EGYPTIAN IRRIGATION. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The studies on which this report is based were made during. the 

 winter ot 1901-2 as a part of the work of the irrigation investigations 

 of the U. vS. Department of Agriculture. The ol)ject was not the com- 

 piling of an exhaustive treatise on Egyptian irrigation, but rather 

 the stud}^ of agricultural practices, engineering works, and adminis- 

 trative measures for comparison with American works and methods, 

 with a view to the improvement of the latter, giving especial attention 

 to administrative methods. 



The plan followed was to become conversant with the irrigation law 

 of Egypt, then follow its application in the field. Such a study of 

 irriofation administration can best be carried on with Cairo as a base. 

 All the engineers having charge of the division of water have their 

 offices there, and it is easy to reach any other part of the country from 

 that city. Fortunately the laws had been compiled in French during 

 the year 1901, and copies could be had for the asking. 



The inspector of irrigation was absent from Cairo during the winter 

 of 1901-2, and his duties were attended to by the inspectors of Lower 

 and Upper Egypt. Under any circumstances these two officers and 

 the chief of the technical department, who has charge of the installa- 

 tion of water-raising devices and the inspection of steam boilers used 

 in connection with pumps, shoulder a large part of the responsibility. 

 These officers gladlv gave such- information as thev had in their pos- 

 session, and referred such inquiries as they could not answ^er directly 

 to those who were informed on the subject. 



The great Nile dams would naturally be examined by one interested 

 in irrigation, and the canals can be studied with profit. One feature 

 of Egyptian irrigation which is almost lacking in America is the use 

 of water-raising devices. The Egyptian farmer seldom is able to 

 secure enough fall to permit the delivery of water by gravity alone. 

 The problem of raising water from some of the streams of the United 

 States will have to be solved in the near future. Wherever a river 

 flows m a canyon or where the grade of a stream is small it is often 

 advantageous to lift the water to the head of a canal instead of l)uild- 

 ing a long or difticult line. It also makes the maintenance of large 

 diversion works unnecessary. In view of these facts information was 



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