WATER CONSERVATIOX, ETC 7^q 



The D'lvidnuj Raiujr <nul Ihr ll'uj}, Tahliliwl. 



As regards water conservation, irrigation, and drainage, this jjortion 

 of the Colony calls for little remark. Possessi'd of a fair average rain- 

 fall, and a comparatively temperate climate — the average temja-rature 

 at Cooma, in the southern part of the tabh-land, for nistanei-, being 

 almost identical with that of Paris — the necessity for irrigaticjn i's 

 seldom felt. This division of the Colony must in the course of time 

 become a highly interesting one as regards water conservation ; for 

 here, and on tho western slopes of the Dividing ]{ange, storage 

 reservoirs will bo required to regulate the supply of water in the 

 Avcstern rivers. The site of one such reservoir has been fixed near the 

 head waters of the Murrumbidgee ; but works of this descrijition will 

 naturally await definite action towards fully utilising the supplies of 

 water at present available. 



The ]\'es-tern ^SZope*' of the Dlvidhifj BfOKjr. 



The part of the Colony included under this liead extends from tlio 

 border of the high tablelands to the edge of the great western, or, 

 rather, central plain. Referring to the map of the drainage area of 

 the river Murray, it will be observed that on the east, south, and Jiorth 

 sides of this basin there are important tributary rivers whicli How into 

 the great central plain. This central plain may be com])ared to a sea 

 of alluvium, in Avhicli tracts of ridgy country, and occasional isolated 

 ridges and hills, stand out like islands. On the slopes of the watersheil 

 the courses of the rivers lie through mountainous or hilly country, and 

 follow ravines or well-defined valleys ; but from the places where they 

 reach the great central plain, their valley's cease to be defined, and the 

 courses of the rivers are in a state of perpetual change. The j)oints 

 on the principal rivers of this Colony at which this change occurs are 

 Bungowanuah, about (3 miles below Albury, on the Murray ; Xarrandera, 

 on the Murrumbidgee; Forbes, on the Lachlan ; Narromine, on the 

 Macquarie ; Gunnedah, on the Namoi ; and Pallamallawa, on the 

 Gwydir. 



As only currents of high velocity will move boulders and pebbles, 

 it is naturally found that while the western rivers carry fine silt foi- 

 hundreds of miles, the coarse deposits are, as a rule, found only near 

 the mountains. Thus it may generally be assumed that the soil in tlie 

 valleys of the western slopes of the Dividing Range is underlaid l)y 

 boulders, pebbles, or coarse drift. Hence these valleys are specially 

 adapted for irrigation, and as instances of this fact there is an irrigated 

 farm near Gunnedah which has no superior in the Colony, and irrigation 

 has been practised with success at Forbes, on the Lachlan, and on the 

 Tumut River which is a tributary of the Murrumbidgee. The valleys 

 in this division of the Colony can in some cases be watered by gravita- 

 tion, in others by pumping from the rivers, and in others Ijy pumping 

 from wells sunk into the drift. The depth and fertility of the soil 

 will in many cases warrant considerable outlay on irrigation works. 

 The adaptability of such land for producing under irrigation first-class 

 crops of fruit, fodder, cereals, tubers, &c., has been abundantly proved. 

 In every case where the watering of cro])s has been dealt with in a 

 scientific and business-like manner the result has been highly satisfac- 



