River Control
Sir.—Youi correspondents or. this subject seem to be avoiding the real issue. Ultimate river control depends on regulated Water run-off in the catchments Clear running water has little Power of abrasion, the bulk of our flood damage and erosion is caused by waters carrying silt and stones, and is initiated m the mountains The cause? Deer, chamois, thar. sheep, and hares actively browsing the tussock and herbaceous vegetation on the mountain slopes, resulting in insufficient seeds reaching maturity from these species The cloven hooves of deer, chamois, thar and .sheep bite deeply into the steep
slopes, everywhere loosening soil that in the next heavy rain gets weshed down to help the rivers m their scouring process. From where the soil has gone, bare rock remains and sudden floods are , foll ow. The solution? Fewer animals in the mountains —Yours, etc.,
T OBSERVER. January 7, 1958.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28480, 9 January 1958, Page 3
Word Count
147River Control Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28480, 9 January 1958, Page 3
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