Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-09-09
HOW UNCLE SANS MEN SAFEGUARD
Water SUPPLY OF The TERRITORY
w. F. Martin and His Assistants Measure the Streams and
Rivers and Save Precious Fluid for Irrigation Purposes.

1neTe are pTOOdUiy very IoW poO-
pie, outside Of those who are specially |
interested in the work, who know
what is being done throughout the
in connection with estab- |
fishing and noting facts IN regard to |
the water supply. There is a sign
stuck up in the basement Of the Capt.
toll building, which tells that there Is |
the headquarters Of the United States
Survey, and also Of that
part of 1t known as the Water Re-
sources Branch. -9l
W. F. Martin, who has been placed
in charge Of the work here, is q
trained university engineer, who has
had great deal Of experience on the
mainland. He and his assistants have
been studying conditions for some
time. and are now ready to give out
the facts they have come across. and
also some. suggestions that may help
those who have to handle water for
irrigation and other purposes. Before
saying anything about what results
they, have accomplished, however, II
may be as well to describe how they
go about their work.
The Water Resources Branch IL
quite distinct, although in a measure
the same. as the Geographical Survey
Department. Its specific work 10 ID
measure up all the streams and
sources Of water. and to be able to
show just how much water may be
expected from any stream at any
given time during year. This neces-
states an. enormous amount Of detail
work. and also . !, great amount Of
time spent In making, the estimates. -
With the case of.a stream or river,
they have observers who take a read
ing Of the depth and also the flow OF
water two or three times during the
day. BY this method It is possible
to ascertain Just how much water may
be expected to be flowing through at
any given date. This is especially
valuable when the matter is worked
out OF how much water can be taken
for irrigation purposes during any
year. or during any special month.
Measuring Streams. 4
" The method Of measuring a stream
Is an interesting one. A will be seen
In the ILLUSTRATION that accompanies
this article, the men are In the middle
Of stream. holding what appears to
be string let down. into the water.
As matter Of fact this is wire,
which is connected with an electrical
contrivance underneath the water.
The current meter. as It is usually
known, consists Of four cups, which
are placed on a central axis. When
these are let down into, the water
they revolve. and each one of the rev.
olutions Is checked OF by an electrical
fixture and telephoned up through the
wire to the man holding II at the
top. who has receiver fixed over
his ear. He also has stop watch In
his hand. and by this he counts up
the number Of revolutions that the
cones make down below. From this
he can work out the rate of flow.
Taking a section Of a stream, the
current meter Is lowered into II until
1t Is two-tenths Of the depth below
the surface. The number of reyolu.
lions that the cones make Ia then
checked of. and the meter is dropped
down until 1t is eight-tenths from the
top or two-tenths from the bottom.
The mein Of the two readings is then
taken. and the result Ia the speed nj
which the water is flowing at that
particular spot.
In order to make certain, however.
trat true mein shall be obtained.
readings are. taken as close as two
feet apart right across the width Of
the stream. The mein Of the whole
lot is then taken. and from this Il
calculated out the velocity of The
water and also the amount Of water
that Is passing down. This is done
by means Of tables which have been
worked out by experts and have been
proved over and over again. Also nc
current meter is sent out OF the fac.
tory until II has been tested, not onI,
by the tables. but by the actual work.
ing out of the calculations. In the
case OF large stream, a bridge ha,
often to be built across to lower thu
meter from.
BY taking these readings at dis.
tances along the stream, Il Is nos.
sible to see how much loss there 4,
from leakage or how much, extrs
water comes In. These results, taker
In conjunction with the observation
made BY the men stationed along IN,
banks. give good idea Of how mucr
water is running throughout the year
The work is largely cooperative
the Federal Government giving 5000
year for the work done here an,
the Territory putting another s1O. 100,
10 this The Territory gets the Who'll,
benefit of the work done. howsyer
and it also gets the benss,t Of ~,
printed results, which work is Carrie,
out by the Federal authorities. w
are very well looked after by the Fed
eral authorities, as the usual share o
!he main appropriation for each STAT
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