sentences:  Almost immediately after farming commenced, settlers realised that the soils surrounding the lower reaches of the river suffered badly from annual flooding caused by a very low fall between the base of the scarp and the estuary, a distance of about 40 km.The problem was exacerbated by extensive clearing of trees in the foothills which would have otherwise helped in removing the excess water.Settlers described a giant wetland with travel impossible for several months each year.