Nov. 5, 1917 
Run-off from Drained Prairie Lands 
261 
but the pumping plant removed all drainage water promptly. The cul¬ 
tivated area was about 250 acres at the beginning of the year and was 
gradually increased to about 600 acres by the end of the year, (See 
Table IX.) 
EAFOURCHE DRAINAGE DISTRICT NO. 12, SUBDISTRICT NO. 3—AREA, 
2,250 ACRES 
This district is located about 3 miles southwest of Raceland in the 
typical prairie land of the Lafourche section. It has a natural slope 
toward the south to Lake Fields. The highest part of the district is 
perhaps 3 feet above mean low water in the lake and the lowest part 
is about at mean low water level. The whole of the area was originally 
covered with a layer of turfy muck from 1 to 3 feet thick. The subsoil 
is the usual Sharkey clay. The levees around the district were built 
from material taken from the outside of the drained area and have been 
reenforced by further work. Except at times of very high water in the 
surrounding waterways and canals outside the area, it is believed that 
very little seepage enters the district. The interior drainage system 
is quite extensive, but requires some smaller collecting ditches to take 
the water from the small field ditches. The storage capacity of these 
drainage canals is about 0.50 inch. 
This area was first inclosed in March, 1910. Nearly all the field 
ditches were cut during that year, and the remaining ditch work was 
finished by the early part of 1912. Pumping operations were started 
in 1910, and, with an addition to the plant made in 1912, the capacity 
under average conditions is about 1.15 inches per 24 hours. Drainage 
