UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
jyJV^^j-u 
BULLETIN No. 1017 
Contribution from the Bureau of Public Roads 
THOMAS H. MacDONALD, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
PROFESSIONAL PAPER. 
March 31, 1922 
REPORT ON DRAINAGE AND PREVENTION OF 
OVERFLOW IN THE VALLEY OF THE RED RIVER 
OF THE NORTH. 
P. T. Simons, Senior Drainage Engineer. 
Forest V. King, Drainage Engineer. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Summary of recommendations 2 
Red River Valley 3 
Surveys and other investigations 11 
Run-off i 18 
Page. 
The flood situation 49 
Recommended plan of drainage 59 
Organization 86 
Conclusions 87 
Acknowledgment 89 
INTRODUCTION. 
That a comprehensive, drainage program is essential for the proper 
development of agriculture in the valley of the Red River of the 
North was recognized soon after farming began to be extensively 
practiced in that valley, about 1870. In the spring melting snow 
and rain combined are apt to cause high floods, which delay spring 
planting, interrupt traffic on roads and railroads, and greatly hamper 
business. During the summer heavy storms covering relatively 
small areas often cause floods which do considerable damage. The 
watershed has an area of nearly 36,000 square miles, of which 8,500 
square miles lie within the valley. The initial effort toward a com- 
prehensive drainage plan was made at a convention at Crookston, 
Minn., in 1886, when it was arranged to prepare plans for draining 
six Minnesota counties bordering on the Red River. 
Drainage in this valley is an interstate matter because outlets 
are necessary into the Red River, the Bois de Sioux River, and 
Lake Traverse, which together constitute the boundary between Min- 
nesota and North Dakota, and a part of the boundary between Min- 
nesota and South Dakota. In 1900, as a result of the disastrous 
1897 flood in the valley, a tri-State drainage association was formed 
among property owners and other parties interested in the welfare 
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