Evening star., 1936-08-09
Fight Floods at Source

DAMS, levees and other such meas
ures are beneficial in controlling
flood waters, but if the menace of high
water is to be properly handled, the
remedies must go back to the source of
the floods. the upland farms which
comprise the watershed of the streams
which run wild on occasions.
Mr.. H. H. Bennett, chief of the Soil
Conservation Service, in discussing
the matter, declared that close CO.
operation between agriculturists and
engineers is vital in controlling floods
by preventing them from occurring.
In pointing out the effectiveness OF
agricultural methods in reducing high
water levels, Bennett gave as an ex-
ample the severe flood in June, 1885,
at Saltwater. Okla. At that time
two OF three closely associated streams
ran high over their banks and flood
plains. while the third stream did not
go over its normal banks. The RAIN
fall was practically the same over
the three watersheds, he said, and
the streams drained the same class
OF land, all of which was being used
for the same type of agriculture. The
watershed of the stream which did
not overflow its banks had been
treated over 80 per cent of its area
with erosion-control practices, while
in the case Of the other two water
sheds, one had been treated over IS
per cent of its area, and the other
had received no erosion-control treat
ment of any kind.
Until few months ago, Bennett
said, flood control had been regarded
as strictly an engineering problem.
He praised the success of the en-
gineering profession in harnessing the
channelways of a number of major
streams. He emphasized, however,
that downstream Notifications offered
no more than partial attack on the
problem.
ut is true that downstream forti-
fications such as levees, spillways and
revetments meet the problem of flood
waters at the point of greatest dam
ger, where bulging rivers leave their
banks to devastate lands, crops and
property" he said. But what about
the point of origin Of flood waters and
the accompanying loads of silt? can't
believe that we should wait until our
rivers have become clogged with ero-
sional debris and subjected to in
creased torrents pouring in from soil
stripped, quilted uplands before we
begin to cope with floods on q basis
Of complete watershed treatment.
"I am convinced" he said, that
from now on We should, and will, tackle
the problem at its source-in upland
fields, pastures and on other sloping
parts of watersheds, where food wa
ters begin to accumulate and where silt
loads are picked up"
The agriculturist, Bennett stated,
does not have q program alternative
or conflicting with that of the en-
gineer. He stressed the need for con-
tinuation of downstream construction
and described agricultural upstream
control as "an enlargement upon the
existing program of the engineer"
I'VE must start our attack on the
flood problem at the point of cause and
carry it through, step by step, to the
point of effect" Bennett said. Flood
control must begin at the crests of the
ridges and extend down across the
slopes to the streams and then to the
great trunk rivers that empty into the
sea. All Of the time, Of course, our
down stream operations must be vigor-
ously prosecuted"