BULLETIN OF THE 



No. 181 



Contribution from Office of Experiment Stations, A. C. True, Director. 

 April 12, 1915. 



(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 



A REPORT ON THE METHODS AND COST OF RECLAIMING 

 THE OVERFLOWED LANDS ALONG THE BIG BLACK RIVER, 

 MISSISSIPPI. 



By Lewis A. Jones, Drainage Engineer, assisted by W. J. Schlick, Drainage Engineer, 

 and C. E. Ramser, Assistant Drainage Engineer. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



General description of district 2 



Present drainage conditions 5 



The survey 6 



The drainage problem 7 



Run-off 7 



Drainage plans considered 26 



Proposed plan 27 



Maintenance 35 



Summary 35 



Appendix I, Bench marks 37 



Appendix II, Floodway data 38 



INTRODUCTION. 



"With the cutting of the most vakiable timber from the swamp and 

 overflowed areas of the South, it becomes evident that future returns 

 from these lands must be sought in agriculture. The first step 

 toward rendering such areas available for cultivation is drainage. 

 The conditions along the Big Black River in Mississippi are fairly 

 representative of conditions that exist in greater or less degree on 

 many southern streams. 



In November, 1912, the attention of Drainage Investigations, Office 

 of Experiment Stations, United States Department ot Agriculture, 

 was called to the conditions along the Big Black River and assistance 

 in devising a plan of reclamation was requested. A preliminary ex- 

 amination of the district was made February 14 to 22, 1913. An 

 agreement was entered into under which Drainage Investigations 

 undertook to make a sui-vey of the area and to prepare plans for 

 its reclamation, the district agreeing to contribute to the expense of 



Note.— ThLs report is Intended for cnKinoors, landowners, and others Intoreslod in drainage enterprises 

 In reK'ons whero the conditions are similar to those here described; it is suitable for distribution in the 

 Oulf Coast Stat«^. 



74746°— Bull. 181—16 1 



