BYBEE-MALOTT : THE FLOOD OF 1913 



185 



region in which no bank-cutting occurred. In this region but little 

 damage was done except that done to improvements and by de- 

 nudation. As to improvements, there are but few to be mentioned 

 outside of what were taken up in connection with levees and embank- 

 ments. The steel bridge at Rivervale was destroyed, as shown in 

 Figure 34. The dam across the river at Williams aroused much 

 speculation in the minds of the writers as to its probable effect; 

 but on careful investigation, absolutely no damage could be traced 

 to it as a causative agent. It does, however, cause the water to 

 be ponded as far back as the pumping station at Bedford, thereby 

 making the banks lower than they were before. This will cause 

 overflows to be rather imminent in the lower ponded region. The 

 water even at low Avater mark, is ponded in the little streams which 

 enter the river. This is well illustrated by the little stream coming 

 in from the north just above Williams. (See Figure 41.) 



It has been noticed that bank-cutting occurred in the con- 

 stricted valley region of the West Fork, yet with much less intensity 

 than in the wide valley regions. But it is a striking fact that none 

 occurred in the constricted region of the East Fork. Why should 

 it occur on the West Fork and not occur on the East Fork in similar 

 valley conditions? Primarily, it is because of the intrenched mean- 

 ders, and the stream's nice adjustment to them. The stream sweeps 

 in great curves, just as the valley itself meanders, and keeps its 

 outside bank a constant cliff which is not noticeably affected, 

 [n the West Fork region, the intrenched meanders are more or less 

 irregular and broken and the stream is only rarely adjusted to 

 them. The channel, therefore, meanders about over its narrow 

 flood plain, doing considerable bank-cutting. A study of Charts 

 Nos. 4 and 8, will verify the above statements. 



Of that part of White River valley traversed in the investi- 

 gation of the flood conditions, an aggregate of one hundred sixty 

 acres was lost by bank-cutting. This total is fairly accurate. Figur- 

 ing at the low price of seventy-five dollars an acre, $12,000 were 

 lost in land. The value of these one hundred sixty acres for the 

 ten years lost to the State would be $48,000. This makes a total of 

 $60,000. Since bank-cutting is relatively the same each year, 

 on account of its taking place under any condition above low water 

 mark, it might be estimated that ten times (twenty times is perhaps 

 nearer correct) this loss is continually placed upon society on ac- 

 count of bank-cutting. This would make a total of $600,000. From 

 the proportion of the amount of water carried by other streams, 

 ignoring the minor streams, to that of White River, (the part in- 



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