24 



BULLETIN 71, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



to the rear of the plantation is about 10 feet. Part of the laud could doubtless 

 be drained by gravity, but at present all of the water goes to the pumping plant. 

 In February, 1911, 200 acres of land lying along the river front were added to 

 this plantation. 



Levees. 



As part of this tract is above all possible high water due to direct precipita- 

 tion or tidal overflow, it is only partially inclosed by levees. Starting where 

 the ground is only about 5 feet above mean tide, a levee was built around the 

 lower part to a height of nearly 7 feet above mean tide. The levees were built 



Fig. 4. — Sketch map of area No. 1, 'Waggaman, Jefferson Tarish, La., showing ditch and 



levee system. 



with a dipper dredge with material taken from the inside of the district. The 

 canal resulting from the levee building was used for a reservoir. The ground was 

 very soft and the levees were built up in several layers, but owing to the soft- 

 ness of the ground the excavated material formed a good bond with the foun- 

 dation. The berm between the levee and the canal is now from 10 feet to 15 

 feet wide and is quite uniform. As they stand to-day, the levees seem to be 

 almost impervious to seepage water. Nothing could be learned as to seepage 

 during the first few years after construction, and they show no evidence of any 

 sliding of material due to seepage. The levees have a top width of about 5 feet 



