BYBEE-MALOTT : TTTE PI^OOD OF 1913 



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the west, the current cut across as indicated in Plate No. 2, and 

 made waste land of about five acres. Some of this was badly cut, 

 while the remainder was covered over with coarse gravel. The 

 current of the bank-full stream was deflected to the other side of 

 the river where it cut considerably into Mr. Hutledge's land. He 

 lost perhaps a half acre of good soil. There is no doubt that this 

 meander will continue to grow until it has united with the one 

 below the place where the stream enters the river. Such a mean- 

 der in the course of a few years will destroy several acres of land 

 on the east side of the river. 



In the southwest corner of Section 12, about one-fourth acre 

 was lost by bank-cutting. About as much was lost in Section 14 on 

 the same side of the river. These two places are typical incipient 

 meanders; as yet they are small, but, as is the case with all 

 meanders, they will grow larger each year. It was said that the 

 lower one was started by a charge of dynamite being exploded 

 near the right bank in an endeavor to kill fish. Anything that de- 

 flects the current against the bank will start a meander. Cases were 

 noted in which logs and other debris were so lodged as to deflect 

 the current sufficiently to start a meander. 



Southwest of Paragon is a stretch of river in which great damage 

 was done by bank-cutting. Chart No. 2 shows the extreme crooked- 

 ness of the river at this place. This extreme meandering will 

 never correct itself. Although cut-offs may be made frequently, 

 they are never made in nature with any degree of permanency, 

 because of the little crooks left which immediately develop into 

 new meanders. This place shows that a cut-off was made re- 

 cently which partially corrected the most extreme meander, but 

 another is already begun which in a few years will be as bad. As a 

 result of this constant meandering, a great tract of the land here, 

 which ought to be worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars an 

 acre, is either a sandy or a swampy waste. 



The particular damage due to bank cutting alone is as follows: 

 In Section 22 opposite the large island, one acre was lost. In 

 rounding the next meander on the left side of the river, three acres 

 were cut from the bank. Opposite this cut is a bare gravel bar 

 of about six acres. Directly north of this on the right bank in 

 Section 16, three more acres were carrieel away. Opposite this 

 cut is a gravel bar of about four acres. Three acres were also 

 lost in the succeeding meaneler on the right bank just before reach- 

 ing Burkhart Creek. Opposite is a gravel bar of about five acres. 

 The next loss is below Burkhart Creek; it also consists of about 



