38 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



RIVERS AND FLOODS. 



The flood in the lower Mississippi River during the spring and 

 early summer of 1912 was the greatest in its history, and entirely 

 overshadowed similar disasters in other portions of the country, 

 although numerous and widespread floods occurred elsewhere during 

 the year, the Pacific Coast States alone escaping on account of de- 

 ficient precipitation. In the Mississippi flood all previous high-water 

 marks were exceeded from Cairo to the Passes except in the vicinity 

 of Vicksburg, Miss. The flood began in March and reached its maxi- 

 mum at New Orleans, La., early in May ; at the end of June the flood 

 waters were still flowing through the Hymelia crevasse above New 

 Orleans. Of the entire territory subject to overflow about 17,G00 

 square miles, or 59 per cent, were flooded. The losses are believed to 

 have reached $75,000,000, and may possibly reach $100,000,000, the 

 greater portion representing the loss of the season's crops. In its 

 forecast of flood stages and its warnings of danger to residents in the 

 threatened territory the bureau maintained the high degree of accu- 

 racy characterizing its previous flood work on the Mississippi River. 

 Through the flood warnings many lives were saved. The forecast 

 for the highest stage in the river at New Orleans was issued nearly 

 five weeks in advance, and its absolute accuracy, despite complica- 

 tions caused by crevasses and subsequent heavy rains, was a triumph 

 of forecasting skill. A report on the Mississippi flood, already begun, 

 will be prepared jointly by the Department of Agriculture, the War 

 Department, and the Department of the Interior, each department 

 dealing only with such features as come within its particular 

 province. 



Floods elsewhere were forecast with the usual timeliness and 

 accuracy. The total flood losses reported during the year were about 

 $86,000,000, of which about $11,000,000 were incurred outside the 

 lower Mississippi Valley. These figures are far from complete ; it is 

 reasonably certain that if all losses were reported and more detailed 

 statements obtained the total would be brought up to at least $110,- 

 000,000, against a total of less than $8,000,000 for the year ended 

 June 30, 1911, and of about $14,000,000 for the year before. The 

 tojal value of property saved through the flood warnings of tlie past 

 year is estimated at $19,000,000. 



The measurement of the winter snowfall was continued in the 

 mountain regions of the West as a basis for the forecasting of the 

 amount of water likely to be available for agricultural and commer- 

 cial purposes during the succeeding spring and summer. While this 

 work is still in an experimental stage, the forecasts based on the 

 surveys and measurements made in the Maple Creek (Utah) water- 

 shed in the spring of 1911 were of much value to water users, and 



