Kaums Academy of Science. 121 



THE ALG;E of KANSAS RESERVOIRS. 



(Preliminary Paper.) 



Jamks B. McNAriiiiT. 



THIS investigation was undertaken with a twofold purpose. 

 First, it is intended that the data when available in com- 

 pleted form shall serve as an aid to the sanitary engineer by 

 explaining the harmful effects of heavy growths of micro- 

 organisms in the city water reservoirs, and by describing the 

 organisms causing trouble and the best methods for their 

 eradication. Second, it is the first survey of the algae of 

 Kansas by the University, This survey was planned several 

 years ago by the department of botany and the Water Survey, 

 but was not begun until the summer of 1915, when the author 

 made his first complete survey of the reservoirs of the surface 

 water supplies in Kansas. 



The study of the microorganisms in water has gone hand in 

 hand with the development of the compound microscope, dat- 

 ing back to the seventeenth century. In 1850 Doctor Hassall, 

 of London, first called attention to the fact that these or- 

 ganisms have a sanitary significance in drinking water. In 

 1887 the first systematic examination of the water supplies 

 in this country was made by the Massachusetts State Board 

 of Health. Since that time survey work upon the algae of the 

 water supplies has been done in many states preliminary to 

 the practical work of the sanitary engmeer. 



The first data upon the algae found in Kansas was published 

 in September, 1884, in a bulletin of the Washburn laboratory 

 of natural history. This was a list of twelve species, identified 

 by the Rev, Francis Wolle, of Bethlehem, Pa., and was in- 

 corporated in the Biological Survey which Francis W. Cragin, 

 professor of natural history, was conducting at Washburn 

 College. In January, 1885, July, 1886, and January, 1889, the 

 second, third and last lists appeared. Altogether there were 

 listed fifty-three species. These publications contain all of the 

 data which is available in our state upon our local algae. 



In our neighboring states considerable work on the listing 

 of the algae has been published. Nebraska has issued, through 

 its Botanical Survey, five bulletins under the directions of 

 Professors Bessey, Pound, Clements and Webber, In Iowa, 



