The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-14
STUDY OF The MISSOURI.
United States Geological Survey Con
Quoting Comprehensive Invest.
uation

CATION.
A systematic study of Missouri River
and It's tributaries is being carried on
by the United States Geological Sur
Vcy. Considering the varied character
oil the streams OF the Missouri River
iasin and their great economic impor-
lance for irrigation. power. and other
purposes. the Investigation is one Of
the highest Importance.
Ten States Of the Union are drained
IN part by Missouri River. Rising in
southwestern Montana at the Bedrock
Lakes. at an elevation OF 500 feet
above sea level. this stream descends
through the Rocky Mountains and
comes out on the broad prairie land
few miles below the city Of Great
Fails. Mont. From that point il is
uayigable stream with m easy grade
and in passing through the Dakotas
and along the borders of Nebraska,
Kansas. and Iowa 70 receives the flow
Of great tributaries. so that as IL
crosses the state OF Missouri and joins
tho Mississippi short distance above
ST. Louis il becomes one of the large
rivers OF the world. Its total drainage
area is about 49,. 900 square miles in
extent and comprises, in addition 10 4
the states above mentioned large |
areas IN Wyoming and Colorado and |
a smaller area In the southwestern /
part OF Minnesota.
Many Fine Water Power Sites.
The Missouri proper is formed In
southwestern Montana by the juno
tion Of three streams which were dis
covered by Lewis and Clark in 1906
and were named by them jefferson,
Madison and Gallaun rivers. This
part OF Montana Is mountainous and !,
affords many excellent water-power
sites. Among the principal tributaries
OF the Missouri are tn Narids. the
Mussasheu the Yellowstone the
Cheyenne the Platte. and the Kansas.
The western part Of the basin IS in
the arid belt and the eastern part Is ,
i'm the semlarid and humid regions.
The water supply Of this greHt Mis- 4
souri, drainage area is the subject oi [
a publication recently issued by the D
United States Geological Survey, en- +
titled Surface Water Supply of the n
Missouri River Basin" tWater-Supply fl
Paper $50. This paper contains the b
records OF flow at the permanent sta /
ions Of the Survey during the year d
gl0 Flow data of this kind are nee q
.ssary 10 every form Cf water develop
nent. whether il be water power, navl- d
srf ice a 10 Fsf
upply. H. the Missouri basin the Sur :,
cy has made flow measurements at n
90 stations. some OF the tributary o,
treams are exceedingly variable n. q,
oW. others. like the Niobrara In Ne nj
raska. are remarkably uniform. n
Government. irrigation Dams. o.,
ON Shoshone River I'm Wyoming. a q,
tributary n the Bighorn. which in 4
urn is tributary 10 the Yellowstone, 81
located the Shoshone dam the high. g,
~ structure of It's kind in the world.
IS feet from foundation 20 capstone. a.
his structure was erected by the GOV. T.,
rnment 90 jmpound water for irriga- L.
on on the arid lands In the valley Of
hoshone River below. Another great IN
.ructure Of a similar kind is located b,
n North Platte River in Wyoming. =
Mich joins the Missouri near Omaha. in
cb. This Is known as the Path n,
nder dam and was also erected by :.
,e Government 10 inpouud water Tor %,
ge In the irrigation Of .ands in Wyo- ~.
ling and Nebraska. Another notable
lRincerng structure In the drainage b.