203 



Forests and Floods. 



F. M. Andrews. 



The relation which forests liear in mariy ways to tlie flow of rivers is a 

 question of tlie utmost importance to the wliole country. When one 

 observes wliat lias been anrl still is being done in most parts of the United 

 States toward forest destruction it seems strange that the people, as a 

 whole liave been so slow in waking up to the seriousness of the situation. 

 Only within very recent years is the public beginning to realize tluit the 

 forests are vanishing rapidly and that they are confronted l»y a serious 

 problem. The.^ have destroyed tlie vast forests of this country apparently 

 with no thought or regard for the consequences. Now they are beginning 

 to reap the reward of their shortsightedness in a score or more ways. 

 Chief among the results causcnl by the continued removal of the forests is 

 the frequent recurrence of floods which become more and more destructive. 

 There have been and perhaps still an some people who l)elieve that the 

 forests are inexhaustible. How such l)elief can exist at the present, in 

 view of such evideut disa])])earance of forests every \\here is very surpris- 

 ing. A less commendable attitude than this a])i)arent ignorance is the 

 positi(.n some assume that there will be timber enough in the country 

 during their lifetime and that therefore they need not concern tlieniselves 

 as to the future. A great service, howe^-er, for the pre.servation of our 

 forests and tJieir i)roper management has been performed by the admirable 

 work of the Forestry Department of the United States Government. Excel- 

 lent work nlso has been rendered liy the various forestry schools of the 

 different institutions and by farsighted indi\'iduals the country over wh'i 

 have seen the im])ending dangers and have endeavored by means of educa- 

 tion and by timely counsel and advice to avert the dire consequences 

 resulting from the wholesale destruction of the forests. 



Within recent years special and important studies h:ive been made in 

 order to ascertain to what extent the flow of various streams is (le])endent 



