ioS 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Hydrographic Branch of the Geological Survey. With the acquisition 

 of facts concerning the rivers of the west, their fluctuations, the oppor- 

 tunities for storage and for diverting the waters upon arid land, came 

 a more definite appreciation of the importance of the whole subject. 

 The people of the United States, stimulated by the irrigation con- 

 gresses and Irrigation Association, urged upon their representatives in 

 congress the enactment of a law recognizing the conditions. 



One of the first acts of President Koosevelt was to recommend the 

 passage of a national irrigation law, and the intelligent interest shown 

 by the president in directing and furthering the efforts of other public 

 men culminated finally in the passage of the Eeclamation Act. This 



,«j*«^«-- • ■*- - 



Salt River, Arizona, at Dam Site of proposed Tonto Reservoir 

 The dam will be 240 feet high. 



places at the disposal of the secretary of the interior a fund which now 

 amounts to nearly $25,000,000 and is steadily growing. 



Immediately upon the passage of the Eeclamation Act the secretary 

 of the interior authorized the director of the Geological Survey to 

 utilize the services of the men who had been studying the subject, and 

 to add to their number from time to time other experienced men, 

 selection being made from competitive civil service examination. By 

 these means the Eeclamation Service has been gradually built up in 

 the Hydrographic Branch of the Geological Survey, until now it 

 includes about 250 engineers of various grades and classes, including 

 men of wide experience in constructing and consulting capacities. 



