The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-04
PLANNING TO PURCHASE
WHITE MOUNTAIN LAND
To That End U. S. Geological Survey
Men Have Been Busy In the
Region All Winter.

/ States geological survey men have been
occupying winter quarters in the White
Mountains of New Hampshire and trav-
cling about on snow shoes in the prose-
cttion Of Investigations looking toward
tie purchase BY the national government
OF lands under the Weeks act.
The studies which the survey engineers
are making of this forested area are
! being carried on with an accuracy which
! has never before been attempted, the
| object being TO determine at the earli-
est possible date the relation of forest
lands in the White Mountain region to
| stream flow. This is necessary to en-
| able the national forest reservation com
mission to consider the purchase of New
| Hampshire lands by the federal gov
eminent under the terms of the Weeks
act, which provides that before any
lands are purchased, they shall be ex-
amined by the geological survey and
report made to the secretary of agricul-
ture showing that the control of such
| lands will promote or protect nayiga-
tioI Of streams on whose watersheds
they lie" The people of New England,
| whose representatives in Congress took
a prominent 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
ernment. are favorably considered by
tho secretary of agriculture, aud the
geological survey is engaged in the ex-
animation thereof required by the law.
More investigation and discrimination
is required to show that the control of
any particular area will benefcially af
feet the flow OF the stream into which
it drains than is usually conceded by
those who believe that the principles
Involved are we'll established There
has been and is a difference of opin-
ion among observers in regard TO the
effects of forest in regulating stream
flow, Some well intentioned persons
contend that no such effects exist, while
those who support the principle have,
up to the present time. been unable
to produce statistics that adequately
substantate their contentious real
important difference exists between a
belief that forests exert a steadying
effect upon stream flow and the def
mite showing of this effect as required
by the Weeks act; moreover, this
showing must, as Congressman Weeks
declared in his speech ON the floor Of
the House, be made on findings Of
fact"
In its investigation of the problem
the geological survey makes obseTa
tons along two lines. The first is the
observation and measurement OF soil
wash, or erosion, which in many parts
OF the country takes place after forests
have been cut away. The silt sand.
and boulders that are thus dislodged,
are washed into the streams and event
unlly reach the navigable portions of
the rivers below The second is the
observation Of the comparative uni
formity Of flow in the streams that drain
fcrested and dcforested areas. il being
evident that the best condition OF a
river for purposes of navigation is that
in which the floods are reduced to
minimum. and in which the stage dur
ing 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 desig
mated areas in the southern Appalachian
forest fires is exceedingly rapid and de.
structive. In the White Mountain re-
gion, however, geologic 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 examna-
tiun as a result of which prompt re-
ports might be made concerning lands |
offered for sale there. the director of |
tie survey assigned A. G. Spencer. geolo- /
gist, who had examined and reported fa-
vorably on several southern Appalachian /
tracts to a similar examination in New |
Hampshire Such examination, cover
ing about six weeks in July and Au- +
gust 1911, offered no basis for favor /
able report. Previous to this time. how /
ever, and to provide against the pos.
sible failure of the work of the geolo- |
gst, stream flow studies were started. I
of accurate rainfall and run
of observations on various areas, in /
order to compare the rate and volume of |
flow in the streams draining 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, il during
the spring the fluctuations are sufficient
to afford information as to the relative
behavior of the streams running from
the selected areas, a. definite showing
may be made on which an early report
may be based. II. on the other hand.
the weather conditions do not produce
sufficient contrast, the investiga tions
,nusf ha nrnlonuad