Water-Supply aud Irrigation Paper No. 106 Series { M, General Hydrographic Investigations, 12 O, Underground Waters, 26 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES -D. WALCOTT, DIBECTOB 

W .ATER RESOURCES 

OF THE 

PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT 

BY 

FLORENCE BASCOM 

WASHINGTON 1 

GOVERNMENT. PRINTING tFFICE 

1904 

CONTENTS. 

Letter of transmittaL _________________________________________ . _________ _ 

Introduction _________________________ , __________________________________ _ 

Acknowledgments ______________________________ ------ ______________ . 

Geology __________________________ . _______ c __________ c __________________ _ 

Physiography _______________________________________________________ _ 

Piedmont Plateau. ___ . __________________________________ _ 

Coastal Plain _____________ . _____________________________ _ 

Stratigraphy _________ . ______________________________________ ~ _______ _ 

Ancient crystalline rocks ________________________________________ _ 

Algonkian __________________________________________________ _ 

Baltimore gneiss ______________________ . _________ . _______ _ 

Cambrian _______________ .. _____________________________ . ____ _ 

Chickies quartzite ____________ , _________________________ _ 

Cambro-Ordovician _________________________________________ _ 

Chester Valley limestone ________________________________ _ 

Ordovician _____________________________ , ___________________ _ 

Wissahickon mica-gneiss and mica-schist . _______ . _______ _ 

Topographic features of crystalline area ______________________ _ 

Sedimentary rocks ___________________________ : __________________ _ 

Triassic ____________________________________________________ _ 

Norristown shale ___________________________ . _____ c ______ _ 

Gwynedd shale __________ . __________________________ .. 

Lansdale shale. _________________________________________ _ 

Perkasie shale ____________________ . _____ .. _______________ _ 

Pottstown shale. ___________________ .. ____________________ _ 

Rainfall ____________________________ . ________________ -- ---- - --- . --... -----

Streams ________________________________________________________ : _______ _ 

Piedmont hydrographic basin _______________________________________ _ 

Delaware River _________________________________________________ _ 

Southwest tributaries to Delaware River _. _________ • ______ , ~ _ 

Northeast tributaries to Delaware River __________ . _. ________ _ Schuylkill River ________________________________________________ _ 

Schuylkill tributaries _______________________________________ • 

Coastal Plain hydrographic basin ____________________________________ . 

Drainage __ -~ ____________________________________________________ _ 

Water power __________________ .. ____________________ . _______ . __ _ 

Ponds _____ . ____________________________________________ . _______________ _ 

~:~!:a ~~t~~i~~ ~~ii; ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ ~: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~: ~ ~ ~ ~::: ::: ~:::: :::: ~ ~::::: :: ~ :: 

Piedmont district _________ + __ . ____ . ________________________________ . _ 

Ancient crystalline bel~ __________________________________ . ______ _ 

Triassic belt. _______ . _____ . ___________________ . _-. _ . ________ . _-. _ 

Coastal Plain district _____ j ____________ • ________________________ . _. __ 

Geologic conditions ______________________ . ___________ . _____ . __ . _. 

Water horizons. _______________________ . _____ -- .. -_ ... -.-.- . ___ .. 

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CONTENTS. 

Public water supplies ____________________________ . ______ . _______________ _ 

Philadelphia and suburbs--.-- ____ -··"- .. ____________ "-- ______________ _ 

Philadelphia bureau of water __ ... _. ___ . ____ . _. _. ___ .. _____ . ____ _ 

Springfield water companies ___________________ . __ .~-- _________ ._._ 

Springfield Water Company. __ . __________ .. _________________ _ 

North Spring:fi.eUl Water Company .... _. _____ .... __ ... ___ .. _ 

Independent COJD.panies ... _____ .. ____ . ___ . _ ... ___ ... ___ . _. _____ . _ Chester _____________________________________________________________ _ 

Media ____ ----.---- ________________ -~-- ___ . _____ -,---. ___________ ·---·. 

Norristown . _ ~. ______ .. _ ... _ ... ____ . ______ ._ .. __ .. _ ... _______________ _ 

Lansdale-------- _____ . ______ .. ·------- ___ . __________ .... ------------ Ambler _______ ......... __ ... _ .. ______ ... __ .. _ .. ______ . _______ . _ . ____ _ 

Camden _____ . ___ . _____ .. _________ ....... ________ · ____ . _" . _ ..... __ . __ . _ 

Riverton and Palmyra ·--.· __________ .. ____ ---~. _____________ . _______ _ 

Haddonfield _____ . -·- ______________ -.- __ . _. ___ . _________ . __ . __________ _ 

Newbold and Westville_. ___ . _____ ._. __ · __________________________ "---

Paulsboro ___ . ______ .,. ___________ .. ______ • __ . ______ . ______ . -. _. ______ _ 

Other towns .... ______________________________ -~-- _______ · _____ -----·--

Index-----------------------~-------------------------------------~-----

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ILL UST RATI·ONS. 

Page. 

PLATE I. Sketch map of Philadelphia district. ____________ •• _________ ----- 9 

II. Diagram of stream flow of Ridley Creek, 1892-1901 .. _______ . ____ 24 

III. Diagram showing storage and run-off of Perkiomen and Neshaminy creeks ____________________ ; ____ • _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 28 

IV. Sections showing water horizons along western border of Coastal 

Plain in New Jersey ________________________ -.- ________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 54 

FIG. L Index map showing location of Philadelphia district and limits of 

Delaware and Schuylkill drainage basins. _______________ •. ______ 10 

2. Sk,etch map showing physiographic divisions ______________ ------~- 11 

3. Diagram showing rainfall at Philadelphia, 1825-1900 ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 16 

5 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

HYDROGRAPHIC BRANCH, 

Washington, D. 0., March 2, 190#. 

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript for a 

paper entitled "Water Resources of the Philadelphia District," prepared by Dr. F. Bascom at the request of Mr. M. J_.. Fuller, chief of 

the eastern section of the division of hydrology. Tb.e work was conducted in connection with investigations for· the geologic branch of 

the Survey, through the courtesy of which the report has been prepared. 

The paper presents a summary of the knowledge of the water 

resources of Philadelphia and vicinity, including both. surface and 

underground waters. In the discussion of the former a considerable 

number of data which have appeared in scattered and inaccessible 

publications are brought together and presented with the new material. The facts relating to underground waters are largely new and 

are the result of a personal canvass of the region. 

Very respectfully, 

Ron. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 

F. H. NEWELL, 

Chief Engineer. 

Director United States Geological Survey. 

7 

U. $, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

' ' ' \ 

I 

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-------

-------Boundaries of drainage basin 

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#" jlridgeport 

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1 ' Clnrksbbto *, Mickleton #= ' 1 

I 

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I o I 

0 ' 

...... ''--------, I 

1 

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- Reservoirs 

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\ ,, ,, ...... _, Swedesboro ' 

' ' ', 

:' 

1 

u SCALE 

Ob,d:"~k.. .... ~=='!:..-.1,==~-..:5 MIL~S 

SKETCH MAP OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. 

W.4TER-SU PPLY PAPER NO. 106 PL. I 

[illill Filtor beds 
W .ATER RESOURCES OF THE PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. · 

By FLORENCE BASCOM. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The area included in the Philadelphia district lies between 39° 45' 

and 40° 15' north latitude and 75° and 75° 30' west longitude. It has 

a length of 34.50 miles from north to south and a width of 26.53 miles 

from east to west, and covers one-fourth of a square degree, which is 

equivalent, in that latitude, to, about 915.25 square miles. It is 

mapped on the Germantown, Norristown, Philadelphia, and Chester 

atlas sheets of the United States Geological Survey. a Each of these 

sheets represents a tract fifteen minutes in extent each way. This 

district is in Pennsylyania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and comprises, 

in whole or in part, ten counties-Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, 

Delaware, and Chester counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties in New Jersey; and Newcastle 

County in Delaware. A population of nearly 2,000,000 is embraced 

within these limits. The location and general relations of the district 

are shown in fig. 1, on the next page. 

In this paper will be discussed the topography, rainfall, run-off, 

and stream discharges of the chief hydrographic basins, the geology 

and water-bearing horizons, and the water power and water supply 

in relation to its present and future utilization. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, 

Data for the report on the present utilization of the water supply 

have been obtained chiefly from Mr. J. W. Ledoux, chief engineer of 

the American Pipe Manufacturing Company, and from Mr. J ohp. E. 

Codman, chief draftsman of the Philadelphia bureau of water. 

These gentlemen have courteously furnished me all the desired data 

in their possession, both publiRhed and unpublished. It is a pleasure 

to acknowledge my obligations to them and to Mr. John W. Hill, 

chief engineer of the Philadelphia bureau of filtration. . 

Stream measurements, rainfall data, and stream discharges have 

been taken from recordR made and published by Mr. Codman. 

"These fou1•sheets have been combined and published as a map of.Philadelphia and vicinity. 

9 
10 W .A.TER RESOURCES OJ!' PHIL.A.DELPHl.A. DISTRICT. [NO. 106, 

A number of tables, plates, and records have been extracted from 

the reports of the Philadelphia bureaus of filtration and of water. 

FIG. 1.-Index map showing location of Philadelphia district and limits of Delaware and 

Schuylkill drainage basins. 

Much material has also been obtained from the reports of the geological survey of New Jersey, especially volume 3; from Bulletin 
BASCOM.) PHYSIOGRAPHY. 11 

No. 138of the United States Geological Survey, byN. H. Darton; from 

papers by Prof. Oscar C. S. Carter, and from a Report on the New 

Red, by Mr. Benjamin Smith Lyman. 

I wish also to acknowledge the courtesy of water-supply companies 

not represented in the above list, and of artesian well owners, who 

have promptly furn.ished the information desired of them. 

GEOLOGY. 

PHYSIOGRAPHY . 

. The Atlantic border region is divisible into three very unlike 

physiographic provinces-the Appalachian district, the Piedmont 

Plateau, and the Coastal 

Plain. The Piedmont Plateau constitutes about threefourths of the Philadelphia 

district and the Coastal Plain 

the remaining fourth. 'l'he 

Delaware River marks the 

boundary between the two 

provinces, which are distinct 

hydrographically. 

Each of these provinces has 

a history, which is, in a broad 

way, the same for the entire 

pl'ovince. This accounts for 

the uniformity ·of physiographic features in a single 

province. 

Piedmont Plateau. -This 

plateau lies on the southeastern foot of the Appalachian 

system- whence its name 

Piedmont-and is separated 

from the Atlantic Ocean by a 

belt of coastal plain 10 to 100 

miles in width. Its western 

limit is defined by the Highlands of New Jersey in New 

Jersey,bytheSouthMountain 

in Penn,;;ylvania, and by the 

Blue Ridge in Virginia. 

The Piedmont Plateau has 

FIG. 2.-Sketch map showing physiographic divisions. 

an average width of 50 miles and extend.s north and south from M~ine 

to Alabama. A conspicuous c-hange in topography marks its east,ern 

boundary, where it passes into the Coastal P~ain. Along this border 
12 . W .ATER RESOURCES OF PIDLADELPHI.A DISTRIOT. [No. 106. 

line are situated the large cities of the .Atlantic States-New York, 

Trenton, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Petersburg, Raleigh, Augusta, and Macon. Eastward the streams open 

into tidal estuaries and afford good shipping facilities, while westward 

they cease to be navigable and flow in tumultuous courses. 

The pl~teau is an upland of moderate elevation with shallow valleys and with some eminences rising above its general level. The 

hills reach a height of 1,600 feet, while the upland varies from 200 to 

600feetabove sea level. Ifthevalleyswerefilledin, the upland would 

be converted into a flat elevated plain; hence. the term plateau has 

been applied to it. This plateau slopes eastward and southeastward 

toward the sea. Neither the heterogeneous constitution nor the complex structure of the underlying rocks is revealed in the level lines 

of the plateau. The larger streams which cut into i.t and converted 

it into a diversified upland flowed in courses which were independent 

of the structure and of the character of the rock floor. This diversified 

upland or dissected plateau is further characterized by the absence 

of bare rock ledges and by the presence of a thick mantle of fertile 

soil comparatively fre~ from stones. 

The streams of the Piedmont Plateau are of two classes-(1) those 

which rise west of the plateau and (2) those which rise within it. 

Streams rising west of the plateau usually empty into estuaries which 

head at its junction with the Coastal Plain; of this class are the 

Delaware and Schuylkill of the Philadelphia district, and the Susquehanna, Potomac, and James to the south. Streams which rise within 

the plateau either are wholly within it, emptying into estuaries ·or 

larger streams, as Cobbs, Darby, Ridley, and Chester creeks, or cross 

both the plateau and the Coastal Plain, flowing directly into the 

ocean, as the Roanoke and Savannah rivers. 

The highest land of the Philadelphia Piedmont district is in the 

vicin:ity of Valley Forge, in the Schuylkill watershed, where the 

quartzite hills have an altitude of 640 feet. 

North of these hills and of a line extending N. 70° E. the undei:"-

lying rocks are shales with interbedded sandstone. These formations 

have a fairly uniform and very gentle dip 8° to 15° N. or NW. They 

diminish to a thin edge ·to the southeast and reach a thickness of 

15,000 feet to the northwest. They cover about one-third of the 

Piedmont district, giving rise to low relief and furnishing a fine, red, 

somewhat calcareous clay soil which is fairly fertile. The remaining 

two-thirds of the district is underlain by a series of quartzites, limestones, schists, gneisses, granites, gabbro, and serpentine. This series 

has been subjected to a pressure which has produced a conspicuous 

schistosity dipping steeply southeast, and a more gentle but often 

steep inclination of the bedding planes southeast or northwest. These 

formations occur in belts trending northeast and southwest, roughly 

parallel to the Delaware River. Through differential erosion they 

i ····- ------------------------- ___ _j 
BASCOM.] STRATIGRAPHY. 13 

give rise to a more diversified topography than the comparatively 

uniform shale formations. They furnish a deep, rich, clayey soil. 

Coastal Plain.-The Coastal Plain lies between the sea and the 

Piedmont Plateau and extends from Staten Island southward to 

Florida, varying in width from 10 to 150 miles. It slopes gently seaward and rises westward. to a height of a few hundred feet. It is a 

low, flat area composed of beds~of unconsolidated gravel, sand, clay, 

and marls, which have an inclination corresponding, in the main, 

with the general seaward slope of the plain. The drainage is largely 

simple, the streams being consequent upon the uplift of the plain 

from the sea. Streams rise also in the Piedmont Plateau or in the 

Appalachian district and cross the Coastal Plain. In the part of the 

Coastal Plain included in the Philadelphia district all the streams are 

simple. 

STRATIGRAPHY. 

The rock floor of the Philadelphia district is composed of a complex 

of ancient metamorphosed sedimentary formations and crystalline 

igneous intrusives. 

This floor is overlain in the southeastern third of the district by 

unconsolidated materials-gravels, sands, clays, and marls of Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary age. These materials are chiefly 

confined tothe Coastal Plain and are discussed under the heading, 

•' Coastal Plain." 

ANCIENT CRYSTALLINE ROCKS. 

The ancient crystalline rock floor, which is overlain in the Coastal 

Plain to the southeast by Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary 

gravels, sands, c[ays, and marls and on the northeast by the Triassic 

shales and sandstones, h~ uncovered in the larger half of the Piedmont 

Plateau which constitutes the central portion of the Philadelphia 

district. 

The formations of this complex are· of pre-Paleozoic and Paleozoic 

age, and their sequence and character are, briefly, as follows: 

ALGONKIAN. 

Baltimore gneiss (Fordham gneiss of New York folio) (pre-Georgian).-This formation is a hard, light-colored, feldspathic, banded 

rock, which marks the crest of Buck Ridge. Into it have been intruded 

granitic and gabbroitic igneous masses. 

CAMBRIAN. 

Chickies quartzite ( Georgian).-This is a crystalline, sericitic, 

itacolumitic quartzite, which outcrops in the north Chester Valley, 

Cold Point, and Whitemarsh hills, Camp Hill, and Edge Hill. 

OA.MBRO-ORDOVIOIA.N, 

Chester Valley limestone.-The Chester Valley limestone is a crystalline, magnesian, siliceous, blue or white limestone, chiefly confined 

to Chester Valley. 
14 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No,106. 

ORDOVICIAN. 

Wissahickon mica-gneiss and mica-schist (Hudson).-This is a 

. crystalline bedded formation which, like all thi~; series, outcrops in 

a belt trending northeast and southwest. The mica-gneiss extends 

from the Delaware River to Chestnut Hill. Toward the north this 

foriJlation ·becomes· a mica-schist, which forms the south Chester 

Valley hills and immediately overlies the Chester Valley limestone. 

TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF CRYSTALLINE AREA. 

The more basic peripheries of the gabbro masses have been altered 

to serpentine and steatite and have given rise to low sterile ridges. 

A rolling lowland charact.erizes the easily eroded mica-gneiss, while 

·the quartzitic mica-schist forms ridges. 

A fertile, open valley characterizes the limestone, while the resisting quartzite forms the highest and most abrupt hills Of the Piedmont 

belt. 

The Baltimore gneiss and the gabbro which completely and irregularly penetrates it constitute the broad, flat-topped ridge (Buck Ridge) 

which extends across the district in a northeast-southwest direction 

and separates the Wissahickon gneiss belt from the other sedimentarias. These formations are folded in synclines and anticlines overturned to the northwest. This structure gives them a prevailing dip 

to the southeast. The dip is sometimes coincident with, but often less 

steep than, a marked cleavage to the southeast. Huntington and 

Cream valleys-the narrow lowland on the northwest base of Buck 

Ridge-probably mark a fault heading northwest. This fault has 

caused the disappearance along this line sometimes of the limestone, 

.sometimes of the quartzite, and sometimes of both formations. 

The .pressure from the southeast, which has caused the overturned 

folds, the cleavage, and the faulting, has affected igneous and sedimentary materials alike, completely metamorphosing the entire series 

and producing like secondary structures-in all. 

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. 

TRIASSIC. 

In the northern third of the district the ancient crystalline floor is 

overlain by gently dipping shales with interbedded sandstones. 

These formations are intermediate in age between the eroded floor, 

upon which they were laid down, and the Coastal Plain formations 

on the southeast. They belong to the Triassic period and are represented, within the Philadelphia district, by five divisions.a 

Norristown shale.-The lowest division, the Norristown shale, 

immediately overlies the crystallines and is exposed in a belt, about 4 

miles in width, extending northeast and southwest from Valley Forge 

a Lyman, B.S., Report on the New Red of Bucks and Montgomery counties: ·second Geol. 

Survey Pennsylvania, Final report, vol. a, pt. 2, pp. 2589-2638. 
BASCOM.] STRATIGRAPHY AND RAINFALL. 15 

and Norristown to the· Delaware River. Within this division are 

included about 6,100 feet of red, partly calcareou~ shales, with some 

important though comparatively thin beds Of brown sandstone near 

the top a~d severHl thicker and coarser beds of hard, gray, pebbly 

sandstone at the base. 

In the Philadelphia district tb.e Norristown shale dips gently to the 

northwest~ This is also true of the overlying formation~; hence they 

outcrop at the surfaces successively to the northwest in belts which 

are, in general, parallel to the Norristown shale belt. 

Gwynedd shale.-This is the next overlying formation and includes 

approximately 3,500 feet of usually dark-red, sometimes dark-green 

or dark-gray, and partly blackshales with traces of coal. 

These shales are comparatively hard and form the ridge north of 

Norristown which trends northeast. The Gwynedd shale is exposed 

in a belt about 3 miles wide. 

Lansdale shale.-Overlying the Gwynedd shale is. the I~ansdale 

formation, which embraces 4, 700 feet of red calcareous shales, with a 

few scattered green layers and a few thin red sandstone beds. This 

formation is soft, and forms the lowland belt, 4 miles wide, northwest 

of the Gwynedd ridge. 

Perkasie shale.-These shales cross the northwest corner of tb.e 

district in a belt about 1 mile wide. They have a thickness of 

approximately 2,000 feet, and are hard, green, red, or gray shales, with 

some carbonaceous layers. Because of their hardness these shales 

.mark high land. 

Pottstown shale. -A triangular area in the extreme northwest corner 

is covered by the Pottstown shale. ·This formation consists chiefly 

of soft, red, calcareous shales, with a few thin limestone beds, and 

has a total thickness of 10,700 feet. Flat, low-lying land characterizes the Pottstown shale area. a 

R.AINF ALL. 

Records of the rainfall in Philadelphia have been kept by the 

United States Weather Bureau since 1872. The table on pages 17-21 

is based on the figure~ of that Bureau. 

The total rainfall has been calculated for each period of the water 

year from 1872 to 1904. These figures, as is to be expected, show that 

the average monthly precipitation on the Middle Atlantic coast is 

nearly uniform· throughout the year. It is somewhat greater during 

the growing period b than in any other period of the year. The avera :Mr. N.H. Darton, who has made a recent (1904) survey of the Triassic series of this district, 

groups the members of the series in three divisions-the Stockton formation, which corresponds 

approximately to the Norristown shale; the Locatong formation, which contains the Gwynedd 

shale; and the Brunswick shale, which embraces the Lansdale, Perkasie, and Pottstown shales. 

bAs regards l"ainfall and run-off records, Rafter has divided the year into three periods-those 

of storage, growing, and replenishing-with a water year beginning December 1. The storage 

period extends from December 1 to May 31, although at times it may begin November 1 and end 

with Apr1l. The growing-period extends from June to August, inclusive, and the replenishing 

period ·from September to November, inclusive .. See ·water-Sup. and Irr. Paper No. 80, U.S.· 

Geoi. Survey, 1903, pp. 16-17. 
16 WATER RESOURCES Oil' -PHILADELPHIA DISTRIOT. [No.106 • 

.age monthly precipitation during the storage' .and replenishing periods 

is very nearly the same. 

It will be shown that the run-off of the streams is absolutely andproportionally greater in the storage ANNUAL RAINFALL IN INCHES 

period than in the- replenishing period, 0 c; ,. 0 .. .. 0 0 g g <~ 

and least of all in the growing period, 

when the rainfall-is greatest. 

The minimum annual rainfall in the 

thirty-two years covered by the record 

was 30.21 inches, in 1881, which is 9.98 

inches less than the normal. The maximum annual rainfall occurred in 1873; 

it was 55.28 inches, or 15.09 inches 

above the normal. The mean -annual 

rainfall in the thirty-two years since 

1872, or the normal for Philadelphia, is 

40.57 inches. This is not a high aver- ?> 

age precipitation for a temperate region. ~ For sixteen years out of the thirty- ~ 

two the annual rainfall was less than 40 a 

inches. 

The rainfall at the principal eastern 

cities in 1902, as given ii1 the United 

States Weather Bureau Report, was as 

follows: i 

~ 

Rainfall in principal eastern cities in 1902. ~ 

Portland, Me _____ . _________________ . _ _ _ _ _ Inches. 45. 18 'd.~ ; 

Boston ___________________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 44. 96 

New Haven _____________________________ 47.91 -~ 

New York _______________________________ 44.80 .... 

Philadelphia ____________________________ 39.84 ~ 

Baltimore ________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 43. 95 

Washington __ . ___ .. _. ____________________ 43.46 

To what degree this relatively low 

figure for the normal precipitation in 

Philadelphia represents the actual facts, 

and to what degree the recorded difference in precipitation at Philadelphia 

and Baltimore. may be due to unavoidable inaccuracies consequent upon the 

location and exposure of rain gages as 

suggested by the similarity in the topoITI 

z 

;z 

"' I:; 

~ 

,... 

.18 26 

18 30 

18 35 

18 40 

I 845 

I 850 

I 855 

I 860 

I 86s' 

I 870 

I 875 

I 880 

I 885 

I 890 

I 895 

I 899 

graphic conditions at those two cities, is a matter for future investigation. 
BASCOM.] RAINFALL. 17 

Rainfall, in inches, at Philadelphia, 1872-1903.a 

Months grouped in periods, and year. 

Annual 

Precipita- Annual pre- departure 

tion. cipitation. f~~~~~~ 

1871-72. . . December-May------- __ · __ ------- __ ·_------------ ------ --rJune-August _________________ ------------ -----· 21.30 

September-November __________ .. _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ 12.29 

1872_--------------- ~---- ------------------------- ---------- 48.36 + 8.17 

1872-73. 

December-May __________________________ .. _ ____ 24.72 

June-August.__________________________________ 17.39 

~=~::~~~~~~~~~~~~- ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ j----~~~ ~~­ 1873-74. I 

55.28 +15.09 

December-May_________________________________ 23.09 

June-August _______________ ---~--------------- 10.86 

September-November ___________ . __ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 11.20 

187 4---- -- ~- ---- - --- ---- ---- ----. -.- - ---.. - --- - "- -- - --- ---- ~- 46.25 + 6.06 

1874-75. 

December-May_________________________________ 15.80 

June-August. ______ --~_________________________ 14.18 

September,-November _________ . ___________ . _ _ _ _ 9. 35 

1875.------- -------- ----------------------'----- -- 40.22 + .03 

1875-76. 

