8 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Vol. Yll 
SECTION II.—Description of the Tract. 
11. The Jumna river is one of the principal tributaries of the Ganges. 
It rises in latitude 31° 2' longitude 70° 21' amongst the high snows of 
the Himalayas, and its total length from source to confluence with the 
Ganges at Allahabad is 860 miles, of which over 500 miles lie in the 
Gangetic plain. Between Delhi and Allahabad it has 5 tributaries on 
the right bank—of which the Chambal river rising in the central India 
hills, is the most important, and two on the left bank. A characteristic 
of the Jumna and its tributaries is the very inadequate area of forest 
lands protecting the banks and head waters, and drainage area generally. 
In many parts, the vegetation on the neighbouring lands is of a very 
poor description after centuries of abuse, and the rainfall flows away 
with great rapidity thereby increasing the volume and violence of the 
torrents, and leaving their beds dry a few hours after a storm. 
12. The accumulated effect of this flooding and scouring has resulted 
_ , . in the banks of the Jumna and Chambal at 
Description of the ravines. . . . .. ,, 
Etawah being violently eroded during the 
last 500 years, with a corresponding sinking of the spring level. The 
cold weather level of the river in the Etawah district is often 120-200 
feet below the general level of the surrounding country, and the well 
water levels are sometimes as low as 120 feet. The banks of the Jumna 
and its tributaries in many parts are now so completely drained that 
they have become almost destitute of vegetation except for a desert 
flora, and even this is disappearing. The absence of protective vegeta¬ 
tion on the banks, and the resulting rapid flow or rush of water from 
the comparatively high flat plateau to the river through the soft alluvial 
soil has resulted in a vast and intricate network of ravines being formed. 
These ravines extend for a distance varying from a few furlongs to a 
few miles on both sides of the Jumna and its tributaries; they often 
start suddenly at the edge of cultivation with a drop of some 80 feet 
or they may be less severe, and they take up a meandering course join¬ 
ing up with other systems, eventually falling into the main river. 
Standing on any high ridge or promontory, the scene of aching desola¬ 
tion that meets the eye is beyond description. As far as can be seen, 
parallel to the river, is the wild tangle of barren ravine lands, thrown 
into greater contrast by the narrow belt of vivid green cultivation along 
the lower flats of the main river, across which again the interminable 
ravine desert stretches to the horizon. Not without reason is this 
inhospitable tract called in the vernacular the “Bahr,” i.e. } the wilder¬ 
ness. In the Etawah district alone there are 120,000 acres of these 
barren ravines along the banks of the Jumna, Chambal, Kuari, etc. 
while further extensive areas occur in Bundelkhand, Jalaun, Muttra, 
Agra, and Meerut districts. 
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