4 
LOSSES FROM CANALS BY SEEPAGE. 
idea can be obtained even by those familiar with the terms 
of water computation. 
The loss of water from canals and distributaries seems 
to be greater than the loss from irrigation into the soil. 
Many cases of leakage can be lessened with profit, thus 
saving considerable water, and much more water can be 
saved when its value is enough to warrant the expense. 
While the author’s conclusions are necessarily influenced 
by the cumulative effect of numerous observations difficult 
to fully summarise, the measurements throwing light on the 
subject under discussion, are presented with sufficient full- 
ness to enable the reader to disagree with the writer if the 
facts do not warrant his conclusions. 
The loss from canals is known to be large, and often 
produces a serious problem in their management. This loss 
is often the cause of unnecessary scarcity in the water sup- 
ply, especially at the lower end of the canal during the sea- 
son when water is low. It has sometimes been enough to 
cause canals or laterals to be abandoned. It has many times 
led to failure of crops and has always made a material de- 
crease In the water suppl}L The serious nature of the loss 
has been understood by the farming community, and asso- 
ciations have sometimes discussed methods by which it 
might be lessened. But I am unaware of any serious at- 
tempt to locate the loss or to determine the amount. 
While we have made occasional measurements on the 
losses from canals, the past year ( 1897), has been the first 
when systematic measurements could be made. Without 
attempting to develop the general law of the loss, the 
measurements on a number of canals under different condi- 
tions are given with such conclusions as the data seem to 
warrant. A knowledge of the facts is the first step toward 
finding the remedy, or even to decide whether a remedy 
need be sought. 
It is hardly necessary to observe that the cases here 
given are specific ones, and the losses found in these cases, 
may or may not be the same on other canals. I he simi- 
larity of conditions, especially the similarity of the canal 
bottom, gives a basis for judgment. In many cases the loss 
is undoubtedly less, in others more. Hence the need of 
caution in hastily assuming that these measurements apply 
to all cases. So far as the canals chosen represent average 
conditions, the measurements may be considered as aver- 
ages. From these and from a larger numl ( r of cases we 
may hope to determine the probable losses and from more 
