110 



INDIANA UNIVERSITY STUDIES 



After the party had traversed the West Fork from Waverly 

 to the junction with the East Fork, a distance of about 200 miles 

 by the river, it was found that the funds which were furnished 

 for the expedition by the University were sufficient to cover the 

 expenses of an investigation of a considerable portion of the East 

 Fork of White River. Accordingly, the equipment was shipped 

 to Brownstown, near the middle of Jackson County. Two weeks 

 were consumed in the investigation of the East Fork from Browns- 

 town through one-half of Jackson, Lawrence, and part of Martin 

 Counties to Shoals, making a distance of about 110 miles along 

 the East Fork. Thus, five weeks were spent on the expedition, 

 and about 310 miles of river bottom traversed. 



Since a flood of the magnitude of the recent one does not 

 occur more than once or twice in a generation, it was not known 

 just what was to be found or what were the most important phases 

 of the situation. In a very short time, however, the following 

 things revealed their need of consideration: 



1. Effect of bridges, both highway and railroad, upon the 

 height of the water. 



2. Railroad grades and public road grades. 



3. Bank cutting, amount, causes and prevention. 



4. Deposits of sand, silt and gravel. 



5. Removal of the top soil. 



6. Cutting of holes, causes, and prevention. 



7. Effects of meanders. 



8. Levees, their good points and their bad points. 



9. Effect on the future crops, and the destruction of wheat 

 and corn. 



10. Damage to cities, towns, and villages, and to farm im- 

 provements. 



Valuable aid was given by the farmers along the river bottom 

 in the consideration of the above items. As far as possible each 

 farmer was questioned about the March flood and his opinion 

 procured as to damage. Since soil was the main physical loss 

 to the valley land, farmers were questioned on every possible occasion 

 as to their ideas of the damage to future crops on account of the 

 removal of the top soil. The effect of grades, both of public roads 

 and railroads, was discussed with those affected. 



