L. A. B. WADE. LXXXIHIl. 
1 foot per mile at Mungindi (Queensland border) to 33 inches 
per mile at Bourke. As far down as Wilcannia the channel 
is very deep, affording no facilities for diversion canals, and 
rendering pumping schemes expensive. From Wilcannia 
to Wentworth the banks decrease in height, and there are 
large ana-branches. Facilities for irrigation only exist 
along this portion of the river, where large areas of lake 
beds may be supplied by gravitation. The only work so 
far carried out is an experimental lock and weir at Bourke. 
The irrigation of the beds of Lakes Cawdilla, and the great 
ana-branch from storages in lakes Menindie and Pamamaroo 
is now under consideration, it is thought that 30 thousand 
million cubic feet can be stored in the two latter, but of 
course the losses by evaporation will be very great. The 
Darling is fed by tributaries which are dependent on the 
monsoonal rains, and ‘in consequence its flow is much more 
unreliable than the flow of the other rivers which are fed 
from the coastal range. It frequently stops running for 
long periods, the freshet of last January being the first flow 
for twelve months. 
The tributaries of the Darling north of the Bogan, traverse 
the artesian basin, and the artesian supply is more reliable 
than the flow of either the Macquarie, Castlereagh, Namoi, 
Narran, Gwydir, Bokhara, Culgoa, Warrego or Paroo Rivers. 
It is probable that these tributaries are of more value in 
maintaining the flow of the Darling than in their own 
channels. Advantage has been taken of the Macquarie 
being on the fringe of the basin to make diversions into 
Cunningbar and Duck Creeks, which flow outside the 
artesian area. The only other works constructed at the 
present time are the diversion cuttings on the Gwydir 
River, which serve the double purpose of draining land 
subject to inundation and supplying a network of creeks 
with water. 