December-MaY---------------------c----------- 23.24 

June-August. ______ ---.---- ______ . __ .____________ 8. 98 

September-November __________________________ · · 17.14 

1876 __________ ---------------------------- _·_ ---- ---------- 47.39 + 7.20 

1876-77. 

December-May ____________ ._. ___ . _ .. _________ . _ 12. 02 

June-August _________________ .. __ . ____ .. __ . _ _ _ _ 11. 41' 

September-November _______ . ____ . ____ .. ____ . __ 14.40 

1877 .. ~----------------------------------------- ---------- 37.26 ~ 2.93 

1877-78. 

December-May_________________________________ · 15.14 

June-August. ________________ ~_--"- ______ ,_____ 11.84 

September-November ___ ·c. ____ . _____ ._________ 5.19 

1878.----------------------------------------------------- 34.53 - 5.66 

a Based on tables given in reports of Weather Bureau,l896-1903, with additional data for 1903. 

IRR 106-04--,----2 
1 ~ W .A TER RESOURCES OF PIDL.Ai>ELPHIA DISTRICT. . [No. 106. 

Rainfa:l, in inches, at Philadel;;hia, 1872-1903-Co:ritinued. 

Months grouped in pe1iods; and year. 

Annual 

Precipita- Annual pre- departure tion. cipitation. from the 

1878-79. 

December-May ____________ . ___________ ~ ___ ._· __ . 1( 82 

June-August _______ ·----- .... -------------··--- 17.5'3 

September,-November -------------------------· 2.91 · 

1879.----------.. --"-- :_ ---------------- -------- ----.------

1879-80. 

December-May ___________________ .. ____________ _ 

June-August."-------~- .. _____________________ _ 

15.13 

14.50 

September-November-------------------------· 4.59 

1880---- -- ------ ------ ------- ----- --- --- -- -- --- - ------ - "--

1880-81. 

December-MaY------------·------------------"- 19.62 

J une,...August .... _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6, 01 

September-November _____________________ . _ _ _ _ 6. 00 

1881.----- ---- ------ -- --- ----- --- --- ---- .. - -.. -- -- ----.. - ----

1881-82. 

December-May _____________ "- _____________ ~____ 22.17 

June-August _______________________________ ~___ 9. 67 

SeptemOO.r-November ___ . _____ . ___ . ______ . ___ _ _ _ 14.40 

1882---- ---- -- -- -"-- -- -- -- - --- -.- - - ------ - c-- --- . ------ ----

1882-83. 

December-May~ ________________ ~_. _____ " ______ _ 

June-August .. __ ~- __________ ~ __ " ____ .. _____ -- ___ _ 

17.51 

11..09 

September-November __ ..... ____ .. ____________ • __ 9. 78 

1883'.- -- --- ------- --- --- ---- -- .. - .. --- -- -- -. -- -- - - --- -.-- ----

1883-84. 

December-May c .... _____ .. ___ c .. _ ...... _________ .. __ .. 23.64 

June-August __________ ~ .. ----- ........ ------------ 11.13 

September-November--------------------------· 4.05 

1884 ...... ·--------------------"-- .· ................................. -·----·----

. 1884-85. 

Decemper-May________________________________ 16.16 

June-August .. c ........ ___ .. ___ ................ _______ .. ___ ...... 9. 9~ 

September..,November .... _____ ...... ____________ ....... 7. 85 

1885 ____________________________________________ -~--------

1885-86. 

December-May .. __ ... ____ . __ . __ .......... ___ .. ____ ... 21.55 

June-August ...... _ .. __ ......... _ "- .. _ .. ___ .. __ . ___ . _ .. ~.. 8. 47 

normal. 

36.75 _;_ 3. 44 

33.58 . - 6.61 

30.21 ....;.. 9.98 

45.58 +G.39 

39.17 - 1.02 

39.34 - .85 

33.35 -6.66 
BASCOM.] RAINF.ALL.- 19 

Rainfa.ll, in inches, at Philadelphia, 1872-1903-Continued. 

Months grouped in periods, and year. 

Annual 

Pl'ecipita- Annual.Pre- departure tion. cipitation. from the · · . . normal. 

1885-86. 

September-November ______ ..... ____ ____ __ ____ __ 7. 00 

1886--------------~- -- ---~ ------------------- ·-- -_. ____ ----

1886-87. 

December-May. ___ . __ .. _. ___ . __ . ___ . _ •. _ _ __ _ _ _ _ 15.196 

. June-August. __________ ·---------------------~- . 16.!26 

September-November _____ -·~- _____ . ____ _ ___ ____ 7.,98 

1887- ----- ------ -·.---- ------ -.. - 0"- ------ ---- -- -- 0---------

1887-88. 

·December-May. ________ , ___ •. __ .. ____________ _ 22.j91 

June-August." ... ___ . ________________________ .. 10.!33 

~:::~~~~~~~~~~~~~- ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~: ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ l. ---~~~~~- 1888-89. 

December-May: _______ -------------------· ____ 18. 197 

I June-August._. __________ ._____________________ 18.175 

September-November _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ 15. 118 

1889- --- ---- -- -- -- -- ------ -- -- -- c--- 0 0 ---- ------ ---- ------

1889-90. 

December-May.________________________________ 15.92 

June-August ... ______ .. ____ ... ___ ... _____ . ______ 8.69 

September-November __________________ • _ _ _ __ __ 7. 93 

1890·------------------------------------------- ----------

1890-91. 

December-May_________________________________ 19.19 

June-August _________________________________ ·__ 11.38 

September-November ...... __ ____ ___ ___ ____ ____ 6.17 

1891.--------------------- _. __ ----- ---- ---------- 0---------

1891-92. 

December-May __________________________ .______ 20.71 

J tine-August _____ . __________ . ____ . ____________ . 7. 69 

September-November _________________ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8. 07 

1892·------------------------------------------- ----------

1892-93. 

December-May ________________________________ _ 

June-A~st _____________________ ~-------------

19.48. 

7.54 

· September-November __ -____________________ •. __ 9. 59 

1893.----------------------------.-------------- ----------

37.24 -2.95 

42.17 + 1.98 

44.06 + 3.86 

50.60 +10.41 

34.02 - 6.17 

38.19 - 2.37 

34.78 - 5.89 

37.65 - 2.91 
/ 

20 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No.106. 

Rainfall, in inches, at Philadelphia, 1Q72-1903-Continued. 

Months grouped in periods, and year. 

Annual 

Precipita- Annual prE!- departure tion. cipitation. from the 

normal. 

1893-94. 

December-May_-------- __ -____________ -____ .. 21.88 

June-August. ________ --- ___ . __________________ -_ -4.53 

September-November ________________________ _ 13.03 

1894.------------- ------ ----- .. ------ ---------. ---------· 40.34 - .22 

1894-95. 

December-May ____ 0 ___________ 0 _______________ _ 20.41 

June-August. ________ 0--- _________________ ~ _ "- _ 6.97 

September-November _________________________ _ 5.90 

1895.-----------.------------ -~-"--------------- . -----·---- 31.01 - 9.55. 

1895-96. 

December-May _______________ _ 17.77 

June.-August _ -----------~ ______ -·----· _ o-- ____ _ 7.80 

September-November _________________ 0 __ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7. 34 

1896.---------._----------------- -- _. -·-------- - --' ---------- 32.15 - 6.42 

1896-97. 

December-May_________________________________ 15.53 

June-August_ ______ .. __________________________ 15.75 

September-November ____ ~- __________________ 0 _ 7.24 

1897------------------ ~--' -- c _·_------- ---- '---- .· ---------- 42.04 + 2.59 

1897-98. 

December-May ______________________________ --o 22.24 

June-August ______________________ .,. _________ . 14.44 

September-November _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ 13.86 

1898---------------------------------~---------- ---------- 4!l.23 + 9.03 

1898-99. 

December-May_ 0 0 ___ 0 ____ . ___ 0 __ 0 _ 0 ______ 0 _ _ _ _ _ 23. 23 

June-August. ----.-o __ .•.. 0 _0 ·; Oo _____ , _ _ ____ _ _ __ 10.96 

September-November _____________________ , __ , _ 7. 57 

1899 0----0 ---------------0 -------- -------------- ---'------ . 39.00 . 44 

1899-1900. 

December-May _______________ 0 _____ -----o _____ , 

June-August _____ , _______ 0 _________ , ___________ _ 

. . 

17.64 

9.54 

September-November _______ 0 __ __ ____ ____ __ __ __ 12.73 

1900 •... ------------------------ -------·---- 0 - --- ----------

1900-1901. 

December-May _________________ ... _____________ _ 

June-August .. ___ ··----- ____ -~ __ ._, ____ : ____ ---.-

17.95 

15.45 

40.91 +" .49 
BASCOM.] R.AINF .ALL. 21 

Rainfall, in inches, at Philadelphia, 1872-1903-Continued. 

Months grouped in periods, and year. 

Annual 

Precipita- Annual pre- departure tion. cipitation. from the 

1900-190J 

September-]lovember -------------------------- ·7.83 

1901.-------·- ----------.- ------ ---------------- . ----- ---- 45.54 

1901-2. 

December-lfay_________________________________ 24.25 

June-August ___________________ ~--_____________ 11.93 

September-November _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ 13.67 

1902 ___________ : ____ ·------~-------------------- ---------- 49.76 

1902-3. 

December=. May _________________ ---"____________ 22.75 

June-August.__________________________________ 14.79 

September-November------------~----·-------- 7.20 

1903 ____ ---- -------- ·---------.----------------- ---- -----· . 41.50 

Mean precipitation fot 32 years: 

December-May_-~ __ --.-- ___________________ _ 

June-August_---;---~~- _________ ·--- _______ _ 

September-]loveniber _____ . ______________ . _ 

STREAMS. 

19.40 l 

11.78 

9.55 

PI~DMONT :tiYDROGRAPHIC BASIN. 

40.57 

normal. 

+ 5.56 

+ 9.~2 

+1.44 

The Piedmont Plateau (see fig. 2, p. 11) is crossed by the Schuylkill 

River and limited on the southeast by the Delaware River. 'l'he other 

watercourses are tributary to one or the other of these two streams. 

The valley of the Delaware is not more than 20 feet above sea ~evel, 

while. the divide between the Delaware and the Sch"uylkill rises to a 

height of 520 feet. 

DEL.A W .ARE RIVER. 

The Delaware River has a total length of 410 miles (fig. 2}, but only 

35 miles are included in the Philadelphia district (Pl. I}. It'is navigable by ocean steamers to Philadelphia, 100 miles from its mouth, and 

there is a low-water depth of 5 feet to Trenton, 30 miles northeast of 

Philadelphia. It is tidal to this point, 130 miles above the capes. 

Above Trenton it has an average fall of about 6. 7 feet per mile. Its 

drainage area, including all its branches, is 12,012 square miles. 

The population and the ~lassification of land on the different portions 
22 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. (NO. lUG. 

of the Delaware watershed, as computed by the New Jersey survey, a 

are as follows: . 

Population and classification of lands in Delaware watershed. 

I 

Population Improved Barrens. Forest. per~ft~~re lands. 

--- ---

Percent. Percent. Pe1· cent. 

Above Water Gap. __________ .. ____ . ___ 31 34 7 59 

Above Easton .. _____ . ____ .. ___ . _. ____ 43 39 6 55 

Above Trenton. _____ ----------· --· -- 98 43 6 51 

Lehigh River ________ . _________ . _____ 415 48 5 47 

- The Delaware is subject to considerable seasonal fluctuation in 

volume. Its stages have been summarized by Mansfield Merriman, as 

follows: b "January, frozen and medium height; February ancl March, 

breaking up and high; April, May, and .June, high; July, subsiding; 

August and September, low; October, low but subject to high freshets; 

November, low, often very low; December, rising a little and freezing." 

The conditions favorable to floods are common to the district-a 

heavy rainfall on frozen ground or a rainfall in excess of what the 

ground is able to absorb. The estimated flow of the Delaware above 

Trenton is given in the table on the next page, taken from volume 3 

of the report of the New Jersey geological survey. 

As a source of domestic supply and power the Delaware is extremely 

important. It has been utilized for domestic supply to a large degree, 

but the increasing impurity of its water necessitates an elaborate 

system of filtration, ·such as is now being operated at Torresdale by 

the city of Philadelphia. With adequate filtration the Delaware can 

supply the increasing population near it with abunQ.ant water. In 

1894 it supplied inN ew Jersey 142,636 inhabitants with 17,010,464 gallons of water daily. The estimated supply forTrenton without storage was 601,600,~00 gallons. Analysis of the water shows that above 

Trenton the Delaware is polluted with sewage and industrial refuse 

to a dangerous degree. 

The water power of the Delaware has been largely left unutilized, 

probably because of the difficulty of building dams and the comparative cheapness of fuel. The number of mills on the Delaware above 

Trenton is only 186, with a net horsepower of 6,658. The New Jersey 

survey estimates that there is 3,576 horsepower available during nine 

months of the year at Trenton unused. 

aGeol. Survey New Jersey, vol. 3. p. 231. 

bAnn. Rept. Chief of Engineers for 1873, Appendix U, p. 19. 
BASCOM.] DELA. WARE RIVER AND 'fRIBUTARIES. 

Estimated flow .of Delaware River above Trenton. a 

. AVERAGE YEAR. 

Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. AI>r- May. June. July. Aug. Sept. I ---- -·-----------

lnphes of rainfalL 3.67 3.57 3.40 3.67 3.57 3.99 3.99 4.17 4.52 3.67 

inches flowing off . 2.97 3.01 2.83 2.92 2.48 1. 74 1.26 .90 .87 1.10 

Flow in 1,000 gal- lollli dailY. per 

square lillie ...... 1,660 1,660 1;695 1,640 1,440 975 730 505 487 670 

Horsepower on L 

foot fall per 

square mile ••.... 0.292 0.297 0.298 0.288 0.253 0.181 0.128 0.089 0.086 0.112 

ORDINARY DRY YEAR' 

Inches of rainfall .. 3.95 4.04 1.67 2.95 2.60 3.36 3.73 4;47 8.93 0.99 

Inches flowing off_ 3.23 3.45 1.25 2.28 1.76 1.37 1.04 .87 .80 .60 

Flow in 1,000 gal-

-768 Ions dailfie p e ,. _ square mr ------ 1,810 1,930 750 1,280 1,015 603 487 448 347 

Horsepower on 1 

Oj131 

foot fall per 

square mile ....•. 0.318 0.340 0.225 0.179 0.135 0.106 0.086 0.079 0.061 

DRIEST PERIOD. 

J 

Inches of rainfall .. 4.05 3.66 4. 76 3.83 0.61 2.71 3,87 0.96 1.18 0.94 

Inches flowing off . 3.32 3,09 4.09 3.07 1.03 .71 .69 .48 .26 .22 

Flow in 1,000 galIons dailY. p e r 

.... T .. square mrle ...... 2,450 1,720 595 31!8 40) 241 145 127 

Horsepower on 1 

foot fall per 

square mile .•...• 0.327 0.305 0.430 0.803 0.105 0.070 0.070 0.042 0.026 0.022 

DRIEST PERIOD FOR TWO YEARS. 

23 

Oct. Nov. Year. 

--- -~ 

-- 3.40 3.67 45.29 

1.92 2.75 24.75 

1,070 1,590 1,180 

0.189 0.280 0.207 

2.09 2.22 36.00 

.52 .69 17.86 

291 400 850 

0.051 0.070 o.i4 

3.04 2.02 31.63 

.23 .29 17.48 

129 168 828 

0.023 0.030 0.146 

lnches of rainfall .. ,2. 63,4. 57,4. 22,3. 57,2.12,5. 00 ,1. 90 ,1. 37,6. 40 ,12. 09,1. 321 0. !ill ,46. 24 

Inches flowing off . . 40 1. 94 3. 58 2. 83 1. 54 2. 13 . 90 . 59 . 40 . 6. 90 1. 23 . 80 23. 21 . . aGeol. Surv. New Jersey, vol. 3, p. 240. 

SOUTHWEST TRIBUTARIES TO DELAWARE RIVER. 

The divide between the Schuylkill and the Delaware on the southwest of the former stream lies entirely within the Paleozoic area and 

is approximately defined by the Philadelphia division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Delaware watershed west of the Schuylkill is 

drained by Cobbs-Darby, Crum, Ridley, and Chester creeks. (Pl. I.) 

These are simple streams flowing iu general southeast, in the direction 

of the original slope of the plateau, transverse to the strike of the underlying rocks and wit.h the prevailing dip. They have roughly parallel 

courses, and drainage basins of like geologic character and of approxi- . 
24 W .A.TER RI<JSOUROE$ OF PHILADELPHI.A. DISTRIOT. [No. 106. 

mately the same area. With a fall of 480 feet in 16 to 20 miles, they 

have cut rocky channels 200 feet below the level of the plateau. They 

flow through a fertile and cultivated country which still bears considerable woodland. 

The annual rainfall computed for the three periods of the water year 

is given in the table on pages 25-26. The rainfall is uniform on the 

drainage basins of the four creeks and the flow of the streams does 

not differ materially. For Crum and Ridley creeks detailed observations and estimates have been made and have been furnished by Mr. 

Ledoux. The table groups these data in a .new form.· The data for 

Cobbs-Darby and Chester creeks can not be materially different. 

Crum Creek has a drainage area of 29.47 square miles, of which 

approximat.ely 40 per cent is wooded. Its minimum average monthly 

flow from 1892 to 1901 was 5,220,000 gallons in 24 hours, in September, 

1895, and its maximum flow 138,000,000 gallons in 24 hours, in May, 

1894 . 

. Ridley Creek has a drainage area of 33.6 square miles. Its minimum computed flow between 1892 and 1901 was 5,940,000 gallons in 

24 hours, in September, 1895. Its maximum observed flow was 

157,500,000 gallons in 24hours, in May, 1894. Its minimum flow occurs 

in August, September, and October, at the close of the growing period 

and the opening of the replenishing period. At this time stream flow 

has not begun to show the effects of the season of replenishing, and 

ground water, at the close of a period of maximum vegetable growth 

and maximum evaporation, is at its lowest level. The m~ximuni flow 

occurs in March, April, or May, at the close of the storage period, when 

evaporation and plant absorption are at a minimum and ground and 

artificial storage· at a maximum. Pl. II shows graphically this periodic fluctuation of stream flow. The same statements may be made 

for Crum Creek. 

In the table· on pages 25-26 are given the discharges for Crum and 

Ridley creeks, calculated for the three periods into which the water 

year has been divided by Mr. George W. Rafter. This grouping 

clearly shows that the greatest stream flow occurs in the storage period, 

December to May; the least in the growing period, June to August; and 

a somewhat variable mean in the replenishing period, September to 

November. 
MILLION GALLONS PER 24 HOURS . ~ ~ ~ - -- - ~ ~ ~ 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t g ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ffi 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ g ~ 

Jun e 

July 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~ I ljJ I I I I I I I I I I ij;d I 1.1 fl 

Mar, 

Apr. 

111111111 11111 11111 1111111111 11111 111 1111111 1111 11111 1111111111 111 1111111111 11111111 1111 11111 I Ma· , ..... Ju ne co 

July ~ 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

No11. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

rmr M<Y. 

~ ~ 

m ~ ~~ - 1 ~= 

0 ~ ~~~ I'C::: · Se pt. 

~ c ~ 

~ rn - ..- l> ~... Dec. 9 ;;:: ~ Jan. 

a§: 0 1b-)- Feb. 

~ "TT •::::S Mar. 

~ (f) h"f~ Apr. 

~ ~ ~ti: May .._. 

3' rn ~ June co 

UQ ~ '(t) Julu ~ ~ ~ Aq. 

v;· 

~~ o ,~ q- ~~ Oct. 

~ :E No11. 

~ ~ ~ 

~ ~ ~ Jan. ;;; D Feb. 

-g ::o ~ Mar. ;;; o o - ~ 

~ ~ B May 1-1 

'< -< 1•;::::,_ Ju ne oo 

~ 0 ~ July ~ 

~ ~ - k~ 

~ ~ ,9 Sept. 

~ ;.; 1 Oct. 

g _. ~ Nou. 

~ m ~ On ~ 

~ ~ h~ 

~ ri:S · Ill Feb. 

~ ll,.j Mar. 

- ~ 

"""iia~ 

June oo 

July ~ 

Aug. 

~ Oct. 

Nou. 

Dec. 

~~ ~ -- ~ m ~ I I I I I I I I I I I Btc_ 

TTTTIT I I I I I _l_____l___j I _ I _ _l _ l_____l__L_I I I I I · 

Apr. 

I ;·· li 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nou. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

~I II I I I I I I 1~1 I L_ l I I I C l- 1 ~ 
BASCOM.] TRIBUTARIEH OF. DELAWARE RIVER. 25 

Rainfall, evaporation, and run-off of Delaware watershed west of Schuylkill River, · 

and flow of Crum and Ridley creeks. 

Months, grouped in periods. 

1892-93. 

I>ecember-]day _______ -----" 

June-August. __________ . __ . 

September-November _____ . 

1893-94. 

I>ecember-May ________ . -- ~-

June-August. ______________ 

September-November ______ 

1894-95. 

I>ecember-May _ -.- __________ 

June-August. ___________ . __ 

September-November ______ 

1895-96. 

I>ecember-May _____________ 

June-August. __ .. ___ . ______ 

September-November ______ 

1896-97. 

I>ecember-May. _______ .. ____ 

June-August .• -- ___________ 

Beptember-N ovember ______ 

1897-98. 

I>ecember-May _____________ 

Jun&-August. ______________ 

September-November ______ 

189S-99. 

I>ecember-May ______ ~------

une-August. ____________ .. J 

s eptember-November _ ·----

1899-1900. 

. ' ecember-:-May. ____________ ]) 

J 

s 

nne-August. _______ ~_. ____ 

eptember-N ovember _____ . 

Southwest watershed of Delaware. 

Rainfall. Evapora- tion. Rnn-off, in inches. 

22.16 7.73 14.43 

10.00 11.79 2.26 

10.48 5.01 1. 92 

26.14 8.95 16.69 

8.12 11.21 2.25 

13.63 5.73 2.42 

21.97 7.33 15.54. 

6.03 10.63 1.83 

5.30 4.20 1.01 

20.70 7.11 18.11 

9.87 11.76 1. 74 

11.04 5.27 1.50 

19.21 7.51 9.90 

14.92 13.55 2.72 

8.96 4.67 2.11 

25.30 8.18 17.19 

12.71 12.63 2.48 

13.39 5.22 6.08 

24.51 7.51 18.21 

8.10 11.40 1. 44 

7.42 4.74 1. 26 

19.29 7.43 6.42 

10.70 12.05 2.19 

10.07 5.31 2.40 

CrumCreek Ridley (computed Creek(com- flow 29.9 iautedflow 

S?:J_uare .6square mt es, in miles, in 

wllion gal- wllion gal- Ions). Ions). 

243.05 276.52 

38.01 43.34 

32.31 36.81 

280.75 320.03 

37.87 43.14 

40.71 46 .. 39 

261.66 298.07 

30.79 35.13 

17.00 19.36 

136.50 155.51 

29.28 33.37 

25.24 28.76 

166.63 189.85 

45.76 52.18 

35.50 40.48 

288.60 329.70 

41.72 47.56 

102.32 116.58 

291.88 348.92 

31.97 27.61 

21.21 24.15 

107.98 123.11 

36.85 42.01 

40.36 46.03 
26. WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No.l06. 

Rainfall, evaporation, and run-off of Delaware water~~hed, etc.-Continued. 

Southwest watershed of Delaware. CrumCreek Ridley (computed Creek (comMonths, grouped in periods. fiow29.9 ~utedfiow 

~uare .6square 

Rainfall. Evapora- Run-off, in m es,in miles, in 

tion. inches. million gal- million gal-. lons). Ions). 

1900--01. 

December-May ____________ ·_ 20 •. 45 7.32 11.30 190.37 216.60 

June-August. ____________ .. 15.45 13.39 2.53 42.59 48.56 

September-November ______ 6.40 4.44 2.65 44.62 50.86 

1901-02. 

December-May _____________ 23.82 7.45 13.18 223.06 253.34 

June-August _____________ .. 14.19 13.04 3.70 62.31 71.04 

September-November ______ 13.48 6.77 6.96 117.28 133.75 

Average: 

Decen;tber-M:ay _________ 22.36 7.65 13.10 219.05 251.17 

June-August--~--------· 11.01 12.15 2.31 39.72 44.39 

September-November __ 10.02 5.14 2.831 47.66 54.32 

In the ten years over which the observations extended there were 

five years (181)3, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1899) when the stream flow during 

the replenishing period was less than during the growing period. In 

these years the rainfall was low in the autumn and the evaporation 

was high. For the ten years the average stream flow during the 

replenishing period is greater than the average flow during the growing period, although the average rainfall is less. Plant absorption 

and increased evaporation during the growing period explain the difference in the volume of flow. In the three periods of the water 

year the average monthly rainfall, which may be computed from the 

preceding table, does not vary greatly. T];Lere is a slightly greater 

average monthly rainfall in the storage period (0.06 of an inch) than 

in the growing period, and a greater average monthly rainfall in that 

period than in the replenishing period (0.33). 

