BULLETIN OF THE 
No. 181 
Contribution from Office of Experiment Stations, A. C. True, Director. 
April 12. 1915. 
(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 
A REPORT ON THE METHODS AND COST OF RECLAIMING 
THE OVERFLOWED LANDS ALONG THE BIG BLACK RIVER, 
MISSISSIPPI. 
By Lewis A. Jones, Drainage Engineer, assisted by W, J. Schlick, Drainage Engineer, 
and C. E. Ramser, Assistant Drainage Engineer. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 
General description of district. 
Present drainage conditions. . . 
The survey 
The drainage problem 
Eun-oH -• 
Page. 
Drainage plans considered 26 
Proposed plan 27 
Maintenance 35 
Summary 35 
Appendix I, Bench marks 37 
Appendix II, Floodway data 38 
INTRODUCTION. 
With the cutting of the most valuable timber from the swamp and 
overflowed areas of the South, it becomes evident that future returns 
from these lands must be sought in agriculture. The first step 
toward rendering such areas available for cultivation is drainage. 
The conditions along the Big Black Kiver in Mississippi are fairly 
representative of conditions that exist in greater or less degree on 
many southern streams. 
In November, 1912, the attention of Drainage Investigations, Office 
of Experiment Stations, United States Department of Agriculture, 
was called to the conditions along the Big Black River and assistance 
in devising a plan of reclamation was requested. A prehminary ex- 
amination of the district was made February 14 to 22, 1913. An 
agreement was entered into under which Drainage Investigations 
imdertook to make a survey of the area and to prepare plans for 
its reclamation, the district agreeing to contribute to the expense of 
Note.— This report is intended for engineers, lando\vners, and others interested in drainage enterprises 
in regions where the conditions are similar to those here described; it is suitable for distribution in the 
Gulf Coast States. 
74745°— BuU. 181—15 1 
