165 
of this year, following that of the previous year and combined 
with the absence of overflows with rise and current sufficient 
to lift and carry away the vegetation, resulted in a very unus- 
ual growth of the aquatic flora in the lakes and even along the 
river margins. The conditions prevailing throughout the 
greater part of the year thus continued to favor the autonomy 
of the main stream noted in the previous year. In brief, the 
year may be characterized as one of extreme low water, with 
some minor and unusual fluctuations. The contrast with 1594 
is best seen on comparison of the total movements of the two 
years, viz., 39.98 and 51.75 feet respectively. 
The year 1896 (Pl. X.) is one of still more unusual char- 
acter, since it presents a series of bimonthly rises culminating 
in step-like succession throughout the year. In none of these, 
however, save the initial one, is more than a ‘very moderate 
stage of water reached. This results (Pl. VII.) in a reduction 
of the normal March flood, the isolation of the June flood in 
the hydrograph, and the submergence of the September rise 
between the abnormal rises of August and October. The gen- 
eral result of such a series of rises is to bring the average level 
for the year up to 6.95 feet (7.26 at Copperas Creek), 0.71 feet 
above the general average, though the rainfall for the year is 
slightly below normal. The increased average height does not, 
however, in this case carry with it the usual extension of the 
flood period. The river was above ten feet for less than a 
month and above eight feet only three months. The overflow 
stage was thus slight, and in addition it occurred in the 
first months of the year, during the winter minimum of the 
plankton, while during the spring months, when the normal 
overflow occurs, the river was practically confined to its banks. 
The succession of minor floods and the slight increase in the 
average level does, however, greatly extend the reservoir action 
of the permanent backwaters. The repeated floods also had 
the effect of clearing out the vegetation in the river and lakes 
where some current develops, as, for, example, in Quiver Lake. 
This reduction in the amount of vegetation in the reservoir 
