"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٢‎٥‎٢] (٥٤٢/٢٦١)

252
LAND EOUTES
Miles from
Kut el-
Amara
Kussian officers: not Kilandasht as in Eoute Report:
ep. p. 304) to Zailan (4,635 ft.), a distance of 24 m.
(according to the Russians, 18 m.), and thence to Kirman-
shah, 15 m. on. The total distance from Kut el-Amara to
Kirmanshah is by this way 212A m. The route between
Zailan and Kirmanshah is passable for wheels.
Note on the Khoe Suweikiyeh
The above route crosses the great belt of marsh which extends
S. and SE. from the neighbourhood of Mandali to the district N. of
Kut el-Amara (see p. 94), where the Khor Suweikiyeh lies.
The Suweikiyeh Lake or Marsh is fed mainly by streams from the
Persian hills to the N., but the Tigris water is believed to enter it if
hunds break. The main point of breaking entailing this result
would be at the head of the Imam Mahdi Canal, 18 m. NW. of Kut.
The water of the marsh is slightly brackish but drinkable. The
depth at the centre is reported to be 3 ft. (November 1916), as it
is also^ near the N. shore, which looks rather steeper than the S.
shore in parts. The bottom near the edges is generally firm and
walking is comparatively easy.
The following details as to the marsh were reported in March-
November 1916 :—
(a) March 28. The Suweikiyeh flood-level 3 ft. below the level
of the Tigris at a point opposite SE. corner of marsh.
{b) May 14. The water on the marsh where it is traversed by
Route 9 reported to be 1 in. deep.
(c) June 13. The Suweikiyeh Marsh reported to extend now
very little W. of Shumran.
(d) August 10. The E. and W. extremities of the Suweikiyeh
Marsh reported to be now only some 2 m. across from N. to S.:
width at centre 8 m. This represents a decrease of some 7 m. in
width, due largely to the Shamal (which began this year abnormally
late, on July 21: see note on S p. 444). As regards the
length of the marsh, the W. end was reported to have receded about
' p 1 * eastward since the middle of uly, leaving a dry gap, 2 J m. in
width, crossed by Houte 9. W. of this gap, the former lake area was
now represented by a collection of separate pools.
(e) November 22. No water was yet entering the marsh, the
beds of feeders being observed to NE. and NW. of it. The marsh
towards Jessan covered an area of about 6 m. by 4 m., but was still