Imperial Valley press., 1908-08-08
MEASURING EVAPORATION
Government Experts Prepare for sev. eraI Wears Study of salton Sea
 Staff of Eight Men Engaged

How fast is Salton Sea drying up? How long will it last2 These extreme. ly important questions the United States government proposes answering in thoroughly scientific way. Prof F. B. BigelOw, one of the ablest math- ematicians in the United States Weath- CT Bureau has been assigned to de. termine the problem of evaporation of the Salton Sea.
 Prof. Bigelow will be assisted by local Weather Forecaster A. E. Wolla- Der and corps of men; and for two years or more scores of delicate meas urements will be taken night and day A mass of statistical information will be gathered, which in the hands of tabulators will be arranged in scientif- ic order and in turn these cOmputa- tions will be placed before Prof Bige- low and staff, who will make the final answer to the knotty question of the rate of evaporation of Salton Sea.
 On the present broad scale under which the work is to be pushed. great expectations have been raised that important and lasting results will be obtained. There is a government ap. propriation of $2500O for this study Stations will be established also at IndiO, Mecca, Brawley, Mammoth, and in what is known as the plateau coun- try; that is Wyoming and States of similar topography.
 That there has been a recession of SaltOn Sea is conceded It has low cred somewhat from it's highest point during the past year. At the local weather bureau yesterday, no opinion would be hazarded by Mir. Wollaber or his assistants; but it was granted that Salton Sea would, so far as the present outlook warrants an opinion, eventually reach a stage in which loss and supply will counterbalanCe each other As to the approximate size of the sea, finally, there is no data at present for a definate answer.
 Details of measuring the rate of evaporation of SaltOn Sea bring up highly scientific problem. To the lay mind, the plan, generally speaking may be expressed best by reference to the work of irrigation engineers. The amount of water it takes to irrigate an acre and the volume of water at hand may be known; but he does not know, except with wide margin of error, how fast the sun is licking up the supply
 Tables of varying correctness have been made by various mathematicians, to determine what is called a formula for evaporation" But all these tables have proven faulty. The government has an exceptional field, at Salton Sea, to answer numerous scientific requests for a correct formula and to make this formula generally applicable, the SaltOn facts will be studied in connec ton with many others throughout those parts of the Southwest in which conditions may be grouped,
 Incidently. many other facts will be recorded, concerning Salton Sea, that will furnish scientific basis for accur- ate knowledge of the probable con- duct of the sea- for years to come. Con- ditiOns at Salton Sea afford an unus- ual opportunity for these delicate Ob- servations The body of water is eX- -tensive; the temperature is high, the humidity is low, there are also brisk winds All these factors make what is called a thirsty atmosphere one that absorbs moisture rapidly.
 Already, there is preliminary camp of observers at Salton Sea, and at the Los Angeles Weather Bureau, plans are being drawn for the necessary construction work.
 When these plans are accepted at Washington, construction will be pushed as rapidly as possible and ob- servations begun. The work will be under active way in few months.
 Wooden towers forty to fifty feet high will be built under direction Of Pro. Bigelow. The eyaporating pans will be from two to six feet in diane ter, and will be placed at different levels. The amount of water will be carefully measured at stated intervals day and night, and the loss by evap- oration carefully noted,
 The observations will also include the temperature of the air, velocity and direction of the wind, dew point at the surface of the sea, also above it