RESERVOIRS ON CHIPPEWA RIVER 



By Hon, THAD C. POUND 



THE prevailing ignorance regarding for fully carrying into effect the sys- 

 the work already undertaken by tern. To make clear the feasibility, 

 the Government and information economy, and efficiency of the reservoir 

 submitted to Congress prompts me to system in the prosecution of this great 

 present to the public some significant work is the purpose of this article. In 

 facts and conclusions respecting the order to present with brevity the sig- 

 subject of reservoirs. nificant facts involved, I shall take as 

 Thirty years have elapsed since Con- an example the Chippewa River, in the 

 gress asked the War Department to in- state of Wisconsin, and submit sum- 

 vestigate and report upon the practica- marily the conclusions relating to it to 

 bility and cost of reservoirs to improve be found in the reports of the War De- 

 the navigation of the Mississippi River partment. It is doubtful if there exist 

 and its navigable tributaries. The re- on the continent or anywhere else con- 

 ports of such investigation, by extended ditions so unique, extensive, and corn- 

 surveys, examinations, and expert cal- plete in every detail as are found upon 

 dilations of the engineering bureau, the headwaters of the Chippewa River, 

 have been submitted to Congress from in Wisconsin, for the accomplishment 

 time to time, and some valuable work and maintenance of results proposed by 

 on the headwaters of the Mississippi the reservoir system, to wit, the pre- 

 River has been done. But this all- vention of disastrous floods, facilitation 

 important subject has been in the main of water-power, and the promotion of 

 strangely neglected. The wonderful navigation. The total drainage area of 

 awakening of the entire Nation respect- this river and tributaries is 9,573 square 

 ing our great natural resources, and miles, its course extending from its 

 the importance of their conservation source to its junction with the Missis- 

 and utilization, invite the fullest avail- sippi River, being 267 miles, and its 

 able information regarding our natural volume being supplied by more than 100 

 waterways, and the best means of their lakes, large and small, and countless 

 improvement for the various uses which springs. In the annual report of Maj. 

 they may subserve, among the most im- Chas. J. Allen for the year 1880 will 

 portant of which are navigation and be found, under the head of ''Examina- 

 water-power. tion and Surveys at Headwaters of 

 It chances that the first step to be Saint Croix, Chippewa. and Wisconsin 

 taken, the creation of an extensive sys- Rivers," the following relating to the 

 tern of reservoirs, will accomplish a pur- Chippewa River, abbreviated : 

 pose of immeasurable utility, namely. The report states that twelve eligible 

 the prevention of disaster resulting sites for dams were found, the first be- 

 from destructive floods. This alone ing upon the Manitowish River at the 

 would justify the expenditure required outlet of Red Lake: proposed dam. fif- 



NOTE. This article, by the Hon. Thad C. Pound, of Chippewa Falls, Wis., is intended to 

 supplement an article by the same author published in CONSERVATION for December, 1908. 

 The former article gives the origin and progress of the reservoir system, designed to restrain 

 floods and improve river navigation, the initial step for which was taken in the year 1877 by 

 Mr. Pound, then a member of Congress from Wisconsin. The facts are of vital interest. 



679 



