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<br />PRINCIPLES OF FLOOD CONTROL <br /> <br />This paper presents a discussion of floods, and what can be <br />done to abate the damage which occurs from them. <br /> <br />Floods are natural phenomena which cannot be prevented. They <br />are the re8Ul.ts of heavy storms which unload such a great volume of <br />water on a drainage area that the ordinary river channels overflow onto <br />the adjacent flood plains. Hea'lY allOWS on the gro1.Uld, soil saturated <br />by previous rains, f'ull reservoirs, both natural and artificial, frozen <br />ground and lite circumstances are generally antecedent aids in producing <br />great floods. <br /> <br />Floods are relative~ frequent in occurrence, but only <br />occasionally are they catastrophic. Then they are destructive because <br />man - <br /> <br />1. Insists on living and working within the well- <br />marked natural flood plains of rivers; <br /> <br />2. Obstructs the river channels and flood plains <br />with his works; <br /> <br />.3. Has by his works impaired the water retentive <br />qualities of the areas on which the storms tall. <br /> <br />In some instances the occupancy ot dangerous flood plains is <br />the re8Ul.t ot shortsightedness and carelessness. But in most cases the <br />bottom lands along the river are the most productive tor agriculture. <br />The original location ot many cities was dictated by the existence ot <br />a waterway, which at the time was the on~ availsble cheap transporta- <br />tion tor goods and produce. Regardless ot the cause, many areas are <br />vulnerable to damage by floods. It is significant of the times that <br />these localities now are calling on the Federal go.ernment tor protec- <br />tion, rather than meeting the problem by themselves. <br />