The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1903-12-10
+ RESOURCES.
Geological Survey Issues Interesting

supply in South Dakota is more than
ordinarily apparent when the character
of part Of the soil is considered. In
drift regions 1t shows accommodations OF
alkall, which sometimes interferes
with the growth Of vegetation. This.
however, depends upon the amount OF
moisture. When the moisture is abund-
ant the alkali seems rather a fertilizer.
Persons interested in the agricultural
development of the state will find a
p~ernsal of the Oiivet geologic folio,
which has just been issued from the
press of the United States geological
survey, much to their advantage. In
this folio and the folios in preparation
concerning the adjacent q~uadrangleS Of
Parker, Alexandria and Mitchell, which
VIII be issued within q month. the wa
ter resources OF the district are thor
oughly considered, and important rec
concentrations concerning their conSer-
walton n reimbursement are made.
The Olivet quadrangle, so named for
the town OF Olivet, an aggregation of
about $50 souls, lies mostly within the
drainage basin of James river and en-
braces portions of Hutchinson, Bon
hoTnme, and Yankton counties. The
country is mostly level, or presents low,
rolling slopes, rising out Of broad ex-
panses of plains. The surface is in large
part covered with a mantle of glacial
deposits consisting of gravel, sand, silt,
n clay of varying thickness.
The most important natural resource
of this quadrangle Is water, which is
readily divided into surface water and
underground water. Under the former
are included lakes, springs and streams,
and under the latter the sources which
furnish shallow wells, artesian wells
and tubular wellss.
Most of the lakes in this region are
dry toward the end of the summer.
They receive their waters directly from
the rainfall and their endurance conse-
quently depends on the extent OF the
drainage basin. he depth of the reser-
voirs and the sufIiciency or lack OF pre-
After q succession of wet
years the lake beds over the whole dis
trict are filled with water, but on the
other hand, during a season when the
rainfall has been light they are some
times dry enough for tillage. Perma-
nent springs in this district are rare.
but a few occur along James river and
Its principal tributaries. James river
is the only stream that can be depended
upon to contain water throughout the
year. Portions of certain creeks are
seldom entirely dry, but in the latter
part of summer the water rarely flows
continually more than a mile or two
above their mouths
The most accessible underground
water is that which flows near the
surface of the ground, seeping through
the yellowish upper portion of the till
toward a water course wherever there
are shallow accumulations of sand to
form conduits for it. Where the slope
or the surface is toward an under-
ground basin the water of the yellow
till flows out and forms an open lake,
SO that the general water level Sinks.
1t may then be drawn upon by Shall
low wells, and for a number of years
may prove to be entirely adequate for
the demand of neighboring farms, but
In time of drought it is gradually ex-
hausted. Early in the period Of set
Element of the region there shallow
wells were the main dependence of the
In 1881 II a few years sub
sequent water was abundant In them,
but after a series Of dry years 1t be-
forced to &c deeper for their supply.
The next lower water is derived
from the sand and gravel at the base
of the drift. These are reached by
penetrating the till by behring's, usually
inch or two in diameter, to a depth
of from 100 to $50 feet and ever 300
feet below the surface. There are In
the quadrangle wells Of this lass which
have been flowing for more than twen-
ty years.
The deep wells supplied from -ources
In the till are commonly known as
tubular wells. It seems evident that
the original source of this supply is
the local rainfall. the same as that of
shallow wells, but 1t Is a more constant
P ecaus the water enters more
gradually. 1t is more continuous and
does not waste in evaporation. It
should not, however, be considered tn-
exhaustible, for II a tubular we'll is
drawn upon too freely the supply may
gradually fail. the decline being first
apparent In an elevated region.
1t Is universally agreed that the main
sartesian supply Is derived from the
sandstone ahasSsand beds sofS2tf,a Da-
kota formation, though snialle.. flows
are obtained from sandstone In the
Benton formation. The Dakota sand
stone owes Its capacity as a water
storer to several cause The first of
these is Its great extent, for 1t under
lies most Of the Great Plains from the
the ninety-fifth meridian. The high
Of its western border, which
is located In the moist region of the
mountains and Is crossed by numerous
mountain streams, is OF great assist
anee: SO also Is the fact that 1t Is large
" sealed at its eastern margin BY the
overlapping of clays of the Colorado
hkI SISks Aa0 WHEN These AIG absent
by the glacial TIL sheet. The denuda.
ton OF wide areas by older strea ms. es-
pecialiy In North and South Dakota.
So al to bring the land surface below
the level Of the pressure height I
by the elevated source of the
water at the western border OF the for
NATION Is another Gauss OF the ef-
3nciency OF the Dakota sa udstone as q
water reservoir. Wells supplied from
the Dakota and everything sandstones
may be either pumping or flowing
wells.
The folio contains q detailed discus
sion OF variations In artesian pressure
and includes sofnesValuable suggestions
tosweil boTers. The possibilityAaf deep
ar flow In certain portions al the
quadrangle seems strong 1T is suR-
gested that the supply of underground
water he REINFORCED by the construc-
tion. where practicable, OF dams across
shallow water courses In such 4 way
to produce ponds. The water az
these will gradually sink into the
ground and reach the shallow and
tubular wells which are ordinarily re-
pleEtshed BY b percolationsgof rain
fall.
Ii folio. which is SO. IL the work 81
j =. Todd. who actedsundergthe dfrec-
ton Of .H.HDarton. 1t is q sal pub-
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