"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎١‎٣‎٦] (٥٤٢/١٤٥)

136
RIVER ROUTES
Bight Bank
Gurmat 'Ali to Suq esh-Shuyukh. The place where the Umm Naklah
debouches into the open water of the New Channel is difficult to iind.
The banks of the Mezlaq Channel are low and flooded in the high-
water season. The advantages of this channel, however, over the
Haqiqeh Channel are that it is somewhat shorter and not subject to
rapids as is the latter near the site of the Dam. It also possesses
a good tow-path running the whole way from the Hammar Lake to
Suq esh-Shuyukh. It is the normal route followed by large-
plying between the lake and Suq esh-Shuyukh.
For the first 2 m. above the bar the channel is only 25 yds. wide,
with a depth in August of 3 ft.
Mouth of Mezlaq Channel.
Rice cultivation.
Depth above this point early in August, 4 ft.
Depth in August, 7 ft.
Depth in August, 4 ft.
Gurmah village. Gravel bar, with depth of 4 ft.
Depth in August, 12 ft.
Upper end of Umm Naklah Channel leading to open
water of New Channel of Euphrates. See above.
XTmm el-Kalleli Canal, leads to KhamTsiyeh.
Depth in Mezlaq Channel, 18 ft.
Wreck of safmeh obstructed waterway in August 1915.
Navigation channel followed 1. bank. Depth in August, 5 ft.
Mouth of Khurmashi Creek. Depth in Mezlaq Channel,
8—7 ft.
Depth in August, 22 ft. Up to Atablyeh Creek depths
vary from 17 ft. to 27 ft.
Walled date gardens.
Atabiyeh Creek, leading to Khamlsiyeh. Depth in
Mezlaq Channel, 7 ft. (August). Above this to the beginning
of Suq esh-Shuyukh depths of 7-12 ft. are found.
Date plantations on both banks.
Suq esh-Shuyukh town begins.
Prom Suq esh-Shuyukh a narrow water-channel, 3-6 yds
broad, with depth of 3 ft. in January, and passable by
leads to Khamlsiyeh on the Basra—Nejef and Basra—Nasirlveh
Routes {Routes 12, 13 a, 18 b).