IKKIGATION INVESTIGATIONS. 491 



to tax 5S,0<»0 acres of land. A pul)lic mcctincr was held at which a 

 reprcsontative of this Dopartnioiit was invited to explain the plans and 

 discuss their adaptation to the needs of the portion of the valley under 

 discussion. Several propositions for draining- lands in Woodlnuy 

 County, lying" directlv north of Monona County, were ))riefly exam- 

 ined and the people of that county, at their request, were addressed at 

 a meeting held at Salix, where the feasibility of the plans proposed, 

 as well as the general principles involved in the drainage of level 

 lands, was discussed. 



in Buena Msta County the improvement of Coon River is proposed. 

 The chainiel at the headwaters of this stream is a mere slough, which 

 has l)een used as an outlet for surface and t\\v, drainage, but, owing to 

 the uiuisual rainfall, a large acreage of land which has l)een tile- 

 drained at considerable expense has been flooded. The improvement 

 of this river will involve provision for the drainage of approximately 

 115,000 acres. The drainage expert of this Office was called upon to 

 confer with the county auditor, attorney, and engineer regarding- the 

 proper steps to be taken for starting this project in accordance with 

 the State drainage laws. Survex's for this work are now being made. 

 It should be observed in this connection that the provisions of the 

 State drainage law are meager, many regulations for carrying out 

 efficient drainage work re([uiring the cooperation of landowners ])eing 

 wanting. Much confusion has arisen in the attempt to organize dis- 

 tricts to execute work in accordance with the law. The county 

 auditors of the State have a committee which is instructed to formu- 

 late such amendments as occur to them as necessary. A drainage con- 

 vention is called to meet at Ames, Januar}^ 15-10, 1904, for a confer- 

 ence upon changes needed in the law" and for a complete discussion of 

 the methods required in combined di-ainage. A representative of this 

 Office has been asked to meet with this convention. 



A large amount of drainage work is Ix'ing arranged for in Hancock 

 Count}', where the present drainage districts were examined, the 

 aggregate estimated cost of the proposed work being $250,000. 

 Written reports were prepared upon each of the general projects 

 described, containing reconunendations to both supervisors and 

 engineers. A sinmnary of th(> approximate estimated cost of the work 

 which has l)een examined and upon which advice has been given is as 

 follows: 



Hwainpcd luinls umltT ditches at Fresno, Cal $23(), 000 



Simnysidc, Wasli .S, 500 



North Yakima, Wa.>^li 12, <i(X) 



Monona County, Iowa 238, 000 



Hancock foiinty, Iowa 250,000 



|]uciia Vi.«ta County, Iowa 125, 000 



Santee and Cooper rivers, S. C 4!M , 000 



1,356,100 



