WATER SUPPLIES AND WELL RECORDS. II3 



equally or more complete records are to be desired from the many 

 other localities in the State from which at present only partial 

 records are available. Moreover, a single record from a locality 

 does not supply all the information desired, since the degree of 

 variability within the formation is of much practical value in 

 well-drilling, and on this point information approaches complete- 

 ness only as successive well holes are drilled through the same form- 

 ation. 



The investigation of the water supply as a mineral resource as 

 well as the general study of the geology of the state is made by law 

 a part of the duties of the State Geological Survey, and in accord- 

 ance with this requirement the services of the State Survey are at 

 the disposal of individuals and communities in the study of water 

 supply problems except, however, those concerning sanitar}- condi- 

 tions, which are more properly the work of the State Board of 

 Health. In accordance with this requirement the State Geologist 

 will assist in preserving well records, will examine and report upon 

 samples from drillings, and after correlating the data from numer- 

 ous wells will make the information available through the published 

 reports of the Survey to all those who may be interested. It would 

 seem that municipalities in particular should be interested in thus 

 preserving data of this character, and it is recommended that each 

 municipality, as well as individual owners, include in their specifica- 

 tion for wells a provision for the preservation of careful records and 

 samples of the drillings to be forwarded to the State Geological 

 Survey. By so doing the preservation of the record will be pro- 

 vided for. In many instances, particularly as data in each locality 

 accumulates, the State Geologist will be able to supply information, 

 based upon an examination of samples from wells previously drilled, 

 that will be of service in drawing up specifications for wells, as well 

 as to advise as to the depth that it is advisable to drill and the char- 

 acter of water that may be expected, this data being given as in 

 the case of all other services rendered by the Survey' as a part of 

 its usual duties which involves neither obligation nor expense to 

 those to whom the service is rendered. 



