76 BULLETIN 1017, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Preliminary proceedings are under way in several counties in 

 Minnesota to organize a special improvement district to raise funds 

 among the property owners for carrying on the work. The coopera- 

 tion necessary between the Federal, State, and local authorities is 

 not yet fully arranged. 



The Red Lake-Red Lake River project is complete within itself 

 and should be developed as a separate undertaking rather than as a 

 part of the larger interstate Red River project. To attempt to com- 

 bine the two projects would in all probability delay development in 

 one or both without adding anything of value to either. 



THE EFFECT ON RED RIVER OF THE NORTH. 



The proposed increase in minimum flow in the Red Lake River 

 would increase to some extent the low-water stages of the Red River 

 below the junction of the two streams and the control of Red Lake 

 would decrease the high stages at Grand Forks by about 1 foot or 

 possibly li| feet. The effect in lowering high stages of the Red 

 River would be slight because the drainage area tributary to Red 

 Lake is small as compared with that of the Red River above Grand 

 Forks and because the relative effect of storage on high river stages 

 decreases as the distance downstream from the reservoir increases. 

 On account of the general distribution and more rapid concentra- 

 tion of heavy run-off in the spring, the effect of the control of Red 

 Lake in lowering high stages of the Red River would be more con- 

 sistently noticeable at this season than during storm periods in the 

 summer months. 



RED RIVER PROJECT. 



The problem presented by the Red River, considered alone, is 

 essentially one of flood control. As an outlet for the drainage of the 

 watershed it is capable, under ordinary conditions, of removing 

 promptly the discharge of its various tributaries. It is only when 

 excessive run-off occurs over all or a considerable part of the water- 

 shed that flood stages occur in the Red River. A relatively small 

 reduction of the high stages would be sufficient to prevent overflow 

 and the resulting damage. As there is no practicable method of en- 

 tirely preventing the water from reaching the Red River in flood 

 volumes, it is necessary that some plan be developed for controlling 

 the flow within the channel. 



There are four general methods of flood control or regulation 

 which include practically all the devices employed for this purpose. 

 These are the use of reservoirs, the construction of levees, stream 

 diversion, and channel improvement. Often a combination of two 

 or more of these methods may be necessary. In each Of the methods 

 there are a variety of plans, differing in details of design and con- 

 struction by which the results may be accomplished. 



