BYBEE-MALOTT : THE FLOOD OF 1913 



159 



hundred acres of land in Sections 13 and 14. The wash was worse 

 adjacent the raih'oad, which follows the foot of the blulT all along 

 the valley. The current in its lower course before entering the river 

 evidently became sluggish, as much silt was deposited in the western 

 part of Section 14. 



Farther down in the loop is a levee extending southward some 

 distance from the river, and on approaching the river, which has 

 turned to the westward, the levee turns at a right angle and extends 

 parallel to the river, but some distance removed from it. The 

 west wing of the levee stands much higher above the land than 

 the north wing. The top of it, however, is no higher than the 

 north wing. Presumably the idea is to have no part lower, and to 

 have all parts above the flood stage. From near the turn in the 

 levee another wing extends to the northeast. This extension is 

 considerably lower and a hedge is growing upon it. This levee 

 system was of no service during the last flood. It was broken in 

 numerous places and heavy denudation occurred at the breaks. 

 Much of the intervening land w^as denuded. 



This group of levees has been of much benefit in the past. 

 They were so arranged that they prevented a current from flowing 

 over the land in the loop, but would permit the back waters to 

 come up on the land, thus depositing a heavy silt and enriching the 

 land. They were not built to cope against a flood that would 

 completely envelope them. The question arises whether it would 

 be a paying proposition to construct levees for such exigencies. 

 This will be considered later. 



An interesting situation occurs at Worthington. Eel River 

 flows through a narrow gap between the rocky hill of east Worth- 

 ington and the steep bluff of 'Old Point Commerce,' northeast 

 of Worthington. This gap is about one-eighth of a mile in width. 

 (There is no doubt that Eel River once flowed to the west of the 

 present site of Worthington.) This small gap is dammed by 

 the Vandalia railroad grade, except at the bridge over Eel River, 

 where an opening of one hundred and eighty-two feet is left. The 

 grade is at least twenty-five feet in height. The country north 

 and west of Worthington is -really what may be termed 'second 

 bottom,' belonging to Eel River. 



During the flood the water from Eel River had to go through 

 the narrow opening in the Vandalia railway grade. The opening was 

 too small to carry the water and as a result the water was ponded 

 at least three feet higher on the upper side of the bridge than it 

 was on the lower side. The E. & I. R. R. grade running northwest 



