The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-07-28
UNDERGROUND WATERS OF
INDIANA.
Useful Report and Maps Can Be Had
From United States Geo.
logical Survey.

|. The underground waters of north
central Indiana and their quality, vol
ume, and chemical characteristics are
exhaustively discussed in Water-Sup-
ply Paper 254 of the United States
Geological Survey. The field invita-
lions on which the report is based
were made in order to supply commu-
mites, municipalities and water users
generally in this region with in
formation as to the quantity, charac-
ter, distribution, accessibility and
proper safeguarding of the available
ground-water supplies, which, with
the increasing population of surface
waters by industry, wastes and a
growing population, and becoming
more and more important.
NOrth-central Indiana not only in
cludes many closely settled farming
and manufacturing centers, but is an
area in which there has been extern
sive development of the oil and gas
industries, and hence q Particular
demand has arisen for reliable infor-
nation on which to base proper
practice in water-supply development.
Expensive and Useless Drilling
Deep-well drilling should not be at
tempted without some knowledge of
the natural conditions. The geolog-
lists and engineers of the Geological
Survey know of many wells that have
been drilled from 600 to 1000 feet in
depth in places where an expert could
have foretOld with certainty that lit
tie or no water would result. Not in
frequently people write to the Survey
that they have spent hundreds or per-
hapS thousands of dollars in drilling
to great depths and inquire whether
they should go deeper. An examina-
ton of the geologic maps or data at
hand has more than once brought the
reply that the formation being drill
ed was not water-bearing. AS the
editor OF one newspaper remarks !:
There are numerous enterprising
gentlemen who are glad to bore as
near China as their machinery! will
reach at so much per foot. The man
who wants we'll bored frequently
has the idea that if he is game
enough he will strike water. If there
is probably water at 100 feet, of
course, there must be more at 1000
feet, he argues. AS matter of fact,
| the lowest limit of the water he is
looking for may be 100 feet, as any
geologist who has investigated might
tell him. But the man who is boring
the we'll is primarily a well-borer, so
he often encourages the 'gameness'
of his mistaken patron. 1t formerly
was necessarily a matter of guess
work, but nowadays it need not be-
Report is Distributed Free of Charge.
Water-Supply Paper 254 is a com
prehensive report of nearly 300 pages
containing maps showing the water
bearing formations and their various
depths, a large number of we'll rec
Ords, and other useful information.
Eighty-three acres in which artesian
wells occur were visited and their
outlines mapped. Especial attention
was given in the field work to the
water conditions in communities hav-
ing public supplies, and recommeda-
lions are made in the report as to
possible improvements where such
supplies are inadequate or show bad
sanitary conditions. Copies of the re.
port may be obtained free on applica-
ton to the Director, United States
Geological Survey, Washington, d. c..