Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-11
WATER IN UNITED STATES.
Control and Utilization Of the supply
II cpOrt by the Geological Survey.

Recent discussions of water powers,
water rights and stream control in
the United states have attracted at
tention to tn Geological Surveys Wa
ter-Supply Paper 234, on the conserva-
tion of water resources. which Is made
mp of several short papers reprinted
from the report of the national con-
servation commission. Most of these
papers were prepared by members OF
are rainfall, foods. control Of catch
mcnt areas. developed and undevelOp-
ed water powers. land denudation.
and irrigation. and the authors are
Henry Gannett. f. II. Newell. NJ. ..
Leighton. ". G. Mendenhall. H. ~
Farkes, W. NJ. Steuart. r. b. Dole and
Herman Stabler.
Mr.. Gannett discusses the distrihu-
tion and amount of rainfall and pre-
SCENTS two maps. one showing the
mean annual rainfall in all parts Of
Tie United states. the other showing
the percentage Of annual precipita-
tion in the six warmer months. April
to September. inclusive.
The increase of foods on rivers In
the United states is shown by Mr.
Leighton and is attributed chiefly to
mated annual damage by foods In this
country has increased progressively
from $4,000, 900 in 1900 to S231 00o.-
600 in 1908
Mr.. Leighton also discusses the de-
velope1 and undeveloped water pow
ers Of the country. Out of about 3D.
900 600 horsepower available at the
mir imum low of streams but little
more than 5000, 900 has ben developed,
or about nc-seventh of the minimum
available power. A fairly complete
census of developed water powers has
been obtained. but the undeveloped
nowers are lcterminable only by est
mate. The state Of New York has
the largest development. with SN5,S62
horse power. California standing next,
with 466.774 horse power. rho sec
tion OF the country furnishing inc
greatest possibilities Of water power
development is the Northern Pacinc
region, including the basins of Cclum-
/ hia and sacramento rivers, Mi.
Leighton presents very complies sta
tistical tables covering all aectlnos
and states The tables showing de-
Vcloped water power We're compiIed
by w. NJ Stcuart of the Bureau of the
Census.
Mr. Newell's brief paper on irriga
tion shows an increase in acreage OF
land irrigated fror 363l,@Sl acres in
1852 to about 1l.00o. 900 acres in 1907
and fixes the limit of the irrisahle
area IN the arid region at about -
coo, 900 acres. or more than four times
the area now irrigated. The projects
now under way viii serve about q
100000 acres Ny. Newell's proposed
water code and his sketch Of the wa
! tortor laws now in force should be OF
general interest.
Mr.. Men1enhalrs paper on under
ground waters discusses the uses an"
waste OF ground waters, their relation
to stream flow and their conserVa-
/ ton.
The paper or dcnudation. by MeSSrs
Dole and Stablcr. shows that 1SS'oo"'-
600 tons of earth and rock, measu'e'
soil. are removed every year from
,ho surface Of the United H'''eS
About 22n tons per square mi!e OF t"e
area drained by streams emptN'hG IN
TO the Atlantic ocean Is ah""",'s
swept away from tho soil INTO 'hs
seas or its tributaries,
A table showing the catchmeh'
areas. annual water consumption ""'
1 money investment OF the water worm
svstcms cf I? cities in the Nhl'c'
states. by II. \. Parker, Is ineorp''
atcd in tho report
Water-GupnIv Paper z3i, as Who'e
Is suggestive discussion OF sohlr ~
the large" economic problems W"'''
are pressing for solution in ms No"'