WSP12347

• File Number: 8107
• Description: Arkansas River-Arkansas River Basin-General Publications-Issues
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 8/8/1940
• Author: W W Wanamaker
• Title: Major Projects-Comprehensive Flood Control Plan for the Arkansas River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Arkansas River - Salt Fork in vicinity of Cherokee, Oklahona

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1. Cottonwood Creek, & small stream in the Salt Fork basin, drains
an area .r 55 square mileS-in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. It rises in the
western part of the county, flows northeast 21 miles and discharges int~
the Great Salt Plains, through whioh it finds its way to Salt Fork RiTer.
Cherokee, oounty seat, a town of 2,200 populatirn, Is located on the
stream 3 miles west of the Salt Plains. Six damaging fl(oda have ooourred
since 1910. Ninety per cent of the tOKn is subjeot to overflow by major
floods. as well as about 4,000 aorea of rioh farm land north and west of
the town. Direot flood 108ses are estimated to be 133,000 ar~ual1y, ~f
which ~7,OOO would be at Cherokee.

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2. A survey report on flood control for the Salt F.r~ of the
Arkansas R1~er in the vicinity of Cherokee, Okla., was completed in
March, 1939, and has been transmitted t. Congress. It is proposed t~
provide flood protection to this area by means of a n~' channel and
parallel levees, diverting the stream away'from the t.wn. The estimated
cost of this improvement is about ~OO,OOO, and the ar~ual charges
~30,OOO. No authorization has been enacted for the construction of this
project.

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J. Arkansas River _ Little Rook to Pine Bluff

1. The Department has reo~ended to Congresl that the levees along
the south'bank of the Arkansas River between Little Rock and Pine Bluff
be raised, strengthened and extended, at an estimated first cost of
C641,ooo, subject to the usual provisions of local cooperation. No.
genera~ Federal project for flood control improvements has been author_
ized along this stretoh of the river. Levees have been constructed by
local interests whioh are inadequate to proteot against major floods.

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2. The pl~ is based upon increasing the levees to a height 3 feet
above the estimated flow line .f the 1927 flood as it would have been
modified by the authorized system of reservoirs. The reco~ended projeot
would proteot 25,000 acres of land. The est~Ated annual bensfita in
flOOd 103ses prevented and enhancement of land values is $45,ooo~
and the annual oarrying oharges are ~}6,OOO.

K, Arkansas River - Crawford County Levee District

1. The Department has rec~ended to Congress that the existing
levees of the Crawford County Levee District in Crawford County, Arkansas.
be strentthened at an estimated first cost to the United States of
~84,ooo, subjeot to the usual provisions relating to local oooperation.

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2. This distriot is located on the north side of the Arkansas River
in the extreme western part of the State of Arkansas. The distriot"ax_'
tenda along the river a distanoe of 22 miles, has a population of 2,500.
and inoludes a portion of the town of Van Buren. The Crawford County

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