The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-29
GOVERNMENT joins
FOR CONSERVATION
Of ARTESIAN WATER
North Dakota GeoIogist in
Charge Of Well Depart.
ment Reports Results
MORE CARE IN DRILLING
leakers, Wild Ones and Old
Producers Are Problems;
Injury to Highways

Howard e. Simpson, state water
geologist, has submitted to Governor
Shafer and the legislative assembly
his annual report on the work Of con-
serving the artesian well water sup
plies OF the state. He says the two
aims Of the law, the conservation of
the supplies and their betterment.
have been advanced. very substantially
during the year by field work based
on q systematic plan followed by his
office. He continues:
This program and its method of ex-
ecution have necessarily been largely
developed as progress has been made
here, for, as the chief water geologist
of the United States Geological sur
vey has said, ours is 1.-The first ade-
Quate attempt to conserve artesian
waters on q large SCALE"
That the work has been economic
ally done Is evidenced by the state
ment Of a representative Of the
ground water division Of the United
States Geological survey: Il have been
amazed at the amount Of work ac-
complished in North Dakota on the
very small appropriation available"
The work Of this hiennium has, in
general, followed lines presented in
previous reports, including chiefly:
The field inspection OF artesian wells,
the making Of surveys and reports for
new or improved city and village sup
plies and cooperation with the we'll
drillers In improving the methods Of
well work, particularly on farm wells.
The chief new developments of the
biennium have been in the lines Of
national cooperation. first in the or
ganization Of we'll drillers for the bet
terment Of water supplies and second,
the cooperation Of the U. 8. Geo.
logical survey, especially in the at
tempt to improve methods of finish
ing wells in sand. Both of these are
the result Of the investigations and
service started in this state.
Field Seasons Of 1027.28
The two field seasons Of this bien-
MUM have both been largely given
over to the inspection of the artesian
wells In the Dakota artesian basin in
the southeastern portion of the state
and the Red River valley basin in the
eastern part.
The inspection of all artesian wells,
flowing and non-flowing, numbering
approximately 1890, in about 1856
townships, was completed during the
biennium. This finished the work of
inspection In all Of the northern
counties Of both basins, including:
Pembina, Walsh, Grand Forks
Barnes. Stutsman, La Moure, and
leaves about 60 townships in these
two main basins to inspect. OF these
there are five or fewer in each of the
following counties: Trail. Cass. RAN
som and Dickey and the remainder
are In Sargent and Richland coun-
ties.
City and Village Surveys
During the biennium ground water
surveys and reports have been made
BY the water geologist for Rolla, Bow
bells, Northwood. for the Indian
agency and school at Fort Totten, and
for the Standing Rock Indian agency
and school at Fort Yates. The install
lation OF water works, as recon-
mended, has been made at Rolla and
the supply at Bowbells has been i'm
proved In quantity by drilling the city
well deeper. Action has not yet been
taken on the advice on the other
cases.
Work With Well :Drillers
It has been the aim Of the water
geol0gist to give special service to the
well drillers Of the state in order that
they may in turn render the best and
most efficient service to the citizens
for whom they must be the local wa
ter supply experts. In addition to the