Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-03-31
IN OUR
VALLEY

HE United States Weather Bureau
station established in Brownsville
some three years ago. has been a val
uable facility to the Lower Rio Grande
Valley.
1t has proved of great benefit to the
vegetable industry, the citrus fruit in
dustry, to shipping and the fish indus
try on the coast.
The local official in charge, Mr..
Schnurbusch. has been constant and un-
tiring in his efforts to render service
to this section.
But there are other facilities offer
ed by stations elsewhere that are not
offered here, for lack of men and equip
ment-and the necessary financing and
authority.
These might include a daily weather
map or weather bulletin, distribution
Of forecasts and weather reports by
the radio station to be erected here.
But there is one facility that, it seems.
should be given particular attention. 1t
is especially needed.
That facility is river forecasting
station, to be part of the weather bu-
Ieau here.
Little definite information reaches the
public of river stages above the Lower
Rio Grande Valley. Usually, the in
formation is so sketchy, varies so much
that it is difficult to determine what
to expect.
At the present time such information
as is gathered concerning the river, is
sent to the San Antonio weather station.
BY the time it has been all gathered and
returned to the Valley for distribution,
hours have been lost.
10 the Brownsville station should be
added, it seems. the duty of assembling
this information, both from the Mex.
lean rivers San Juan and Salado, from
which come most of our floods, and
from the American side of the water
shed.
1t could thus be more quickly dis,
tributed in the Valley, to the benefit of
the irrigation districts and farmers gen.
orally along the river.
Cameron and Hidalgo counties.
through state aid and local bond issues,
are about to engage upon the huge pro-
ject of expending something like $3.-
OOOVOV III IlOod COHLTOl WOTk.
This construction will necessarily be
slow. During the progress of this con-
struction and after completion of levees,
control gates, etc, it is most vital to-
have prompt reports on rapid rises and
flood stage readings from stations on
the lower Rio Grande. 1t is also es.
sential that we have daily river stage
readings from at least two or three
points on the river as well as daily
river forecasts throughout the year.
The Rio Grande floods almost reg
ularly twice year, in May or June
and again in September or October. In
those months it is usually bankful-
sometimes it swslls to where its banks
are unable to hold it, when it be-
comes menace.
Data concerning the Rio Grande
should always be on file at the station
here. and available to all who may have
need of the information. At present,
practically no official river data of any
kind appear to be available at the
Brownsville station.
No doubt if the matter were taken
before the proper authorities at Wash
ington, through the local Chamber of
Commerce. the Valley Chamber of Com
merce and other civic organizations, it
would result in the addition of this SER
vice to the Brownsville weather sta
tion.
We believe that the extensive develop
ment here and the development to come
with flood control will justify the Wash
ington authorities in taking the neces-
sary steps to better the general SER
vice of the Valley weather station