238 H. G. McKXNNEY. 



of this, we have the fact that passing down from Wagga Wagga 

 to the junction with the Murray there is a perceptible diminution 

 of the cross section of the channel. This can only mean that the 

 channel is slowly silting up, and that as a consequence, the 

 tendency to flooding of the low lands will increase. In regard to 

 this it may be mentioned that during the flood of last winter, 

 residents along the River expected that owing to the clearing of 

 the channel of Yanko Creek, the height of the floods below that 

 place would be less than formerly for a corresponding height at 

 Wagga Wagga. As a matter of fact some of them came to the 

 conclusion that the flood level was really higher than formerly 

 under corresponding conditions. In this conclusion they were 

 probably correct. From 1894 till the present year there were no 

 floods, so that it is natural to suppose that much of the silt which 

 in years of flood would be carried beyond Hay, was deposited a 

 long distance above that place. The snagging operations which 

 have been carried out below Hay have doubtless had a material 

 effect for the time in improving the conditions for navigation, but 

 what it is desired to make clear is that the Murrumbidgee is a 

 changing river, and that the changes are in a direction adverse to 

 navigation. 



Again, the Murrumbidgee is more uncertain in its flow than 

 the Murray, this being chiefly due to the much smaller quantity 

 of snow-water which it receives. The effect of the winter and 

 early spring rains together with the melting snow is sufficient in 

 the case of the Murray to maintain a high supply in it till the 

 middle of December in average seasons, while in the Murrumbidgee 

 the fall of the river may be expected to set in about the middle of 

 October. In addition to this, the supply of water in the Mur- 

 rumbidgee at Wagga Wagga falls considerably lower than that in 

 the Murray at Albury, although the catchment area in the former 

 case is nearly double that in the latter. 



The necessity for storage reservoirs on the Murrumbidgee is 

 much greater than it is on the Murray, and it fortunately happens 

 that the basin of the Murrumbidgee possesses three magnificent 



