Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1898 — Kankakee River Drainage. [ARTICLE]

Kankakee River Drainage.

For the last 18 years I have given considerable thought to the reclaiming of the swamp lands along the Kankakee river; and have atmost concluded, that, our U. S. Fish Commissioners, and State Commissioners, have about solved the great problem, and done so unawares. It is a common remark, that the last two or three years, the river has reached a lower stage than ever before; also that the channel was never so clean of grass, moss and weeds as at the present time. Why? Because the Fish Commissioners have put a lot of carp fish in the river, and they have obeyed the scriptural command to the letter, “to multiplv and replenish,” that portion of the earth. Now, the more carp the better, as they will have to root the more to live. Now if the land owners would assist the industrious rooters by removing all logs, trees and brush from the channel; then let Nature do the rest, and I believe it will be done, and done more effectually than we would believe it could be at present. I believe the removal of the grass and moss will give the channel a carrying capacity of at least 10 per cent, greater than before another 10 per cent, can be had by removing the trees and logs, which can be done at a cost of 25 to 50 dollars per mile. j. he luereuoed current aided by the fish will soon level off the sandbars even up the channel so as to add another 10 per. cent. Here then we would have 130 gallons feet or yds. of water coming toward the sea where only 100 went before. Now this will carry off the flood waters, 1 month oj more earlier in the season, than formerly; this will give 1 month or more of the whole river to reduce the water level in the loose porous soil of the bottom lands. This will reduce the water level let us suppose only 1 foot. This will absorb sor 6 inches of rain fall: about 3 or 4 big rains—or 1 month’s rain to just catch up with where it formerly was. This will get the floods so far behind it will never catch up with its former size. And then this will gradually increase year after year, until the overflow the large flats along this river, will be known only in History. Thanks to the unceasing efforts of the mud rooters, the German carp, to ob tain an honest living. Now let the land owners second their labors by removing the logs and brush from the channel and let nature do the rest. Yours Respt., Lewis S. Alter, Civil Eng.