xlviii. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



lying, the question of drainage is a more important one than 

 irrigation. It was pointed out, however, that irrigation has been 

 tried successfully in a number of places in the coastal district, 

 and it was explained that the fact of drainage being necessary did 

 not by any means show that irrigation would not be successful in 

 the same neighbourhood. The tableland and the valleys on the 

 west side of the Dividing Range were next considered, and it was 

 mentioned that some of these valleys are excellently suited for 

 irrigation, so far as the soil and general conditions are concerned. 



Coming to the great plains of the Central and Western Divis- 

 ions of this State, the author called attention to the great magni- 

 tude and depth of the alluvial deposits as compared with the 

 extent and height of the mountains from which they must have 

 been derived. Consequent on these conditions there is a similar 

 disproportion between the area which could be irrigated so far as 

 levels of the country are concerned, and the quantity of water 

 which can be made available for this purpose. The Murray and 

 the Murrumbidgee are our only rivers from which supplies of water 

 can be obtained for large irrigation projects, and even these rivers 

 cannot be depended on for sufficient water in all seasons, unless 

 storage reservoirs for augmenting the supplies of water in summer 

 be constructed. In all the other western rivers the flow is liable 

 to cease entirely, and sometimes this state of affairs continues for 

 a considerable period. Storage reservoirs can remedy this when 

 suitable sites are obtainable. 



The large schemes for utilizing the waters of the Murray and 

 the Murrumbidgee, were proposed by the author early in 1885, 

 but the necessary surveys and levels were not authorised for 

 several years afterwards. These surveys and levels showed that 

 the scheme for a system of canals from the river Murray was 

 practicable in almost every detail suggested. In the case of the 

 Murrumbidgee, some changes proved necessary, and a modified 

 scheme was accordingly prepared. Two projects were submitted 

 in definite form to Colonel Home; the first for a system of canals 

 in the district bounded on the south by the Murray and Edward 



