Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-03-09
THE ARTEsIAN BASIN.
Prof. Todd Tells south Dakot. People the
Limits for Good Wells.

Prof. Todd Tells South Dakota People the
Limits for Good Wells.
THERE has been at different times q
good deal of money spent in this State
in frultless search for artesian water,
by reason of boring wells outside the
artesian basin proper. 1t was with q
view to preventing this waste that the
State Engineer of Irrigation embodied
in his report q letter from Prof. Todd.
the State Geologist, giving results OF
the latest and most reliable investiga-
tion as to the boundaries of the arte
sian basin. The essential points of
this report are as follows:
From q study OF the closed pressure OF most
the extent Of the water bearing stratum, we w
may lay down the eastern limit Of the mali,
artesian basin Of Dakota as given below. It
my knowledge. have not yet obtained re-
ports from some of the more recent drilled
wells. Following the contour line i,7OO feet
State just vest Of the Head Of the cotss
Marshall County, runs thence southwest to q
little east Of Andoyer. thence south BY east,
e the soyn ns y and
Then following the edge Of the Dakota sand
stone, where It abuts against the red quartzite.
me limit turns we westsoSthwest ,9f passing north
the vicinity OF Ethan. thence east-southeast to
the west side Of Turkey Ridge near the south
east corner OF Hutchinson: County. Here the
pressure has greatly diminished, Is it contin-
ues TO do toward the east and south, 30 that It
no longer e sntnclent p raise water 20 the
higher land The limit falls into the valley Of
souri, bottom east OF Mecklfng, past Vermiilion
to Burbank, where the pressure raises only
about l,l40 feetanove the sea: The limit then
turns west up tho south side Of the Missouri
bottom. raising as II runs west, taking in more
and more Of the valley fr0m tho south, and has
risenso as 20 furnish water to nearly all points
bnt does not raise to the level Of the table
land south till It has passed above Fort Ran.
From the east line Of the area indicated. the
pressure rises 80 rapidly toward the west that
not only extensive areas along the Missouri,
Cheyenne and White Rivers may have arteslan
Of the upland west Of the Missouri. II the rate
of pressure increases at the same rate Rs be.
tween Huron and Higmore, at Pierre It would
Above the station Rapid lac City " isii
to reach the surface by ~ feet or putting Il Ii
another WY. localities below 1880 attitude On
as aoss Ssss 81 oasssn s n Es
rtdian; those below ,4tO on the lVlst. and no on
further west and also between. This Is a. On
only as general rule y is tsnela!i5sd from
Fourche, drilled since It was first published,
seems to corroborate 1t. Isut local exceptions
will doubtless be found. Tho water bearing
strata is somewhat irregular in its distribu-
ton. its conductive power and its depth
The remarkable slope IN the pressure TO the
east and south we have ascrtbed to natural
change the slope ~ outlined above. Here We
may notice an Inference concerning the prob
Able future diminuitton Of pressure nom the
sure. 90 TO speak. may be compared 70 u
slope Of . stream In its general relations. 81
the waterescaping nom tho wells WIN be at
the expense OF the leaks, somewhat ~ irT1gA.
tl0n ch1nnels dimintshes the sixe OF stzeaM
below the point where they tap it