P.D. 123. 31 



Salisbury Drainage District (Salisbury) 

 This district has not been reorganized under the revised foi-m of the law, but 

 sucli reorganization seems very desirable because many of the land owners in 

 the area involved live at a distance, so that the affairs of the district would be 

 much more readily handled if these members could vote by jDroxy. Proxy voting 

 is, liowever, possible only under the revised form of the law. The District Com- 

 missioners have continued their efforts to secure an advance of money from the 

 County of Essex, but this effort has been unsuccessful. 



Shelburne Reclamation Project (Shelburne) 



The land owners in this area have found a means to secure drainage without 

 the organization of a district and have completed the necessary work. 



Wapping Reclamation District (Deerfield) 



The area involved in this project is described in the last annual report of the 

 Board. The District Commissioners were appointed in December, 1923, but the 

 district was not organized until June, 1924. A further survey of the area to be 

 drained indicated that the proper outlet was in a different location from that 

 originally decided upon. The plan for improvements in this district does not 

 contemplate doing all the work at one time, but taking it up by sections, as the 

 district may decide. Bids are now being secured for constructing the first sec- 

 tion. It is expected that the so-called Great Pasture Project in Deerfield will be 

 combined with the Wapping Project. 



Weweantic River Drainage District (Carver) 



Ko new construction has been undertaken by the district during the year. The 

 new bridge on the location of the Old England Bridge near Tremont has proved 

 to be much better suited to pass the water of the river than the old bridge. Near 

 the upi^er end of the district the part of the bed of the river which was cleared 

 when the district first began operations is showing a tendency to fill up again. 

 This part of the river will need further cleaning, and some additional work 

 should be done to remove obstructions and straighten the channel farther down 

 stream. 



Inactive Projects 



The so-called Malagasco, North Marblehead and Wessagussett Projects ajipear 

 to be at a standstill. At North Mai'blehead the land owners appear to have lost 

 interest, and various obstacles have prevented anything further being done on 

 the other two projects which are situated in Boylston and North Weymouth 

 respectively. 



Pending Projects 

 The Board has information about several places where the land owners are 

 interested in securing drainage. This includes a considerable area near Massa- 

 poag Lake in Sharon, a large tract in Whitman west of the Bear Meadow 

 Project, and an area in Dedham which interferes with the developnivent of that 

 town and the construction of town parks and playgrounds. None of these have 

 reached the stage of sending in a petition. 



Recommendations 



Tlie Board regrets the necessity of asking for further changes in the Reclama- 

 tion Law. In most respects the law is meeting the expectations of the Board and 

 others interested in the State's drainage problem. It should be recognized, how- 

 ever, that this is a new line of State activity and that the legislation is neces- 

 sarily experimental. It is not to be expected that every contingency 'can be met 

 until after several years' experience with the law and with the situations which 

 administration of the law brings to light. 



To facilitate the operation of the Board, the personnel should be three mem- 

 bers instead of two. One of the present members of the Board is not available 

 on short notice, and without either member the Board cannot legallv act. It is. 



