288 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



Report on the surface water supply of New Mexico, 1913, J. A. French 

 (Santa Fe, N. Mex.: State Engin. DeiJt., 1913, pp. 216, pis. 5).— This report 

 covers floods in the Chico Rico Creek basin in June, 1913; Cimarron River basin 

 in June, 1913; Mora River and Sapello Creeli drainage basins in 1913; and 

 Rio de Arena and Cameron Creek drainage basins in August. 1913. It also 

 gives miscellaneous measurements in the Canadian and Gila River basins, seep- 

 age investigations of the Rio Grande, and evaporation data. 



The inverted weir, E. W. Rettger (Engin. News, 73 (1915), No. 2, pp. 72, 73, 

 figs. 4)- — The author in dealing with special properties of certain weir forms 

 when used inverted calls attention especially to the proportional-flow inverted 

 weir. See also a previous note (E. S. R.. 31, p. 784). 



Report upon the Cypress Creek drainage district, Desha and Chicot coun- 

 ties, Arkansas, S. H. McCkory, O. G. Baxter, D. L. Yarnell, L. A. Jones, and 

 W. J. ScHLicK (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 198 (1915), pp. 20, pis. 4, figs. 2).— This 

 drainage project, the survey for which was completed in March, 1912, embraces 

 a district in southeastern Arkansas having an area of 466 square miles and 

 classed, as Mississippi bottom land. The topsoil generally is the ordinary 

 Mississippi alluvium, more or less modified by decayed vegetation. 



" The water from which the district must be protected comes from two 

 sources — first, direct precipitation upon the watershed in which the district lies, 

 and, second, overflow from the Mississippi River, whose backwater enters the 

 district through the gap in the levees at the mouth of Cypress Creek, damaging 

 not only the district itself but a large area in Chicot County. Ark., and northei*n 

 Louisiana, since such water, once behind the Mississippi River levee, must flow 

 south to the Red River. The drainage problem, then, is not only to provide the 

 necessary outlets and laterals to care for the run-ofif from the 658 square miles 

 tributary to that district but so to design and locate these outlets that the 

 drainage water now entering the Mississippi River through the levee gap will 

 be diverted, thus making it possible to close this gap." 



From run-oft observations made in this and similar districts, the following 

 formula of the Fanning type was deduced for use in calculating run-off in this 



project : R~j=. R=th.e run-off in second-feet per square mile and iJ/=the 



area of watershed in square miles. 



The proposed improvement includes 421.72 miles of ditches, the total cost of 

 construction of which is estimated at $2,207,493, or $7.49 per benefited acre. 



Excavating' plant for heavy drainage work in Arkansas (Engin. Rec, 71 

 (1915), No. 2, p. J}1, fig. 1). — This article deals with the tyi^e and dimensions of 

 machinery adapted to channel and levee construction in timbered alluvium. 

 The floating dipper dredge is preferred for this work. 



The economy of farm drainage, R. D. Marsuen (TJ. 8. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 

 1914, PP- 245-256, pis. 4)- — 111 this article a brief discussion of the beneficial 

 effects of land drainage and of surface and subsurface drains and their adapta- 

 tions is followed by a more detailed discussion of the economic phases of the 

 subject. 



The cost of drainage is shown to be a factor varying not only with location, 

 owing to differences in the cost of tile and labor, but with the nature of the soil 

 and with the consequent depth and spacing of drains. It is stated that in con- 

 sidering the economy of fann drainage it is proper first to compare the antici- 

 pated results with the probable returns from otherwise investing the money that 

 the drainage work will cost. 



Proper planning of drainage projects is considered essential. " To determine 

 the most economical plan of drainage usually requires engineei'ing judgment of 

 no mean order and a thorough knowledge of the drainage properties of soils. 



