Chapter IV

THE WATERS.

Land Artificially Won from the Waters—Great Works of Material Improvement—Draining of Lincolnshire Fens—Incursions of the Sea in the Netherlands—Origin of Sea-dikes—Gain and Loss of Land in the Netherlands—Marine Deposits on the Coast of Netherlands—Draining of Lake of Haarlem—Draining of the Zuiderzee—Geographical Effects of—Improvements in the Netherlands—Ancient Hydraulic Works—Draining of Lake Celano by Prince Torlonia—Incidental Consequences of Draining Lakes—Draining of Marshes—Agricultural Draining—Meteorological Effects of Draining—Geographical Effects of Draining—Geographical Effects of Aqueducts and Canals—Antiquity of Irrigation—Irrigation in Palestine, India, and Egypt—Irrigation in Europe—Meteorological Effects of Irrigation—Water withdrawn from Rivers for Irrigation—Injurious Effects of Rice-culture—Salts Deposited by Water of Irrigation—Subterranean Waters—Artesian Wells—Artificial Springs—Economizing Precipitation—Inundations in France—Basins of Reception—Diversion of Rivers—Glacier Lakes—River Embankments—Other Remedies against Inundations—Dikes of the Nile—Deposits of Tuscan Rivers—Improvements in Tuscan Maremma—Improvements in Val di Chiana—Coast of the Netherlands