Forest Hydrology in the Appalachians

"The lumberman, the forest fire, and the farmer cooperate in the work of forest destruction and the consequent disturbance of the regularity of the flow of the streams. This increases the floods which destroy the valley lands below, and as the irregularity of their flow increases, the streams lose their value for water power dur-ing the dry season, and during the season of rain the floods wash away the farming lands in the valleys and carry destruction along their course to the lowlands. As the rains wash away the cleared fields on the mountain slopes and the farming lands in the valleys, these soils on their way toward the sea incidentally silt up the river channels and the harbors. Hence it is strictly true that in destroying forests these agencies are removing the soils, ruining the rivers, and destroying the mountains themselves; and along the lower courses of these streams they, are thus destroying agricultural and manufacturing interests, and incidentally seriously affecting impor-tant navigation facilities. " (1) THE WATER problem of the Appalachian region is primarily a forest problem. This de