The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-21
Utilizing Waste Land as a Water Trap.

Utilizing waste Land as Water Trap,
Basing its action in part on the results
Of this geologic investigation Congress
in 1905, created reservation of eight
sections--5,l20 acres-of vacant public
land within San Bernardino Valley, for
general use in checking and spreading
flood water and thus increasing its con
tribution to the underground supply Pri-
OF to the creation Of this reserve the
local water companies for some years
had been spreading the food waters for
the purpose of increasing the proper
ton of them absorbed by the sands and
gravels and added to the underground
supply. 1t Is to determine the practical
effects of this work that the California
State Conservation commission has ask
ed the United States Geological Survey
to undertake the present research.
To this task has been assigned as the
Surveys direct representative Charles H,
Lee, who, under the direction of Chief
Engineer William Mulholland, of the
Los Angeles Aqueduct, through a eo-op-
erative agreement between the managers
Of the aqueduct and the Geological Sur
vey. has just completed careful study
OF the quantity Of surface waters alb
sorbed by the underground reservoirs Of
Owens Valley These reservoirs have
recently been purchased by the city of
Los Angeles to augment the surface
supplies available for the aqueduct which
it is now constructing from point
above independence to Los Angeles, a
distance of 240 miles. Survey water
supply paper is now in progress report
ing the results of Mr.. Lees intensive
studies in Owens Valley.
Utilizing Results of Earlier Investiga-
ton.
In CARRYING out the investigation in
the San Bernardino Basin Mr. Lee will
find available the results Of the earlier
studies made by the Geological Survey
in that basin. and these studies will be
augmented by certain observations made
since then by the citizens and water
who have come to realize the |
of ground fluctuations |
as indicators of the status of the under
ground supplies.
For comparison with conditions in this |
basin, where artificial means have been /
taken to maintain ground water levels, |
there are available systematic measure
ments of water levels in other basins
where such conservation work has not I
been undertaken These comparative /
studies should aid in eliminating from
the San Bcrnardno Valley problem those |
factors of varying rainfall and varying
draft on the underground water supplies
which are sufficient in themselves to
account for widespread fluctuations in
the water levels from year TO year and (
from month to month.
1t is expected that this latest investi-
cation will be one more of the careful
on the various factors that /
affect ground-water supplies in the Wes-
tern states which have been carried
out by the United States Geological Sur
Tey within the past decade. The work
lone in each of the fields that have been
uttered indicates clearly that general
statements based on isolated observa-
ions or mere reports by individuals are
# no value. Careful quantitative data
procured by biologists and eningeers on
he ground alone Justify congratulations
Is to the upward or downward tendency
# the ground water levels, the rates of
movements OF ground waters. and the
quantities passed into the atmosphere
through eapillarity, evaporation, and