40 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



verification of these forecasts, especially when they betokened the 

 breakino; up of continued drought or the approach of cold waves or 

 heavy snows. 



The distribution of the information contained in the Bureau's 

 forecasts and warnings has been effected, as in previous years, by 

 telephone, telegraph, and mail, and through the press. The requerfts 

 for additional weather reports by telegraph from the various observ- 

 ing stations were unusuallv numerous, exceeding those for any 

 single year in the previous history of the Bureau. While public 

 requirements in this respect have been met as far as possible by a 

 reorganization of the Bureau's system of "circuit" reports, the 

 demands were more than could be satisfied with the present fund 

 available for telegraphic expenses. 



RIVERS AND FLOODS. 



The great floods of the year were those in the Missouri and its 

 tributaries east of Kansas City, and in the ^lississippi from Hannibal, 

 Mo., to Chester, 111., in July; in the North Pacific States in Novem- 

 ber and December; and in Utah and southern California in January, 

 the last being one of those rare occurrences known as a "desert 

 flood." The total loss was about $14,000,000, all of which was 

 unavoidable. During the July floods about 1,000,000 acres of farm 

 land, two-tliirds of which was under cultivation, were overflowed, 

 and the crop loss alone amounted to S5, 500,000. The warnings 

 issued during this flood saved property to the value of $1,000,000. 



An extension of the river service has been made in the watershed 

 of the Saginaw River, in Michigan, during the year. The river dis- 

 trict of Hannibal, Mo., was also created, by assigning to it that 

 portion of the St. Louis district between Hannibal and the mouth 

 of Des ]\loines River. There is need of further extension of direct 

 flood work, but other projects during the coming year wiU consume 

 all available funds. The study of the Ohio River was continued, 

 while schemes for the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers are well 

 advanced. It is hoped that the entire scheme for the Ohio watershed 

 will be completed during the coming year. 



It was recognized more than a year ago that the approaching 

 completion of irrigation projects in the far West had imposed new 

 responsibilities on the Weather Bureau in the way of obtaining 

 accurate snowfall measurements at the sources of water supply, the 

 determination of the water equivalent of the accumulated snows of 

 winter, and the gauging of the streams for the benefit of the water 

 users. The prosecution of these inquiries has been intrusted to the 

 River and Flood Division, and a series of observations along definite 

 lines has already been planned. 



