MITIGATION OF FLOODS IN THE HUNTER RIVER. 107 



The MITIGATION of FLOODS in the HUNTER RIVER. 

 By J. H. Maiden. 



[Bead before the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, August 6, 1902.'] 



Page. 



I. Introductory ... 107 



II. Geographical notes ... 108 



III. The situation, — denudation ... ... 110 



The outlook serious ... ... ... ... Ill 



IV. Intelligent control of ringbarking the beginning of all 



remedial measures : — ... 112 



a. Shelter for stock should be adequate ... 113 



b. Danger of cutting trees too near the water-courses ... 114 



V. Deviation of roads ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 115 



VI. Falling in of banks 115 



VII. Floods and weeds 115 



VIII. Some miscellaneous factors in erosion : — 116 



a. Boulders ... ... ... ... 116 



6. Dead trees ... ... ... ... 116 



c. Stock 117 



IX. Remedial and preventive measures : — ... ... ... ... 117 



a. Control of ringbarking ... ... ... ... .+ 117 



b. Fencing 117 



c. Embankments ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 117 



d. Chamfering of banks ... ... ... ... 118 



e. Planting and conservation ... ... ... ... ... 118 



1. Natural bank protectors... ... ... 118 



2. Other bank-protectors (exotic)... ... ... ... 119 



3. Plants recommended for Upper, Middle, and Lower 



Hunter 120 



4. Nurseries ... ... ... 126 



X. Summary of the measures recommended for mitigation of floods 126 



Appendix 1. Mountain torrents in Europe ... 127 



Appendix 2. Lessons to be learnt from some rivers in Europe ... 128 



Appendix 3. An instance of denudation in the United States. ... 130 



I. Introductory. 

 The floods in the Hunter River arise from different causes, 

 making their manifestations felt in different parts of its 

 course. For example, the 1857 flood was (I understand) 



