The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-02-20
WATER
Resources Of the Nation Are
Officially Shown to Be
Very Great.

" water TeSVuEcGS is therefore one oil
the most important governmental in
vestigations. The United States Geo
logical Survey has been making sys-
tematic study OF the rivers and other
water supplies in the United states
and during the last seventeen years
has published over 500 reports pre-
senting the results Of this work. PER-
haps the most useful phase Of. the
work Is the measurement Of the flow
Of streams. Records of stream flow
are absolutely essential to any intel
ligent river Development, whether it
be in the interest of navigation, Of
flood prevention, of irrigation, of land
drainage, or of power development.
In report just issued by the survey
dealing with the surface water supply
OF the Ohio river basin-iWater-sup
ply Paper 2S3-attention is called to
the Importance of longtime records
OF stream flow, inasmuch as all rivers
vary greatly from year to year. Elk
Iperience has shown that such records
should cover all stages from absolute
maximum ito absolute minimum and
should embrace periods OF Ave, ten,
or for even twenty years. At first
glance these may seem excessive
lengths OF time for the simple dter-
mination OF a rivers capacity but
when the vast interests involved in
river development are considered it
win be recognized that great care
should be taken to obtain trustworthy
Iinformatio.
Records Of stream flow have been
obtained at nearly 1000 different
points in the United States. The sur
face water supply OF small areas in
Seward Peninsula and the Yukon
Tanana region. Alaska, and in Hawaii
has also been investigated. During
1910 regular gaging stations were
maintained by the Survey and Coop
Grating organizations at about 1900
points In the United States, and many
discharge measurements were madeiat
other points. Data were also OBJ
tanned in regard to precipitation, evan
grafton, storage reservoirs, river pro-
files, and water power in many sec.
tons of the country and will be made
available in the series of papers ion
surface water supply published by the
Survey and inHspeclal reports issued
from TIME tosttme. Consideration Of
the large expenditureslmade by ma
ton. states, and individuals shows the
need OF this basic study OF streams.
Enormous Expenditures.
IN developing inland navigation the
federal government alone has ex-
pended IN the neighborhood of
$500, 100000, and prospective expendi-
lures viii approximate or exceed this
sum. 1t is obvious that the dter-
limitation Of stream flow is necessary
to the Intelligent direction of these
large disbursements. In irrigation the
United States government is now ex-
pending on reclamation systems about
$500, 100000, and this amount is far
exceeded by the private expendi-
lures for this purpose in the arid
West. 1T is further obvious that the
integrity of any irrigation system
Us based absolutely on the amount of
water available. The highest use of
water is the use for domestic supply,
and in connection with this phase of
the subject not only quantity but quail
ity of water is of prime Importance.
In very recent years water power mas
become matter of great national mo-
inert. Before the day of improved
electric transmission the importance
of water power was confined largely
to the locality at which 1t was gem
Grated, but 1t has now become a
public utility in which the individual
citizen is vitality concerned, and as the
amount of water power that may be
made available is dependent on the
flow of rivers, the investigation of
stream flow is a prerequisite to the
intelligent management of this source
of energy.
Drainage OF Swamps.
The drainage Of the vast swamp
hEGdS VI llle SUNNY
20, 900 900 acres-is matter of water
engineering and the study Of run-off
Is OF first consideration in connection
with any drainage project. Drained
swamp lands as rule become the
most fertile of agricultural areas, and
the reclamation OF the swamps of the
United States should add value to,
the Nations assets which can be reek-
oned only in billions of dollars.
Finally, in the matter of food pre-
vention thorough knowledge of
stream flow. both in the contributing
areas and along the great lowland riv-
ers, is the first necessity. The food
damage in the United states is esti-
mated to be In excess of 100000. 900
water-supply Paper $50, covering
the Ohio River BASIN contains a large
of records of the flow of nu-
merous tributaries OF the Ohio in 1910.
A copy may be had without cost in
application to the director Of the Geo
Survav iaf yrosbipoton n 20 \