The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-07-01
STUDY OF THE MISSOURI.

The water supply of the great Mis-.
souri, River drainage area is the sub
ject of report recently published by
the United States Geographical Sur
vey at Water Supply Paper 1856, by
w. A. Lamb and Robert Follansbee-
Surface Water Supply of Missouri
River Basin, 1918" This report con-
tains the records of flow at 100 per
manent river gaging stations of the
Survey during the year 1913, data
which are necessary to every form OF
water development, whether it be
water proof, navigation, irrigation, or
domestic water supply. Some of the
! tributary streams are exceedingly
variable in flow; others, like the Mo
brara, in Nebraska, are remarkably
uniform.
A systematic study of Missouri Riv-
er and its tributaries is being carried
on by the United States Geological
Survey and in so far as it relates to
Montana and Nebraska in cooperation
with those states. Considering the var
led character Of the streams of the
Missouri River basin and their great
economic importance for irritation
power, and other purposes, the inVes-
LEGATION is one Of high Importance.
The Missouri proper is formed in
southwestern Montana by the junction
of three strong mountain streams
which were discovered by Lewis and
Clark in 1906 and We're named by
them Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin
rivers. OF these three Jefferson river
drains the largest area and is consid-
cred the continuation Of the main
stream. Western Montana is noun
famous and affords many excellent
water power sites. Among the prin-
cipal tributaries of the Missouri are
the Marias, Musselshell, Yellowstone,
Sheyenne, Platte, and Kansas. The
western part OF the basin is in the
arid belt and the eastern part is in
the semiarid and humid regions.
Ten States of the Union are drain
ed in part by Missouri River. Rising
at the Red Rock Lakes, at an eleva-
ton of 500 feet abovt sea level, the
Missouri descends through the Rocky
Mountains and energies onto the
broad prairie lands a few miles be.
low the city of Great Falls, Mont.
Within 10 miles of Great Falls there
are five great drops of the river and
an aggregate fall OF 612 feet From
this point it is accounted a navigable
stream with an easy grade, and in
passing through the Dakotas and
along the borders OF Nebraska, Kan
sas. and Iowa it receives the flow OF
great tributaries, so that as il cross
es the Stale of Missouri and joins the
Mississippi a short distance above
st. Louis 1t becomes one of the large
rivers OF the world. Its total drain
age area is about $4,000 square miles
in extent and comprises in addition
to the States above mentioned large
areas of Wyoming and Colorado and
a smaller area in the southwestern
part of Minnesota.
On Shoshone River, in Wyoming, a
tributary OF the Bighorn, which in
turn is tributary to the Yellowstone
which joins the Missouri in eastern
Montana, Is located the Shoshone dam
one Of the highest of its Kind in the
world, 1913 feet from foundation to cap
stone. This structure was erected by
the Government to impound water for
irrigation on the, arid lanls in the
valley of Shoshone River below. An.
other great structure OF similar kind
is located in Wyoming, on North Plat
te River, which joins the Missouri
near Omaha Nebr. This is known as
The Pathfinder dam, and was also
erected by the Government to i'm
pound water for use in the irrigation
OF lands in Wyoming and Nebraska.
notable engineering struct-
IRE In the drainage basin of Missouri
River is the Belle Fourche dam, erect
Cd across the river OF the same name
in South Dakota by the Government
10 imponnd water for irrigation. This
dam IL an earth embankment 155 feet
high and rs miles long, containing
100000 cubic yards OF earth iillz This