· From Ridley Creek 1,500,000 gallons are taken by the water department of the borough of Media every twenty-fourhours. From Crum 

Creek 2,000,000 gallons are taken by the Springfield Water Company 

and distributed as described on page 65. 
BASCOM.] TRIBUTARIES OF DELA W .A.RE RIVER. 

Mean season rainfall in Delaware watershed west of Schuylkill River. 

[1 inch per month of rainfall=571.300 gallons per twenty-four hours.] 

1892-93. 

I>eceDlber-~ay ___________ l __ o 

June-August _________ .. _____ _ 

SepteDlber-NoveDlber _______ _ 

1893-94, 

3.695 

3.333 

3.493 

1898-99. 

I>eceDlber-May. _______ . ___ .. __ 

June--Aug1lst __________ . __ -~- __ 

SepteDlber-NoveDlber ---------

1899--1900. 

27 

4.085 

2.700 

2;473 

I>eceDlber-May _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. 356 I>eceDlber-May .. __ .. __ ... _ _ _ _ _ 3. 215 

June-August_________________ 2. 706 June--August ______ ----···------ 3. 566 

SepteDlber-NoveDlber _ __ _ ___ _ 4. 543 SepteDlber-NoveDlber ___ __ __ __ 3.356 

1894--95. 1900-01~ 

I>eceDlber-May ________ ~. ____ . 3. 661 I>eceDlber-May ____ .. " ... __ _ _ _ _ 3. 408 

June-August ____ . ____ . ___ .___ 2. 010 June-August__________________ 5.150 

SepteDlber-NoveiJl.ber _ _ __ _ _ __ 1. 766 SepteDlber-NoveDlber ________ . 2.133 

1895-96. 1901-02. 

I>eceDlber-May ______________ .. 3. 450 I>ecen1be:.:-May ------ _________ _ 

June-August ________________ ._ 3 .. 290 June-August _________ •.. _____ _ 

SepteDlber-NoveDlber ______ • _ 3. 680 SepteDlber-NoveDlber ________ _ 

1896-97. 

I>eceDlber-May ___ ____ __ _ _ ___ _ 3. 201 

June-August_________________ 4. 973 

September-NoveDlber ________ 2.986 

1897-98. 

I>eceDlber-May __________ -~ __ . 4. 216 

June-August_________________ 4. 236 

SepteDlber-NoveDlber _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. 463 

Average: 

I>eceDlber-May .... ___ . __ 

June-August _________ . __ 

SepteDlber-N oveDlber __ . 

NORTHEAST TRIBUTARIES TO DELAWARE RIVER. 

3.970. 

4.730 

4.493 

3.73 

3.67 

3.34 

Northeast of the Schuylkill River, Germantown and Chestnut Hill 

locate the divide between the Schuylkill and the Delaware. The 

Delaware watershed is drained by Tacony, Pennypack, and Little 

Neshaminy. creeks, which rise in the Triassic area and flow across 

the Paleozoic and pre-Paleozic crystallines. Like the streams discussed above, they flow transversely to the strike of the rocks, in 

the direction of the dominant dip. Their valleys do not exceed 100 

feet in depth. N eshaminy Creek is outside -of the Philadelphia district, but the observati6ns of its rainfall and stream flow made by the 

Philadelphia bureau of water supply since 1882 will be introduced 

in this paper, a as its basin is similar in character to that of the neighaCodman, John E., Observations on rainfall and stream flow in eastern Pennsylvania: Proc. 

Eng. Club of Philadelphia, vol. 14, No.2, pp. 175-178. 
28 W .ATER RESOUROES OF PHIL.ADELPHI.A DISTRIOT. [No.lOO. 

boring and parallel creek, Pennypack, on which no observations have 

been made. 

The N eshaminy rises in the Triassic area and flows across the Paleozoic and pre-Paleozoic crystalline rocks of the Philadelphia district 

into the Delaware. Its watershed comprises an area of a little more 

than 139.3 square miles and lies mainly east of the Philadelphia district. · The N eshaminy has a fall of about 600 feet in the 27 miles 

from source to mouth. This grade has given the stream good corrasive power, and it has cut a moderately deep valley into the plateau. 

It and the adjacent streams are subject to spring and winter freshets. 

At these periods volume and velocity may be increased a hundt·ed- · 

fold. The drainage basins of N eshaminy and Pennypack creeks constitute a dissected plateau of moderate elevation and contain excellent 

farming land, which is under a high degree of cultivation. Forests 

have been sacrificed to agricultural interests, and are now found only 

on steep hillsides or on the bottom land bordering the creeks. The 

proportions of woodland and cultivated land in the N eshaminy basin 

are as follows: Woodland, about 6 per cent; cultivated land, about 

92 per cent; roads, 2 per cent, and flats, one-half of 1 per cent. 

Under such surface conditions the spring rainfall is not retained by 

ground storage. The run-off is proportionally large; great quantities 

of surface soil are carried off; the streams become torrential and 

transport a heavy load of fine sediment. The opaque, rich reddish 

yellow color of the water after heavy rains, due to the ·large amount · 

of finely divided material in suspension, is a characteristic feature of 

streams in this area. 

The conditions which diminish the ground storage increase the 

evaporation during the summer months, hence. there is marked seasonal fluctuation in the stream flow. In summer the soil is parched 

and cracked by evaporation; the level of ground water falls lower than 

the surface springs and upper courses of the tributaries; the springs 

dry up and the streams are reduced .. 

As in the case of Crum and Ridley creeks, the stream flow is usually 

greatest in January, February, and March, and least in August, September, and October. 

The average daily flow of the Neshaminy is 157,600,000 gallons, 

or 1,130,000 gallons per square mile. The maximum flow has been· 

3,700,000,000 gallons per day, and the minimum flow 2,800,000 gallons 

per day. It has been asserted that a draft of 1,000,000 gallons per 

day per square mile of watershed could be made upon Pennsylvania 

streams. . 

The average rainfall from 1884 to 1897 .at 22· stations where o bservations were made by the Philadelphia bureau of water was about 48.5 

inches. Of this average rainfall nearly 50 per cent, or 24.1 inches, 

flowed off in the streams. 

Th~ diagram, Pl. III, shows the storage and runcotl' of the Neshaming, and in the next table are given the mean monthly rainfall, mean 
0 

50 

..!!! -E 1oo 

~ 150 

"' "' g"20o 

~250 

"' c: 

J2 

Ol 

bJJ 

<: 

_2 0 

= 

::;;: 50 

_:; 

(I) 100 

bJJ 

~ 150 

.B 

en 200 

250 

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

1883 1884 1885 

I 

I 

WATER•SUPPLY PAPER NO, 108 PL. Ill 

1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 

Ill g I• 6~1)Rblbll-i 

10 

8 

M EEJO 

I I I 

II II 

I 6 

4 

2 

0 

DIAGRAM SHOWING STORAGE AND RUN-OFF OF PERKIOMEN AND NESHAMINY CREEKS. 

(From Proc. Eng. Club of Phila., Vol. XIV, No.2, 1897.) 
BASCOM.] NESHAMINY CREEK. 

monthly run-off, and mean annual evaporation on the N eshaminy 

watershed, as determined from observations made by Mr. Codman, 

chief engineer of the Philadelphia bureau of water. 

'i'hese figures very clearly show that in the N eshaminy watershed 

during the storage period, December to May, the stream flow most 

nearly equals rainfall. This is undoubtedly due to rain falling upon 

frozen ground, to a minimum amount of evaporation, and to the 

absence of plant absorption. Under these conditions the rain water 

finds its way immediately to the ~:>tr.eams. 

These figures also show that the stream flow is lowest in propor. 

ti_on to rainfall during the growing period, June to August, when the 

ground· is soft a-nd plant absorption and evaporation are at a maximum. In ·this climat~ these conditions are more or less continued 

into September and October, and only in November does the Neshaminy begin to regain its volume. 

Rainfall and run-off, Neshaminy Creek, Pennsylvania, from 1883 to 1903. a 

[Area of watcrshed,1311.3 square mil e .] 

October. Novembe1·. December. January. February. 

Year. 

Rain- Run- Rain- Run- Rain: I Run- Rain- Run- Rain- Runfall. off. fall. off. fall. off. fall. off. fall. off. 

----------- I -------- .Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. lnchc.•. ' I n.ches. Inches. Inches . Inches. Inches. I 1883-84 _______ 3.80 0.48 1. 43 i 0.35 -3.06 0.85 5.58 6.77 6.27 10.45 

1884--85 __ -- ---- 3.05 .06 3.69 I .33 5.70 4.56 3.76 3.50 4.93 5.18 

1885-86 ___ ---- 5.56 .17 4.50 lt. 53 2.88 1. 73 5.11 5.21 6.18 6;55 

1886-87 ________ 2.77 .06 3.92 .55 3.30 2.34 4.63 4.22 5.05 3.94 

1887-88 ________ 1. 90 .36 1. 63 .26 6.13 2.88 4.47 4.60 3.98 {).49 

1888-89 ___ "---- 3.76 1.05 3.49 2.34 3.72 3.16 3.61 2.92 1. 90 .90 

1889-90 ________ 5.09 2.55 8. 53 I 6. 31 1.88 1. 88 2.88 1. 60 4.28 3.00 

i890-9L ______ 6_.18 2.16 1. 06 . 78 2.86 ·1. 37 6.28 5.78 4.61 4.47 

1891-92., ______ 3.66 .55 1.88 .56 4.19 3.02 5.09 5.14 1.07 .97 

1892-93 ________ .40 .04 7.14 1:79 1. 69 1.15 3.13 2.00 5.68 4.89 

1893-94----~--- 3.30 .59 4.41 2.58 2.78 2.61 1.71 .79 4.05 2.68 

1894-95 ________ 5.25 1.48 3.02 . 2;37 4.14 2.31 4.68 3.46 1.12 1. 77 

1896--96 ________ 3..26 .08 ·2.21 .11 1.85 .40 1. 31 .59 7.79 4.73 

1896-97 ________ 2.64 .93 4.13 1.52 .85 .76 2.04 1.29 3.20 2.53 

1897-98_ ------- 2.50 .16 5.23 1.17 4;84 3.26 3.96 3.10 3.55 '3.51 

1898-99 ________ 4.86 .22 6.05 3.01 3.59 3.46 3.90 3.41 6.20 4.12 

1899-1900 ______ 1.75 .• 28 2.19 1.04 2.52 .74 3.52 2.71 4.44 5.12 

1900-1901_----- 2.54 .15 2.34 .40 2.47 .75 2.41 1.15 .96 .34 

1901-2 _________ 1. 25 .33 2.58 .64 7.47 4.54 3.24 2.35 6.56 6.56 

1902-3_-------- 6.40 4.55 1.66 .76 6.99 5.55 ------ ------ ------ ------------ ------ Mean ___ 3.49 .81 3.55 1.41 3;64 2.36 3.75 3.19 4.31 4.06 

a Compiled from reports of Philadelphia bureau of water, 1884-1903, by ;R. S. Lea, with additional data f<;~r 1903. 
. ~0 WATER RESOUROES OF ~BILADELPHIA IHSTRIOT. [No.l06. 

·. JJ,ainfall and run~off, Neshaminy 0'1'~eek, Pennsylvania, etc,_:Continued. 

; 

:March. April. :M&y. ; June. July. 

Year. 

Rain- ·Run- Rain- Run. Rain- Run- :Bain- Run- 'Rain- Run-

- fall. off, fall. off •. : fall. off. fall. ore. fall. off. 

-- :: 

-- --.----------- ·Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Incnes. Inches. Inche{l. Inches • . '•, 

1888-84 ... --.. - 5.20 5.55 2.42 1.6( 3.24 0.35 5.24 0.82 4.89 0.52 

1884-85~------- 1.04 1.84 2.26 2;21 2.44 .56 1.68 .• 08 2.19 .04 .. -

.1885-86 .. --- . -- 3.72 2~80 2.93 3.57 5.79 2.09 5.67 .91 5.40 .81 

1886-87------.. 3.58 3.25 3.17 i.46. 2.15 .71 7.27 1.67 8.15 1.9.6 

1887-88 ... ~---- 5.15 4.89 3.88 2,79 2.87 .52 2.34 .• 22 8.71 .'15 

1888-89 .. ------ 3.37 2.90 4.83 2.07 4._89 I 

1o49 5~25 1.i6 12.42 5.47 

1889-90 .. -----. 5.36 5.09 2.46 1.77 5.20 1.51- 4.51 .9.9 4.47 .63 

1890-9L. --c··- 4.91 4:32 1.90 1.48 2.92 .32 3.46 .24 5.71 .34 

1891-92 .. C "" 0 • T 4.18 3.56 2.24 1.08 5.83 1.29 3.38. .58 4.83 .53 

1892-93 ........ ~ 2.66 4.66 4.97 2.88 4.03 2.94 8.20. .45 1.60 .13. 

1893-94 .. ----.. 1:61 2.67 8.04 2.00 18.49 7.41 2.55 1.05 3.-72 .48 

1894-95 ~- .. --.. 3.17 4.26 5.32 8.84 2.54 .70 4:3o .52 3.74 .88 

1895-96 .. ------ 5.09 4.37 1.68 1.07 2.85 .88 4.70 .41 5 .. 12. 1.04 

1896-97 ........ 2.21 1.78 3.86 1.58 7.62_ 2.76 5.21 2.46 9 . .10 2.96 

1897-'98 .. ------ 8.04 1.51 3.87 1.69 6.48 .8.80 .91 .44· 8.46 ._19 

1898-99 .. -- -.--- 6.58 7.41 1.89 1.07 1.48 .44 1.62 .13 8 •. 49 .19 

1899-1900 ...... ·2.98 3.18 2.'47 1:22 7.05 2.31 6.66 .83 4.18 .88 

1900-1901. ~---. 5.08 3.48 5.07 8.48 5.59 2.10 2.52 .89 6.95 1.48 

1901-2.---- ---- 4.45 5.30 3.40 2.14 1.79 .41 5.51 .50 8.80 .61 

1902-3.: ~--- - ~-- ------ ------ ------ ................... ................. ------ -----·- ----- ------ ............ -- ---·---:-- ----· -------- ~ea:iJ. : .. 3.86 3.80 8.19 2.02 4.64 1.69 4.00 .76 5.10 ..99 

I 

. . -~ 

I 

I_··--·-·-'-- -------~~~-
BASCOM.] NESHAMINY CREEK. 31 

Rainfall and run-off, Neshaminy Creek, Pennsylvania, etc.-Continued. 

Year. 

August.' I September. Total. 

Rainfall. 

Run- Rain- Run- Rainfall. Yield. 

Evapora- tion. 

off. fall. off. / 

------------1-----------------------

Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. 

1883-84_ ___ ------------ --- 3.58 

1884-85--------------------- 6. 38 

0.51 0.31 

.96 1.16 

0.06 

.03 

45.02 

38.28 

28.35 

19.35 

16.67 

18.93 

1885-86 ----------------- ---. 1. 60 . 15 . 91 . 05 50. 25 25. 07 25. 18 

1886-87 --- --- ----- - -- . ---- 3. 84 

1887-88 - -- -- ------ . ----- ---- 5. 78 

.81 4.06 .41 51.89 

. 64 6. 93 2. 63 48. 78 

1888-89 - ---- -- ----- --- -- -- 4. 75 3. 37 8. 56 

1889-90 ---------- ---------- 5. 30 . 53 2. 99 

1890-91 - ---- . - ---- ------ -- -- 6. 73 1. 95 2. 54 

3.51 

.39 

1. 27 

60.55 

52.95 

49.16 

21.38 

25.43 

30.34 

26.25 

24.~8 

1891-92 ____________________ 3.37 .20 2.59 .11 42.26 17.54 

1892-93 ____ -------------- 7:41 1. 12 3. 36 . 57 I 45. 21 22. 61 

G0. 51 

23.35 

30.21 

26.7(1 

24.68 

24.72 

22.66 

1893-94---- ---- ---··-- ------1 2.68 

1894-95--------------------- 3. 37 

I 

. 34 8.18 2. 21 I 51.52 25.42 26.10 

.67 .74 .051 41.39 21.76 19.63 

1893-96 _____________________ I . 98 . 20 5. 88 . 96 42.67 14.34 28.33 

1896-97-------------------- 3. 39 1. 08 1. 33 . 22 . 5. 08 19.77 25.31 

1897-98----------------- --- 7.97 1.06 1.88 .10 47.64 19.99 27.65 

1898-99 _________ ·--------- 4.30 1.44 6.97 .64 50.38 25.54 24.84 

1899-1900 ___________________ 2.68 .19 2.65 .09 43.04 18.04 25.00 

1900-1901 ___________________ 7.43 2.74 4.05 1.57 47.41 18.53 28.88 

1901-2 ------------------ ---- 4. 30 . 90 5. 38 1. 12 49. 73 25. 40 24. 33 

1902-3 ______ .. _________________ T----- _ ___ _____ 50.36 29.82 _______ _ 

[~- -'--

Mean _________________ l4.521 .99 3.71 .84 47.681 22.97 24.93 

IRR 106-04-8 
32 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DI8TRICT. [No.106. 

SCHUYLKILL RIVER. 

Somewhat more than one-fourth of .the total length of the Schuylkill 

River, or 30 miles, lies in the Philadelphia district. Its drainage 

basin has an area of 1,915 square miles. The river has its headwaters 

in the anthracite coal regions of. Schuylkill County, flows across the 

Triassic sediments and the Paleozoic and pre-Paleozic crystallines of 

the Piedmont Plat(lau, and empties into the Delaware at Pl'iiladelphia. 

From source to mouth the Schuylkill has a fall of about 800 feet, or 

an average grade of 8 feet to the mile. Most of this fall is above 

Reading. From Reading to Norristown, a distance of 41 miles, the 

fall is 141 feet, or3!feetto a mile; from Norristown to the Delaware, 

a distance of 18 miles, it is 60 feet, or 3!- feet to a mile. 

Above Reading the Schuylkill is highly charged with sulphuric 

acid and iron sulphate. This acid is neu:tralized near Reading by the 

entrance of two tributaries from the limestone belt bearing calcium 

carbonate in solution. From Reading to Norris town the towns on 

. the Schuylkill obtain their water supply from the river. From Norristown to Philadelphia all sewage and industrial refuse of the towns 

along the streatn drain into it. Until the present year this water has 

been pumped at five stations and distributed unfiltered to the city of 

Philadelphia. Over 90 per cent of the water consumed in Philadelphia comes from the Schuylkill, the remainder being furnished by 

the Delaware River. · · 

In this connection it is of interest to note that the average number 

of bacteria pet· cubic centim('ter of Schuylkill River water. for 1902 

was 14,160. The .maximull}. for the same year was 86,000 and the 

minimum 630 per cubic centimeter. 

Precipitation and stream flow on the Schuylkill, as observed by Mr. 

Codman, are shown in the table on page 33. 

Mr. Codman states that with no additional storage the Schuylkill 

will furnish a supply of at least 225,000,000 gallons per day. With an 

artificial storage of pr~bably not more than 10o;ooo,ooo gallons per 

square mile of the watershed of 1,800 square miles above Norristown, 

the Schuylkill could be depended upon for a supply of 1,000,000,000 

gallons per day. The natural facilities afforded for storage dams are 

such that the above volume of water could be safely and cheaply 

stored. 
BASCOM.] SCHUYLKILL RIVER. 33 

Comparison of rainfall flowing off in the Perkiomen and Neshaminy creek{! and 

Schuylkill River. 

Year. Perkiomen. Neshaminy. Schuylkill. 

1898 0 -- 0- 0 -- - - - -- -- 0 - - - - 0 ---- -- - - •• - 0 - --- -

1899 ------- --- ------ ----------------------

1900 ------------------- .. ·---- ------------

1901 -----0 ---.._-------- ----- -------- ------

:1.902 ____ ·_ 0 0-------------------------------

Inches. 

21.50 

24.66 

15.21 

17 .. 55 

29.01 

Inches. 

22.22 

21.06 

17.27 

22.88 

30.74 

Rainfall and run-off in basin of Schuylkill River. a 

[Drainage area, 1,915 square miles.] 

Month. Rainfall. Run-oil'. Monthly yield of stream. 

1901. Inches. Inches. Per ct. Cubic feet. 

october----------· 

November--------

1.670 0. 914 

2.280 _;585 

December _______ _ 7.970 3.315 

1902. 

January---------- 3.540 

February--------- 6,040 

March------------ 4.420 

ApriL ____________ ,_ 3.690 

May--------------- 1.510 

June--·----------- 6.320 

July_______________ 4.280 

August----------- 3.520 

September........ 6.500 

3.228 

4.107 

5.439 

2.623 

.990 

.548 

.807 

.730 

.963 

55 4,065,530,000 

25 2, 596,150, 000 

43 14,753,200,000 

91 14,360,500,000 

68 18,278,000,000 

123 24, 204,200,000 

71 11,673,500,000 

65 4,400, 760,000 

8 2,384, 770,000 

18 3,589,200,000 

21 3,248,420,000 

15 4, )!83, 540, 000 

Average daily yield of stream. 

Cubic feet. 

131,134,000 

86,538,000 

4 75, 910,000 

463,242,000 

652, 785, 000 

780,779,000 

389,016,000 

142,180,000 

79,492,000 

115, 780, 000 

104,784,000 

.142, 763,000 

Gallons. 

981,030, 000 

647,350,000 

3, 56(1, 030,000 

3, 465, 290,000 

4, 883, 170,000 

5, 840,530, 000 

2, 910, 790,000 

1, 063, 600, 000 

594, 430, 000 

866,097,000 

783,842,000 

1, 068, 000,000 

Inches. 

24:39 

22,29 

18.23 

17.80 

29.02 

Average 

yield per second ,per 

square 

mile. 

Cubic feet. 

0. 7926 

.5230 

2.8763 

2.8000 

3.9453 

4;.7190 

2.3519 

.8590 

.4810 

·. 7000 

.6330 

.8630 

-------1------1-----1·---,---1---:--

TotaL ...... 51.740 24.233 46 107,837,770,000 295,446,000 2,210,090,000 1~ 7822 

==========l=======l=======io=======i===== 

October----------- 5.982 

November .. ------ 1. 730 

December--·----- 7.110 

2. 748 

1.290 

5.582 

46 12,229,800;000 

74 5, 741,780,000 

78 24,842,000;000 

394,510,000 

191,393,000 

801,343,000 

2,951,140,000 

1' 431' 620, 000 

5, 994c, 500,000 

2.3844 

1.1587 

4.8432 -------f------1-----1-----1----

TotaL ...... -------- 211,016 

a Report of the bureau of water, Philadelphia, 1903. 
. 34 WATER RESOUROES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRIOT. [N:o. 106. 

j . 

Monthly prf1Ci]Jitation, in irtches, on sundry watersheds. a 

Philadelphia district. .Schu,ylkill basin. 

United Water Penn· 

States Water bnreau syl, Shaw· Leba.- Read- Potts- Erow- HamWeather bureau ground vania mut. non. ing. ville; ers. . bnrg. Bureau. auto. gage. Ht:t . ta. . 

---- - ---·-----

Elevation 

above sea level (feet) _ 207 66 49 25 368 480 207 150 86 365 

---- = -- --.--- 1902. 

January----- 2.77 2.40 2.51 2.55 2.09 3.62 3.45 4.41 3.55 4.09 

February ____ 5.49 5.24 5.12 4.02 5;09 5.67 6.72 5.64 ·---.. ~ 6.44 

March _______ 3.97 2._20 2.25 6.10 3.59 4.79 3.00 5.41) 3.80 4.38 

April-------- 3.29 3.14 3.27 3.29 3.06 3.38 3.96 4.36 3.12 4.59 

May " ________ 2.01 1.60 1.67 3.51 1. 73 .43 1.09 .87 2.03 ---.. ~ 

June _________ 6.08 6.07 6.29 5.26 5.10 6.18 5.29 7.12 7.0& --... -- July -----:c--- 3.51 4.20 4.34 5.50 4.52 4.21 3.52 6.43 3.83 ---- ~ 

August------ 2.34 2.94 3.05 -2.59 2.90 5.49 4.31 5.01 3.04 ... ---- September __ ._ 4.97 5.26 5.48 4.61 4.31 4.43 6.87 6.34 5.91 6.06 

October .. __ ._ 6.66 5.65 5.51 8.02 6.29 5.93 4.!)0 6.04 6~39 3.98 

November ___ 2.04 1.53 1.54 2.47 1.75 1.45 1. 76 1.61 2.11 .51 

December ____ 6.63 6~68 6 .. 67 7.67 6.39 7.46 . 7.10 7.80 7;20 6,64 .------··--------------- Total __ 49.76 47.11 47.70 55.59 46.82 53.04 5.1.57 61.12 54.12 ---.. - Per cent ______ 100 115 96 112 94 107 104 .· 123 109 ----- -------- ------- 20yearsyearly 

av_erage: 

Inches ___ 40.15 41.08 43.71 44.97 44.20 45 .. 32 42.82 56.36 44.57 - .... -- Percent __ 100 102 108 112 111 113 107. 141 108 - . --- -- = ---- ---- Average in- · crease,1902: 

Inches ___ 9.61 6.03 6.99 10.62 2.62 7.72 8.75 4.76 9.55 -........... 

