The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-11
OUR WATER RESOURCES.

emphasized by the director of tle
United States Geological survey in
his annual report, now in press 1t is
pointed out that prominent engineers
have long advocated the extension of
government Investigations of water
resources, and that the work in the
United States is not commensurate /
with that done in many European
countries. If the United States We're
to provide for the prosecution of
water-resources Investigations on
scale of thoroughness equal to that
of Switzerland, for example, it would
appropriate $11,000,000 annually. a
sum 10 times greater than the pres
ent annual appropriation for similar
work in this country.
A brief statement of few of the
industrial and social problems of the
present day in which the utilization
of water is the controlling factor is
made in the report and is of general
interest.
Tie average annual drainage by
floods in the United States has never
been accurately determined, but such
investigations as have been made in.
. dictate that the loss must be at least
$1O0000,000 annually. 1t appears that
in many parts of the United States
tne proper expenditure of an amount
equal to one years flood loss would
prevent future floods; in other parts
of the country the cost would prob
ably equal the losses of two or more
years; but in every locality proven
4 ton could be accomplished by an ex-
| penditure equivalent to the losses
/ from the floods of few years
In few flood regions, however could
this result be accomplished except
/ under federal action Most of the riv-
defined many thousands of years be-
fore state boundaries were conceived.
The proper treatment of the flood
question must therefore follow the
limits imposed by nature rather than
the artificial lines defining the sover-
eighty of the various states. Proven
ton of floods is purely an engineer
, ing problem, and the engineers who
have thoroughly investigated it realize
: fully the necessity for federal regula
. ton.
On another feature of this subject
: the engineering profession is also
t agreed, namely. that whatever means
may be finally adopted TO prevent
this great devastation the results o.
Investigations of rivers must be avail
able TO show their habits, flows, sea
!, sonal changes, and eccentricities ant
: moreover. such Investigations mus
extend over period of years and be
practically completed before remedia
measures can be applied.
Several hundred million dollars
have been expended by the govern
. ment for river Improvement, and it /.
; probable that as much, if not more
must be expended during the mex
t decade Whatever may be the sys
{ TEN under which the United State
shall make its improvements, all engi
= neers agree that thorough investiga
: ton of rivers is absolutely necessar,
to tae final solution of the problem
t The United States is spendin.
r s40oo0,000 in the construction of irri
CATION systems The great factor tina
{ will determine the success or failur
= of this investment is the water supply
Whether or not there is water stuff
I cient for any irrigation project ca
not be determined by mere INSPECTION
It or by measurements made over
e short period of years. When the rec
+ lamation act was passed, in 1902.
was possible for the government t
. proceed at once with certain project
;, because the geological survey had o
file the results of stream measure
II ments showing that sufficient waite
* was available for these projects. Tn
e reclamation service has no legal powe
IS to make general Investigations {
stream flow, and obviously it woul
. be unjust to charge the cost of gel
n eral investigations over all the ar
west against specific projects.
I'd other words, the continued investig
re ton of the water resources of Il
II country will safeguard s40,000000
le government expenditure.
!. More than S0,000,000 acres of Il
best agricultural lands in the Unite
10 States are unproductive because tbs
need drainage. The lands are so wild
spread that their drainage is beil
agitated as national issue, for maj
believe that these wet lands should
reclaimed under federal authority
- are the arid lands of the west,
ot the success of this work the investis
- ton of water resources, as well as ;
&c curate topographic mapping. is as n:
"a. essary as it is to the success of If
go cation enterprises.
ire The United States government is
he the present time large owner
y water-power privileges and invests
100 ton OF those privileges is matter
asst public duty. In the absence of speci
for information concerning its value,
in. water power may be easily acquir
20 and water-power rights have Il