27 



of every ditch thereon and the efficiency of such ditches. So 

 that at the end of every season we can tell to a nicety the cost 

 of up-keep. They will also enable up to keep in mind the con- 

 dition of the system as a whole. 



PrKSidi^nt Darnai;i, — The next speaker on the program is 

 Mr. John W. Dobbins, the able chief inspector of Essex County. 



Maintenance of Salt=Marsh Drainag-e Systems. 



BY JOHN DOBBINS, CHlEl^ INSPECTOR OE THE ESSEX COUNTY 

 MOSQUITO EXTERMINATION COMMISSION. 



The question of ''The Maintenance of Salt-Marsh Drainage 

 Systems" is a vital one, though at the start our over enthusiasm 

 at being able to drain for mosquito relief may blind us tO' the 

 reality that in after years we shall have to answer the question 

 of ''Now that we have our meadow drained, how are we going 

 tO' keep it so ?" 



It is wise, therefore, to study the question of drainage main- 

 tenance when work is first planned and, if possible, provide 

 for it. 



Efforts should be made to direct the flow of drainage into 

 natural tidewater creeks rather than by creating artificial outlets, 

 as the natural creeks are protected by law, and, in the last analy- 

 sis, after meadow reclamation for industrial purposes has set 

 in, the creeks usually serve as sewers, and should it become neces- 

 sary tO' shut off any of them, arrangements are made to take 

 care of their flow in some other way. 



So by taking advantage of the tidewater creeks as outlets 

 for meadow drainage and by relocating a ditch from time to time 

 to take the place of one rendered useless by reclamation develop- 

 ment, the maintenance of the first work is perpetuated. 



In Essex County we were fortunate in having tidewater creeks 

 so situated that we made ready use of them when drainage work 

 was started, and we are now realizing what a valuable help this 

 is to our work. 