Percent __ 24 15 17 . 26 65 19 22 85 24 -........ 

a Report of. the bul'eau of water, Philadelphia, 1003. 

·-

' '--------- ··- ------~------------ ----~---- -------------------~-----.J 
:QASCOM.] VARIOUS W ATERSBEDS. 35 

Monthly precipitation, in inches, on sundry watersheds-Continued. 

Perkiomen basin. Delaware basin. Neshaminy. basin. 

Seis· Spring- Moores- West- Lans- Forks of Do)':les- holtz- Easton. Neshaville. mount. town. chester .. dale. miny. town. 

--------------------

Elevation above sea level (feet) ________ 870 300 340 65 455 350 143 405 

------------- -----

1902. 

January_·----------- 4.39 2.80 2.49 ------- 4.06 3.19 2.53 4.00 

February ______ " _____ 6.49 5.72 5.80 --- . --- 7.18 6.92 5.32 7.43 

March ______________ 4.55 3.41 3.37 ------- 4.65 3.74 3.45 6.16 

April ________________ 4.82 2.61 8.35 ------- 4.63 3.&3 3.39 3.28 

May __ . ______________ 2.08 2.42 2.22 ------- 1. 60 1.52 2.02 1.83 

June---------------- 6.54 4.74 6.50 ------- 6.75 3.50 6.89 6.13 

July---------------- 3.89 2.77 4.52 ------- 3.61 2.68 4.70 4.03 

August __ : _______ ---- 6.17 1.94 3.65 ------- 4.12 3.15 4.61 5.14 

September ___________ 7.24 7.83 8.31 ___ , ____ 7.00 4.08 5.74 6.33 

October _____________ 6.05 6.26 5.35 ------- 7.92 5.39 6.05 7 .. 77 

November ___________ 1. 74 2.13 1.26 _____ .. _ 2.60 1. 63 1. 75 1.59 

December----· ______ 8.51 6.35 7.22 ------- 7.95 6.45 6.59 7.94 ------------------·-- TotaL _________ 61.97 48.98 54.04 ------- 62.07 45.78 53.04 61.63 

Per cent _______ . __ . __ 125 99 109 ------- 125 92 107 124 

------------------ 20 years yearly aver- age: 

Inches ------ ---- 50.25 45.69 46.07 ------- 51.61 45.81 46.47 48.47 

Percentage ______ 122 114 115 ------- 128 114 116 118 

------------- ' ------ Average 

1902: 

increase, 

Inches __________ 11.72 3.29 7.97 ------- 10.46 b.03 6.57 13.16 

Per cent _________ 29 82 20 ------ 26 b.OO 16 32 

bDecrease. 

SCHUYLKILL TRIBUTARIES. 

The chief tributaries of the Schuylkill are the Perkiomen, the Pickering, and the Wissahickon. The less important ones are Valley, 

Trout, Gulf, and Mill creeks. Valley and Gulf creeks possess peculiar courses, which are evidently due to stream capture. They turn 

abruptly away from direct courses to the Schuylkill and cut deep 

ravines through ridges of hard rock. These minor tributaries drain 
36 W .ATER RESOURCES OF PHIL.ADELPHI.A DISTRICT. [No.10il. 

the southwest side o:f the Schuylkill basin, and their drainage area is 

being extended into the area now drained by the southwestern tributaries of the Delaware. 

The Perkiomeri, which flows through the Philadelphia district in 

.the last 10 miles of its course, has its source in the Paleozoic crystallines 

to the northwest of the Triassic formations. Its watershed is almost 

wholly in the Triassic shale belt, and comprises an area of 447.59 

square miles; 152 squ~tre miles of which are above the gaging station at 

the entrance of the-Northeast ·Branch. The Perkiomen falls from 

its source to the gaging station about 800 feet in 24 miles, and from 

the gaging station to its mouth 40 feet in 11 miles. The drainage 

basin of the Perkiomen is similar in character to that of the N eshaminy, which is contiguous on the nortbeast, and which has already 

been discussed, :J'he proportions of woodland, cultivated land, etc., 

for the Perkiomen are as follows:a Woodland, 20 per cent; cultivated 

land, 77.5 per cent; flats, 0.5 per cent; roadS', 2 per cent. 

Observations of the rainfall and run-off of the Perkiomen have 

been made by Mr. Codman for twenty years, and the results are 

shown in the table on pages 37-39 and also on Pl. III (p. 28). The 

facts that were brought out in the case. of the Neshaminy a1·e shown 

with equal clearness for the Perkiomen. 

· While the months of January, February, and March are usually 

months of maximum flO\~, and August, September, and October 

months. of minimum flow, these conditions are sometimes reversed: 

This is shown by the record of the Perkiomen, on which the maximum 

flow for one day for the year 1888-22,500,000 gallons per square mile 

of watershed-occurred in September and has been exceeded but a 

few times since. · -

The maximum observed flow up to the present time (1904)_ for one 

day was 27,300,000 gallons per square mile of watershed, on February 

28, 1902; while the minimum observed flow for one day was only 

21,700 gallons per square mile, in September, 1885. · 

The average daily flow of the Perkiomen from 1884 to 1897 was 

177,900,000 gallons, or 1,160,000 gallons per square mile of the watershed above the gaging station. The maximum flow was 4,149;600,000 

gallons per day, more than eighteen days' pumpage of all the Philadelphia water bureau plant; and the minimum flow was 3,800,000 gallons 

per day, or about twenty-five minutes' pumpage. 

aCodman; John E., op. cit., p. 181. 
BASCOM.] PERKIOMEN CREEK. 37 

Rainfall and run-off, Perkiomen Creek, Pennsylvania, from 1883 to 1903. a 

[Area of watershed, 152 square miles.] 

. - October. November. December. January. February. 

Year. 

Rain- Run- Rain- Run- Rain- Run- Rain- Run- Rain- Runfall. off. fall. off. fall. off. fall. off. fall. off. 

--------------------

Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. I'f!-ches. Inches. Inches. 

1883-84 ________ 5.27 1. 42 1. 93 0.91 4.·00 1. 04 5.14 5.40 5.04 9.73 

1884-85 ________ 3.69 .37 3.26 . 91 6.08 3.77 3.76 3.27 4.41 2.16 

1885-86 ________ 4.74 .43 3.88 1. 79 3.18 2.45 4, 21 I 3, 03 5.08 5.64 

1886-87 ________ 2.35 .26 5.28 1. 53 3.76 1. 43 -4.55 4.00 5.64. 4.23 

1887-88 .. -··-- .. 1. 45 .43 1. 61 .40 6.65 2.13 5.01 3.66 4.08 4.41 

1888-89 ______ 3.41 1. 26 3.42 2.46 4.37 2.88 3.86 3.27 1. 99 1. 47 

1889-90_- ----- 4.78 2.34 8.66 6.67 1. 70 1. 27 2.81 2.05 4.37 3.58 

1890-91..------ 5.48 2.35 1.12 .87 2.71 1.14 6.30 5.29 3.84 4.18 

1891-92 _______ 3.53 .56 1. 99 .60 4.73 2.89 5.56 4.79 1. 25 1.17 

1892-93 _______ .48 .20 6.64 2.13 1. 88 1. 22 2.38 1. 45 5.53 4.04 

1893-94 _______ 2.82 .89 4.22 1.84 2. 7-5 1. 90 1. 78 .70 4.22 2.42 

1894-95 _______ 6.24 1. 66 2.80 1. 85 4.81 2.83 4.30 3.06 1. 58 1. 25 : 1895-96 ________ 3.46 .23 1.86 ' .34 3.13 .91 .91 . 59 5.97 3.50 

F96-97 ________ 4.72 1.48 4.72 i 2.06 .65 . 81 2.05 1.18 2.90 2.93 

1897-98 ___ : ___ - 2.06 .22 6.3811.75 4.37 2.76 4.04 2.56 3.18 3.33 

1898-99_------- 5.1:J .59 6.60 I 3,08 3.64 3.25 3.48 3.57 4.44 4.51 

1899-1900. _____ 1. 29 .56 2.61 1.0211.72 .94 2.62 2.24 5.04 5.07 

1900-1901.----- 2.16 .~9 2.25 . 37 I 2. 53 .64 2.38 1. 05 .69 .30 

1901-2 _________ 1. 86 .61 2.31 .5317.17 4.22 3.60 2.68 5.11 5.39 

1902-3 _________ 6.16 2.78 1. 94 . 90 7.43 6.45 -----. ------ ------ ------

-----~-------------

Mean ___ 3.56 . 95 I 3. 68 11.60 I 3. 87 2.25 3.62 2.83 3.91 . 3.65 

I . 

a Compiled from reports of Philadelphia bureau of water, 1884-1903, by R. S. Lea, with addit.ional data for 1903. 
-------~·-------

~~--~·-· 

l 38 WATER REBOUBOES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. ~No. 106. 

Rainfall and 'I"Un-off, Per7cio~ Creek, Pennsylvania, etc.-Continued~ •.; 

March. April. May. June. July. 

Yea.r. 

Rain- Run- Rain- Run- Rain- Run" Rain- .Run- Rain- Runfall. off. fall. off. fall. off. fa.ll. off. fan. off. 

----·--------------- ·-Inches; Inches. Inches; Inches. Inches; Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. 

1888-84 ________ 5.04 5.29 2.68 2.87 8.40 1.86 4.65 1.26 7.44 2:16 

1884-85 ........ 1.82 2.52 2.41 2.75 '2.49 -•. 82 1.48 .28 2.18 .17 

1885-86 ________ 8.96 2.56 8.00 8.42 6.60 2.64 5.26 1.89 5.06 1.11 

1886-87 ________ 2.99 8.08 2.84 1.25 1. 85 .72 5.87 .76 8.68 2.07 

1887-88---~----- 5.15 5;10 8.48 8.45 8.16 .92 1.62 .89 2.77 .25 

1888-89 ________ 3.17 8.01 5.05 2.07 4.55 1.58 7.16 -2.65 12.28 4.89 

1889-90 ________ 6.56 5.58 2.79 2.5i 6.48 8.15 2.40 .94 5.19 1.09 

1890-91. .... , .. 6.07 4,29 1.98 1.80 1.99 .65 8.02 .sa. 7.78 ;85 

1891-92 .... ---. 4.99 4.05 1.79 1.16 5.82 1.88 8.18 .89. 5.19 .78 

1892-98 ________ 2.90 4.98 4.11 2.80 5.-86 8.27 8.75 .56 2.00 .so 

1898-94 ... ----- 1.45 2.88 2.54 1.71 11.68 6.66 8.61 1.18 2.98 -.58 

1894-95 ________ 2.96 8.91 6._12 8.48 8.45 .98 8.56 .48 8.96 .61 

1895-96 ____ ---- 4.48 3.88 1.85 .97 3.70 .43 4.58 .48 9.31 2.01 

' 1896-97---- =; ~- 2.88 1.88 3.30 1.6~ 8.72 8.98 3:17 .98 7.79 1.56 

1897-98 .... ---- 2.56 1.56 8.86 1.68 6.22 3.83 .96' ,'42 2.85 .33 

1898-99~--- -·-- 5.88 6.59 2.00 1.80. 3.41 .7,6 8.90 .54 ·5.76 .79 

189~1990: _____ 2.8~ 2.49 1.96 1.81 2.98 --.89 3.01 .84 4.97, .1l6 

1900--1901_ _____ 5.84 8.84 5;18 2.48 4.90 1. 79 2.86 .87 5:18 .34 

1901-2 ______ ~-- 8.9} 5.05 8 •. 47 2.21 2.20 .75 5.64 .58 3.88 .55 

1902-8 _________ ·----- _,.. ____ ------ ---- -~ ---·.-- ... ----- ------ ------ -----~ ------ ---- 8.1712.12 

------------- Mean ___ 8.89 8.7/i 4.64 1.95 11.64 .82 5.50 1.12 
BASCOM.] PERKIOlfEN CREEK. 39 

Rainfall and 'l'Un-off, Perkiomen Creek, Pennsylvania, etc.-Continued. 

August. •september. To1al. 

Year. - l EVItpo. 

Rain- Run- Rain- Run- Rain- ration. 

fall. off. fall. off. fall. Run-off. 

------------ Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Inche.•. Inches. 

18-'13-84_------------------------ 3.44 0.65 0.59 0.31 48.57 31.90 16.67 

1884-85.-------------- ------ ---- 6.17 1. 23 .87 .16 38.12 18.41 19.71 

1885-86 _____ ---~-------------- -- 1.44 .35 1. 37 .23 47.78 25.54 22.24 1886~87 _________________________ 2.76 1.43 3.64 .62 50.16 21.33 28.83 

1887-88 _____ ------ ----~--------- 8.03 1. 53 7.35 3.68 50.31 26.35 23.96 

1888-89 _________________________ 3.99 2.48 7.00 2.80 60.20 30.82 29.38 

1889-90- ------ -- -- --- --- ---- ---- 6.75 1.08 3.71 1. 30 56.15 31.56 24.59 

1890-91.------------ ---- -------- 7.57 2.04 2.63 1. 53 50.44 25.35 25_.09 

1891-92 _________________________ 2.69 .76 2.21 .33 42.43 19.~6 22.67 

1892-93 _________________ ::_ _______ 6.45 .96 3.14 .60 44.62 21.96 22.65 

1893-94 _____ ------------------- 2.23 .34 6.36 1. 67 46.54 22.22 24.32 

1894-95 _________________________ 3.36 .28 .93 .18 44.07 20.52 23.55 

1895-96----- -- ~- --- -.. -- ----- ---- 1.21 .34 5.18 .65 45.54 14.31 31.23 

1896-97 _________________________ 2.73 .59 1. 62 .29 44.75 19.28 25.47 

1897-98~------------------------ 6.16 .63 2.22 .22 44.86 19 .. 29 25.57 

1898-99 _________________________ 4.46 1.13 7.46 2.44 56.10 29.06 27.01 

1899-1900 _______________________ 3.74 .41 1.80 .24 34.62 16.47 18.15 

1900--1901_ ____ ------------------ 8.70 1.39 3.27 .63 44.89 13.49 31.40 

1901-2 __ ------------------------ 4.06 .52 7.54 '1.21 50.27 24.25 26.02 

1902-3.--------- -- -------- ------ ------ ------ -- ·--- 52.84 31.96 ---.-- --------------

]dean-------------------- 4.52 .96 3.63 1.01 47.66 23.19 24.66 

Pickering Creek, which is shown on the western edge of the Norristown atlas sheet, is the smallest of the larger tributaries of the Schuylkill River. It has a drainage basin of 65.88 square ;miles. It flows 

for the most part through pre-Cambrian gneiss, but for the last 3 miles 

of its course over Triassic formations. Its minimum daily flow is estimated at 4,000,000 gallons, and its maximum daily flow at 4,000,000;000 

gallons. 
40 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT, [No. lOB. 

Wissahiekon Creek drains the area between thfl drainage basins of 

the Little Neshaminy and the Perkiomen. It rises near Lansdale, in 

the northern portion of the-Philadelphia district, and flows southerly 

for .20 miles, emr.tying into the Schuylkill River at Fairmount Park. 

It is one of the three chief tributaries of the Schuylkill in the Philadelphia district and is the most important of the creeks that are wholly 

within the district. Its watershed has an area of 64.6 square miles 

and is composed partly of the Triassic formations and partly of Paleozoic crystallines. The creek has a fall of 420 feet from source to 

mouth, or an average descent of 21 feet to a mile. From Chestnut 

Hill to the Schuylkill, a distance of 6 miles, there is a descent of 100 

feet, or about 17 feet to the mile. In this portion of its course the 

stream has cut a gorge to a depth of about 200 feet below the general 

level of the c_ountry. Here the banks are wooded and steep, but in a 

portion of its upper course the str~am is bordered by an open valley, which is part of a fertile and cultivated farming region. As on 

N eshaminy Creek, the percentage of woodland is small. 

The monthly rainfall and the monthly and average daily flow of 

the Wissahickon from October, 1901, to April, 1902, as· observed by 

Mr. Codman, are given in the following table. 

Precipitation and streamflow on the Wissahickon watershed.a 

[Area, 64.6 square miles.] 

I PerRain- cent- Rain- fall age Monthly yield Average daily yield of stream. fall. flow- flow- of stream. ingoff. ~w. ~~ -

1901. Inches. Inches. Cubic feet. Cubic feet. Gallons. 

October _______ 1. 355 0.541 40 81,112,000 2,616,500 19,573,000 

November _____ 2.705 .647 24 97,105,000 3,236,900 24,213,200 

December __ . -- 6.765 2.430 36 364,824,000 11,768,500 88,034,000 

1902~ 

January _______ 2.640 1. 798 68 269,931,000 707,430 65,136,200 

February ______ 5.960 4.462 75 669,574,000 23,913,400 178,884,000 

March. ______ ._ 3;665 4.629 126 694,768,000 22,411,900 167,653,000 

April ...... _ ... 3.295 2.321 77 348,296,000 11,609,800 86,847,700 

a Report of bureau of water, Philadelphia, 1903. 

Averag 

yieldpe e 

r second 

per 

square 

mile. 

Cu.jt. 

0.468 

.580 

2.108 

1. 560 

4.284 

4.015 

5 

1 

4 

4 

2.0801 

Owing to a leak in the new dam above the automatic gage, it was 

necessary to drain off the lower reservoir, putt,ing an end to stream 

observations after May 22, 1902. It will be noted that the storage of 

rainfall during December and January is somewhat greater in the 

Wissahickon than in the watersheds heretofore discussed. 
liAS COM.] SCBtrYLKIL:t 'I'RIBUT.A.RIES. 41 

In the following tal:>les comparative figures of .rainfall and run-off 

are given for a number of the·watersheds of tributaries of the Delaware and Schuylkill and for a few other streams: 

Run-off, in inches~ of Perkiomen and Neshaminy drainage areas. 

I Watershed. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 

----------. ------------

PerkiomeuatFrederick: 

Average for 19 years. 2-.84 3.66 8.77 2.12- 1.48 0.82 1.25 0.95 0.96 0.92 1.58 2.32 

Maxim lim in lllyears. 5.40 9. 73 5.58 3.48 6.66 2.65 4.89 2.48 3.68 2.77 6.67 6.45 

Minimum in 19 years. .59 1.25 2.38 .97 •. 46 .28 .17 .28 .16 .00 .2-4 .68 

Neshaminy below Forks: 

Average for 19 years. 3.20 4.12- 3.55 2.05 1.89 .75 1.03 .99 .84 .81 1.42 2.46 

Maximum in 19years. 6.77 10.41 5.55 3.57 7.41 2.46 5.47 3.37 3.51 4.55 6.31 5.55 

Minimum in 19 years. 1.60 .90 1.84 1.03 .85 .08 .04 .14 .03 .06 .1i .41 

Comparative daily stream flow of certain streams of Philadelphia district, 1901 

and 190f!.a 

Maximum. Minimum. 

Area of· 

Watershed. water- Gallons 

shed. Gallons per day. Gallons per Date. Gallons per Date. square ·IIiiie. per .day. sq_uare - mile. 

--- P~kiomen •.•. 152 4, 420, 000, 000 27,300,000 Feb. 28 11,631,000 76,400 Aug. 25 

Neshamlny ... 189.3 3, 930, 000, 000 28,250,000 Feb. 26 8,080,000 57;800 July 21 

Wlssahlckon .. 64.6 1, 288, 200,-000 20,000,000 Feb. 28 ------------ ---------- Schuylkill ---- 1,915 53, 098, 600, 000, 000 27,700,000 Mar. 1 ------------ ----------

Average annual yield of sundry watersheds to October 1, 190f!.a 

Watershed. 

Perkiomen at Frederick .....•• 

Neshaminy, below Forks. c ••••• 

Tohickon ...••••.. 

Wissahickonb ...• 

Schuylkill •••••••• 

.Sudbury, Mass •.. 

Croton, N.Y •...•• 

.; 

~ 

" Aver- Aver- Per I>. 

'<i Area. a!Je a~~:.n cent Average an- Average 

i rain· flow- nual yield. daily yield. fall. ingoff. ingoff. 

8 

>0 

.s 

~ ------·--

Miles. Inches. Inches. Gallons. Gallons. 

19 152 47.366 22.696 48 59,948,940,000 164,211,500 

111 189.3 47.721 2.484 47.118 54,427;535,000 149,093,800 

Ill 102.2 48.685 27.344 56.200 48,592,436,000 133,023,000 

---- 64.6 -------· -------- -------- ---------------- ------------- ' ,t,915 47.135 20.843 48.400 ---------------- 1,900,801,000 

27 72.5 46.89 22.702 48.90 ________ , ________ 78,371,000 

19 338 45.97 22.760 49.50 135,400,000,000 371,600,000 

a Report of the bureau of water, Philadelphia, 1903. 

bNo record after April. 

Average 

yield 

per Be<>' ond 

per 

;:fuuare eof 

drain-

·age 

area. 

Cu. ft. 

1.6716 

1.6561 

2.0140 

--------

1.5859 

1.6750 

1.680 

Average 

yield 

per second 

per 

square 

IIiile of 

drainage 

area 

for 

each 

inch of 

rainfall. 

Cu. ft. 

0.0353 

.0347 

.0413 

--------· .0325 

.0362 

.0365 
42 W .ATER RESOUROES OF PIDL.ADELPHIA DISTRIOT. '[No. 106. 

COASTAL PLAIN HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN. 

DRAINAGE .. 

The portion of the Coastal Plain included in the Philadelphia district lies wholly within the watershed of the Delaware River and hence 

slopes toward that stream. Its greatest altitude, in the extreme 

southeast corner of the Philadeli;>hia quadrangle, is 180 feet above sea 

level. Its streams are all subsequent, and tributary to the Delaware. 

Pensauken, Cooper, Big Timber, Woodbury, :1\fantua, Raccoon, and 

Old mans creeks are simple streams, which have their sources in the 

upper Cretaceous marls or on the boundary of the Miocene sands, and 

flow northwest across the marls, clay marls, an,d plastic clays of the 

Cretaceous into the Delaware. As the streams flow through unconsolidated materials and have an average fall of only 8 feet to a mile, 

their valleys are shallow and interrupted by mill ponds in the upper 

courses, and fiat and marshy with meandering channels in the lower 

courses. The creeks are from 10 to 16 miles long and are tidal for 

about half their total length. Owing to this fact they have, as will 

be seen by the tables given below, little importance for water-power 

purposes. According to the observations made by the New Jersey 

geological survey these streams are in a district which shows little 

difference between the average rainfall and the average evaporation. 

This means that the average run-off of these streams is smaller than 

that of streams of the same class elsewhere in the State. 

Pensauken Creek empties into the Delaware River at Morris. It 

drains 35.4 square miles. 'rhe geological survey of New Jersey reports 

thatIts watershed is populous and highly cultivated, and the stream is tidal for 

about half its length, consequently it has little importance. Moorestown is supplied from its headwaters, but the qmlity of its water is said to be unsatisfactory. 

The average flow at the mouth of the stream is 39,900,000 gallons daily, and the 

least monthly flow 5,900,000 gallons daily.a 

Cooper Creek empties into the Delaware at Camden. It is tidal to 

the forks at Haddonfield, and the lower portion of its watershed is 

populous and highly cultivated. The average flow is estimated by 

the New Jersey survey at 40,000,000 gallons dnHy and the flow for 

the driest month at 6,800,000 gallons daily. 

Above the pond at Haddonfield the minimum flow is 3,050,000 gallons daily. 

With storage amounting to 3.28 inches it will furnish 8,600,000 gallons daily. 

The- only part of Cooper Creek which is worthy of serious consideration as a 

water supply is North Branch. Its :watershed is 11.7 square miles and the flow 

for the driest month 1,9110,000 gallons daily, or with 3.28 inches storage it will yield 

5,660,000 gallons daily. The opportunities for storage are very good, but like all 

streams with marl outcrops, it should ·have careful inspection before being 

adopted as a source oi; supply. 

The North Branch is almost entirely und~veloped for water-power purposes. 

Near Ellisburg 20 feet fall could be readily obtained, and the' available power for 

aGeol. Survey New Jersey, vol. 8, p. 255. 

., - _ ..J 
BASCOM.] COASTAL PLAIN DRAINAGE. 43 

nine months would be 0.87 horsepower per foot fall. As good pondage could be 

obtained, this would give about 35 horsepower for twelve hours daily during nine 

months of· the year. On the main creek at Haddonfield mills we estimate 1.B5 

horsepower per foot fall day and night for nine months. A corn,. mill was erected 

on this site as early as 1697.a 

Big Timber Creek empties into the Delaware at Gloucester. It 

drains an area of 59.03 square miles and is tidal to Good Intent. Its 

headwaters are on the Tertiary sands and gravels, and hence above. 

