Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-17
Urges Legislature to Adopt Drainage Law Permitting Or
ganzation of Districts by citzens-Hundreds of Thou
sands of Fertile Undraned Acres to Be Reclaimed NOW
UnproductiVe and UnheasEfu


The lands to be considered in the
drainage investigation OF Georgia may
be classified. for convenience OF descrip-
ton. into four divisions namely. swamp
lands. overflow lands. wet lands and salt
marsh lands e~AS 81 Ar
The term swamp lands. as here used
embraces those lands that are covered
with standing water. throughout all, or
greater aprt. of me year, and in which
water-ioving plants generally grow in
greater or less profusion Lands Of this
character are most often met with in the
southern part OF the state where the sur
face OF the country Is Usually fat and
the streams are sluggish and have but
little fau. To this class Of lands. be-
long the innumerable small cypress
swamps OF south Georgia, as well as
the great Okehnokee swamp with its-
hundreds OF thousands Of. acres. Some
Of these swamps seem TO owe their origin
70 original depressions left by the wa
ter Of the reeeding ocean others are
poorly drained shallow valleys or ero-.
sion along the streams. and still others
are irregular depressed areas caused by
the solution OF the underlying limestones.
The various aspects of the swamps are
dependent chiefly upon the character Of
the vegetation which riley produce. and
this in turn, is dependent. in a large
measure on ethe depth Of The water
Where the water has a depth of only a
few feet. often the bulk of the vegeta-|
ton consists of aquatic plants such as
Dog-mosses, water Hlies, etc.. which give
to the swamp an appearance of tree
less prairie In the shallow water such
trees as the cypress often grow to large
size. forming. with vines and UNDER
growth. dense forest. Invariably. these
| our IA
Of one or more feet. with Impure vege-
table matter in the form of darktcolored
muck or peaty material which would, no
doubt. add considerably to the fertility
OF such lands in case they we're properly
drained
OVERFLOW LANDS
Overflow lands are the low lands along
streams which become covered with wa
ter during floods They always form
shallow valleys and are the direct result
# stream erosion Overflow lands are
net with In all parts of the state. but
are especially abundant in south Geor-
gia. where the geological conditions are
exceptionally favorable for the formation
OF wide flood plains. Streams. when
swollen by heavy rainfall spread out
over their flood plains and deposit mud
and. sand more or less mixed. with vege-
table matter and usually form remark
ably fertile soils. This class of lands in
the state is undoubtedly increasing in
extent. due. In part. to the increasin
frequency OF floods brought about by
cutting away the forests. but more
largely due. perhaps. to the overloaded
condition OF the streams. which causes
the filing and the clogging OF the chan
nels by the accumulation Of sands wash
ed from unterraced upland fields An
other condition which mas a tendency to
augment the area Of overflow lands. es-
pecially on small streams, is the accu-
mutation OF logs and drift wood in the
channels. In the last named instance
the overflow conditions can often be ef-
fectuaily overcome by removing these
obstructious and by the cutting, away of
the cane. willows and other small growth
which often rapidly encroacf upon and
obstruct waterways So f. SO,
a-'- WET LANDS
Wet lands, as used in the above
classification. include those lands which
usually lie at a higher elevation than
the swamp land. they produce little or
no crops by reason of the excessive
moisture of the soil. The uncertainty
OF crops from this class OF lands is Of
ten too hazardous to warrant the ex-
pense of preparing and planting Du-
ring dry seasons they generally, pro-
duce excellent crops, but should the
growing season prove to be too wet the
variation in the topography. Such wet
lands are almost Invariably level, the
slope OF the surface being insufficient
20 allow the water to. escape by run-on
Furthermore. these lands, are often I'M
derlain by impervious subsOii which re-
tards, TO some extent. the flow of the
water by downward escapage Wet
lands are widely distributed through
out the state, but they are especially
abundant near the coast and in the wire
grass section where the surface Is
nearly level and where there is but IittIc
variation in the topography. Such wet
lands as here referred to are usually
quite readily recognized by their growth
Of gall-berry bushes, short-stemmed
palmetto, and stunted longleaf pines.
SALT MARSH LANDS
Salt marsh lands are low mud flats
and marsh grass lands along the coast
between low and high tide They are
covered twice daily BY the tide and as
a consequence they can only be reelainil
ed for agricultural purposes by the