Its cost to those benefited" will, If
the long run, break them fnan'
cially and if similar drainage is car
ried to completion in general prac'
tice throughout Indiana the mex
generation will rise and call thi:
one cursed.
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