The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-08-11
FLOODSlRVEY =
Will Be MADE
ON BIG scale
Fourth Of Country Will Be
Included In Study OF
Watersheds Control
By FRED O. BAILEY
,;ted Press Staff Corresponds Mt

United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug. II. CUP.
The department Of agriculture, in
cooperation with army engineers,
is planning Il flood control survey
on the largest scale ever under
taken in the United States.
Dr.. A. l.. Patrick, former pro-
fessor at Pennsylvania State col
lege, has been named chief OF the
survey division of the soil conSei,,
walton service to direct a detailed
survey of 222 watersheds, COM
prising one-fourth of the lana
area of the country. ,.or
Authorization for the sutEv ,.
was contained in the om i''JS
flood control act of 1886. runu 's
for starting preliminary surveys
are contained in the army. supply
hill The army and agriculture
Department will divide the, ST.
OO0, 900 appropriation equally
THREE YEARS TIME
REQUIRED n;ol
The preliminary surveys, when
NAV take two OF three years, are
70 he made to determine the feas-
;bility of making later detailed
surveys as a basis for erosion and
flood control operations. Surveys
will be made first on watersheds
which have the most important
bearing on floods.
DR.. Patrick will coordinate the
work of the forest service, the
soil conservation service and the
bureau of agricultural economies
in making the surveys. He SAID
the Sl,OOO,OO0 probably would
be insufficient to complete even
the preliminary surveys.
Field officers will direct the
gathering of data describing the
area in each watershed, damage
resulting from floods, land value,
economic information and extent
of erosion. The department OF
agriculture has set up a commit
tee to coordinate the informa-
ton.
EROSION DAMAGE VAST
II. H. Bennett, chief of the soil
conservation service and long an
advocate of upstream flood con-
troll, estimated that more than
1OO,000,000 acres of agricultural
land already have been ruined or
seriously impoverished by erosion.
"Unless we make rapid advance
against the inroads of soil ero-
sion. the cumulative cost to the
nation during the next 80 years is
likely to exceed $4,000, 100000
and it may easily extend beyond
$50, 100000" Bennett said.
Pointing to the damage already
done by uncontrolled erosion,
Bennett said this country has
been squandering its natural soil
resources more rapidly than any
other nation. civilized or barbaric.
OF U. S.
Asserting that the erosion has
been allowed to gain Roadway on
acres, in addition to
the lOO,000,000 already seriously
Bennett estimated that
of the agricultural
land in the United States is af-
fected by erosion in some degree.
A direct relationship exists be-
tween erosion and floods, Bennett
said. He said gullies caused by
erosion become, in effect, man
made tributaries which speed up
the concentration of surface
water in the headwater streams.
Urging that downstream engi-
neering work be co-ordinated
with upstream engineering, Ben
nett said 1--WE have left little UNI
done to spread the violence OF
erosion and to increase the vol
ume of floods. Unles downstream
structures are supplemented with
upstream structures and
conservation treat
ment at flood sources, ! see no
permanent escape from the flood
hazard"