Grenloch and Laurel Springs its branches would furnish fair local 

water supply. Th~ New Jersey survey estimates the average flow of' 

the creek at its mouth to be 55,400,000 gallons daily, and in the driest 

month 9,980,000 gallons daily. 

In the table below are given the figures of aggregate flow of the 

Coastal Plain tributarries of the Delaware between Camden and 

Bridgeton. 

Flow of tn"butaries of the Delaware-Camden to Bridgeton. b 

AVERAGE YEAR. 

Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.IA'pr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. 

Inches of rainfall._ 3. 72 3.62 3.44 3. 72 3.62 4.04 4.04 4.22 4.58 3. 72 3.44 

Inches flowing off. cl. 70 2.90 2.71 2. 75 2.22 1.92 1.13 .87 .79 . 78 .84 

Flow in 1,000 gal- Ions dail;v. p e r square mile ______ 1!52 1,625 1,620 1,540 1,280 1,070 655 487 442 452 411 

Horsefower per 1 

foo fall per 

square mile ...... 0.168 0.286 0.285 0.271 0.226 0.189 0.115 0.088 0.078 0.079 0.083 

ORDINARY DRY YEAR. 

Inches of rainfalL_ 4.04 4.12 1.71 3.02 2.67 3.44 3..8214.55 4.00 1.01 i 2.14 

inches flowing off_ 3.11 3.35 1.17 2.13 2.05 1.33 .96 .65 .72 .46 .38 

Flow in 1 000 gal- Ions dailY. p e r 

square mt1e ...... 1,740 1,870 700 1,190 1,185 .745 555 532 403 266 213 

Horsepower per 1 

foot fall per 

square mile ...... 0.307 0.330 0.123 0.210 0.209 0.13I 0.098 0.084 0.070 0.047 0.037 

DRIEST PERIOD. 

Inches of rainfall .. 4.05 3.66 4.76 3.68 0._61 2.71 3.87 0.98 1.18 0.94 3.04 

Inches flowing off_ 3.10 2.93 3.87 2.85 1.46 .91 .84 .46 .30 .30 .30 

Flow in 1,000 gal- Ions dail;v. p e r 

square mtie ...... . ,735 1,640 2,315 1,595 845 510 486 257 168 . 173 168 

Horsepqwer per 1 ) 

foot fall per 

square mile ...... 0.306 0.289 0.406 0.281 0.149 0.089 0.088 0.045 0.030 0.031 0.030 

DRIEST PERIOD FOR TWO YEARS. 

Nov. Year. 

3.72 45.88 

1.00 19.61 

579 933 

O.i02 0.165 

2.28 36.80 

.47 16.98 

272 808 

0.048 0.143 

2.02 31.63 

.30 17.62 

173 837 

0.031 0.148 \ 

nchesof'"":infall .. I2.6314.57·J4.2213.5712.1215.0611.00 11.3716.40112.0911.3210.99146.24 

ruches flowmg off. .30 .47 .87 1.46 1.66 1.45 .96 .58 .40 2.32 1.63 .98 13.08 

a Gaol. Survey of New Jerse);", op. cit. pp. 256-261. 

bOp. cit., p. 257 • 

. o The ground water is depleted at the end of the average year 1.12 inches, and this is deducted 

from the December fl.ow. 
44 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No.106. 

The New Jersey survey makes the fvllowing report upon the water 

supply and water power of Big Timber Creek: 

Above Clementon the watershed of the North Branch is 5.5 square m.iles, which 

will yield in the driest months 925,000 gallons daily without storage. With 3.28 

inches storage 2,620,000 gallons daily may be obtained. The South Branch, above 

Grenloch, or Spring Mills, drains 15.5 square miles, and will yield, in the driest 

· month, 2,610,000 gallons daily, or, with 3.2.8 inches storage, 7 ,400;000 gallons daily. 

The portion of the headwaters of Big Timber Creek suitable for. water supply 

embraces in all 23 square miles, at an elevation of about 40 feet, with a capacity · 

of 14,700,000 gallons daily with storage. · 

Such watersheds might be utilized to supply some of the towns near at hand, 

but they should be controlled by purchases of land bordering the. streams. * * * 

These headwaters, while they are naturally quite secure from contamination, 

partake of some of the acid character of southern New Jersey streams, although 

generally in a less degree. They are generally free from the brown color of cedar 

swamp streams. · 

The power of Big Timber Creek is well utilized, although the fall is not large. 

At Grenloch we estimate 1.8 horsepower per foot fall for nine months. The only 

undeveloped site of any importance seems to be near the upper bridge at Chews 

Landing, on the North Branch, where 30 feet fall and good pondage could be had, 

although this would destroy the power at Laurel Mills. We estimate for this 

·point 1.35 horsepower per foot fall, which would give on 30 feet fa1140 horsepower day and night, or 80 hor~;~epower for twelve hours during nine months of 

the year, with a minimum of 34 horsepower for twelve hours. 

Woodbury Creek empties into the Delaware northwest of Woodbury. It is more than 7 miles long and is a tidal stream for more 

than half its length and lies wholly upon the marls and clays, hence 

it can not be utilized for domestic supply or water power. 

Mantua Creek empties into the Delaware at Paulsboro. It heads 

in Tertiary sands, but for the most part it flows upon the marls, and 

its water is unfit for domestic supply. ·Woodbury is supplied from 

its headwaters. The stream drains an area of 51.2 square miles. 

Above Hur:ffville the New Jersey survey estimates that its water-· 

shed has an area of 13 square miles and that the flow for the driest 

month is 2,180,000 gallons daily. With 3.28 inches storage 6,400,000 

gallons could be obtained. 

Above the pond, near Pitman Grove, Chestnut Branch has a drainage area of 

4.4 square miles and a daily flow for the driest month of 740,000 gallons, while 

2,090,000 gallons could be obtained with storage. , 

While there may be some other small branches which would aff~rd good supplies 

of a limited amount, the rest of the watershed is open to suspicion and should 

not be accepted without careful examination. 

The stream does not offer large opportunity for the development of water power, 

but near Mantua it would seem possible to develop 20 feet of fall with excellent 

pondage. We estimate for this point an available power of 2.3 horsepower per 

foot fall day and night. · 

Raecoon Creek empties into the Delaware northwest of Bridgeport. 

It is navigable to Swedesboro and is tidal for more than half its length. · 

The headwaters of the main: stream are in Tertiary sands, but the 

-- - __ _j 
BASCOM.] COASTAL PLAIN DRAINAGE. 45 

remainder of its course is almost entirely in the marls, and the stream 

can not be used for domestic supply. 

The water powers developed are generally small, and the only opportunity for 

further deveiopment is at the first bridge above Swedesboro, where 20 feet fall 

could be obtained without interfering with existing mill sites. Its available power 

here would be 1.64 horsepower per foot fall, making 32.8 horsepower continuous, 

or 66 horsepower for twelve hours, 'With a minimum of 28 horsepower for twelve 

hours. 

Oldmans Creek empties into the Delaware in the southwest corner 

of the Philadelphia district. Nine miles southeast of the PhilaQ.elphia 

district, above Harrisonville, its headwaters drain the Tertiai·y sands 

and might furnish a good water supply. The area of this portion of 

it:s watershed has been estimated as 10. square miles and the daily 

flow for the driest month as 1,680,000 gallons, which, with storage, 

could be raised to 4, 760,000 daily. There is still some undeveloped 

fall below Harrisonville, but the power of the stt·eam is small. 

The following estimates have been made by the New Jersey survey 

of the area, percentage of forests, and population on these creeks: a 

Area, percentage of forest, and density of population of watersheds of Coastal 

Plain tributaries of Delaware River. 

Creek. 

Area of 

dt•ainage 

basin. 

Sq. miles. 

Big Timber Creek. _______ •. __ -• _________ . _ .. __ ... _ _ 59. 3 

North Branch of Big Timber Creek _______ .... : .... _ 19.8 

South Branch of Big Timber Creek_··--____________ 25.5 

Cooper Creek. __ . _______ ... _ ........... _ .. ___ . ___ ,___ 40. 5 

North Branch of Cooper Creek . .' ____ c.,.____________ 11.7 

South Branch of Cooper Creek ___ ... ____________ ... _ 18.1 

Mantua Creek ... _____ ... ___ .... ____________ ...... __ 51.2 

Mantua Creek above Berkeley ___ ··.- _ .. ____ . ___ . __ 46.7 · 

Pensauken Creek .. __ . ~. _. _. _ ...... , _ ... __ .. __ . _ _ _ _ _ 35. 4 

North Bran~h of Pensauken Creek ........ ---~--.... 17.1 

South Branch of Pelisauken Creek _____ . ___ . _ .. _ _ _ _ _ 14. 9 

EtaccoonCreek ··-------------------··----·--------- 44.4 

Etaccoon Creek above Swedesboro ___ .. _ ........... _. 32. 2 

Raccoon Creek above Mullica Hill ____ .. _ ... _....... 13.1 

Oldmans Creek __________ ... ____ ... _. ___________ .___ 44.4 

Oldmans Creek above Auburn ___ . ________ . __ __ ____ __ 26.3 

aOp. cit., Appendix II, p. 56, 

Percent- Populaage of tion per 

forest. s~~f!~ 

25 83 

27 68 

27 62 

16 208 

16 65 

21 62 

16 106 

17 83 

10 109 

7 71 

12 118 . 12 91 

12 68 

-··------ --------

14 52 

18 46 
r· 

! "1 

I 

46 WATER ltESOURCES OF ~liiLADEI,PHIA, DIST.RICT; 

WATER POWER. 

[No.106. :1 

The following" estimates have been made of the totahfall, length, 

_ and average fall per mile of the creeks- of the Philadelphia Coastal 

Plain district. · 

Lengt~ and fall of creeks in Ooastal £:lain portion of F'hiladelphia district . 

Creek. Length. 

Miles. 

B~gTimber -------"·-----------·------: ________ ------ 12~13 

Cooper. _______ ~-___ -~ ___ ·- ~- _______ . ____ . _. _. _ .. ____ . · 12 

Mantua . _____ ~ _____ . ______ . __ .. ~ _ . _______ • ______ ~ _. __ . 13 

Oldmans ________ . _______________ ~ _______ . _. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 14 

Pensauken ___ . ____ _" __ ---- ---·- _ -~--. ____________ ·" _____ 10 

Raccoon __________ ..... ___ . --~ ~-. ______ . ____ . ______ . ____ _ 

Woodbury _ . ____ . _________ • _: _ . _____________________ _ 

16 

17 

Fall. 

Feet. 

130 

130 

100 

119 

70 

122 

60 

.Average 

fall per mile. 

Feet. 

10f 

10 

6! 

8 

7' 

8 

8~ 

The water powet· utilized on these creeks has been tabulated as 

follows by the New Jersey survey: a 

Water power utilized on the creeks in Ooastal Plain portion of Philadelphia · · · district. · · 

COOPER CREEK. 

Stream. Locality. Owuer. · 

HorsPpower 

K!nd of mill. Fall. utihzed. 

Net. Gross. ---,----,---l----'----....:...l---;----~1-------- --

Feet. 

North Branch ____ Marlton, Camden _Hopkins estate .... Grist......... 12 · b8 (b) County. · 

Cooper Creek ..... Haddonfield, Camden Jos:G.Evans ------ ..... do •• ,..... 11 00 48 

County. 

Do------------ Kir.kwood, Camden Knickerbockerlce ..... do .. ______ 18 50 70 

County. Co. 

Do •----~------ Gibbsboro, Camden Lucas-------------- _____ do·------- 45 

County.· , . 8 00 - ' 

Do------------ _____ do •••• ______________ Blakely-----·--'--- Saw·---------- 8 20 88 

Haddonfield Haddonlield,Camden Hopkinsestate· ____ Grist·--------~ (b) Branch. County. · · 22 (b) 

Tbidale Ruil ••... _ •.••.. do •• ________________ Wilson Ice Co.---; -----------~-'-; (b) 

B:r;anch ----------- Near .Ashland, Cam- Joseph Kay ________ ·Gristmills!~· (b) den County. 

15 (b) 

24 (b) 

NEWTON CREEK. 

Main B)"anch ----- Cuthberts, Camden J.J. Schuetzlus ____ ·Flouring----- 14. 00 ·45 

County. 

Do ------------ Westmont, Camden JamesFlynu. ______ Paint and i5 22 51 

County. . . varnish . 

aOp. cit., .Appendix I, pp. 37--$. ·- bNotinuse. 

I 
BASCOM.] WA'fER POWER. 47 

Wa(Jr power utilized on the creeks in Coastal Plain, etc.-Continued. 

BIG TIMBER CREEK. 

I I I I 

Stream. 

I Locality. I 

I Owner. Kind of mill. I 

I ------

LiWo Ti no boo I N~ A•b~, ""'"""· H. B. H=Orlokroo Saw and disCreek. Gloucester County. tilling. 

North Branch ____ LaurelMills,Camden I E. Tomlinson ______ Grist _________ 

I County. . 

Do ------ ______ Clementon, 

County. 

Cam de a Theodore Gibbs ... ____ .do ________ 

A1monesson Almonesson, Glouces' John Kennedy _____ _____ do--------

Creek. terCounty. 

South Branch _____ Good Tntent, Camden J. Livermore and _____ do--------

County others. 

Do ____________ Grenloch, Camden 1 E. s: and F. Bate- Agricultural County. man. implements 

Do ____________ Prosser's mills, 

Gloucester County. 

Thos. Boody _______ Grist _________ 

Do------------- Turnersville, G louces- ter County. 

--Turner------ Saw----------

Little Lebanon. __ ____ .do. _________________ A. W. Nash ________ Grist_--------

Do ------------- Near Turnersville, 

Gloucester County. 

J. Prosser ____ ------ Saw ____ ------

MANTUA CREEK. 

Mantua Creek ----1 Near ·Hurfl'ville, Gloucester County. 

Do _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ __ Dilkes boro, G loucester County. 

S. 0. Bricket _______ Grist. _______ _ 

Thos. Reeves. ___________ do--------

Edwards Run _____ NearMantua,Glouces- Chas. Jessop ____________ do--------

ter County. [ 

Do------------ ____ do __________________ Sam. Boody _____________ do _______ _ 

Chestnut Branch_ 

Do ______ ------

Wenonah Branch. 

Monongahela 

Branch. 

Dilkesboa·o 

Branch. 

Near Bornsboro, P.Avis __________________ do ______ __ 

Gloucester County. 

Pitman Grove, G.W.Carr _________ Saw, sas-h, 

Gloucester County. and blind. 

Near Wenonah, The Wenonah Creamery ___ _ Gloucester County. Water Co. 

____ .do •••• _.-------- _______ .. do _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Mill site. ___ __ 

Dilkesboro, Glouces- W. Jessop __________ Saw---------- ter County. 

aNotinuse. 

REPAUPO CREEK. 

Fall. 

Horsepower utilized. 

Net. Gross. -----

Feet. 

10 20 30 

12 50 70 

10 36 60 

18 35 50 

11 22 30 

14 100 145 

10 25 45 

10 14 20 

10 36 50 

10 32 45 

13 25 42 

15 25 42 

12 30 42 

12 15 25 

15} 20 28 

d 30 45 

17 4 6 

10 al5 (a) 

10 I 15 20 

Purgey Brook ----1 Tomlfns station, j S. Warrington _____ ! Grist _________ ! 131 241 

Gloucester Co,.nty. I 

RACCOON CREEK. 

Raccoon Creek ---1 MullicaHill,Glouces- J. Mount ___________ Grist _________ 12 30 45 ter County Do _____________ Evans Mill, G louces- D. B. Brown _______ _____ do-------- 10 20 35 ter County. 

Swedesboro Swedesboro, Glouces- B. H: Black ____ ---- Flouring _____ 18 50 70 

Branch. ter County. Do _____________ Near Swedesboro, 

Gloucester County. 

David Russell _____ Grist _________ 15 25 42 

!RR 106-04-4 
48 WATER RESOURCES OF. PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No.100. 

Water power utilized on the creeks in Coastal Plain, etc.-Continued . 

. OLD MANS CREEK. 

Stream. Locality. Owner. 

Horsepower 

Kind·of mill. Fall. :ntihzed. 

Net. Gross. ----,-----j-,------,--~--l--'-----~---l-----,---1---- ----

Feet. 

· OldmansCr~ek ... Harrisonville,' Salerit ...................... Grist......... 16 50 75 

County. · 

Do .. "·········· Avis Mills, Salem P. H. Avis & Son ..•. : .• do........ 12 00 45 

County.· · _ 

Do.-.•.......... : ... cdo.· ..•.••........•....••. do···-·.·--·-··· Saw.......... 12 .· -10 15 

Do ........•.... Branch near Harri- Geo. Robinson .. _ ... Grist......... 16 18 24 

sonville stati()n, Gloucester County. 

Do ........... : ...... do .................. --Vanderbilt ....... do........ 20 12 20 

PONDS. 

The Philadelphia district, situated, as it is; to the south of the 

glaciated country and possessing a well-established drainage system, 

· is free from natural ponds. The ponds that exist are insignificant 

and occupy artificial basins. The streams are thus without natural 

storage basins. 

SPRINGS. 

Between the members of the _pre-Paleozoic and Paleozoic series and 

between the beds of the Wissahickon gneiss, which show considerable 

lithologic variation, springs emerge on the hillsides. Every farm-

.. house is supplied with spring water. The most copious spring of the 

region i~ one that issues from the base of the limestone at Spring 

Mill. A stream of such volume arises from this spring, which iS not 

more than a quarter of .a mile from the Schuylkill River, as to furnish 

water power for mills which were formerly situated upon it. There 

is a fine spring emerging near the base of the quartzite of the north 

Chester Valley hills in the gorge of Valley Creek. The springs are for 

the most part not deep seated, but surface springs which" fluctuate more 

or less with the seasons. There are therefore no thermal springs; and. 

no medicinal springs, so called, have been exploited in this region. 

Tho springs of the Triassic area, with some exceptions, and of the 

· form~tions of the Coastal Plain are l!lmall and of little value. 

i -- _ _u 
I 

BASCOM.] WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. 49 

nkEP AND ARTESIAN WELLS. 

PIEDMONT DISTRICT. 

ANCIENT CRYSTALLINE BELT. 

' 

Numerous successfJI artesian wells have been bored in the prePaleozoic and Paleozoic rocks. Records have been obtained of .the 

more important wells. In the pre-Georgian Schuylkill gneiss and a 

gabbro iJ?.trusive in it two wells have been bored, as follows: At 

Wayne a well 150 feet deep yields about 200 gallons per minute. 

At Radnor station there is an artesian well on the property of the Pennsylv.ania Railroad which furnishes water for locomotive purposes. It 

is located on the Schuylkill gneiss and gabbro intrusive. The well is 

12 inches in diameter and 1,000 feet in depth, but is worked only to a 

depth of 120 feet, yielding at this depth, by the pneumatic system of 

pumping, 60 gallons per minute. 

The following wells obtain w:ater from the Chickies quartzite: 

Wells bored in Chickies quartzite. 

Locality. 

Will ow Grove _______________ .. ___________ c __ • ________________ _ 

Near Fort Washington, J. Conrad ____________________________ _ 

Waverly Heights, Edge HilL ________________________________ _ 

Near Williams station _______________________________________ _ 

aNa water. 

Artesian wells in Chester Valley limestone. 

Location. 

Near Flourtown, Kunkle's farm ______________________________ _ 

Near Lancasterville, H. F. Hallman __________________________ _ 

Near King of Prussia, Wm. Thomas __________________________ _ 

Near Williams station, Thomas Phipps _______________________ _ 

a Highly magnesian. 

Depth. 

Feet. 

780 

64 

570 

132 

Depth. 

Water 

supply 

per minute. 

Gallons. 

100 

10 

(a) 

5 

Water 

supply 

per mmute. 

Feet. Gallons. 

60 

98 

90.--------

43 900 
50 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No.106. 

On the southeast slope of t.he south Chester Valley hills numerous 

wells have been bored for private individuals. These wells penetrated 

the mica-schist of the hills. They vary in depth from 60 to 80 feet 

and supply abundant water. In the shallow wells the water is soft; 

from the deeper wells it is reported to be hard. The thickness of the 

mica-schist is not very great on the slope of the hill, and possibly the 

water of the harder wells has its source in the top of the limestone 

horizon. 

In the neighborhood of Bryn Mawr there are several artesJan wells 

in the Wissahickon gneiss. The location, depths, and water supply 

of those of which a record has been obtained are as follows: 

Wells in Wissahickon gneiss near Bryn Mawr. 

Water 

Location. Depth. Diameter supply 

of bore. per mmute. 

Feet. Inches. Gallons. 

Barrett Ice Plant (600 feet west of Bryn Mawr avenue, { 475 -------- 60 on County Line road), 2 wells _______________________ 725 -------- 10 

Bryn Mawr Hospital _________________________________ 135 -------- 5+ 

Bryn Mawr Hotel, 2 wells ____________ ... ______________ { 350 10 50 

389 8 60 

Springfield Water Company station at Bryn Mawr ____ 560 6 83t 

The continuation of the same belt of gneiss to the northeast furnishes artesian wells in the neighborhood of Jenkintown. One-third 

of a mile north of the station in Wyncote there are eight artesian 

wells and a pumping station. 'l'hese wells furnish the water supply 

to those parts of Jenkintown not supplied by the North Springfield 

Water Company. They are less than 100 feet apart. The best flow is 

at 100 feet, and the flow increases with use. Their depth and water 

supply are as follows: 
BASCOM,]. DEEP .AND .ARTESIAN WELLS. 

Wells at Wyncote. 

A-------------------------- -

B -------- ------------------------------· ---------------------

0 -------------------------------------·----- -----"----------

D ------------.-.--- _. ___ --------------------------------------

E -.--.-------------------------.---------- ___ ·_---- ------------

F ----·-- -- -- ------ ------ ---- ---- ------ ---- -- -- :--- -·- ------ ---. 

(} _____ ~------------------------------------------------------

B ----------------------------------------------- ---------------

Depth. 

Feet. 

154 

205 

212 

188 

147 

235 

175 

200 

51 

Water 

supp~y 

permm- ute. 

Gallons. 

97 

60 

76 

70 

78 

30 

50 

28 

The following wells are also in the Wissahickon mica-gneiss: 

Wells in Wissahickon mica--gneiss. 

Water 

Location. Depth. ~r:a~:r :e~PEJi,_ ute. 

Feet. Inches. Gallons. 

Jenkintown __________________________________________ { 349 } - 6 { 

75 

324 75 

At Jenkintown station ____ . _________________________ __ 150 -----~-- -------- Cheltenham Acaciemy ______________________________ __ 352 12 

Chel ten Hills station ________________________________ __ 118 3 

Oak Lane ___ : ____ ____________________________________ { 125 } 8 { 340 a2Q8 

Noble station __________________________ . ____________ __ 163 16 

Overbrook, 3 wells ___________________________________ _ 150 6 500 

F. P. Bayes, Overbrook _____ . ________________________ __ 240 10 

a Hardness, 5.29. 

There are a number of artesian wells in Philadelphia which have 

penetrated the rock floor of the Paleozoic crystallines and which are 

not tabulated with the Coastal-Plain wells. 'l'hese are as follows: 
52 WATER RESOURCES Ob' PHIL.ADELPHIA DISTRICT. . [No.l06. 

List of wells i.;_ Philadelphia and 'vicinity obtaining supplies from crystalline belt. 

' Capa~ty 

. Location. Depth. Size. perm.mute. 

Feet. Inches. Gallons. 

