490 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



water supply of tlie United States, including the investigation of 

 underground currents and artesian wells in arid and semi-arid 

 regions. . . /' (Passed August 18, 1894.) 



The demand on the survey from time to time for information 

 concerning the water resources of the country has increased from 

 year to year, especially from the arid and semi-arid regions of the 

 west. Inquiries come from farmers seeking to provide water for 

 domestic use and for irrigation, from individuals and from mu- 

 nicipal organizations seeking artesian water supply and water 

 power, and from members of Congress having in view legislation 

 concerning the regulation of streams flowing across State or 

 national boundaries. Response to the inquiries made requires 

 not only broad knowledge of the topography, geologic structure, 

 and meteorologic conditions of the regions involved, but also more 

 or less familiarity with local conditions. In' the past the hydro- 

 graphic work of the survey has been limited because of the small 

 sum available for the purpose. Such results as have been secured 

 were largely an incidental product of the brief irrigation survey, 

 which was practically suspended in 1891. Under the law above 

 quoted, the work was taken up systematically during the present 

 year, and will now be prosecuted as thoroughly and extensively 

 as the money appropriated for the purpose will permit. A large 

 amount of volunteer assistance has been given by local observers 

 who realize the value of the work, and by railroad companies 

 which are sufficiently interested to have their bridge-tenders read 

 the river gauges. By this co-operation much more extensive 

 results are possible than with the limited resources thus far at 

 the command of the survey. 



The water which has been utilized for irrigation by the farm- 

 ers of the west is that which is most readily available, but both 

 the great supjjly of storm water and the underground yield are 

 scarcely touched. The utilization of this unappropriated water is 

 the first condition for the further development of the arid and 

 semi-arid lands in both public and private ownership. In order 

 that the water may be intelligently utilized it is necessary that a 

 thorough investigation should be made to obtain information as 

 to the quantity and its fluctuations, before dams and reservoirs 

 for storing it can be economically constructed. 



The range of the requests for information on this point and 

 concerning water powers shows the popular appreciation of the 

 best work in this direction. From this standpoint the inquiries 

 are encouraging ; at the same time they are embarrassing, in that 

 it is assumed that the survey has extended its investigation over 

 the whole field. The data, however, are far from sufficient, and 

 for their completion there is demand for a field survey which 

 should be prosecuted at once and in the most thorough and sys- 



