THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



415' 



Qunaba estate, owned by the Queensland 

 National Bank. With others, this loca- 

 tion offered good conditions for putting 

 the matter of underground water to the 

 test. Moreover, one of the many small' 

 shallow wells found in the district "was 

 already on the place, having been sunk by 

 the previous owner, Mr. Barton. This 

 old well, by use of a steam pump, was 

 yielding some 4,000 gallons of water per 

 hour. Upon deepening the source by 

 means of larger bores, the output was in- 

 creased to 33,000 gallons per hour. It 

 was found advisable (for reasons to be ex- 

 plained at a later time when reporting 

 more fully upon the question) to sink a 

 new shaft, and to drive bores of larger 

 dimensions down to the water-bearing 

 stratum. This new shaft, located about 

 100 yards from the smaller old one, has 

 been a great success in itself; while also 

 indicating the area of distribution of the 

 water-carrying stratum. When the clayey 

 stratum was pierced by the bores, which 

 entered the gravel water stratum, the 

 water rushed up with astounding force, 

 rising some 14 feet above its confined 

 level. A pump was put down and worked 

 by a Fowler ploughing engine, and at the 

 same time the pump in the older well was 

 kept running at its maximum duty. The 

 united services of the two pumps gave a 

 total of 70,000 gallons per hour, or an out- 

 put of 1,680,000 gallons per twenty- four 

 hours, and without any effect upon the 

 supply or upon the quality, which was 

 carefully controlled by the laboratory. 



It may thus be said that the question of 

 underground water has been settled by 

 systematic tests. The depth at which the 

 water is, and will be, found is determined 

 by the depths of the strata or deposits 

 overlying the water bearing stratum, which 

 are various. In the present example, the 

 water is found, and rises to within 28 feet 

 of the land surface. Concerning the sup- 

 ply, the indication 3 appear ample for a 

 volume covering the needs for irrigation of 



the Qunaba estate. The indications, how- 

 ever, are of such a nature as to give prom- 

 ise of a supply for much more extended 

 uses in the Woongarra district. 



The cost of the investigations, so far, is 

 very small, being only one tenth of the 

 amount set apart for the purpose by the 

 owners of the estate. This is a most mat- 

 erial point. It is due, however, in large 

 part, to the interest and careful working 

 of the estate manager, Mr. J. Cran, and 

 to his capable engineer. 



Acknowledgement is due to the owners 

 of the Quanaba estate for providing the 

 facilities and funds for these tests to be 

 made, the result of which may be very far- 

 reaching in the Bundaberg and other dis- 

 tricts. We are also specially indebted to 

 the manager of the Queensland National 

 Bank's concerns, at Bundaberg (Mr. Eas- 

 tick), for having the tests pushed so rap- 

 idly; as it was expressly important that 

 the whole matter should be settled if pos- 

 sible before any great and continuous fall 

 of rain. As it is, the results have been 

 attained after a period of drought almost 

 hitherto unknown. 



The results of irrigation of cane so far 

 condueted by Messrs. Gibson and Howes, 

 at Bingera, have led them to determine 

 upon a vastly greater scale of irrigation, 

 and an order has been placed by them for 

 a pump to lift 10,000,000 gallons of water 

 for daily distribution. Such courage and 

 enterprise are very invigorating, and of 

 great good to the country. 



I hope to be able to speak later of irri- 

 gation possibilities in certain localities of 

 the Isis. Very different modes will have 

 to be followed in the several districts with 

 their dissimilar conditions. 



At Bingera, the water is lifted directly 

 from the river; in the Woongara it must 

 be raised from underground; while in the 

 Isis the impounding of storm water ap- 

 pears to offer the surest and cheapest 

 source of supply. I have, etc., Walter 

 Maxwell, Director Sugar Experiment Sta- 

 tion. Queenslander. 