Fairm.ou;nt Company ice works, 2401 Gree~ street ___ . _ 300 8 120 

Schemm's brewery, Twentieth and Poplar streets . ___ . 252 8 0 60 

J. Bower & Company, packing house, Twenty-fourth and Brown streets ........ __ ~-- ___ ... ____ ------ ______ 495 6 60 

Thirteenth and Mount Vernon streets_ .c .. ____________ 2,031 '8 b5Q 

Brewery, 1707 North Twelfth street ______ ---~-------- 350 8 100 

Seventh and Callow hill streets_._. ______ ._. __ . ___ ._ ... 452 8 ·. 150 

Brewery, 1729 Mervine street __ ----------------------- 840 8 75 

Prospect Brewery, corner Eleventh and Oxford streets. 350 8 a75 

Crown and Willow streets __ . _________________ ._ .. ___ . 1,000 10 100 

Ice works, 2a North Eleventh street.~. __ ·c·· _________ . 250 8 300 

Wall paper, 2228 North Tenth street ______ -~---- -~-. __ 210 8 100 

Fifteenth and Market streets _____ ... ____ .. ___ ... ___ . 500 8 100 

Woolen mills; Ni,nth and Dauphin streets __ .. ________ . 272 6 30 

Carpet works, Eleventh and Cambria streets . _____ .. _. 200 6 50 

Dye works, 4520 Worth street, Frankford . _ .. ___ . _ .. __ 335 6 250 

Continental Hotel, corner Ninth and Chestnut streetsc. 240 8 40 

Hotel, Eleventh and Pine streets __________ . ______ . ____ 576 5 c40 

Hotel, 108 South Broad street. _______ . ___ ._." c __ :· ____ 484 8 60 

Hotel, Broad street below Locust· _________________ ---~ 525 8 70 

Turkish bath, 1104 Walnut street. _____ . _______________ 265 8 . 110 

Machine shop,. Fi-fty-second and Lancaster avenue" ____ 100 6 200 

Morocco works, Frankford and Junction streets ____ . _. 500 6 500 

Do·----~----------------------------------------- 322 6 500 

Do_-----------.- ___________________________________ 252 6 500 

Children's llome, 170 feet above tide; west· of Georges HilL _. __ . _______ . _. _. _ ... · _______ • _____ . _. " __ .. c _ ... 364 8 a60 

Angora Cotton Factory_._~ _____ . ____ ..... -.--.. _______ 252 8 a6Q 

- Vicker residence, Clifton Heights .. ______________ --~--- 30 5 100 

N. & G. Taylor, southeastern part of the city _________ 670 12 250 

Morris and Otsego streets. _____________ . ______ . _______ 140 -------- -------- Laurel and Beech streets._~- ____ • _____________________ 308 -------- ----·---

a Flowing wells. b Water not good in boilers. oLime and iro~ water. 
BASCOM.] DE'll:P· AND ARTESIAN W'Et.LS. 53 

TRIASSIC ·BELT. 

The three lowest divisions of the Triassic shales cover, as has been 

indicated, the greater part of the northern third of the Philadelphia 

district. Their jnterfedded sandstones offer favorable conditions for 

artesian wells. The ater supply of this area is, in fact, largely furnished by such wells. Below is a list of those from which reports 

were obtained: " 

1rtesian wells in Triassic rocks. · 

Locality. 

Depth Water 

Depth. to Geologic horizon. supply water. perhour. 

--------------------------------

Feet. Feet. Gallons. 

Norristown (Sandy Hill)..... 169 74 Sandstone bed in Norris- 900 

town shale. 

Norristown(nearStonyCreek) 102 . _________ .do __________________ . _ 1, 003 

Norristown ____ -------------- 100 16 _____ do _______________ ....... 3,000 

Between Norristown and J effersonville, West End Land 

Co. 

Jeffersonville, F. A. Poth ___ _ 

Hickorytown ___ . ___________ _ 

Bridgeport, Charles Meyers __ 

Sandy Hill schoolhouse, 

Whitepain Township. 

75 ___________ do _________ .. _· __ .. ___ _ 

92! _ _ _ _ _ _ .Two sandstone horizons in 

Norristown shale, 35 to 

40; 86 to 92t. 

70 45 Sandstone bed in Norristown shale. 

65 __ . _ _ _ _ ____ do __ . ______ . _ . __ ..... . 

60 28 ____ .do _. _______ .. __ .. ____ . 

Washington Square__________ 35 11 Sandstone horizons of the 

Norristown shale. 

Washington Square schoolhouse. 

Belfry station, Stony Creek 

R.R. 

Ambler (3) ______ . __________ _ 

Shady Grove schoolhouse, near Skippack pike and 

Morris road. 

38t 

37 

275 

45 

14 _____ do __ : _____________ .. __ 

15 _____ do ____ . ______________ _ 

Abandoned; Cambro-Or- . dovician limestone (?). 

19 Probably sandstone of the 

Gwynedd series. 

1,500 

1,200 

600 

600 

120 

1,500 

600 

30 

2,100 

900 

North Wales._ ...... _____________________ Sandstone of the Gwynedd (a) 

shale. 

Lansdale -----··-------------- 159 l Do------ __ .. _____________ 376 140 {Sandstone horizons of the } 12,000 Lansdale shale series. Do ________ : _____________ 611 

Southwest of Lansdale _______ 65 15 _____ do _____ . _____________ . _ 60 

----"--------.!..__I .. _ ___L __________ ,__ __ 

«Very hard. 
'54 W .A'l'ER RESOURCE~ Olf l'HIL.ADELPHIA DISTRICT. [NO. 106. 

' COASTAL PLAIN DISTRICT. 

The water supplies of this district, except at Woodbury and Haddonfield, where water is obtained from streams, are derived almost 

entirely from-artesian wells. This is due in pal't to the· unsatisfactory quality of the water of the streams and in part to the ease and 

certainty with which artesian waters can be obtained. 

GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS. 

In a broad way the Coastal Plain may be said to be made up of 

beds of marl, clays, sands, and gravel, sloping somewhat rapidly to 

the east and southeast, and resting on a floor of the crystalline rocks 

with a similar or ~;lightly greater dip. (See Pl. IV.) 

The beds outcropping in the Philadelphia district may be classified 

geologically as follows, the oldest bed being at the bottom and the 

youngest at the top: 

Quaternary: Sand and gravel. 

Tertiary: Sand and gravel. 

Cretaceous: 

Manasquan or upper marls. 

Rancocas or middle marls. 

Monmouth or lower marls. 

Matawan or clay marls. 

Raritan or plastic clay. 

W .ATER HORIZONS. 

At the outcrops of the more porous of these beds large quantities 

of water are absorbed, and there being no outlet to the east the sands 

and gravels have become saturated by water that is under considerable pressure. When wells penetrate such bed~ the waters rise, 

·and if the mouth of the well is lower than the outcrop where the 

water enters, the wells overflow. 

The wells in the principal water horizons in the Coastal Plain of the 

,Philadelphia district are listed below. a. 

The Paleozoic crystallines which underlie the Cretaceous, Tertiary, 

. and Quaternary deposits a·re reached by wells in the· Delaware Valley 

and yield excellent water. The following wells gain their water sup-. 

ply from the crystalline rocks: 

Wells obtaining water from crystalline rocks. 

Locality. 

Camden, near Front and Elm stree~s ___ _ 

Cramer Hill Ferry, 2 wells _____________ { 

Delair ..•....... ·--------------· ........ 

United States Navy-Yard, League Island, Philadelphia. 

Do ___ ------ ________ ...... _________ _ 

Near Grays Ferry_· _______ ------ ____ ·---

I)epth. Remarks: 

Feet. 

115~ Reached rock at 95 feet. 

116 In gneiss after 115 feet. 

126 On rock floor. 

188 In gneiss after 168.feet. 

906 260 to 906 in gneiss; water . at 536 feet. 

600 270 to 600 in gneiss; water 

at 572 feet. 

232 95 to 232 in gneiss. 

a Data obtained mainly from the reports of the New Jersey geological survey, 1878-1902. 
100 

250 

500 

750 

1000 

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER·SUPPLY PAPER NO. 106 PL IV 

Sec. A. Delaware River through Mapl e Shade to ceutral New Jersey. 

j 

• Sec. B. Philadelphi a through Ashland to south central New Jersey . 

. .! -~ ~ ... .: ~ ~ eo ,. 

~ I ~ ~ g J 1••1 ~ i l ., l ~ ,8 

.~ . "' ------.. 

250 . .... : 

oD- 500 

1000 

Sec. C. Philadelphia through Sewell to southern New Jersey. 

SECTIONS SHOWING WATER HORIZ ONS ALONG WESTERN BORDER OF COASTAL PLAIN IN NEW JERSEY 

( From Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 138, Pl. Ill.) 
BASCOM.] DEEP AND ARTESIAN WELLS. 55 

At the base of the Raritan are- heavy, yellowish white gravel and 

cobble strata. This horizon is reached by the following wells at the 

depths indicated: 

I 

Wells obtaining water frorn basal portion of Raritan forrnation. 

I 

Locality. Depth. Remarks. 

--~--~- ----------------1+1 ________ _ 

Camden: 

Ester brook well _____________ . _____ _ 

Cooper Hospital ___________________ _ 

Pumping station __________________ _ 

American Nickel Works ___________ _ 

Power house, Camden R. R. Co ____ _ 

East of City HalL _________________ _ 

United States Chemical Works. ____ _ 

County prison _____________________ _ 

Reeves Oilcloth Works, Twelfth and 

Pine streets. 

Foot of Penn street _______________ . _ 

Delair, 2-wells ___ . _____________________ _ 

Gloucester ____________________________ _ 

Do _____ .. _________________ • _______ _ 

Do ________________________________ _ 

Maple Shade __________________________ _ 

National Park, below Red Bank, on Schuylkill. 

Pavonia, at Penn,ylvania R. R, 4 -"' . j 

Philadelphia: 

Little Dock street ___________ _ 

Moore street, on Delaware _________ _ 

Riverton _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____________________ _ 

Stockton ______________________________ _ 

Washington Park, on Delaware 

Feet. 

87 Fair supply. 

129 f5,000 gallons per day. 

98 

105 

147 

72 

134 

157 

93-j76 

101,118 

275 

167 

178 

~00 gallons per minute. 

Fair supply. 

I 

375 tbundant water. 

80 

152, 174]1 

154 1 ~arge supply. 

124 I 

,:: I 

50 

125 

290 

1p gallons per minute. 

500 gallons per minute. 

F/erruginous. 

To this list should be added the wells in the southern portion of 

Philadelphia, which reach the horizon at an average depth of 130 feet 

and obtain large supplies of water. 

Interstratified with the clays of the Raritan are local beds of coarse 

sand or gravel which are water bearing. Where they occur water 

may be reached at a less depth than that of the basal beds of the 

Raritan. The following wells have obtained water from horizons in 

the Raritan above the basal beds: 
W .ATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DIST.RIOT. [No.106. 

Wells obtaining water from Raritan formation above the basal beds. 

Locality. Remarks .. 

Feet. 

Camden Pen Works·------------------- 67 

Collingswood __ --"·--- ______ -~. _ ~' ___ , __ 

Delair·---_ ... ·: .. _ ... _________________ _ 

Gloucester, 3 wells_ ---c ---- __ -.-----.---

Maple Shade . ---- ____ ---. -----.... , --,. Pavonia, 3 wells ___________ . ___________ _ 

Riverton _ . __ . _____________ .... _______ .. _ 

Stockton ... ____ ~ _ .... __ . __ . ______ . ____ . 

195 Good supply. 

75 

149_;.c162 200 gallons per minute. 

26!W300 Excellent water, 

67- 82 275 gallons pel' minute. 

50 10 gallons pet minute. 

68 125 gallons :r:er minute. 

South and east of Philadelphia many wells obtain a large amount 

of fine water from bluish white gravels at the top of the Raritan. 

'l'lte following are the wells which gain their supply from this horizon: 

Wells obtaining water from top of Raritan formation. 

Locality. Depth. Remarks. 

Feet. 

Audubon, 4t miles southeast of Kaighns 96 

Point. . 

Billingsport __ . ________ . _____________ ... 67 Rises to surface. 

Camden Dye Works, Eighth and Spruce 183 

streets. · 

United States Chemic~! Works .. ----.·--- 47 

Camden, IIadd= Ayenoo .tation, 8 w.US ~ 75 Rises to within 15 feet of 

92 surface. Water horizons 

at 75 and 92 feet. 

105 

Seventeenth and Stevens streets .. _ .... __ _ ·81 250 gallons per minute. 

Cinnaminson . ____ . _. __ c _. __ •• _. _:. _. __ • 46 450 gallons per minute. 

Clarksboro, 2 wells., ___________________ { 178 

180 

Collingswood .. ___ .. ;. ______ . ______ .. ___ .. 105 water not reported. 

.Fish House, 2 wells. ________ ......... __ . { 105 15 gallons per minute. 

119 40 gallons per minute. 

Gloucester, 13 wells .. ________________ .. 64-102. Large supply. 

'Magnolia __ : .. ________ ..... : ___________ ._ 330 

'Maple Shade ______ . ____ .... ______ ... __ _ 13o Considerable water . 

. t mile northeast of 'Mickleton - - _· -- ------

'Mickleton __ ...... ---"-~ ___ : __________ __ 

183 Water soft and good. . . 238 Good water. 

'Morris Station, 100 and more wells . ~- __ _ 50-150 From two horizons' in the 

Raritan. 

2 m,iles south of 'Mount Ephraim ... _ ... _ 134 Satisfactory. 

1 mile south of 'Mount Ephraim ..... ___ __ 215 
BASCOM.] DEEP AND ARTESIAN WELLS. 5'7 

Wells obtaining water from top of Raritan formation-Continued. 

_____________ L_o_c_a_In_Y_·~----------~I--------R_e_ma __ rk_s_. ______ _ 

Feet. 

Hedding Church. ___________ . __________ _ 

National Park below Red Bank, on Dela- ware. 

West Palmyra. 4 wells _________________ __ 

t mile west of Paulsboro _______________ . 

Paulsboro, a number of wells ____ ~ _. ___ _ 

! of a mile southeast of Pedricktown ___ _ 

. H milio norlhW"8t of Polriokto~ ... , ·1 

Philadelphia: 

Seventeenth street and Washington avenue. 

Eighth and Catherine streets _______ _ 

Point Breeze Gas Works .. _______ _ 

Atlantic Refinery.c--------- --------

Spreckles Sugar house. ______ ._. ____ _ 

Reed Street wharf ______ -..--- _______ _ 

211 

78 

30- 46 

66 

30- 60 

180 

24 

24 

24 

67 

92 

96 

56 

89 

98 

Fine well. 

1t miles east of Riverton ______________ _ 

Sewell ________________________ .. _____ · __ 

Swedesboro--~------------- ____ -------· 

117. 

420 125 gallons per minute. 

172 Good water. . 

Do-----··------------------- _______ _ 130 

Do __ ..... __________________________ _ 

Thorofare ___ ·c- _____ . ----- __________ - ---

133 15 gallons per minute. 

146 

1 mile west of Thorofare .. ______________ _ 60 

Washington Park on Delaware, 2 wells __ { 82 

92 

Wenonah ________ . ________ ..... __ ___ _ _ _ _ _ 320-341 40 gallons per minute. 

Westville ______ ------------------------ 241 Abundant water, but not 

ferruginous. 

Do _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 112 

Do~ _______________________________ . 114 

Do __________ ------------·----------- 105 

. South Westville _______ ·--· __ c_____ ____ 118 

Woodbury, several wells _______ . ______ _ 104-163 Variable amounts. 

1 mile north of Woodbury _____________ _ 68 8 gallons per minute. 

1 mile south of Woodbury ____ .. ___ .. __ , 130, 

North Woodbury ___________________ "_.. 128 

1 mile south of Woodbury ____ . ______ .. .. 130 

North Woodbury---" _______ .___________ 128 
58 WATER .RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [NO.l06. 

South an.d east of the Philadelphia district a few wells derive their 

water supply from some coarse sand and gravel beds within the Matawan and above the basal beds. The basal Matawan arid deeper horizons furnish a more satisfactory supply. The following are the wells: 

Wells obtaining water from middle portion of Matawan formation. 

Locality. Depth. Remarks. 

Feet. 

Blackwood_______________________________________ 70 

I>o___________________________________________ 68 

cnarksboro_______________________________________ 90 

t of a mile northwest of Kirkwood ______ ------ ___ . 

Lournl -·.wells------------------------- ·-1 

Maple Shade ______ . __ .. __ . ____________ . _________ _ 

i of a mile southeast of Merchantville _______ . ____ _ 

1-! miles southeast of Merchantville • _. _. __ .. _____ _ 

4 miles west of Mickleton _____________ .. _________ _ 

Newbold_ . __________ . __________ ~. ________ . ______ _ 

2 miles southeast of Paulsboro ____________ . _____ -~ 

Sewell . ______ .. _______________________ · __________ _ 

Stratford ________________________________________ . 

Thorofare . __ . ___________________ : _____________ ~ __ 

I>o __________________________________________ _ 

Wenonah Waterworks. __________________________ _ 

South Westville _________________________________ . 

Woodbury _____________________________ " _____ . __ _ 

2 miles south of Woodbury _________________ . ____ _ 

129 

73 

83 

103 

64-97 Considerable. 

65 

58 

43 Good water. 

73 

114 Satisfactory. 

342-351 Small amount. 

107 

35 Ferruginous. 

67 I>o. 

196 Satisfactory. 

59 

80 Fair fupply. 

120 Satisfactory. 

Many of the best wells in southern New Jersey obtain their water 

supply from the .Mount Laurel sands at the base of the Monmouth formation, but not many are within the Philadelphia district. Water 

from this horizon might be expected at Sewell and Wenonah, but 

none has been report,ed. 

Wells obtaining water from the base of the Monmouth. 

Feet. 

Blackwood ____ . _____________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ '10 

I>o ---------- -------------------·-- --------"-------------.---- -------" 68 

Laurel Springs, 2 wells .. __________ . __________ . ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ 73-83 

I>o ~----------------------------------------------------------------- 103 

A well at Sewell derives water from the red sand that lies between 

the Monmouth and the Rancocas formations, at a depth of 72 feet. 
BASCOM.] DEEP AND ARTESIAN WELLS. 59 

The wells listed below gain their water supply from the bryozoan 

earth within the Rancocas: 

Wells from Rancocas horizon. 

Laurel Springs __________________________________________________________ _ 

At hotel. ___ .. ______________________ · ____________ · _________________________ _ 

Laurel Springs. _________________________________________________________ _ 

Laurel Springs: 

Feet. 

45 

'73 

48 

7 wells ____________________________________________ . _________________ 48-56 

6 wells --· ___________________________________________________________ 48-50 

No wells have been reported at the base of the Tertiary in the Philadelphia district. This and other Tertiary horizons are exceedingly 

important elsewhere in southeastern New Jersey. 

Following. is an alphabetical list of artesian wells em bracing all 

geologic horizons in the Coastal Plain of the Philadelphia district. It 

was compiled from the well records in the reports of the geological 

survey of New Jersey, 1878-1902. 

Deep wells in Coastal Plain of the Philadelphia district. 

Location. 

Capac- Height of 

Depth Bore ity;per water above Geologic horizon. · · mm- (+)orbelow 

Audubon, 4t miles south- east of Kaighns Point, 

Camden. 

Feet. 

96 

Barnsboro ---------------- 110 

Do--------------------- 170 

Near Barnsboro ------ ___ _ 

In northwest of Barnsbora. 

Billingsport --------------

Blackwood .... ---------.---

140 

'318~ 

67 

70 

Camden ....... ------------ 68 

Ins. 

6 

ute. ( -) curb. 

Gals. 

42 

Feet. 

Top of Raritan ___ _ 

: } 54 -------------- BasalMatawan .... 

3 35o -------------- ..... do--------------

4 70 -------------- _____ do--------------

3 -------- Surface .... InRaritan ________ _ 

3 -------- -------------- ----------------------

3 -------- -------------- Top of Matawan ... 

Remarks. 

Esterbrook Pen Co.__ 62-87 __ 6 70 -5, _________ Basal Raritan _____ Clay particles 

Cooper HospitaL..... 129 6 - 16 -16 _________ ..... do-------------· 

Camden Ice Co., 2 152 

wells. 

8 150 -------------- _____ do--------------

Camden pumping · station. 

Front and Elm streets 

Seventh and Kaighn avenue. 

112 6 -------- ______________ , _____ do--------------

1151! 3 ---------------------- .Gneissat95feet ... 

90i, ------ -------- -------------- ----------------------

in water. 

Do ....... ---------- 101!. ______ -------- -------------- Raritan------------ Satisfactory. 

Haddon Avenue sta- tion. 

Do ________________ _ 

Do ________________ _ 

American Nickel 

Works. 

Foot of Cooke street, 

ammonia works. 

· Power. house, CamdenR.R. Co. 

East of City Hall. ___ _ 

United States Chemical Works. 

pq_-..... ·--- __ . __ • ., ••• 

75 2 -------- -------------- ---------------- ------

92 2 -------- -15 ......... Water at 75 to 92 

105 2 -------- --------------

105 6 -------- Tide leveL 

105 ------ -------- --------------

feet. 

Basal Matawan .... 

Basal Raritan after 

86 feet in gneiss. 

Water at 59 to 62 

feet, basal Rari- tan. 

147 6 -------- -------------- Basal Raritan-----

72 4t -------- ------ .. c .......... do--------------

134 ------ -------- -------------- Upper Raritan ___ _ 

~7 ····-- -------- -------------- -----------------····· 
60 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELl'Hl.A DISTRICT. [No.106. 

Deep wells in O()astal Plain of the Philadelphia district....,-Continued. 

Location. 

. Capac- Height of · 

Depth Bore ityper water above Geol_ogic horizon. · · mm- (+)orbelow 

Camden~Continued. 

County prison--.------

Reeve's Oilcloth 

Works, Twelfth 

and Pine stteets, 

Foot of Penn street __ 

Seventeenth and Ste- vens streets. 

Camden Dye Works; Eighth and Spruce streets. 

Cinnaminson-------------

-. · Clarksboro --------------- D<) __________________ . __ _ 

Collingswood, ___________ : 

Cramer HiU Ferry-------

Do. ________ ------------

. Do.-·------------------

-Delair, north of., .... ___ _ 

Do.------ ____ --·-------

Do Do .. ---·--------------- ____________________ _ 

Do ____________________ _ 

Fish house, 2 wells :. ----- { 

Gloucester----.----------· 

Feet.· ins. 

157 6 

76 

81 

8 

42 

ute. (-) curb. 

Gal$. Feet. 

16 --------------

000 

250 

In gneiss,· basal 

Raritan. 

In Raritan, proba- bly basal. 

B•sal Raritim ..... ~ · hl Raritan ________ _ 

183. 6 ----------------------.: ... do _______ -------

46 6 450 -------------- Basal Matawan. ___ _ 

90 ------ -------- -------------- Matawim ----------

180 3 70 -------------- Top of RaritO.n ___ _ 

1116 ------ -------- -------------- In Barttan ________ _ 

116 ---------------------------- ••••. do _____________ _ 

115 6 , •. , .... Surface ____ In gneiss ....... ___ _ 

126 6 ---·------------------- _____ do _____________ _ 

78 __ _. ___ -------- -4() _________ In Rari~n ____ . ____ _ 

118 ------ ---------------------- _____ do _____________ _ 

188 ------ -------- -------------- In gneiss ..... ------

101 ------ ---------------------- .•••• do--------------

162 ------ -------- -------------- In _Raritan ________ _ 

~~ : , : :::::::::::::: }-----do ......• c ..••• 

270 

Gloucester, 7 wells------- 67-96 ---rl Basal Matawan ..... 

-~BasalRarits.n _____ _ 

Gloucester, 3 we:jls ....... 149--162 

:Gloucester, &wells_, _____ 60-100 

.Gloucester, 3 welis ------- ~ 

Glouceilter ______ ---------- 161 

DO--------------------- 97 Do ____________ -________ _ 

Do _____________________ · 

Hedding._J_ mile sonth of 

Mount .l!.iphraim. 

178 

82 

215 

650 +1--~------- In Raritan ____ ~----

Basal Matawan ... : . In Raritan ________ _ 

-8 

8 --------~overflows. ·elRari~n ______ . 

-------- Tidal rise -Top of Ral'ltan ----

8 -------- _ f~c~~~.18 BasalRarit:an _____ _ 

8 -------- · TopofRal'ltan ---- S -------- _______ : ______ Basal Matawan_-__ _ 

Remarks. 

Hedding Church--------- _ .. 211 

MerchantVilieWaterCo., 1.24,-141 

70 -------------- •.••. do-------------- Fine weli. 

6 

Jordantown (4 wells): . 100 --------------·Raritan------.: .... Very satisfactory. 

Kirkwood, t- mile north- 129 west. 

Laurel Spl'ings: 

7 wells Ii.artheast of 48-M · railroad. 

6 wells southwest of r~oad. · 

2 wails---------------- 73-83 

1 wen_________________ 103 

Laurel Springs___________ 45 

8 46 -------------- Top of Matawan ... 

8 -------- -------------- In Rancocas-----·--

3 --------------~~--------____ :do----------~-:-

_3 -------- .,,--•-.-------- Top of Matawa11. ... 

8 111 , .... : ••••..••.•••• do--------------

3 10 -------------- In Rancocas, bryo- • ,zoan earth. · At hoteL __________________ · 

Laurel Springs: ______ ~---

_78 ------ -------- -------------- In Rancocas-------

148 8 18 --~----------- ..... do---------------

·Magnolia _ --~--- ------ ___ _ 330 ------ ____ ._, __ ------- -·------- In Raritan'--------

Ma:p.tua •.•• ::. ----- ·------ 1115 3 10 -------------- Basal Matawan ...• 

.Near }!:erchantVille~----- 130 ------ -------- ...,41) _________ Matawan---------- Not very satisfactory. 

2t miles southwest of 

Merchantville, s. F. 

·Starr. 

ll51 Raritan------------
BASCOM.] DEEP .AND .ARTESIAN WELLS. 61 

Deep wells in Coastal Plain of the Philadelphia district-Continued. 

