The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-04
WORK IN THE
 WHITE MTS,
United States Geological Survey After Facts As Legal Basis for Purchase of Forests, Under Weeks Act.

Act.
 United States Geological Survey men have been occupying winter quar- ters in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and travelling about on snow shoes in the prosecution of in- vestigations looking toward the pUr- chase by the National Government of Lands under the Weeks Act.
 The studies which the Survey en- gineers are making of this forestcd area are being carried on with an accuracy which has never before been attempted. the object being to deter mine at the earliest possible date the relation of forest lands in tke White Mountain region to stream flow. This is necessary to enable the National Forest Reservation commission to consider the purchase of New Hamp- shire lands by the Federal Govern ment, under the terms of the Weeks Act, which provides that before any lands are purchased they shall be examined by the Geological Survey and a report made to the Secretary of Agriculture showing that. the con- trol of such lands will promote or protect navigation of streams on whose watersheds they lie" The peo- pie of New England, whose represen- tatives in Congress took a prominen part in the passage of this law, have shown great interest in the practical results which the Act promises to accomplish. White Mountain lands have been offered for sale to the Gov eriment, are favorably considered ny the Secretary of Agriculture and the Geological Survey is engaged in the examination thereof required by the law.
 More investigation and discrimina- ton is required to show that the con- trol of any particular area will bene- fcially affect the flow of the stream into which 1t drains than is usually conceded by those who believe that the principles involved are well estab- lished. There has been and is a diff ference of opinion among observers in regard to the effects of forests in regulating stream flow. Some wei! in- tentioned persons contend that nc such
 
 the principle have up to the present time been unable to produce ststis- tics that adequately substantiate their contentious. A real important differ ence exists between a belief that. for ests exert a steadying effect upon stream flow and the definite showing of this effect as required by the Weeks Act", moreover. this showing must, as Congressman Weeks declar- ed in his speech on the floor of the House, be made on 'f1ndings of fact"
 In its investigation of the problem the Geological Survey makes observa- tions along two lines. The first is
 he observation and measurement of soil wash or erDsin, which in many parts of the country takes place after forests have been cut away. The silt sand. and boulders that are thus dis lodged are washed into the streams and eventually reach the navigable portions of the rivers below. The sec ond is the observation of the compar ative uniformity of flow in the streams that drain forests and defor. ested- areas, it being evident that the best condition of a river for purpos- es of navigation is that in which the floods are reduced to a minimum, and in which the stage during the dry seasons is maintained at the highest possible point.
 Evidence concerning soil waste can be secured by ocular examination and no prolonged investigation is required. This explains why the Survey was able to report promptly and favorably on designated areas in the Southern Appalachian region, where the erosin resulting from forest fires is exceed ingly rapid and destructive. In the White Mountain region. however. geo. logic conditions are such that there is no destructive soil Wastage following deforestation Or fires In the hope that some evidence of this kind might be found on close examination as a result of which prompt reports might be made concerning lands offered for sale there. the Director of the Survey. assigned A. c. Spencer, geologist, who had examined and reported favorably on several Southern Appalachian tracts to a similar examination in New Hampshire Such examination, August 1911, afforded no basis for a favorable report. Previous to this time, however and to provide against the possible failure of the work of the geologist, stream-flow studies were started consisting of accurate rainfall and run-off observations on various areas. in order to compare the rate and volume of flow in the streams ! drainage deforested and burned areas with those draining tree-covered tracts. The work is still in progress and the time within which a definite report can be made depends upon the weather; that is, if during the spring the fluctuations are sufficient to af- ford information as to the relative behaviour of the streams running from the selected areas, definite showing may be made on which an early report may be based. If, on the other hand, the weather conditions do not produce sufficient contrasts, the investigations must be prolonged. MT C. Robert Adams assistant en- gineer of the U. s. Geological Survey. who is in immediate charge of the field work describes the scope of the work carried on in New Hampshire as follows:
 "The streams selected for study drain areas which exhibit the widest possible difference as to forest cover, but which are at the same time quite | similar as to slope, exposure, and geo. logic condition. They are:
 Burnt Brook. in the upper part of the East Branch of the PernigeWas- set basin; an area that has been strip ped of trees and subsequently barned over so that at present the land is al- most entirely denuded of vegeta ton; Shoal Pond Brook. a basin adjacent to that of Burt Brook, of size c1n- parable herewith hut covered with an almost virgin forest;
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