The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-05-18

Washington, D. C,-Minnesota is dry
and the uncomfortable outlook is that it
will continue to suffer from lack of
moisture unless something intelligent
and constructive is done to conserve
and build up our water levels.
For years We have suffered from an
increasing supply of surface water for
tWo reasons: A mistaken and dis
aStrous drainage program resulted in
surface water being carried off and
wasted in the early spring when the
SHOWS melted and the rains fell. This
water which we needed so badly was
dumped into the Atlantic Ocean, leaV-
ing us high and dry during the long
hot summer.
Coupled with this situation, and no
doubt due in part to this drainage
Our average annual rain fall has
decreased to an alarming extent with
the disastrous result that our beautiful
lakes are fading away and our rivers
are going dry. And so are our wells.
Let me give you some of the facts
that indicate what is facing us.
When I came to Western Minnesota
as boy helped dig many a well when
an abundance of waters was found at a
depth ranging from fourteen to twenty
five feet. There was good supply OF
moisture in the SubSol. This Subsol
moisture, so necessary to production,
aud the Sub-Surface water level was
maintained by surface waters in the
into the ground and furnished a sub
soil moisture that helped materially to
carry crops through in dry seasons.
This Sub-Surface water level has now
been lowered to such an extent that it
is: necessary TO go down from eighty
to: over two hundred feet in order to
get supply of well water. The change
has been tremendous disastrous.
Back in the eighties our farm was
normally one-third under water. Our
hay was cut by trimming around the
low places. Now, the boys play golf
on the lowest part of what was then
our farm.
At this very time our State is suffer-
ing terribly from the result of last
summers drought. The price of grain
or other products of the farm can do
the farmer no good if he connot raise
1of- fn
from dying. The seriousness of the
situation is not fully understood by our
own people of Minnesota. But we
better get acquainted with the facts.
The sooner the better. We must inn
press Washington with the danger that
confrontS us. We must get our story
to the doorstepS of the Capitol at st.
Paul as well as to the Capitol at Wash
ington.
But in order to do this our people
must wake up. We must raise our
voices in every county and every corner
of the State. We must hold meetings
and inform the public as to what must
be done.
What can be done?
We can hold back and conserve the
waters from snow and rain by putting
in a few dams, and diverting to our
own advantage waters that now go to
waste. If the money that has been
spent this year for feed and seed in
the drought section could have been
used for that purpose, it would have
gone long ways toward building many
of the projects now contemplated.
Some of our lakes have fallen as
much as twelve feet and nearly all OF
them are on the way to a low water
mark. In addition to other damage
done, the beauty of the landscape IS
being marred and the public health
is threatened by waters that are stag
nant Famous beauty spots like Mime
haha Falls are dry as bone. The dry
stones are mute witnesses to con-
dition that cries aloud for correction.
In many places lakes have receded so
that those who some years ago built
summer residences within few feet
of the Shoreline now find themselves
blocks away from the water. The
scenery between the homes and the
water line is far from pleasant.
Our attraction for vacation tourists
is one of The greatest assets of our
state. Let us preserve it and keep it.
For Minnesota nothing is more i'm
portant that this question of water.
When people are compelled to haul
water long distances for household use
it is time to sit up and take notice.