OVERFLOW OF RED RIVER OF THE NORTH. 
57 
has been done on the Minnesota side, where the greater part of the 
land along the river is now under cultivation although much im- 
provement to drainage is still possible. Considerable drainage work 
has been carried out on the Dakota side also, but there still remain 
large areas of marsh land which are not used at all, or at best are 
used only as wild hay land or pasture. In Table 14 are shown, for 
each county involved, the areas of land lying within the limiting 
contours of the lowland country, the amount of low land within 
one-half mile of artificial drains, and the percentage of land thus 
served. This table shows clearly how much greater has been the 
progress of artificial drainage development on the east side of 
the river than on the west. Many of the marshes in the flats along 
the river are brackish, as is also the ground water under them. 
Table 14. — Artificial drainage of Red River lowlands. 
County. 
Total 
area of 
lowland. 
Area within one- 
half mile of drams. 
County. 
Total 
area of 
lowland. 
Area withm one- 
half mile of drains. 
Minnesota: 
Traverse 
Sq. mi. 
307 
190 
588 
617 
509 
1,061 
543 
576 
Sq. mi. 
184 
45 
218 
230 
224 
604 
206 
103 
Per cent. 
60.0 
23.7 
37.1 
37.3 
44.0 
56.8 
37.9 
17.9 
North Dakota: 
Richland 
Cass 
Sq. mi. 
835 
937 
492 
639 
501 
730 
Sq. mi. 
55 
176 
52 
22 
27 
143 
Per cent. 
6.6 
18.8 
Wilkin 
Traill 
10.6 
Clay 
Grand Forks... 
Walsh. . . . 
3.4 
5.4 
Polk 
Pembina 
Total 
19.6 
Marshall 
4,134 
43 
475 

11.5 
South Dakota: 
Roberts 
Total 
4,391 
1,814 
41.3 

The workings of the drainage laws, through the arbitrary fixing 
of the extent, location, and channel sizes of ditch systems, have often 
hindered engineers in their efforts to design adequate means for 
relief. At times of flood in the Red River and in the lower parts of 
its tributaries, back water from these streams prevents the normal 
flow of water in the. outlet ditches. 
Very extensive drainage systems have been constructed in the 
higher parts of the watershed on the Minnesota side of the river. 
They furnish outlet through or around ridges, give adequate fall 
through, flat areas, and provide means for lowering the water 
table in higher swamp regions. In many cases the immediate local 
drainage of the territory affected has been given attention; while 
in others only the general outlet channels have been provided, leav- 
ing the smaller local drains to be taken up as the development of the 
locality warrants. Very little drainage has been required in the 
uplands on the west side of the river north of an east-west line 
through Fargo. ' 
The results of artificial drainage in the upper parts of the water- 
shed have been generally satisfactory, although in some cases the 
