Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-09-17
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Report Complcted-Im mportan
Facts Set Forth on Water Sup
ply of Maryland

Tie Geological survey has just com
pleted 4 report on the surface water
supply OF Maryland, and has made
careful Investigations Of the volume
and horsepower Of the large number
Of rivers aud streams in Maryland.
The commercial possibilities Of the
~usguehanBa, the Gunpowder, the
Patapsc0 and the Potomac rivers, A
we'll a. a large number Of smaller
streams and creeks in the state, are
carefully set forth. and are naturally )
81 the greatest value in selecting sites
for the locations of proposed new
manufacturing enterprises.
The water supply Of the United
states is Of more importance to the
life and pursuits OF the people than
any other natural resource. In the
arid states the limit Of agricultural
development is determined by the
amount Of water available for irriga-
tiOn while in all parts OF the coun-
try the increase in the population OF
cities and towns makes necessary
additional water supplies for domes-
tic and industrial uses, in producing
which both the quantity and quality
Of the water that may be obtained
must be considered.
The location OF manufacturing
plants may depend largely Oh the
water power facilities and on the
character Of the water. The notable
advances made in the electrical trans
mission Of power have led to the
utilization 5f water powers for the
operation Of manufacturing establish
ments, railroads and municipal light
ing plants, many of which are at some
distance from the places at which the
power is developed.
The Intelligent establishment and
maintenance Of enterprises or indus
tries that depend on the use Of water
demands a thorough knowledge of the
low of the streams and an under
standing Of the conditions affecting
that iOw. This knowledge should be
based ON data showing both the total
fIOw and the distribution of the flow
throughout the year, in order that
normal fiuct uatious may be provided
for. As the How Of stream is yari-
able from year to year, estimates Of
future flow can be made only from q
study of observations covering several
years.
The rapid increase In the develop
ment Of the water resources of the
AUittA Bhdtt3 HAS tAhSbA EibAb AS-
mand by engineers for information in
regard To the flow Of streams, as il is
now generally realized that the failure
Of many large power, irrigation and
other projects has been due TO the fact
that plans were made without snfi-
cient trustworthy information ia re-
speet TO the water supply.
owing 90 the broad scope Of these
investigations and the length Of time
they should cover in order that the
records may be Of greatest value, 1t Is
in general Impossible for private indi-
viduals to collect the necessary data,
and as many Of the streams traverse
more than one state, this work does
not properly fail within the province
Of the state authorities. The United
States Geological Survey has, there
fore, by means OF specific appropria.
tions by Congress, for several years
past made systematic studies Of stream
law, with a view to ultimately deter
mining all the important features per-
tanning to the ilow Of the principal
streams Of the country.