WEATHER BUREAU. 73 



explanation of a laro:e part of the loss, but the fact remains that 

 loss of corn in overlloAved re<;ions has been experienced for many 

 years. 



MOUNTAIN-SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS. 



On account of the great deficiency of snow for the winter of 

 1919-20 in large parts of the far West, the measurements of snow- 

 fall in mountain regions have clearly indicated the necessity of 

 ■conserving the Avater supplj'' in the lowlands. In one case the State 

 has taken formal action toward conservation of the water supply. 

 The number of mountain-snowfall stations is slowly diminishing, 

 since it is rarely possible to replace an observer when he abandons 

 his residence in the mountains. 



COOPERATION. 



Much valuable aid in determining the amount of snow in the 

 mountains has been given by the forest' rangers in AVestern States. 

 Special acknoAvledgment is due the Forest Service of the Department. 

 By a cooperative agreement with that service, an intensive survey of 

 the precipitation in the mountains of Los Angeles and San Ber- 

 nardino Counties is being made. The data collected are to be used 

 in planning a system of flood protection for the lowlands of those 

 counties. 



The Wagon Wheel Gap county experiment station maintained in 

 cooperation with the Forest Service of the Department, has been 

 in operation during the year. The forest cover of watershed B has 

 been removed in accordance with the original agreement and the 

 experiment maj' be said to have reached and entered upon the second 

 stage. A discussion of the results of meteorological and stream-flow 

 observations during the first stage has been completed. 



STATIONS AND ACCOUNTS DIVISION. 



WEATHER BUREAU QUARTERS IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



Suspension of work on Federal buildings during the period of 

 the war throughout the United States was so general that no new 

 Federal buildings were completed at places wdiere Weather Bureau 

 stations are located, and no removal thereto from rented quarters 

 was made during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920. Furthermore, 

 in several instances the urgent demand for quarters in Federal 

 buildings by other branches of tlie Government necessitated re- 

 linquishment of rooms already assigned and used by the AVeather 

 Bureau as follows : 



At Lewiston, Idaho, Philadelphia, Pa., and Vicksburg, Miss., 

 one room was given up and Weather Bureau furniture and equip- 

 ment crcjwded into remaining space. At Baltimore, Md., about 

 one-third of the Weather Bureau space was relinquished for use 

 of the Revenue Service. At Fort Smith, Ark., Cairo, 111., and 

 Sacramento, Calif., office space was rearranged to better accommo- 

 date occupants of the building. 



24435— AOB 1920 G 



