'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' [‎3r] (9/62)

quantity of water which, found its way to the Khor Abdulla before the completion
of the Shaiba bund, but the tidal records do not shew any raising of the water
level in the Shatt-el-Arab ; on the contrary, the level during the months of March
and April 1916 was considerably lower than in 1915.
(10) In my opinion, the floods at Basra are generally caused by a high river ^5™"
meeting a spring tide ; and exceptionally high floods are brought about if, in addi
tion to the above, there is a strong south wind blowing. Under such circum
stances, I am informed the town of Mohammerah was once two feet under water-
Floods were not unknown at Basra previous to 1915, as will be seen from the
following extract from the Consular Eeport, 1896 :—
" In the spring tlie waters of the Euphrates and Tigris rose to an abnormal height, inundat
ing the country for miles round. The oldest inhabitants of these parts have no recollection
of the occurrence during their life-time of a similar flood. Much damage was done to the date
trees by the high water in the Shatt-el-Arab, which flooded the date groves and remained
stagnant, thus utterly destroying, it is estimated, about two million trees."
(11) At Basra tidal records have been kept since January 1915, from which Tidal records at
\ ' # Basra.
I have collated the following information
The time the tide takes to reach Basra from Fao averages from to 6|
hours, and the heights vary considerably; both time and height depending largely
on the direction and strength of the wind and the up-river floods.
The highest high-water level in 1915 was recorded on the 30th April, when it
reached 8 • 61 feet above mean sea level, the date coinciding with a spring tide of
6 feet 7 inches at Bushire. The highest level in 1916 was recorded on the 20th
May, when it reached 8-80 feet above mean sea level, which coincided with
a spring tide of 6 feet 5 inches at Bushire. The lowest low-water level both in 1915
and 1916 occurred in the month of November, when 2 feet below mean sea level
was recorded.
The range of tide from highest high-water to lowest low-water was, on an
average, 5*36 feet during the months of January, February, and March ; 3'33 feet
during the months of April, May, and June ; 5-54 feet during the months of July,
August, and September ; and 7*37 feet during the months of October, November,
and December. The least daily range was 1-2 feet to 2*5 feet in the months
of April, May, June, and July, and the greatest daily range, 5 feet 6 inches to
8 feet in October, November, and December.
(12) The tides were observed at Fao regularly, day and night, from July Tidal records at
1916 to the date of this report, but sufiicient time has not yet been devoted to the the Bar *
subject to obtain scientifically accurate observations.
The time of high water full moon and change, otherwise known as the mean
establishment, is 0 hours 12 minutes at Fao. The springs rise 8^ to 9 feet,
neaps rise 6 to 7 feet, neaps range 4 to 5 feet. During August and September, at
springs, the day tides are the highest; but during neaps, the n ; ght tides are the
highest. During September, October, and November, the lowest high-waters and
the lowest low-waters are experienced ; the low-waters occasionally falling below
the datum of soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. , and rising to 8 feet at neaps.
During October, November, and December the night tides are always the
highest, and from January the day tides are highest.
A temporary tide gauge was erected on the Outer Bar and comparisons made
with the readings at Fao, and it was found that there was no regularity in the time