"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٤‎٧‎١] (٥٤٢/٤٨٢)

CONTKOL OF EUPHRATES WATER 471
extends S. to the edge of the high ground of the desert, and south-
eastwards to Gurmat Ali. 't i i -i I
The Old Channel is fed not only from the Hammar, but also to
some extent from the Tigris marshes to N. It is practicable for
steamers of 5 ft. draught. At Chubeish is a bar on which depths m
August 1916 sank to 2 ft., and in October, with a to as low
as 1 ft. 3 in. In November 1916 the depth on this bar was brought
up to 7 ft. by dredging. There is cultivation along a great part of
both banks, but behind a narrow cultivated fringe are great stretches
of reedy marsh land. , , , „ .
The Ehor of the New Channel. —This is a great sheet ot open water
fed principally from the Hammar Lake, but partly also, it would
seem, from the marshes to W. of it that lie N. of Khamlsiyeh, and
partly by cuts from the Old Channel. In the flood season steamers
can cross this Tihor from its mouth at Gurmat Ali to the Hammar
Lake. Maheilehs and heliums can reach to Mezlaq Channel from it by
the Umm Naklah cut. The Moris practicable for small craft (e.g.
lellams and motor-boats) throughout the year. On its southern side
towards the desert its edges are, on the whole,^ shallow and often
reed-grown, but there are places where in flood-time boats can come
close inshore.
The main outlet of the Mor is at Gurmat 'All, where its water
passes into the Shatt el-Arab, but in past flood-seasons it has spilt
much water into the depression between Basra and Zobeir. This
spill is now held up by the new Sha'aibeh Ijund. (The floods W. of
Basra were also fed by water coming from the Shatt el- c Arab below
Basra: the Zobeir bund, when completed, will act as a barrier against
this inundation.) # _ , ,
{e) As regards improvements on the river between JNasiriyen and
Kurna, little seems possible beyond dredging, the marking of
channels, and ordinary conservancy regulations against unauthorized
canal-cutting and damming by the Arabs. Dredging here can be
fairly effective, as, though of course silting goes on, the amount
deposited is much less than higher up the river, a great quantity of
sediment having been taken off higher up (e.g. in the Bahr-i-
Shinafiyeh). It appears that the most difficult reaches on this stretch
are being, or are about to be, thoroughly surveyed.