The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-03

square mile at Helena with that at Cen
treville, where gauge readings have been
taken since 1901, we took into considera-
tion the fact that the Birmingham Water
Works company takes from the Cahaba
river daily ga cubic feet per second, or
about five and a half million gallons OF
water The variations In this amount are
only 100000 gallons per day, or I OF
cubic foot per second. Assuming that
the measurement of 2264 cubic feet Tor
the combined flow of the Cahaba river
and Buck creek is the more accurate
one due to the fact that the channel
where 1t was measured was more uni
form than where the creek and river
were measured separately, and consider
ing the amount taken by the Birmingham
Water Works company. the discharge in
second-feet per square mile on April 3
was, for Cahaba river above junction
0593 for Buck creek above junction ISL
for Cahaba river below junction GIG and
there was for Cahaba river at Centre
vile 6S7. We regard 1t fortunate that
Buck creek shows a high amount OF dis
charge in second-feet' as 1t indicates that
in calculating the flow of the Cahaba
river at Helena, by comparison with the
flow at centreville during very low wa
ter periods that the actual flow OF the
river at Helena may be depended upon
not to go lower than the calculated
amount Through Mr. Giles a former
assistant of our Mr.. Alber at Tallassee,
we have acquired the information that
the measurements taken by the geologi-
cal survey during 1904 were very mueh
lower. in some cases going below those
of 1897 which year had heretofore shown
the lowest river stages known
Want Gauge Readings.
We were therefore anxious to obtain the
gauge readings taken at Centreville dur
ing 1904 which have not yet been pub
lished and we secured them from Mr..
Hall. together with the latest rating table.
We enclose copies of these readings ana
rating table. They show that the lowest
reading of s. with corresponding How
of 90 cubic feet per second was made
through a period of practically eight
days. preceded by a reading Of 3, corre-
spending to a flow of Ill cubic feet during
a period of practically Il days.
If the calculation of the minimum flow
of the Cahaba river at Helena, compared
with that at Centrevllle, be based upon
drainage area. IL amounts to 9S. 4x369 l040.
or $40 cubls feet, and deductng the S.f
cubic feet drawn at present by the Biz
mingham Water Works company, leaves
26.5 cubic feet. But 1t the calculation
is made on the basis Of gauge readings at
CentreVille on April 4, and comparing 1t
with the lowest reading Of 3 there, the
minimum flow would be 234 Sx9S .4:723.4, or
81 9 cubic feet. and deducting S.4 cubic
feet for the Birmingham Water Works
Company, leaves remainder of y , cubic
feet. As this result is practically the
same as that obtained by comparing the
drainage areas it may be relied upon.
with 235 cubic feet per second, the low
est flow per day at Helena is l5,1S7, 400 gal
Ions. 1t will be seen from the gauge read
ings during the low Water period in
1904 that the following amounts may be
expected during the periods stated. A
daily discharge of 151S7 400 gallons turing
a period of days, 10 which add daily
discharge Of 19,Gi4,0oO gallons during a