CYPRESS CREEK DRAINAGE DISTRICT, ARKANSAS. 
1 W., there is a gap of about 2 miles between the southern end of the 
Arkansas River levee and the northern end of the Mississippi River 
levee. It is, of course, impracticable to close this opening without first 
diverting Cypress Creek. The existence of this gap partially nullifies 
the benefits from these levees so far as this district and a considerable 
area to the south are concerned. Figure 2 (in pocket at end of bul- 
letin) shows the area in Desha County that was submerged by the 
Mississippi River flood of 1912, due to the inflow of water through 
this opening. This amounts to about 202,000 acres, or approximately 
two-thirds of the total area of the district. No crevasses occurred in 
the levees bounding the district during this flood, and but for the 
existence of the levee gap there probably would have been no damage 
from the river itself. 
DRAINAGE OUTLETS. 
The small degree of interior drainage now existing is secured through 
the numerous bayous and creeks which meander through the district 
(see figs. 3 and 4, in pocket at end of bulletin). The drainage from 
that portion north of Amos Bayou is discharged into the Mississippi 
River through Cypress Creek, being collected by a number of tortuous 
and ill-defined tributaries distributed generally over the area. The 
drainage tributary to Amos Bayou, as well as that from the entire 
area of the district south of this bayou, is discharged into Macon Lake, 
whose northern end is located about 3 miles south of the Desha-Chicot 
County line. 
The bayous are of the usual type encountered in the Delta section, 
being tortuous, frequently ill denned, and of irregular width. They 
often widen out into lakelike bodies of practically dead water and 
again contract into narrow channels. They are usually encumbered 
with drift and debris of all sorts, and particularly in their wider 
portions often contain growths of standing timber and various forms 
of water-loving vegetation. As these bayous approach the Mississippi 
River they usually undergo a marked contraction in cross section. 
This peculiarity is probably due to the backing up of river water 
in these bayous before the levees were constructed, the resulting 
obstruction to the current causing the deposition of suspended matter 
brought down from above. The land immediately adjoining the 
bayous is usually higher than that a short distance back from the 
streams. This condition, characteristic of Mississippi Delta bayous, 
as of the river itself, is especially marked along Amos and Macon 
Bayous, whose banks are frequently as much as 6 to 10 feet above 
the general elevation of the surrounding area. 
The existing outlets are not sufficient to care for the run-off tribu- 
tary to them. A moderate winter rain, even when the Mississippi 
is at normal stage, causes the flooding of large areas. The high 
banks of the bayous prevent a quick return of this water to the chan- 
nels, and thus the lowlands remain covered with water for long 
