The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-08-04
HYDROGRAPRER OF THE UNITED
STATES GEOLOGICAL SUR.
VEY TALKS.
PROTECTION TO SETTLER
Government Official Explains Plans Of
Service and Importance Of Power
Development and Possibilities Of
Montann-Unclc Sam Has Ninety
Statione in Treasure State.

NJ %. Leighton. photographers with
the United States geological survey.
returned yesterday from Il trip up the
Elackfoot nn,l down the Ilcll Gate
rivers. He will leave here about Fri
day for spokane He will do work In
Washington. Idaho, oregon. Utah. col
orado ana New Mexico and may not
return 10 Washington city before De-
cember He Is ON II special mission in
IN. west, but would not say what IL s
y VIII tell you In a general way what
Is being done In Montana" said he to
Missoulian, man who pressed him
for Il story. The geological survey
July more than doubled it's Montana
appropriation for the investigation of
water supplies In the state. This work
consists largely of the daily measure
ment OF the flow Of rivers ut stations
permanently established for that pur-
pose.
This work IL the basis for all devel-
opments of water supplies, such as
irrigation. water power city supply
and flood control. In all Of these de-
relopments the guarantee of water and
It's distribution throughout the year Is
the first information necessary. Upon
this has been based all the work of the
United States reclamation service. ag-
gregating about $4,000. 900 throughout
the arid west. I'm addition TO the S2O.-
100000 appropriated by the last con
gr6ss
THE earlier irrigation works We're
not based on actual records Of stream
flow. and. as II result, many of them
failed because the amount of water
was not as great as was believed Such
failures worked hardships In every
case. II not disaster. to the settlers
ana so IL Is that the measurement of
stream flow Is primarily II means
Of protection to the settler. In
the case Of the government projects
II becomes the guarantee of the in
tesrity of the governments invest
ment. Water power no less than irri-
CATION. Is dependent upon stream flow
and that which limits the amount OF
power available at any site s the low
water and not that brought down In
floods. The neglect of this fnnda-
mental point has resulted In the use
less expenditure OF many millions of
b''Hi III tIt VI PoNtI
wheels that could be used only at short
periods during flood time. Such power
Is not marketable. II is only that that
can be depended upon every day in the
year that as II rule. Is, worth devel-
oping.
Reservoirs.
In the establishment Of reservoirs
on the other hand. to increase the loW
water f.ow and prevent floods 1t IL the
high water period that Is most impor-
lant for. unless we know how much
water there is to be stored. we cannot
adapt the capacity of the reservoir to
iit the stream
THE work Of the survey has been
prosecuted In Montana ever since 1885,
but Its extent has not been comparable
with the Importance of tile streams
Of the state. This, however, IL true of
the entire country. and necessarily 80,
because the appropriations have no.
been sufficient to do more. The APP
preparation was increased so per cent
by the last session of congress. AS Il
result Montana's portion has been
more than doubled.
Ninety Stations.
we are now maintaining 30 stations
In the state, and more are being added
The funds now provided, 1t Is believed,
will be sufficient TO carry on the work
in proper manner
The water powers Of Montana are
next to its agriculture in Importance
In the way of an asset. The mines
viii some day be worked out; the wa
ter powers will always be available
Few states In the Union are so
richly endowed with water power as
this one. and few have been developed
so well up to the present time. Never
theless, the state has hardly made Il
beginning in water power develop
ment."
Mr. Leighton will make n trip mp the
Hell Gate before he quits this terri
tory,