68 



Irrigation and Drainage 



connecting the Euphrates with the Tigris. The an- 

 cient city of Babylon seems to have been protected 

 from the floods of June, July and August by high 



Fig. 13. Egyptian system of irrigation canals at the present time. (Willcocks.) 



cemented brick embankments on both banks of the 

 Euphrates, and, to supplement the protection of these, 

 and to store water for irrigation, a large reservoir was 

 excavated 42 miles in circumference and 35 feet deep, 

 into which the whole river might be turned through 

 an artificial canal. There were five principal canals 

 supplied by the Euphrates the Nahr Malikah, the 

 Nah-raga, the Nahr Sares, the Kutha, and the Palla- 

 copus ; while the Tigris furnished water for the great 



