92 FLOOD LANDS AND WATER SUPPLY. 



prevent a small river from rising as much as 

 four feet lower down the stream by thus 

 retaining the overflow. 



During a long series of years, prior to the 

 present generation, our English rivers had been 

 accustomed to occupy certain low lying land 

 after every burst of wet weather. They filled 

 the dykes in February in the old proverbial 

 manner, and the lower reaches were accordingly 

 saved from the full force of the flood. The 

 Thames was able, to a limited extent, to look 

 after itself as soon as the lock system was 

 completed, and needed but a little intelligent 

 assistance in order to behave well during the 

 wettest years. This help has never been given : 

 and instead of a single acre of flood land being 

 provided for the use of the river, thousands of 

 acres have been gradually abstracted from it. 



Of late indeed not a year passes during which 

 some reclamation of flood land does not take 

 place. The river is thus ' cabined, cribbed, 

 confined, 5 until its waters have no lateral outlet, 

 but are forced to pour down the main stream 

 and cause dangerous and damaging inundations 

 in the lower reaches above Richmond. Thus 

 floods at Windsor may be caused by the walling 

 off of flood lands above Oxford or Reading : 

 and floods at Kingston from the reclamation of 

 low lying meadows at Windsor. 



A river without flood lands is simply akin to 

 a railway without sidings; and disorganisation 

 is a natural consequence. 



As the principle alone is being discussed, no 





