FLOODS AND DEFECTIVE DRAINAGE. 89 



" Notwithstanding the advantages of an abundance of fall, this 

 river, especially for the upper third of its length, is most 

 destructive, so much so that of the area of the lands adjoining 

 the first 30 miles thousands of acres are permanently soaked 

 with backwater and rendered unfit to grow anything better than 

 rank grass and rushes, while the greater part of this area is 

 little better than a marsh, a striking contrast to neighbouring 

 land where drainage is possible. 



" Rivers situated like the Spey are fed from both sides by 

 streams rushing down the mountain sides and joining the main 

 channel at right angles to the flow, carrying with them loose 

 stones and gravel, which form obstructive barriers across the 

 river and sectionalise it into pools and currents, preventing an 

 easy and uninterrupted flow. 



" A good deal of laudable but isolated effort has been made, 

 by forming embankments and executing other works, to minimise 

 the destructive effects of the floods, but it is obvious that works in 

 the higher parts of the stream will not benefit the lands below, 

 and it is not to be expected that a riparian owner of the lower 

 part of the stream would incur large expenditure which would 

 mostly benefit the lands above. Clearly, in the case of any 

 river it must be dealt with comprehensively as a whole, and that 

 can only be done under legal authority backed by financial 

 support. To rectify and correct the River Spey would not 

 involve an onerous financial burden compared with the immense 

 benefit which would accrue. 



" I cite the case of this river as an example within my own 

 knowledge, but although an aggravated case, it is by no means 

 an exceptional one. It may, however, be taken to be typical of 

 numbers of rivers flowing through the valleys of the mountainous 

 portions of the kingdom, and it is to such sheltered valleys that 

 we must look for a large addition to our available prodvctive 

 lands. 



" In dealing with rivers, every case must be considered on its 

 merits. In certain instances much harm might be done by 

 disposing of the water stored up inland and gorging the outlet, 

 and it must not be forgotten that the more perfect the arterial 

 drainage of the country, the more rapid will be the discharge of 

 the flood waters, and provision should be made accordingly. 



" Again, in considering damage to lands by floods, we must 

 differentiate between grazing lands, where an occasional flood 



