'Reports on (1) the Conservancy of the Shatt-el-Arab river from the Port of Basra to the Persian Gulf and on (2) the Development of the Port of Basra. By Sir George Buchanan Kt., C.I.E' [‎3v] (10/62)

Collection of
data
Obstructions.
Sinking of
" Ekbatana "
and other vessels.
Proposal to
blow up the
" Ekbatana."
The Mohammc-r
rah Bar.
The Outer Bar.
and height between them. The Fao tide varied from 0 to 1J hours later than on
the Bar, and the rise on the Bar from 0 to 2j feet higher than at Fao, independent
of weather conditions.
The tides are much influenced by the wind, and are from 1 to 2j feet higher
with a southerly wind, and correspondingly lower with a strong northerly wind.
In the absence of any tide tables specially prepared for the port, the nearest
approximation is to take the time of high-water at Bushire for any day of the month
and add thereto 3 hours 47 minutes for the time of high-water on the Outer Bar, and
an addition of 15 feet to the height of water any day at Bushire gives approximately
the depth of water on the Outer Bar under normal conditions,
(13) An accurate marine survey plotted on sheets to a scale of 1,000 feet to
the inch has been made of the whole river, along with special surveys, plotted to
a larger scale, of the Outer Bar and the Port of Basra, Levels have been taken,
and permanent benchmarks reduced to mean sea level erected, between Fab
and Basra ; and automatic tide gauges have been procured and will be erected
at Fao, Mohammerah, Basra and Kurna. The strength and direction of the
currents on the ebb and flood tide, the amount of silt in suspension, the dis
charge of the river during highrflood and low-water seasons and accurate
tidal observations, are works requiring to be taken in hand so soon as opportunity
occurs,
OBSTRUCTIONS TO NAVIGATION,
(14) With the exception of the Outer Bar, the Mohammerah Bar, and the
obstruction to the channel above Mohammerah caused by the sinking of the
Hamburg-Amerika steamer " Ekbatana " by the Turks, the river from Basra to
the Gulf presents no difficulties to navigation. The channel is wide with a depth
at low-water on spring tides of 30 to 40 feet, and there are no awkward bends or
turns.
(15) On the advance of th§ British force in November 1914, the Turks,
attempted to block the navigable channel 4 miles above Mohammerah by sinking
the Hamburg-Amerika steamer " Ekbatana " and two other vessels in the fairway.
The idea was a-good one, but one of the vessels was carried away by the current
and sank out of its allotted position. The attempt therefore failed, and a gap
was left through which passed the transports and warships of the expedition.
(16) An attempt was made to salve the " I^kbatana " but it was unsuccessful,
and the vessel has now §unk into the bed of the river to such an extent that
only her funnel anc|. a portion of her masts are showing above water level, It is
useless to make furthep attempts to raise the pf Ekbatana," and, in my opinion,
she must l)e blown up, as such an obstructipn cannot tie permitted remain in
the fairway of the riyer.
(17) This bar forms below the junction of the Karun and Shatt-eLArab rivers
where the latter bifurcates at Dabba Island, and is the result of natural physical
causes. It |s its worst when the Karun r|ver is in flood before the rivers Tigris
and Euphrates, and is least when all the rivers are in flood simultaneously.
A chart of the bar as |t appeared at the end of M:ay 1910 is appended to this report,
and the removal of the worst patches by dredging was accomplished in
a few days in the month of April 1917 and presents no difficulty in the future.
(18) Below Fao, the river widens rapidly, and finally, after ploughing its way
thmiigh miles of sand and mud flats, mingles its waters with those of the Persian