WEATHER BUREAU. 67 



new system of night storm-warning displays will be put into operation 

 first on the Great Lakes, and at the earhest practicable date. 



Mention may be made of one or more of the new problems the fore- 

 casters have under investigation and wliich will probably be completed 

 during the coming year: 



(1) A discussion of the probability of precipitation from the differ- 

 ent recognized types of low-pressure areas or storms over the various 

 sections of the United States (H. C. Frankenfield and F.W. Kj-ichelt). 

 This discussion will observe the classification and arrangement 

 adopted in the study of tjipes of storms and storm movements in the 

 United States (Edward H. Bowie and E,. Hanson Weightman), issued 

 as Supplement No. 1, Monthly Weather Review, 1914. 



(2) A study of types of high-pressure areas of the United States 

 and their movements (Edward H. Bowie and R. Hanson Weigh tman). 



(3) The seriously disturbing influences of heavy local thunder- 

 storms on electrical transmission fines, and the important consequence 

 of these effects to a great part of the population of large cities, neces- 

 sitate and justify a more intimate and careful study of these local 

 atmospheric phenomena than has been given to them heretofore. It 

 is hoped the Weather Bureau will be able to give increased attention 

 to this interesting problem also. 



RIVER AND FLOOD SERVICE. 



General and destructive floods were absent during the year, al- 

 though local torrential rains in southwest-central Texas in the latter 

 part of April, 1915, caused severe floods in the smaller streams that 

 were responsible for a loss of 40 lives and a very large money loss in 

 crops and farms damaged that has been estimated at a fittle more 

 than $3,000,000. 



Instrumental equipment. — ^The experience of many years with 

 respect to river gauges may be stated thus : 



(1) Vertical staff gauges are to be preferred when local conditions 

 admit of their use. 



(2) Sloping gauges of concrete construction, while expensive, are 

 necessary in large streams fike the Ohio and Mississippi, in the absence 

 of bridges or docks. 



(3) Chain and weight gauges, where they can be used, afford a 

 simple and fairly accurate means of determining the level of the water. 

 They should be frequently checked in order to secure accurate results. 



Dining the year a supply of a form of short-gauge box in conjunc- 

 tion with an enameled scale has been secured. These are superior to 

 an older form suitable under similar conditions, and the new form wiU 

 replace the old as the latter becomes unserviceable. 



Inspection of stations. — ^A large number of special river stations 

 have been inspected during the year, but it does not seem possible, 

 except in rare cases, to have the zeros of the gauges and other measure- 

 ments accurately checked by precise leveling. 



A first step in the accurate chocking of the zeros of river gauges 

 has been taken in the appointment of an engineer to the service, with 

 headquarters at St. Louis, Mo. It is estimated that at least two other 

 engineers should be brought into the service, so that eventually one 

 each would bo available for the Pacific Coast, tho Mississippi Valley, 

 and the Atlantic Coast States. 



