'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎730] (785/1050)

HAMMAR LAKE
(2) Northwards the Majar Saghir, or Minshad Canal which joins the Tigris ahout
3 miles north of Abu Sidrah abut 3 miles.
(3) Korth-westwards the Bada'ah Canal, which, according to native information
leaves the Shatt-al-Gharaf about 3| miles north of Shatrah, with a varying
width of from 6 to 10 feet. At 20 miles from the Gharaf it enters an extensive
marsh, and from here to Hammar Lake there is nothing to shew the correct
channel and the services of a pilot are necessary. There is a bar of more than
a hundred yards breadth at the northern entrance to the marsh which renders
this channel practically useless as a water way, there being barely 18' of water
over this bar in March 1915. At the same time there was at that time of year
deep water in most of the rest of the course, although in some places as little as
five feet.
On the other hand, information shows that when the floods are high it is used to a
certain extent. In June the journey down is described as, first, three hours in the Canal,
some 30 feet wide, with desert on both banks : then one day through the marsh, followed
by 5 hours' journey through a waterway nearly J mile wide, and finally 4 hours through
marsh. In this case it is said that small stream launches or motors or 30-ton mahaUah*
might be able to do the journey, but the services of local pilots are essential.
The channel has an appreciable current flowing towards Hammar Lake. The Shatt-
al-Hammar crosses the Bada'ah near its mouth approximately at right angles, 150
feet wide and 3 feet deep.
It is possible to reach the Bada'ah from the Gurmah Safhah by hallam, as there are
several small creeks connecting the two.
(4) North-westwards, the Shatt-al-'Ajuzah or Hamzah, which joins the Shatt-al-
Gharaf between Shatrah and Nasiriyah.
This creek is navigable by light-draught native boats in May and June.
(5) Westwards, the important channel known as the 'Aqiqah or Gurmah Safhah
which leads from the Hammar Lake to the main river above Suq-ash-Sheyukh.
It is more used than the Mezlik, the other western channel, as the latter is
impracticable for steamers.
Locally it is said that thirty years ago the 'Aqiqah channel was only a small irrigation
canal which was allowed to increase in size to enlarge the cultivated area.
After the completion of the 11 miles stretch across the Hammar Lake the Aqiqah
mouth is reached by a course running in a northerly direction, winding through
reeds for 21- miles, and leaving the mouth of the Mezlik channel and the Me/, i
villages on the west. The course then turns westward into the 'Aqiqah channel,
and it is at this point that the worst shallows of the whole route occur the
soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. in the low season shoaling occasionally to 18".t The channel here is some 0
yards broad, narrowing as it leads further west to about 200 yards. For some four
miles it is marked on the north by a narrow belt of reeds, and on the south by thick
reed beds which extend to the dry land on which are scattered the numerous reed
villages and and mud towers of the district of Juwaibar. Soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. along this rea ^
beyond the bar were from 5 to 6 feet in June 1915, and from 3 to 4 feet two months
later. There is a 2 to 3 knot current during flood season towards the western end.
At the end of this four-mile stretch is reached what may be called the flood season
western limit of the Hammar Lake, and it is near this point that the Rufai iya
(a " ballam " creek which leaves the Ma Sha'irah four miles down the latter s course) joins
the'Aqiqah. From here the course bears to the-south-west, and the channel hence
forward is more commonly known as the Gurmah Safhah.
The mouth of the Gurmah Safhah proper, although it is really a continuation of the
'Aqiqah, marks the western extremity of the Hammar Lake, as has been ^ remar e
above. Henceforward the channel is clearly defined. It is about 180 yards wide and or
five miles passes through cultivation, scattered villages and towers on both ban cs.
There is plenty of water (more than S feet in July 1915) and the current runs at abou
three knots in July.
Three-quarters of a mile from its mouth there is an obstruction commonly known as
the 'Aqiqah Dam. A navigation channel 75 feet wide has been cut through this dam,
*The33 are, in ordar from east to west,— North ; Bani Hatait, Bushamiyah (Bushamah), Al-Baish, AI-
Miriyah, Hawal, Guhud; South : Al-Husain, Bani Musarraf, Abadah. .
tParry says that Ourmah, according to the Arabs, means " an overflow stream." It is worth mentioning nero
for want of a better place that in August 1915 the local Arabs petitioned for the closing of the 'Aqiqan ana
channels on the plea that they would otherwise be unable to irrigate their rice-crops.