Location. h B ityper water above I 

Capac- Height of 

Dept · ore. mm- ( +) or below 

ute. (-)curb. ----------------

i mib southeast of Merchantville. 

Feet. 

65 

Ins. Gals. Feet. 

Geologic horizon. 

In Matawan'------

1} miles southeast of Mer- 58 ...... ---------------------- _____ do _____________ _ chantville. 

Mickleton ................ . 

4 miles west of Mickleton. 

t mile northeast of Mickleton. 

238 

43 

183 

Morris station wells, 1()() aU-150 

and more. 

3 

3 

3 

61 

14 

45 

--------------

--------------

----·---------

Tide level; 

pulsates 

with tides. 

Basal Matawan ____ 

In Matawan-------

Top of Raritan ____ 

From 2 horizons in 

Raritan. 

Remarks. 

Goodwater. 

Soft and good. 

·Mount Ephraim------ ___ _ 13~ L ••••• -------- -------------- Basal Matawan ____ Satisfactory. 

Mount Ephraim, t mile 

distant. 

80 --------------------·------- _____ do.............. Do. 

Mount Ephraim, 2 miles 

south. 

National Park below 

Red Bank,on Delaware. 

Do:c ....•.............. 

Newbold .... : ....... _____ _ 

2 miles east-southeast of 

West Palmyra, 4 wells. 

Paulsboro ........ _____ ... . 

Paulsboro, numbet• of 

wells. 

t mile west of Paulsboro_ 

3!- miles southwest of 

Paulsboro, E. G. Miller. 

Pavonia ......... ·----------

3wells. ____________ .... 

1·welL. ...... ____ ------

Do ................ . 

Pavonia. ----- ____________ . 

PennsylvaniaR.R ....... . 

134 

78 

80 

73 

30-46 

114 

30--60 

66 

192 

152 

67--82 

174 

44 -------------- _____ do--------------

3 48 -------------- In Raritan ________ _ 

6 ---------------------- BasalRaritan ..... . 

4 12 -------------- In Matawan .•..... 

...... -------- ...... ________ In Pleistocene and 

Raritan. 

4 -------- -------------- In Matawan-------

In Raritan---------

16 ____ ---------- ..... do--------------

Raritan_· __________ _ 

Basal Raritan_· ____ _ 

275 -------------- InRaritan ........ . 

-----' .-------- ----·-·--------- BasalRalllltan ....•. 

112 ------ -------- -------------- To crystalline rock 

154 6--56 22l -------------- Basal Raritan ..... . 

124 2be- 22t -------------- _____ do--------------

low. 

Pedricktown_____________ 180 2 30 -------------- ----------------------

t mile solltheast ------ 24 3 6 -------------- InRaritan ________ _ 

1-l miles northwest___ 24 3 ----------------------· _____ do _____________ _ 

Do.................. 24 .3 -------• -----·--------- ••••• do ............. . 

Philadelphia: 

Foot of Tioga street, 

5 wells. 

Little Dock street .... 

Seventeenth and 

Washingtonavenue, 

Consumers' Ice Co. 

EighthandCath(trine 

Moore Street wharf 

onDelaware,Baugh 

Phosphate Co. 

PointBreezegasworks 

Atlantic Refinery, Point Breeze. 

Do----------------

C5 8 -------- ______________ Alluvium, Raritan. 

clays; gneiss n<>t reached.. .. 

96 ------ -------- -------------- BasalRaritan _____ _ 

67 ------ -------- -25 -------- Raritan------------

92 ...••• ____ .......••• ·------- ..... do ............•. 

150 3 ..••.... Tide leveL. Basal.Raritan ...•.• 

96 ---------------------------- Raritan .......••... 

56 ------ ---------------------- ....• do- _____________ _ 

89 ------ -------- -------------- ----------------------

Do. 

Do. 

United States Navy- Yat·d, League Island 

600 25 -------------- Alluvium and Rat·- Satisfactory; 

Do----------------

Do., several tests for. 

900 10 79--260 

4 -------- --------------

itan. to gneiss,270; in gneiss,330. Raritan, 79-260; 

gneiss, 260--906. 

Alluvium, and 

Pleistocene. 
62 WATER RESOuRCES OF 'PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No.lo6. 

Deep wells in Coastal Plain of the Philadelphia district-Continued. 

Location. 

Capac- Height of 

Depth Bore ityper wat.erabove Geologic hodzon. · • mm- (+)orbel6W ute. ( ~) curb. 

Feet. Ins. G.als. Feet. 

Philadelphia-:"-Continued._ 

Hog Island, Delaware 

River. Alluvium---·-~-----

Spreckels's sugar house, Reed Street 

wharf. 

tl8 _ ----- ____________ ---------- ln R&ritan ---------

Near Grays Fen·r, 

southern Philadel- phia. . 

6 -------- -------------- ----------------------

Fifteenth and Qal- Iowhill streets. 26 ------ -------- -------------- ----------------------

Fidelity Building, 46 

Broad street, near Arch. 

8 ---·--·- -------------- - ---------------------- . 

Do---------·-·-------- 42 10 000 -------------- Pleistocenesand(?) Riverton .... ______________ 50 10 -------------- In Raritan ....... .. 

It miles ll&at of Riverton. 117 69 -------------- ..... do------------·-

Remarks. 

Sewall------------------~- 420 3 25 .. ____ .. __ .... Basal Matawan____ Also water in 

South Westvilie __ ._______ 118 

Do -------'-----.--- ____ 59. 

4 23 -------------- ..... do ____________ __ 

8 -------- __ ------------ In Matawan-------

Redbank at 'T2feetandm 

Matawan at· ss1-3115 feet. 

Swedesboro-------------- 172 3 ________ -'------------ Basal Matawan .... Good. 

Do----------------·--- 100 6 15 Overflows_ Top of Raritan' ___ _ 

Do ---- ------ ---- --.---- 138 6 15 ____ .d!J ______ ..... do--------------

Do _______________ :____ 138 6 15 " .... do .......... c.do ......... J._---

Do----------------____ 70 3 15 ..... do------ Basal Raritan----· 

Thorofare __________ :_____ 35 2i -------- -----------··' In Matawan,------ Ferruginous.· 

Do---------------··---- 146 3 ________ ---------- ..... BaSal Matawan.. ... 

Do--------------------" 67 2i ........ -------------- In Matawan .. ,.... Do. 

1 mile west of Thorofare. 

Tomlins ..... --------------

Washington Park o,n Delaware. , 

Do-----~-------------­

Do--------------------

Wenonah-----------------

Westville.------_---------

Do .... ·.---------------- Do _____________ -------- Do. __________ : _________ _ 

South Westville _________ _ 

Do ....... --------------

lmilesouthotWOodbury 

Woodbury-------- c ______ _ 

. Do.-------·------•-----

Do~--'--- --------------

{)0 ..... c ... ------------

Do _______ --------.. ------ Do ..... __________ ., ___ __ 

Woodbury,! mile norih .. 

Woodbury, 2milessouth. 

North Wood]>nry ---- ___ _ 

60 ------ -------- -------------- Basal Matawan .. .. 

1m .3 40 c----------•-- Top of Raritan .. .. 

-82· -----· -------- -------------- Basal Matawan .. .. 

92 ------ -----~---------------- ..... do--·-----------

290 ______ -------- Tide leveL. Basal Rat•itan ____ _ 

341 ______________ -40 -------- Basal Matawan .. .. 

112 6 i5 -·------------ Basal Mata.wan ... c 

114 6 ---------------------- ..... do ____________ __ 

105 a 36 -----·-------·- ..... do --•----·------

~1 6 -----~-- -----'-------- In Raritan ... : ..... 

·118 

59. 

130 

4 23 ---.----------- Basal Matawan .... 

a.-------- -------------- In. Matawan-------

Basal Matawan ... -' 

Do. 

Abundant 

water, but 

of red color. 

80· ______ -------- -------------- ~Matawan------- Fair supply. 

163 4t -------· ---·---------- Ba,ssJ. Matawan ... _. Few . 132 4t 2 -------------- ..... do ______________ · 

113 2i ........ -19 -'------ ..... do .. , ..... ------ ;Fair l!"\lPPly. 

142 8 -50 -------- --~--do .... ------... !. 

186 ...... ----·---.- ----·---------· ..... do-·-·----------

68 4_ 8 :...10 -------- ..... do--~-----~: ___ 

120 

128 4 28 --------------

In Matawan ... : ... 

Basal Matawan .... 
BAscoM.] WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. 63 

PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES. 

'fhe consumption of water by the cities and towns of the Philadelphia district is enormous, that of Philadelphia being said to surpass 

in per capita any other city in the United States. In the absence of 

conditions favorable to storage it is natural.that the rivers should be 

resorted to by the larger communities. In the smaller towns and villages, however, where the demand is not so great, wells and springs 

sometimes constitute the principal supplies. 

In the area of the crystalline rocks in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 

and all considerable towns in the outskirts of Philadelphia, except 

Chester, Media, Tacony, Holmes burg, and Torresdale, are supplied by 

the Philadelphia bureau of water, the Springfield Water Company, 

and the North Springfield Water Company. The towns of Norristown 

and Ambler, in the belt of Triassic rocks, obtain their supplies from 

the Schuylkill River and from springs in the Norristown sandstone, 

respectively. In the Coastal Plain, Camden, Riverton, Palmyra, 

Newoolu, Paulsboro, and other towns obtain their supplies mainly 

from artesian wells. 

PHILADELPHIA AND SUBURBS. 

PHILADELPHIA BUREAU OF WATER. 

Philadelphia, Falls of Schuylkill, Manayunk, Roxboro, Chestnut 

Hill (in part), Mount Airy, Germantown, Frankford, Bridesburg, 

Wissinoming, and the intervening areas are supplied with water by 

the bureau of water of Philadelphia. 

Water is pumped from the Schuylkill at five stations: (1) The Roxboro station, above Flat Rock dam; 1 mile southwest of Roxboro and 

north of Manayunk; (2) Queen Lane station, just north of Queen 

Lane; (3) Belmont station, at the bridge of the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York division; (4) Spring Garden; and (5) Fairmount station, at Fairmount dam. Water is also pumped from the Delaware 

at Frankford station, one-half mile northeast of the mouth of Wissinoming Creek. From these points it is pumped to reservoirs at Roxboro, Queen Lane, Fairmount Park, and Frankford, whence it has 

been distributed without filtration. A comprehensive system of plain 

sand filters is now being introduced. There are three plants, located 

at Roxboro, Bala (Belmont and City Line avenues), and Torresdale. 

Torresdale is situated on the Delaware at the mouth of Poquessing 

Creek, 2 miles northeast of Liddonfield and 1-k miles beyond the limits 

of the Philadelphia district. At Torresdale water is to be taken from 

the Delaware, and after being passed through 65 sand filters is to be 

carried in a rock tunnel, 10 feet 7 inches in diameter and 100 feet 

below the surface, to Robbins street, Tacony, whence it is to be distributed to the Philadelphia district. The Roxboro district, comprisIRR 106-04--5 
64 W .A.TER RESOURCES Olf PHIL.A.Dli:LPHIA DISTRICT. [N0.106. 

ing Roxboro, Manayunk, Chestnut Hill, Mount Airy, and Germantown 

(in part), is now supplied from the Roxboro filter plant, which is 

completed and in operation. The Queen Lane district, including the 

l~alls of Schuylkill and Germantown (in part), Philadelphia, and the 

towns lying between Philadelphia and Torresdale, will be supplied 

from the Torresdale plant, which will not be in operation before 1906; 

while Overbrook and West Philadelphia are to be supplied from the · 

Belmont plant, which will be completed this year. 

The -combined capacity of the filters is 320,000,000 gallons, or 

30,000,000 gallons more than the capacity.of the Croton Aqueduct. 

At present the per capita consumption of water in New York is 120 

gallons daily, while in Philadelphia it is 229 gallons. 

Under the present system there is pumped from the Schuylkill 

River for the city supply a daily average of 283,429,000 gallons, while 

the Delaware River furnishes 30,160,000 gallons, making a total of 

313,589,000 gallons; thus the Schuylkill River furnishes over 90 per 

cent and the Delaware River the remainder. Under the new system 

the Schuylkill River will furnish about 20 per cent of the water consumed and the Delaware River 80 per cent. 

The following tables, compiled from the report of Mr. John W. Hill, 

chief engineer of the bureau of filtration, indicate the r~lative merits 

of the two streams as a source of city water supply. 

Turbidity in 1902, in parts per 1,000,000, by the silica standard. 

M . M'. I A 

-------------------------------------l--a_x_tm_u_m_._1 __ tn __ t_m_u_m_.l __ '_·e_ra_g_e._ 

DelawareRiver _______ ------------------------- 460 :I 

Schuylkill River ____________ ... _________________ 1,100 

53 

100 

Bacteria per cubic centimeter in 1902. 

------------------------------------1 

Delaware River ___________ .. __________ .... ______ _ 

Schuylkill River _______________________________ _ 

Maximum. M.inimum.j Average. 

24,000 

86,000 

550 1 6, 405 

630 I 14, 160 

Hardness, equivalent to calcium carbo~wte. 

Delaware River _____________________ . _____ . ___ .. 

Schuylkill River ____________________ . __________ . 

Maximum. Minimum. Average. 

94 

124 I 

51 

87 
BASCO~L] PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES. 65 

Color ty the platinum-cobalt standard. 

