80 



The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 



Timber 

 Removal and 

 Erosion 



I come now to the problem of successfully draining the nar- 

 row stream valleys in the hilly country. This can be accom- 

 Hifly Country plished only by coupling- drainage with measures to prevent and 

 control erosion on the surrounding hills if the improvement is 

 to be permanent and satisfactory. 



When the rolling and hilly country in the entire watershed 

 was timbered and in its natural state, the drainage system was 

 well developed, and only the narrow strips of low lands found 

 along the streams needed drainage. With the removal of the 

 timber on the hill lands and attempts at cultivation of these hills, 

 the forces of nature began to work and soon erosion developed 

 with the result that the streams in the lowlands were filled with 

 soil washed from the hillsides and the bottoms were flooded so 

 frequently that they were abandoned. A description of condi- 

 tions in a typical area before drainage will give you a clear idea 

 of the lands I have in mind : 



"Beginning at the northern extremity, the channel is very 

 narrow and crooked, though its general direction is straight. 

 The depth of this section varies from one-half to 1 foot. Near 

 its mouth the stream is much wider, averaging about ten to 

 fifteen feet, and in a better condition. The entire length of the 

 stream has a heavy growth of brush, trees, and logs. 



"Not much meadow land is found along the stream, the 

 width between the hills varying from about 100 feet to one-fourth 

 mile, being as much as one-half mile in only one or possibly two 

 short strips. Practically all of this land has at one time been 

 under cultivation, and years ago, when the stream had a much 

 deeper and better defined channel, large crops of corn and hay 

 were produced. However, the landowners have been cultivating 

 their hill lands almost entirely with cotton, corn, or some other 

 clean crop, year after year, giving little or no attention to the 

 care of the hillside wash, until today over three-fourths of this 

 low land is practically valueless. Several of the landowners 

 stated that about twenty-five years ago the channel was from 

 four to six feet deep, while today, except where improved, it will 

 not average over one to two feet in depth, being filled with the 

 hillside wash. Overflows are frequent on this stream ; although 

 some of them are quite large, especially the spring and summer 

 freshets, very little damage can be done at present since none of 

 the landowners attempt the cultivation of this low land." 



How shall these hilly lands and narrow lowlands be con- 

 served? As in the drainage of the low-lying lands, so in the 

 drainage of these hill lands, the first step is to make a survey of 

 the stream valley similar to that before indicated. Frequently 



