The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-26
]. C. HOYT TO TOPEKA
L. S. Water Expert Here on Inspec-
ton Tour-kansas Activities.

John C. Hoyt. chief. division of
Water Resources, u. S. geological sur
vey, Washington, D. c., is expected in
Topeka March 3, for a few days. He
has been on an extended inspection
tour of the district offices of the
geological survey thruout the west and
will make his headquarters at the
district office. 20 Federal building, To-
peka. Mr.. Hoyt is widely known as
an authority on stream flow investiga-
tions and his River Discharge is
recognized as standard practice by
engineers thruout the country.
The Kansas water commission
working in cooperation with the
/ United States geological survey, has
computed recently the daily flow of
the Kansas river at Topeka since June,
1917. according to Roger c. Rice dis
| trict engineer of the geological survey
| at Topeka. The maximum discharge
| during the period was 24.4OO second
| feet on May 90, 1918, when the sta ge
| reached 12.4 feet; the minimum dis
charge was 705 second-feet on Sep
TENDER IS, 1918. when the stage was
| 3.15 feet. Mr.. Rice stated that these
are by no means the extreme limits of
| the carrying capacity of the Kansas
river at this point and pointed out that
| the United States weather bureau rec
ords for the period 1904 to 1917, show
| that the river has been as high as
$50 feet on June 9, 1908, and 327 feet
low as rs feet on December IA. 1914.
The flood stage occurs at 81 feet.
Kansas Leader.
| Kansas was one of the first states
| to investigate the water possibilities
of its streams. Rice explains. AS early
as 1895, when irrigation in the state
was being considered seriously, the
geological survey co-Operated with the
Kansas state board of irrigation, sur
Vey, experiment and demonstration in
| the investigation of the flow of Kan
sas streams. The power possibilities
of such streams as the Blue river, the
Verdigris and its tributaries also were
studied and the results published in
the reports of the geological survey
as we'll as in the state reports.
Unfortunately, after carrying os1
these valuable Investigations from 1896
to 1906, state interest waned and ii
was necessary for the federal govern
ment to concentrate it's limited re-
sources in water Investigations in the
western states. From 1906 to 191 g.
as already shown, Kansas experienced
floods and drouth, and no records
| are available showing the effect OF
! the streams flow and only limited in
| formation secured by the United States
| weather bureau on the river stages
| Information carefully collected, COM
| piled and published on the yields from
wells in western Kansas and the util-
iZation of this underflow would be OF
great assistance to irrigators, and 9th
ers depending upon this source foI
water supply
In 1917, the Kansas water commits
sion began to investigate the water
problems of the state and has already
! made definite progress in re-esta blish-
ing the stream gauging Investigations
on many of the important streams in
| eastern Kansas Plans have beer
made to extend this work thruout the
state and also to commence specia
hydrome tric Investigations. 1t is be-
lieved that this work will prove to be
an investment that is on par with the
importance of the vital water problems
to be solved in the near future