Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-01-09


and the conservation Of resources. y
One Of the things above referred tc
is the snowfall on the higher mountain
ranges of the watersheds and the 9th.
er is the study of the subject OF evap
Grafton, says the Phenix Arizona Re
publican. In respect Of the former the
difficulties to overcome are climatic
rather than scientific, the point being
that where the heavy snowfalls occur
I'm the high mountains there are few
human habitations and few persons
whose services can be secured to make
observations unless they be employed
specifically for that purpose. That
would be quite expensive beside the
fact that very few people would care
to spend their winters under such cir
cumstances even when they, were well
paid for It. The importance Of secur-
ing this information is apparent, for
these SHOWS are the chief source of
water supply for the great watersheds,
and it is highly important to know
what quantity Of moisture is original.
" available on the watersheds.
With that information THERE can then
be considered the runof and all those
questions that have a bearing on the
main object. which Is to keep as much
water on the shed as possible until the
season when it is needed. Then by
authoritative data by which the water
In certain locality can be closely Ell
timated the scientific men can more
readily determine, the quantity and
usefulness of the available water sup
ply and can also note more accurately
the success Of experiments to increase
the conservation by controlling the
runoff. Professor Bigelow went to
Phenix particularly to confer with
Engineer Hill concerning the placing
Of what Is termed an evaporation plant
at or near Roosevelt for observations
and measurements of the evaporation.
The subject Of evaporation is a conn.,
paratively new line Of work. That is,
it has been given less scientific atten-
ton than many other meteorological
matters, and conditions are SO differ.
ent in different regions that common
popular Information on the subject is
of but small value in a scientific way.
It is known in general way that it
Is much greater in the west than in
the east, where there is more cool
weather as well as heavier precipita-
ton; also It IL known In a general way
that In many places the amount of
water evaporated In given length Of
time is two or three times as great as
the amount used for irrigation. For
instance, Lake Tahoe supplies the
Truckee Carson project, with water,
the project being In one Of the driest
spots in the world, yet a years irri-
CATION from Lake Tahoe only utilities
about sixteen inches Of water, while
the evaporation amounts to thirty
inches. -.
One Of the most interesting projects
under the direction Of Professor Bige-
low is that Of the experiments at the
Salton sea, which viii be very compre-
hensive. A temporary camp was main
tanned there last summer for a couple
Of months, but the real work Of expert
menting has not yet been undertaken.
The weather bureau is not in the
slightest concerned as to the fate Of
the Salton sea other than the curiosity
common to all. It does not care rap
about its effect on the climate there or
in the southwest only In so far as a
knowledge Of the results reveal scien-
tidc facts concerning evaporation. It
II only the scientific principles that the
bureau seeks to possess itself of. 80
far as the climatic effect of the sea is
concerned, the bureau has demonstrat-
ed beyond a doubt, says Professor
BigeIow, that IT is practically NIL. The
influence Of the rising vapor and the
cooling Of the wind as it crosses the 4
sea can be noted for a few hundred
feet only, as it has been by travellers
on the trains that skirt its edge, but
1000 feet inland from the shore there
IS not the slightest evidence Of any
effect i5 *s'I5 I, ~, rg.,. ~. 4
When the sea began to FIJI the gov
eminent date farm at Mecca seemed to
be In danger, and another was immedi-
ately established at Indio. Close OBJ
seryations were kept at Mecca. where
the water came to within d half mile
OF the farm There was not only the
fenr that It might be submerged, but
the fear that the climate might be 10
changed as to interfere with the cul-s
ture Of dates. which require very dry
MI. IT was found that the year fol-
lowing the filing Of the salton basin
was the drfest one ever experienced
It Mecca since the orchard was plant-
ed. The opinion concerning the imma-
ferial eject Of tie - II based not on
fhis aIone, but % observations &C ms
Aio, ut Mammoth Tank and at Braw-
~, stations along ~ Southern Pacific
q di0efing intsfyaIs u distance from
~ -. A1othef littls e1pss1ment No.
n1eAe IL 11t 1ef1oa ~ PROGRESSES