Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-11-29
WILL WARN
THE PEOPLE
Weather Bureau Will Institute
System to Forecast High Water
and Floods.
CLIMATE EXPERTS HERE
Professors Carriott and Brandenburg
of the Government Service in
Santa Fe.

Professor e. B. Garriott chief of thu
forecast department of the United
States weather bureau, and Professo
F. H. Brandenburg, of Denver chief O
the Rocky Mountain division, arrived
in the city from Albuquerque yester
day afternoon and were the guests ovel
night of Charles E. Linney, chief of the
local weather bureau. The local wealth
er man has served under both men anC
they were very much pleased with
their stay in this city. They attended
the Irrigation Congress as delegates
and read interesting and instructive pa
pers during the sessions of the con.
gress at Ell Paso.
After the closing of the congress,
they left on trip through the Terri
tory for the purpose of making pre-
liminary survey for the establishment
of flood forecasting system, such as
is in force in many sections of the Uni
ted States, where the rivers rise period
ically, often destroying much property
and many lives. Systems have been
perfected in the Mississippi, Ohio
and Missouri Valleys, by which due
notice is given the people of those sec.
tions whenever there is danger of the
rivers leaving their banks and which
has saved millions of dollars to the
farmer residents and railroads in those
parts of the country. This is what the
government intends to do for New Mex
leo, as result of the recent floods,
which took the people of the Territory
in most places, unawares, and caused
the loss of many thousands of dollars.
With local observers in many por-
tions of New Mexico. where the flood
waters generally get their force, and in
localities where they do the most DAM
age, such system will be of ines
timable value to the people and the
railroads, which have suffered severe
ly in the recent floods. These observ-
ers will Immediately report to Profess
or Brandenburg any rainfall and with
word from various sections, he will be
able to forecast any unusual rise in the
rivers and to give notice several days
ahead of time to localities where the
floods are liable TO do damage. At some
of the stations the observer will be fur
nished with gauging apparatus and
when the system is perfected it's value
will be great.
In the Pecos Valley there will be sta.
tions at Roswell, Carlsbad and probab-
ly Fort Stanton, in the CAPTAIN Noun.
tains. Other stations will be at San
Marcial, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Es.
pamela and Cerrillos.
1--WE have been in the Territory for
ter days." said Professor Garriott, last
evening, "and the trip has been rev.
elation to me, at least have often
heard of the climate of New Mexico,
but it is necessary to make this kind
of trip to realize what a beautiful and
health-giving climate the people of this
Territory enjoy. The government is
very anxious to do something for New
Mexico and Professor Willis Moore,
chief of the weather bureau, planned
this survey of the ground to see what
steps could be taken to warn the peo-
pie in flood times and give them the
benefit of the service the people of 9th
er sections of the United States have.
Professor Brandenberg and myself
have been going over the parts of the
country that have suffered from the
floods and have been appalled, by the
damage that was done. When this sys-
tenn is completed, we think that many
of the dangers can be eliminated.
"Thus far we have visited all the i'm.
portant points in the Pecos Valley and
the lower Rio Grande. The stations to
be established will be equipped to
measure rainfall and the volume of the
water flowing in the streams at the
point. BY reporting these measure
ments to Denver, the headquarters of.
flee through its reports from all points,
and knowing as it will the danger line
at each station, will be able to forecast
almost exactly the danger threatened
and to give from three to seven days
warning to the people of both valleys
save at the headwaters.
"In the Rio Grande Valley we are
confronted with an entirely different
condition from that encountered in the
streams of the central and eastern
states. In the Ohio and Mississippi Val
leys, measuring from low water
mark, and knowing the danger point at
each station, we have been able to fore
tell almost exactly the amount Of water
to be expected at each point on the
rivers, and to give from a week to two
weeks notice of the time when the
crest Of the food will arrive.
I'm the Rio Grande and Pecos Val.
1eys, however, the position Is exactly
reversed. The rivers have shifting
channels, there is NO low water mark,
Continued on PAGE Five.