Maximum. M .. I 

Immum.l Average. 

~~~~~~~~~~~---~~~~~-- ~~~-1~~~-~~~~--

Delaware River ___________ . _____ .... ____________ 0. 40 

Schuylkill River __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ 0. 22 

0.10 1 

0.04 i 

0.19 

0.09 

ThPse data are favorable to the Delaware River in all respects 

except color. The color of the water of the Delaware is due to the 

vegetable stain brought to it by some of its southern New Jersey 

t.ributaries. While it will probably not be removed by sand filters, 

it is not, on the other hand, known to be inimical to health. 

SPRINGFIELD WATER COMPANIES. 

The Springfield ·water Company and the North Springfield Water 

Company, under the control of the American Pipe Manufacturing 

Company, supply most of the suburban districts with water. · 

All towns north of the Delaware and between Cobbs and Crum 

creeks, including Eddystone (west of Crum Creek), are supplied by 

the Springfield Water Company. The northern boundary of the area 

supplied by it extends from its reservoir, 1 mile southwest of Marple, 

eastward along the State road to Lansdowne avenue, thence northwest to Llanerch and to the junction of the Haverford and City Line 

roads, and east to the Schuylkill River. The towns along the main 

line of the Pennsylvania Railroad as far as Glen I~och, 25.3 miles from 

Philadelphia, are supplied by the Springfield and North Springfield 

Water companies, also the towns east of the main line-Conshoc 

hocken, Chestnut Hill (in part), Oreland, Glenside, Jenkintown (in 

part), Oak Lane, and the intervening towns. Bryn Mawr is on the 

dividing line between the northern portion of this district, which is 

supplied with water by the North Springfield Water Company, and 

the southern portion, which is supplied chiefly by the Springfield 

Water Company. 

SPRINGFIELD WATER COMPANY. 

The Springfield Water Company takes its water from Crum Creek 

1-.! miles northeast of Media, in the township of Springfield. The 

water is first coagulated with aluminum sulphate and passPd into a 

sedimentation basin with 10,000,000 gallons capacity. From this basin 

it is passed into suction wells, and from these wells the water is pumped 

into six pressure filters, which have a capacity of 500,000 gallons each 

and which are rinsed out daily. There ».re reservoirs at Marple (321 

feet above tide), at Secane (243.5 feet above tide), and at Overbrook 

(201 feet above tide), with capacities of 2,000,000, 4,000,000, and 

3,000,000 gallons, respectively. The pumping station on Crum Creek 
66 W .ATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [NO.l06. 

has never been worked to its full capacity. The consumption of 

water at present does not exceed 2,000,000 gallons in twenty-four hours. 

NORTH SPRINGFIELD WATER COMPANY. 

The North Springfield 'Vater Company takes its water from Pickering Creek, near its mouth. Here are located a pumping station, 

a sedimentation basin, and filters. There are three filters-one slow 

sand filter, covering one-half an acre, with a capacity of 1,500,000 

Rallons, and two gravity mechanical filters with a combined capacity 

of 2,500,000 gallons. The wat.er is first- pumped to a 10,000,000-gallon 

sedimentation reservoir, located across the creek from the pumping station. Froin the sedimentation basin the water gravitates through the 

filter plant to a 1,500,000-gallonclear-water basin and thence is pumped 

to the distributing reservoirs by means of two high-duty fly-wheel 

pumping engines. The three distributing reservoirs connected with 

this system are located at Diamond Roek (620 feet above tide), in the 

north Chester Valley hills, at a point about 1 mile southwest of Valley 

Forge on the same hills (586 feet above tide), and at Devon (549 feet 

above tide), with capacities, respectively, of 1,000,000, 2,000,000, and 

4,000,000 gallons. There are standpipes also at Bryn Mawr (531 fe.et 

above tide), at .Ardmore (400 feet above tide), at Conshohocken {246 

feet above tide), at Chestnut Hill (505 feet above tide), and at Oak 

Lane (315 feet above tide). Tnere are three artesian wells under the 

control of the North Springfield Water Company which can act as 

a reserve supply. One at Bryn Mawr, 560 feet deep, will furnish 

120,000 gallons in twenty-four hours.· Two at Oak Lane, 340 feet 

deep, will furnish 300,000 gallons in twenty-four hours. The water 

has a hardness of 5.5 in the Bryn ]\l[awr well and of 5.29 in t.he Oak 

Lane wells. This means 5.5 parts of carbonate of lime in 100,000. 

The eonsumption of water in this system does not exceed 2,000,000 

gallons daily, while the sedimentation basin has a capacity of 10,000,-

000 gallons. There are over 300 miles of pipe undt"r the control of 

the American Pipe Manufacturing Company, and that company is 

prepared to supply a much more densely populated district with 

abundant water. 

The following analysis of the filtered water of Pickering Creek, 

made by M. P. Ravenel, State bacteriologist, shows it to be potable 

water: 

Analysis of water of Pickering Creek. 

Percent. 

Free ammonia __ . _____________________ , _____________________ c _ •. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0. 08 

Nitrogen as nitrates ______________________________________________ . _. _ _ _ _ 1. 33 

Chlorine as chlora tes. __________ .. _. _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. 00 

Alkalinity in terms ofCarbonate of lime _________________ .. ____________________________________ 37.36 

Hardness in terms ofCarbonateoflime ___________________ . ------------------------------------ 41.60 

Number of bacteria exceedingly low. 
iBASCOM.] PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES. 67 

The analysis of Crum Creek water taken from the spigots is equally 

favorable. 

INDEPENDENT COMPANIES. 

Tacony, Holmesburg, and Torresdale, in the 'fhirty-fifth and Fortyfirst wards of Philadelphia, are supplied with water by a private company. The plant, which is owned by the Holmesburg Water Company and operated by the Disston Water Company as lessee, is located 

in Holmesburg near the mouth of Sandy Run. This little stream 

has its source in Fox Chase, is fed by springs along its course, and 

empties into the Pennypack at Holmesburg, somewhat more than 2 

miles north of the Delaware. A mechanical system of filtration is in 

use, installed by the New York Cont-inental Jewell Filtration Company and possessing a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons per day. 

·CHESTER. 

The water supply for the city of Chester is taken from the Delaware River. It is pumped to a point 4 miles from Chester, to two 

reservoirs having a capacity of 8,000,000 gallons each. After it has 

settled it is passed through mechanical filters to a clear-water basin. 

MEDIA. 

The water department of the borough of Media supplies the city of 

Media with water. This company takes its water from Ridley Creek. 

The water is pumped through two sand filters to a reservoir and standpipe, whence it is supplied to the town. This plant furnishes 1,500,000 

gallons every twenty-four hours. 

NORRISTOWN. 

Norristown is supplied with water by the Norristown Water Company. This company obtains its water supply from the Schuylkill. 

The pipes are laid under the river and draw their supply from the 

channel south west of the island opposite Norristown. In this way contamination from Stony Creek, which carries the drainage of the State 

insane asylum, is avoided. The water is first pumped into a small 

settling basin, where it is coagulated by means of aluminum sulphate. 

It then filters by gravity through a 5,000,000-gallon filter plant and 

}lasses into a clear-water basin, from which it is pumped to the distributing reservoir located on the hill north of Norristown. This reservoir has a capacity of 11,000,000 gallons. 

LANSDALE. 

I~ansdale obtains its water supply from two artesian wells, connected with a standpipe having a capacity of 38,000 gallons. The system is owned by the Lansdale \Vater Company. 
68 WATER RESOURCES OF PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT. [No. 106. 

AMBLER. 

The Ambler SpringWater Company, which supplies Ambler, obtains 

very pure water from a large number of springs issuing from a· sandstone bed of the Norristown formation. These springs furnish several hundred million gallons per annum. In addition, a large spring 

in a quarry in the Norristown formation is used, which yields about 

15,000 gallons.per hour. 

CAMDEN. 

For many years (since about 1853) Camden took its water from the 

Delaware River, southeast of Petty Island. The pumping station 

was located at Pavonia, northeast of the month of Cooper Creek. 

Because of the increasing impurity of the water the supply became 

very unsatisfactory, and in 1897 and 1898 more than 100artesian wells 

were sunk near Mortis station, which yield an abundance of pure 

water. These wells obtain their supply from two horizons within 

the Raritan. The deeper wells probably reach the base of the Raritan. All the wells are furnished with bottom strainers. A pumping 

. station is established at this point, and over 20,000,000 gallons of water 

can be obtained every twenty~fonr hours. 

RIVERTON AND PALMYRA. 

The Riverton and Palmyra Water Company, which supplies these 

two towns, obtains its water from a dug well, 15 feet deep, near the 

Delaware River. The well is sunk in gravel and intercepts the water 

on its way to the river. This well yields 300,000 to 500,000 gallons per 

day and is estimated to have a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons per day. 

HADDONFIELD. 

The water supply of Haddonfield is obtained from a small tributary . 

to the North Branch of Cooper Creek. This stream is fed by springs 

and furnishe~ 500,000 gallons per twenty-four hours. The water is 

pumped from a reservoir to a standpipe, whence it is distributed without filtration. 

NEWBOLD AND WESTVILLE. 

Newbold and Westville are supplied by the Westville-Newbold 

Water Company, which obtains water from three artesian wells, each 

160 feet deep. 

PAULSBORO. 

Paulsboro obtains its water supply from artesian wells 65 feet deep, 

which yield 350 gallons per minute. No filter plant is required. The 

water is <'lear, colorless, and odorless, and analysis shows it to be 

remarkably pure. 
BASCOM,] PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES. 69 

OTHER TOWNS. 

Water supply, consumption, etc., in 'other to'W'f/,8, 

Town. Water supply. Popula-1 Daily con- Treatment 

tion. snm:ption. of water. 

Gallons. 

Gloucester _______________ ·----- Open wells .. --- 6,564 1,000,000 None. 

Merchantville .. _______ . ____ .~ .. _ Springs-------- 1,225 150,000 Do. 

Red Bank·----· ________________ ·Open wells----- 4,125 150,000 Also tube 

wells. 

Wenonah---·-----------· _______ ..... do--------- 500 25,000 Do. 

Woodbury _____________________ Mantua Creek __ 8,911 225,500 Do. 

... 

INDEX. 

Algonkian rocks, occurrence of ____ _ 

Almonesson Creek, New Jersey, water power on ___________ _ 

Ambler, Pa., springs at and near ___ _ water supply of _____________ _ wells at_ _______ :_ __________ . __ 

Ambler Spring Water Company, 

plant of--------~---­

American Pipe Manufacturing Com· 

pany, water systems 

owned bY------------

Analysis of Pickering Creek water __ 

Atlantic coast, top;,graphic d.ivislons 

of -----------------

Page. 

13 

47 

68 

63,68 

53 

68 

64,66 

66 

11 

Audubon, N. J., wells at and near_ __ 56, 50 

Bala, Pa., ftltra.tlon plant at -----,-- 63 

Baltimore gneiss, occurrence and 

character of --------- Barnesboro, N. J., wells at and near_ 

Belfry, Pa., well at--------------- Belmont, Pa., pumping station at_ __ 

Big Timber Creek, New Jersey, char· 

13 

59 

53 

63,64 

acter of_____________ 42 

dratnage of __________________ 43,44 

fiow of ______________________ 43,44 

water power on ----------- 44, 46, 47 

watershed of, area, forest, and 

population on _______ _ 

Billingsport, wells at -------------

Blackwood, N. J., wells at--------- Bridesburg, Pa., water supply of ___ _ 

Bridgeport, Pa., well at ----------- Browers, Pa., rainfall at_ _________ _ 

Brunswick shale, equivalents of_ ___ _ 

Bryn Mawr, Pa., water supply of __ _ wells at and near ____________ _ 

Buck Ridge, Pa., rocks of_ ________ _ 

Cambrian rocks, occurrence and char- acter of ____________ _ 

Cambro-Ordovician rocks, occurrence 

45 

56,59 

58,59 

63 

53 

34 

15 

65 

50,66 

13,14 

13 

and character of----- 13 

Camden, N. J., water supply of-____ 63, 68 

wells aL-~--~------ 54, 55, 56, 59, 68 

Camp Hill, rocks of---~----------- 13 

Carter, C. S., acknowledgments to___ 11 

Chelten Hills, Pa., well at_________ 51 

Chester, Pa., water supply of_______ 67 

Chester atlas sheet, part of, Philadelphia district shown 

on ----------------- Chester Creek, Pennsylvania, drainage and character of__ rocks of ____________________ _ 

Chester Valley hills, Pennsylvania, 

rocks of------~------ wells on ____________________ _ 

9 

23-24 

13 

13 

50 

Page. 

Chester Valley limestone, occurrence 

and .character of----- 13 

wells In_____________________ 49 

Chestnut Branch, New Jersey, water power on ___________ _ 

Chestnut lllll, Pa., water supply of _ 

Chickies quartzite, occurrence and 

character of --------- wells In ____________________ _ 

47 

63,65 

13 

49 

Cinnaminson, N. J., .. wella at------- 56, 60 

ciarkesboro, N. J., wells at _____ 56, 58, 60 

Coastal Plain, drainage of______ 13, 42-45 

geologic formations In -------- 54 

location, extent, and limits of-_ 13 

portion of Philadelphia district on__________________ 11 

water horizons of, diagram 

showing ------------ 54 

list of___________________ 54 

water power of -------------- 46-48 wells In _____________________ 54-62 

Codman, J. E., acknowledgments to _ 9 

cited on Pennsylvania creeks___ 27 

cited on Perkiomen Creek______ 36 

cited on Schuylkill River ------ 32 

cited on Wlssahickon Creek____ 40 

Cobbs Creek. See Cobbs-Darby Creek. 

Cobbs-Darby Creek, Pennsylvania, character of _________ 23-24 

Cold Point Hills, Pennsylvania, rocks 

of ----------------- 13 

Collingswood, N. J., wells at------~ 56, 60 

Conshohocken, Pa., water supply 

of --~-------------- 65 

Cooper Creek, New Jersey, char- acter of ____________ _ 

drainage of _________________ _ 

fiow of _____________________ _ 

water power on -------------- watershed of, area, forest, and 

population on _______ _ 

Cooper Creek· (North Branch), drain42 

42 

42-43 

46 

45 

age of ---'----------- 42 

fiow of---~------------------ 42 water pow.er on ___________ 42-43,.46 

water supply from____________ 68 

Counties in Philadelphia district, list 

of ----------------- Cramer Hlll Ferry, N. J., well at ---

Cream Valley, fault in------------

Cretaceous rocks, occurrence of ____ _ 

Croton, N.Y., basin of, data concern- Ing ___________ ~-----

Crum Creek, Pennsylvania, drainage 

9 

54 

14 

13 

41 

and character of _____ 23-24 

fiow of---------------------- 24-26 

71 
·72 INDEX. 

Page.~ 

Crum Creek, water of, character oL_. 67 

water of, treatment of_______ 65 

water supply from _________ 26, 65-66 

Crystalline rocks, area of, topograc 

phy of______________ 14 

occurrence and character oL ___ 13-14 

Darby Creek. See Cobbs-Darby 

Creek. 

Darton, N. H., acknowledgments to _ 10-11 

cited on rocks of Philadelphia 

district ------------- 15 

Delair, N. J., wells at ---~--~ 54, 55, 56, 60. 

Delaware, counties of, In Philadelphia district_________ 9 

Delaware River, account oL------- 21-31 

comparison of Schuylkill and ___ . 63 

fiow of---------------------- 23 

length and depth of___________ 21 

pollution oL----------------- 22 

rise and fall of_______________ 22 

tributaries of------------- 23, 27, 42 account of _______________ 23-31 

tributaries of, between Camden 

and Brighton, fiow oL 43 

valley of, elevation of__'_______ 21 

well& In _______________ .:._ 54-62 

water of, bacteria in ---------- 63 

calcium carbonate In______ 63 

color of_.:._______________ 64 

turbidity of--------------~ 63 

water power from-----------~ 22 

watershed oL________________ 21 

evaporation on ___________ 24-26 

lands"of _________________ 21-22 · 

population of ___ _: ________ 21-22 

maps showing limits oL___ 10 

rainfall on ----- 24--27, 28--31, 35 

run-off from _______ 24-26, 28--31 

water supply from ____________ 22, 67 

Delaware-Schuylkill divide, elevation 

of ----------------- 21 

location of__________________ 23 

Devon, Pa., reservoir at___________ 66· 

Diamond Rock, Pa., reservoir at____ 66 

Dllkesboro Branch, New Jersey, wa- ter power on_________ 47 

Dlsston Water Company, plant operated by____________ 67 

Doylestown, Pa., rainfall at________ 35 

Easton, Pa., rainfall at____________ 35 

Eddystone, Pa., water supply of____ 65 

Edge Hlll, Pa., rocks of____________ 13 

well aL--------------------- 49 

Edwards Run, New Jersey, water power on ___________ _ 

Evaporation on Delaware watershed ---------.------ on Neshaminy Creek watershed_ 

on Perkiomen Creek watershed_ 

Fairmount, Pa., pumping station at_ · 

Fairmount Pat·k, Pa., reservoir at_ __ 

Falls of Schuylkill, Pa., water supply of -------------- Filtration 1n Philadelphia district --

47 

24--26 

31 

39 

63 

63 

63 

63-67 

Flourtown, Pa., well near _________ _ 

Fordham gneiss, occurrence and 

character of --------- Fort Washington, Pa., well near_ __ _ 

Frankford, Pa., reservoir at_ ______ _ water supply of _____________ _ 

Frederick, Pa., stream :flow aL ____ _ 

Geological survey of New Jersey, ac, 

knowledgments to ---- cited on Coastal Plain wells __ _ 

cited on Delaware River ______ _ 

cited on Delaware River tribuPage 

49 

13 

49 

63 

63 

41 

10 

54-62. 

22,23 

taries -------------- 42--45 

cited on water powers -------- 46--48 

Geology of Philadelphia district_ ___ 11-15 

Georgian rocks, occurrence and char- . acter of ____________ _ 

Germantown, Pa.; water supply of __ 

Germantown atlas sheet, part of 

Philadelphia district 

13 

63 

shown on ----------- 9 

Glenside, Pa., water supply of______ 65 

Gloucester, N. J., water supply oL__ 69 

wells aL----------------- 65,56,60 Grays Ferry, N. J., well at_ ______ _ 

Growing period of t•aln year, defini- tion of _____________ _ 

rainfall In------------------- run-off In ___________________ _ 

Gulf Creek, Pennsylvania; drainage and character of ____ _ 

Gwynedd shale, occurrence and char- acter of ____________ _ 

Haddonfield, N. J., water supply of_ 

Haddonfield Branch, New Jersey, water power on _____ _ 

Hamburg, Pa., rainfall aL--------

Heddlng, N. J., well aL-----------

Hickorytown, Pa., well aL--------

Hill, John W., acknowledgments to--

cited on Schuylkill and Dela, 

ware Rivers ---------

Holmesburg, Pa., water supply of--

Holmesburg Water Company, plant 

of ----------------- Hudson schist, occurrence and char- . acter of ____________ _ 

Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, 

fault In ------------- Jeffersonvllle, Pa., wells at and near_ 

Jenkintown, Pa., watet· supply oL--

54 

15 

16--21 

26 

35 

15 

68 

46 

34 

57,60 

53 

9 

63 

67 

67 

14 

14 

53 

65 

wells at and near _____________ 50, 51 

King of Prussia, Pa., well near~---- 49 

Kirkwood, N. J., well near ________ _ 

Lancaster, Pa., well nea.r _________ _ 

Lansdale, Pa., rainfall at_ ________ _ 

water supply oL-------------

wells at and nea~------------­

Lansdale shale, occurrence and char58,60 

49 

35 

67 

53 

acter of_____________ 15 

Lansdale Water Company, plant of_ 67 

Laurel Springs, N. J., wells aL-- 58, 59, 60 

Lea, R. S., acknowledgment to______ 37 

League Island, well at ------------ 54 
INDEX •. 73 

Page. 

Lebanon, Pa., rainfall at __ :_ _______ ' 34 

Ledoux, J. W., acknowledgments to-- 9 

information furnished by ______ 24-26 

Lehigh River, lands along--------- 2·2 

population along---...----------· 22 

Little Lebanon Creek, New Jersey, water power on _____ _ 

Little Neshaminy Creek, Pennsylvania, drainage area and character of ____ _ 

flow of---~-----------------­

Little Timber Creek, New Jersey, 

water power on ------ Locatong formation, occurrence of __ 

Lyman, B: S., cited on Pennsylvania 

· rocks -------------- Magnolia, N. J., wells at ----------

Manasquan formation, occurrence of 

Manayunk, Pa., water supply of ___ _ Mantua, Pa., well at_ ____________ _ 

Mantua Creek, New Jersey, charac47 

27-28 

-28 

47 

15 

11 

56,60 

54 

63 

60 

ter of _______________ 42,44 

drainage of---------------~-- 44 

,flow of______________________ 44 

water power on ___________ 44, 46, 47 

watershed of, area,· forest, and 

population on _______ _ 

water supply from ___________ _ 

Map of Philadelphia district_ _____ _ 

showing limits ·of Delaware and 

Schuyklll dr8:inage and 

location of · Philadel45 

44,69 

9 

phia district --------- 10 

showing physiographic divisions_ 11 

Maple Shade, N. J., wells at_ ___ 55, 56, 58 

Marple, Pa., reservoir at___________ 65 

Matawan formation, occurrence of__ 54 

wells in--------------------- 58 

Media, Pa., water supply .of _______ 26, 67 

Merchantville, N. J., water supply of_ 69 

wells at and.near __________ 58, 60, 61 

Mickleton, N. J., wells at and near_ 56, 

Monmouth- formation, occurrence of_ 

wells In---------------------

Monongahela Branch, New Jersey, water power on _____ _ 

Moorestown, Pa., rainfall at ______ _ water supply of _____________ _ 

Morris, N. J., wells at_ ___________ _ 

Mount Airy, Pa., water supply of __ _ 

Mount Ephraim, N. J., wells at and 

58,61 

54 

58 

47 

35 

42 

56,68 

63 

near --------------- 56, 61 

National Park, Pennsylvania, wells 

at -------------- 55,57,61 Neshaminy Creek, basin of _________ 27, 28 

basin of, data concerning______ 41 

rainfall In_______________ 35 

character of ______________ '27-28, 29 

flow of ______________________ 28-31 

forks of, rainfall at___________ 35 stream flow at __________ ._ 41 

rainfall of ___________________ 29-31 

run-off of ______ :_ _________ 29-32, 41 

diagram showing _______ ~- 28 

Neshaminy C'reet, sto:lla:g& of'. dlagram showing; _________ _: 

watershed of, evaporation on __ _ 

Newbold. N. J.., water supply of __ _ 

weils at:...~----------­

Newell, F. H., letter of transmittal by ______ .; ________ ~ 

New Jersey, counties of, In Philadelphia district__.., ___ _ 

Newton Creek, water power on ___ _ Noble, Pa., well at_ _________ :_ ____ _ 

Norristown, Pa., rocks near _______ _ 

water supply of-------------

wells at and near_ ________ _ 

Norristown atlas sheet, par'ft of' Philadelphia district shown 

Page. 

28 

31 

63,68 

58,61 

9 

46 

51. 

14-15 

63,67 

53 

o.n----------------- 9l 

Norristown shale, occurrence and 

character of _________ 14-ll'ii 

Norristown Water Company, plant of 67' 

North Springfield Water Company, 

system of____________ 66 

system of, extent of___________ 65 

towns supplied by------------ 63 

North Wales, Pa., well at__________ 53 

North Woodbury, N. J., wells at ____ 57, 62 

Oak Lane, Pa., water supply of_____ Cil'5 

wells at_ __________________ _:_ l:>t, 6'6 

Oldmans-Creek, New Jersey, charac- ter·. of_______________ 42, 45 

drlllJU!,g\l __ of_,.,,..,.-------------~ 41ii 

flow of---------------------~ 45 water power on ___________ 45,46, 48 

watershed of, area, forest, and 

population on______ 45 

Ordovician rocks, occurrence· and 

character of·-------- 14 

Oreland, Pa., water IIUPII'IY of_____ 65 

Overbrook, Pa., reservoir at _____ _'__ 65. 

wells at_____________________ 51 

Paleozoic roells, occurrence oL _____ 13--14 

weU~r 111--------------------- 49, 54, 

Palmyra, N. J,, water supply of ____ 63, 68 

well .near------------.-------- 68: 

Paulsboro, N. J., water supply of --- 63, 6.8 

wells at and near __________ 57, 58, &1 

Pavonla, N. J., welfs at_ _______ 55, 56, 61 

Pedricktown, N. J., wells at and near ________________ 57,61 

Pennypack C r e e k, Pennsylvania, 

drainage area and character of------------- 27-28 

flow of______________________ · 28 

Pensauken Creek, New Jersey, char- acter of _____ _:_______ 42' 

drainage of__________________ 42 

flow of ________ .______________ 42' 

water power on -------------- 46 

watershed of, area, forest, and 

population on-~------ 45 

water supply from____________ 42 

· Pennsylvania, counties of, in Philadelphia district ------ !l' 

Perkasie sl$1e, .o·ccurrence and char-

·~·" acter of------------- 15 
. 14 INDEX. 

PagE.. 

Perklomen Creek,~ character of _____ 36-37 

fiow of ______________________ 36-37 

rainfall on ___________________ 37-39 

run-off of------------- 33, 37-39, 41 

diagram showing--------~ 28 

storage on, diagram showing___ 28 

watershed of__. _______________ 36-37 

data concerning__________ 41 

evaporation on___________ 39 

rainfall in_______________ 35 

Phlladelphia,rainfall aL---------~ 16 

rainfall at, diagram showing___ 16 

water consumption of_________ 63 

water~ supply of______________ 63 

wells at------------ 51-52,55,57,61 

Philadelphia atlas· sheet, part of 

Philadelphia district 

shown on ----------- 9 

Philadelphia bureau of water, ac- ~ ~ knowledgments to ___ _ 

cited on Neshaminy Creek -----

cited on Pennsylvania water10 

29 

sheds--------------- 34, 41 

cited on Perkiomen Creek______ 37 

cited on Schuylkill River______ 33 

cited on stream fioW---------- 41 

cited on Wlssahlckon Creek____ 40 

rainfall records of____________ 34 

towns Supplied by ____ .:.~------ 63 

water stations of_____________ 63 

Physiographic divisions, map showIng ----------------- Physiography of Philadelphia dis-

~Pickering 

trict -------- ------- Creek, Pennsylvania, 

drainage area and char·· 

acter of ------------- fio~w of _____________________ _ watet· of, analysis of _________ _ 

water supply from ___________ _ 

:Piedmont Plateau, drainage of_~---

elevations in ________________ _ geology of __________________ _ 

location, extent, and limits of __ physiography of _____________ _ 

portion of Philadelphia district ~ on _________________ _ 

streams of __________________ _ wells In ____________________ _ 

Ponds in Philadelphia district· _____ _ 

Population of Philadelphia district__ 

Pottstown shale, occurrence and 

character of ________ _ 

Pottsville, Pa., rainfall aL _______ _ 

:Pre-Georgian rocks, occurrence and 

character of ________ _ wells In ____________________ _ 

Pm·gey Brook, New Jersey, water 

11 

11-13 

39 

39 

66 

66 

12 

12 

12-13 

11-12 

12 

11 

21-41 

49-53 

48 

9 

15 

34 

13 

49 

power on____________ 47 

Quaternary deposits, ~.occurrence of_ 13 

<Queen Lane, Pa., pumping station 

at .:.·---------------- 63 

reservoir at__________________ . 63 

:Raccoon Creek, New Jersey, charac- ter of ____________ 42, 44-45 

Page. 

Raccoon Creek, New Jersey, water 

power on-------- 44, 46, 47 

watershed of, area, ~ot·est, and 

population on________ 45 

· Radnot·, Pa., well at______________ 49 

Rafter, G. W., ·cited on rainfall 

periods ------------- 15 

Rainfall at Philadelphia___________ 16 

at Philadelphia, diagram showIng ---------------- 16 

In Atlantic cities, records of___ 16 

in Philadelphia district_______ 34 

minimum, mean,. and maximum years of________ 16 

statistics of ----------•-- 15-21 on Delaware watershed __ .:_ ___ ~ 24-27, 

28--31,35 

on Neshaminy watershed______ 35 

on Perkiomen watershed------ 35 on Schuylkill watershed _______ 33, 34 

Rain year, period.s of_____________ 15 

periods of, relations of----- 15-16, 26 

Rancocas formation, occurrence of__ 54 

wells in--~------------------- 59 

Raritan formation, occurrence of ___ • 54 wells in _____________________ 55-57 

Ravenel, M. P., analysis bY------~- 66 

Reading, Pa., rainfall at ---------- 34 

Redbank, N. J., water supply of____ 69 

Itepaupo Creek, New Jersey, water 

power on ----------- 47 

Replenishing period ·of rain year, 

definition oL-------- 15 

rainfall in------------------ 16, 21 

run-off in ------------------- 26 

Ridley Creek, Pennsylvania, drainage and character of_ 23-24 fiol!r of ______________________ 24-26 

diagram showing_________ 24 

water supply from____________ 26 

Riverton, N. J., water supply of-___ 63, 68 

wells at and near ___ 55, 56, 57, 62, 68 

Riverton and Palmyra Water Company, plant of_______ 68 

Roxboro, Pa., filtration at_ ________ 63--64 

pumping station at___________ 63 

reservoir at ------------------ 63 water supply of______________ 63 

Run-off from Delawat·e watershed __ 24-26, 

of Neshamlny Creek _________ _ 

of Perklomen Creek ---------- of Schulyklll River __________ _ 

Sandyhlll, Pa., well aL-.,----------

Sandy Run, Pennsylvania, source· and course of _______ _ 

water supply from ___________ _ 

Schuylkill River, comparison of Del· aware and_,,; ________ _ 

crossing of Piedmont Plateau by_ fall of_ ____________________ _ 

possible storage on __________ _ 

rainfall on _________________ _ run-off of ___________________ _ 

source, course, and length of __ _ 

28--31 

33 

33 

33 

53 

67 

67 

63--64 

21 

32 

32 

32 

32,33 

32 
Schuylkill River, tributaries oL ___ _ 

water of, bacteria In _________ _ 

calcium carbonate In _____ _ color oL _______________ _ 

pollution of ___ l_ ________ _ 

sulphuric acid In ________ _ 

turbidity of ------------- watershed of, area oL _______ _ data concerning _________ _ 

map showing limits oL __ _ 

rainfall in----""-----------

run-oft' of --"------------- water supply from _______ _ 

Schuylkill-Delaware divide, elevation of _____________ _ 

location of ------------------ . 

INDEX. 75 

Page Page. 

35 · Triassic rocks, occurrence of _______ 14-15 

32, 63 wells In--------------------- 53 

32, 63 Valley Creek, .Pennsylvania, drainage 

'64 and character of_____ 35 

. 32 valley of, spring In___________ 48 

32 Valley Forge, Pa., reservoir near____ 66 

63 rocks near ___________________ 14-15 

33 Washington Park, Pa., wells at__ 55, 57, 62 

41 Washington Square, Pa., wells at___ 53 

10 Water, consumption of, In Phlladel33, 34 phla and Phlladelphia 

33 district ------------- 63 

32, 67 Wa.ter powers of Coastal Plain ----- 4~8 

of Delaware River ------------ 22 

21 Water supply from Crum Creek_____ 26 

23 from Delaware River_ _________ 22, 64 

Secane, Pa., reservoir at___________ 65 

Sedimentary rocks, occurrence oL __ 14-15 

from Mantua Creek----------- 44, 69 

from Pimsauken Creek -------- 42 

Seisholtzvllle, Pa., rainfall at_ ____ ._ 35 

Sewell, N. J., wells at and near __ 57, 58, 61 

Shadygrove, Pa., well at___________ 511 

Shawmut, Pa., rainfall at__________ 34 

South Westville, N. J., wells at__ 57, 58,62 

Springfield Water Company, system 

of ----------------- system of, extent of-----~----

towns supplied by ------------

Spring Garden, Pa., pumping station 

at --~-----------.---

Spring Mllls, Pa., spring. at_ ______ _ 

Spl"ingmount, Pa., rainfall at ------

Springs in Philadelphia district_ __ _ 

65-66 

65 

63 

63 

48 

35 

48 

from Pickering Creek --------- 42 

from Ridley Creek ------------ 2~ 

from Sandy Run______________ 6( 

from Schuylklll River_ __ 32, 611, 64, 61 

In Philadelphia district_______ 26, 

32,36,42-45,63-69 

Water-supply systems In Phlladelphia district_ ________ 63-69 

Wayne, Pa., well at_______________ 49 

Weather. Bureau, U. S., rainfall rec- ords of ___________ 15-21, 34 

Wells In Coastal Plain region ______ 54-62 

In Philadelphia district_ ______ 49-62 

in Pledmo11t Plateau region ____ 49-53 

Sto<"kton, N. J., well at ___________ _ 55, 56 water supply from _________ 63, 67-69 

Stockton formation, occurrence of __ 

Storage period of rain year, defini15 Wenonah, N. J., water supply of____ 69 

tion of _____________ _ 

rainfall In __________________ _ 

run-oO' In ------------------- Stratford, N. J., well at_ _________ _ 

Stratigraphy of Philadelphia district --------------- Sudbury, Mass., basin of, data coneernlng ------------- Swedesboro, N .• T., wells at_ _______ _ 

Swedesboro Branch, New Jersey, water power on ______ . 

Tacony, Pa., water supply of _____ _ 

Tacony Creek,· Pennsylvania, drainage area and character 

of ----------------- flow of _____________________ _ 

Tertiary deposits, occurrence of ___ _ wells at base of _____________ _ 

15 

16-21 

26 

58 

13-15 

41 

57,62 

47 

67 

27-28 

28 

13 

59 

Thot•ofare, · ·N. J., wells at and 

near------------ 57,58,62 

Tlndale Run, New Jersey, water power on ___________ _ 

'l'ohlckon, Pa., basin of, data concerning ------------- Tomllns, Pa., well at_ ____________ _ 

Torresdale, Pa., filtration plant at__ water supply of_ ____________ _ 

46 

41 

62 

63-64 

67 

0 

wells at_ _________________ 57,58,62 

Wenonah Branch, New Jersey,. water pawer an ___________ _ 

Westchester, Pa., rainfall at_ _____ _ 

West Palmyra, N. J 4 wells at_ ____ _ 

Westvllle, N. J., water supply of-__ _ wells at_ ___________________ _ 

Westville-Newbold Water Company, 

47 

35 

57,61 

68 

57,62 

plant oL------~----- 68 

Whitemarsh Hills, Pa., rocks of____ 13 

Williams; Pa., well near--~-------- 49 

Willowgrove, Pa., well at__________ 49 

Wissahlckon Creek, basin of_______ 40 

basin of, data concerning______ 41 

rainfall In_______________ 40 

character of.:.________________ 40 

flow of______________________ 40 

Wls_sahlckon mica-gneiss and micaschist, occurrence and 

character of_________ 14 

wells in _____________________ 50-5i 

Wlsslnoming, Pa., 'Water supply of__ 63 

Woodbury, N. J., water supply of ___ 44-69 

wells at and near __________ 57, 58, 62 

Woodbury Creek, New Jersey, char- acter of _____________ 42-4i 

water power on______________ 41 

Wyncote, Pa., wells aL----------- 50-5 t 

~ 

LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS. 

[Mount each slip upon a separate card;-placing the subject at the top of the· 

second slip. The name of the series should not be repeated on the seriell 

card, but the additional numbers should be added, as received, to the firs·t 

entry.] 

Bascom, Florence . 

. . . Water resources of the Philadelphia district, by 

Florence Bascom. Washington, Gov't print. off., 1904. 

75 p., 1 l. illus., 4 pl. (incl. map) 23•m. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Water-supply and irrigation paper no. 106.) 

Subject series: M, General hydrographic investigations, 12; 0, Underground waters, 26. 

1. Hydrography-Philadelphia district. 

I 

Bascom, Florence. 

. . . Water resources of the Philadelphia district, by l Florence Bascom. Washington, Gov't print. off., 1904· .. 

r£ 75 p., 1 I. _jllus., 4 pl. (inCl. map) 23cm. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Water-supply and irrigation paper no. 106.) 

Subject series: M, General hydrographic investigations, 12; 0, Underground waters, 26. ·. 

1. Hydrography-Philadelphia district. 

U.S. Geological survey. 

Water-supply and irrigation papers. 

no. 106. Bascom, Florence. Water "" resource.s of the 

Philadelphia district. 1904. 

U. S. Dept. of the Interior. 

see also 

U.S. Geological survey.