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INDIANA UNIVERSITY STUDIES 



ley regions, and especially so in the constricted region of the East 

 Fork, since the channel does little or no meandering except to 

 follow the intrenched meanders themselves. Considerable bank- 

 cutting occurred, however, in the constricted region of the West 

 Fork. This will be explained later. When in flood stage, the water 

 tends to go directly across the valley next to the sloping bluflp, 

 rather than follow the channel across to the other side and sweep 

 around the cliff on the outside of the intrenched meander. (See 

 Diagram 2.) The position where the water leaves the channel 

 ('A' in Diagram 2) is usually low, and sometimes considerable bank- 

 cutting is done. A typical instance of this kind occured in Owen 

 County above Spencer, a short distance below the mouth of McCor- 

 mick's Creek. Despite the fact that trees were growing here, and 

 that ballast had been hauled and dumped at the place, much cutting 

 was done. But such places in themselves are rather insignificant 

 in comparision to the wash below them, and the bank-cutting in 

 the meanders as found in the wider portions of the valley. 



It is understood that in the wide valley regions of both forks 

 of White River, the outside of nearly every meander is growing larger 

 each year, and fertile soil is being undermined and carried away. 

 To call attention to every meander in these regions is not the pur- 

 pose of this report. A few typical illustrations will be chosen 

 and sufficient detail given to enable the reader to understand the 

 situation. Constant attention must be given to the charts. 



In Morgan County from near Martinsville, to the vicinity of 

 Little Indian Creek below, there is a stretch of about five miles 

 of river which is relatively straight. (See Chart No. 2.) Damage 

 done to this region was relatively slight except that due to bank- 

 cutting. Attention is called to this section of the river because 

 as yet the meandering is incipient. The ones started will become 

 larger and larger as time goes on, and in a few years they will be 

 relatively large. The damage done then will be many times what 

 was done in the recent flood. The first bank-cutting in this stretch 

 of the river occurred in the slight bend just north of the Vandalia 

 Railroad bridge. A strip of land from forty to sixty feet wide and 

 twenty rods long was taken away. This only accentuates the bend 

 here. If nothing is done to prevent the cutting here, the cutting 

 will continue year after year, making the bend larger and farther 

 down stream, until the grade and abutment of the railroad bridge 

 will be threatened, having come within the scope of the enlarging 

 meander. 



Between the railroad bridge and a small creek coming in from 



