The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-11

formation as the geological survey Is
compiling. The city of Austin. Tex.
IN 1870. voted 100000 In bonds to dam
the Colorado river above the city for
the creation of a mammoth power plant
A dam was built 1,O91 feet long and az
rect high. Two very serious errors were
made because the projectors were with
out scientific information. The Colorado
river drains an area of 10000 square
niles above Austin 1t was supposed
70 nave minimum flow of J. 900 second
rect The government measurement was
not made until after the dam was COM
pieted, The minimum flow has been
IouHd 10 be very much smaller than fhe
original estimate. But this Is not the
chief error, The dam created a lake
ABOUT cOO rect wide and extending in
back water UP the river a distance OF
about twenty miles The original voluma
or water In the lake was 2330 900 COO
cubic feet. That would be a mass ono
mile square and SO feet high The dan,
was completed In 1893.
In May 1891 careful measurement was
made Of the water, which was then level
with the top of the dam. IL was found that
the lake had been filing with sill very ran
Idly. There was then, after four wears,
use of the dam 1862 10000 cubic feet Of
water and 96s,000000 cubic feet OF silt. The
mass Of water in 1893, one mile SQUARE and
81 rect nigh, had been changed in 1897 10
silt 80 feet high and 30 feet OF water ~
Tour years the lake filled TO considerably
more than one-thrd Of It's capacity. Ana
the worst phase of the problem Is. the Nv
drographers can suggest no remedy under
the present plan OF construction to pre-
vent the collection OF silt from gradually
destroying this great water power.
The measurement Of flowing streams Is
an interesting process. Where II Is posi-
Ole the PHOTOGRAPHERS extend cable
across the water at some distance above
the surface cage with a trolley con-
nection is run out on the cable CARRYING
the operator. The meter, made with fam
shaped arms. to be caught by the current
and revolyed, Is let down from the cage
TO the water II has registering apparat-
US, which shows the rapidly OF the cur
rent. Surface measurements and soundlngs
are made. These, in connection with the
reading of the meier at various points on
the surface near the banks and ia mid
stream and at various depths, enable the
photographers 70 obtain a very accurate
statement OF the volume of water And
when this process has been applied al diff
ferent stages and In different seasons the
data are complete for Industrial uses
Many OF these streams have been observed
daily for considerable periods in order TO
obtain record which would apply to the
Whole seasons. Sometimes IL Is possible 10
make use Of a bridge from which to drop
the meter to the water. The Undergraduates
have found cases where there was no
bridge and where the running Of cable
was impossible. There they have resorted
10 boats. Where other methods failed a
basis for measurement has been laid BY
tossing chips in the stream at given point
and observing the time required TO float
them 60 another given point, the distance
being carefully noted
This investigation has continued sur
hcient length Of time TO show that the vol-
ume OF water passing down a stream va
res little from year 10 year In the New
England states, where water power Il
largey employed, the survey points out
how this power may be increased by store.
In the South and Middle States The possf-
bilities Of many streams Tor water power
are made plain by the measurements. West
Of the Missouri hundreds of rivers and
creeks have been measured and the
amount OF water which may be drawn
from them for irrigation purposes has been
established.