SANITARY DRAINAGE OF WASHINGTON. 7 



include the canalization of the whole river to a point at least 

 three-fourths of a mile above Benning's bridge, or, better still, to 

 the limits of the District. The canalization should provide an 

 ample outlet for flood-waters, but the wide stretch of flats and 

 marshes along both sides of the river should be thoroughly drained 

 by artificial means. Tributary streams from either side, and the 

 outlets of storm-water sewers, should be carried to the water-way 

 at its natural elevation, — the current, especially in the case of the 

 new Boundary Avenue sewer, being checked by a suflicient pond- 

 ing of its outflow. So far as practicable, all upland water should 

 be made to flow to the channel without descending into the drained 

 lands. As in Holland, so here, the deep drainage of the reclaimed 

 territory should be by open canals or ditches, which, in the case of 

 the Kidwell Flats, might well be made of an ornamental character. 

 The water in these canals would be kept j^ure by the introduction 

 of a sufficient flow from the river. Except during violent storms, 

 the pumping need be done only at low water, when but a slight 

 lift would be required. It would be easy to connect nearly if 

 not quite all of the drainage streams of the reclaimed land at one 

 point for removal, at a single pumping station. 



Aside from the economy and simplicity of this system, it would 

 secure the very great advantage of afibrding easy deep drainage 

 to those large areas of the city which now lie but slightly above 

 tide level. This means of outlet being secured, there will be no 

 difficulty in rapidly reducing the ground-water level by natural or 

 artificial drainage sufficiently below the present grade for all sani- 

 tary purposes. In short, the carrying out of this improvement 

 would be practically equivalent to i-aising the whole city six or 

 eight feet above its present level, and giving it high and dry 

 ground to the shore of a clear running stream on each side. 



The reclamation of the flats east of the channel of the Auacostia 

 is by all means to be recommended, as these flats must in time 

 become, if they are not already, sources of malaria too near the 

 city to be disregarded. Such of the reclaimed land as is not needed 



