Bravo! Someone is finally looking at one of the impacts of agriculture on flooding!
I can offer no ideas on dams and floodgates, but I can offer an idea to make this
sort of approach less necessary.
It looks like we are again looking at a problem (flooding) and dealing with the
symptoms rather than addressing the root cause. More flooding is evident as we add
more and more impervious structures through development. Another factor is the
degradation of our soil quality through use of chemicals and over tillage. These
farming practices reduce the ability of soils to absorb water and recharge ground
water reserves. Thus, higher runoff.
It seems to me that improving the quality of soils in our agricultural areas would
lessen flooding at a lower cost, provide a long term solution, obviate maintenance
and regulation, while improving our ability to produce quality food.
I realize that government agencies think only in terms of centralized, regulated,
budgeted programs, but a program that addresses the root causes of a problem would
be far more successful, benefit more sectors and require less long term funding due
to continued regulation. It would empower farmers to increase the quality and
productivity of their land and increase their income without making them dependent
on another federal program for income.
I also realize that public programs require substantiated results for money spent-
easier to cite number of dams and water holding potential statistics than to talk
about increase of soil quality. But think of the nightmare of regulating all those
floodgates across the country. Do we need a federal agency larger than TVA?
Again, it looks like the federal government is looking to farmers to solve the
problems created by an unsustainable society. It has already been proposed that
farmland receive sewage sludge from urban areas. Now we need to flood our fields to
keep from flooding urban areas that create the most runoff from buildings and roads?
The only way to regulate a centralized program would be to shut down the independent
farm operators, and the growing of food and regulation of water on the fields placed
under a central governmental agency. Do we have any examples of how well this has
worked in other countries?
Alex
Crosswhite.William@epamail.epa.gov wrote:
> Short-Term Storage of Flood Water on Farmland
>
> A colleague is developing and examining the idea that the benefits of short-term
> storage and management of flood water on farmland may be much greater than the
> associated costs. This storage would supplement the storage that is already
> available in COE and Small Watershed structures. If large amounts of flood
> water could be stored on farmland, the effective operation of all these
> activities should be closely coordinated. I include a summary of the idea and a
> request.
>
> Summary
>
> Short-term storage of flood waters by the temporary plugging of ditches and
> drainage systems and holding water on farmland with berms around the edge of
> fields and other actions could reduce the social and environmental cost
> associated with downstream flood impacts. In return, farmers would be paid an
> amount that would cover the opportunity cost of the land for the period of
> runoff storage including crop loss and any other related costs. Additionally,
> there could be cost sharing of installing berms and risers to store water on the
> surface, gates to retain water in drainage ditches, and modifications to
> drainage systems to temporarily store water in drainage pipes and the soil.
>
> Request
>
> First, I solicit and welcome comments on (1) the feasibility of storing and
> managing runoff on farmland and (2) any suggestions and ideas on ways that can
> be used to provide short-term storage of water on farmland.
>
> Second, if you have installed berms and risers, gates in drainage ditches,
> controlled drainage and subirrigation systems, or other systems that would
> provide short-term storage of water on farmland, please share information on the
> costs associated with these systems in as much detail as is available.
>
> Thank you very much for the information and ideas you share. Publications and
> other materials welcomed.
>
> William Crosswhite
> USEPA Mail code 2121
> 401 M Street SW
> Washington, DC 20460
>
> 202-260-6804
> Fax 202-260-2300
>
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