Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-09
WATER RESOURCES
 OF CONNECTICUT. investigations by United States GSo- logical Survey and State Geoiogies; and Natural History Survey.


 The rapid industrial development of
 the State of Connecticut in recent
 years has given rise to numerous
 problems relating to water supply
 AIanufa curing is increasing at a rapid
 rate: agriculture at slower rate but with q distinct tendency toward spec
 iaization. There is in addition dis position to utilize the scenery Of the
 State-a tendency resulting in the de- velopment of country estates and shore homes.
 With an annual rainfall of 1 inches
 both surface and ground waters in Connecticut are large in amount, but the rainfall is sometimes deficient through periods of several weeks or months. Consequently farmers must endure periods of drought manufac- turers must provide against fiuctuating water power, and congested districts muSt arrange for adequate water sup plies. With increasing size and diver stt1cation of population conflicts of in ! tereSt arise between water power users and domestic consumers and between towns dependent on the same streams or drainage basins. With the development of irrigation and drain age another set of interests is making demands. Also the question of duaI- lty of water takes on new meaning with the effort to improve the health
 fulness of the State and to reclaim the waters now polluted by factory waste and sewage. In addition to these
 larger problems there is the matter of procuring small but unfailing supplies Of pure potable water for the indiVi- 1 dual farm and village home-in respect to which the conditions in Connecticut are in many places deplorable.
 To meet the present situation and to
 provide for the future, Statewide regulations, following intelligent legis- latiOn, should be adopted Evidently the first step in the solution of the Con-
 necticut water problem is a compre- hensiye study Of the facts as regards both surface and underground supplies How much available water is stored in the gravels and sands and bedrock J of the State? How much does the amount fuctuate with the seasons? What is it's quality? How may it best be recovered in large or small amounts? What is the expense of re- covering it? How much water may the streams of the State be relied up on to supply. How much is pollut- ed@ How may the pollution be rem edied? To what use should each of is the equitable distribution of ground and surface waters among the con fiicting industries and communities? The study of the water resources of United States Geological Survey. Prof. H. E. Gregory of Yale University, who has had wide experience on the Fed eTal Survey with groUnd-water prob lens in various parts of the country.
 was assigned to the investi gation and has had supervision of all ground water work that h,2-s since been done in the State by both Federal and State Surveys. 4 preliminary report was issued in 1904 (U. $. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 102). A discussion of the fundamental prob Ieuls relating to the State as a whole
 was published in 1909 GU 5. Geologi- cal Survey Water-SuPply Paper z32). This paper meets in q broad way the requirements of the scientist and the engineer but it was not designed to provide d solution for local problems and is not sufficiently detailed to fur uish data for use in q Quantitative study of ultimate supply and it's utili- zation. It was recognized that condi- tions in the State are 50 various that each section of the State has it's in dividual problem, and that in order to procure data of direct practical value the conditions surrounding each town and. where feasible, each farm and village should be investigated.
 Realizing the importance of such studies to Connecticut, the State join ed forces with the Federal Govern In 1911 g. cooperative agreement was entered into by the United States Geo. logical Survey and the Connecticut Geological and Natural History Sur vey for the purpose of obtaining in