170 



the wntcr to make it potable. The great burden imposed upon a tiltra- 

 tion plant by the use of the river for the disposal of sewage and manu- 

 facturing wastes in constantly increasing (j[uantities, should be lessened as 

 much as possible. Some degree of purification of all manufacturing 

 wastes and domestic sewage should be required. I'artial purification, such 

 as screening or the i}assing the se^^'age and wastes through Inihoff tanks, 

 will give a satisfactory elHuent for some time to come. Some si ch treat 

 ment should therefore be required of all cities and towns and manufac- 

 turing concerns, and it was so recounuended. 



Last sunmier similar work was done on White River from Winchester, 

 near the source, to the mouth, a distance of about 3SS miles being covered. 

 From Winchester to Muncie the trip was made on foot; from Muncie to 

 Indianapolis a rowboat was used; between Indianapolis and Martinsville, 

 information and samples were collected in an auto, and from ]Martins- 

 \Ule down, the houseboat which had been used on the Wabash liiver was 

 again put in service. It had been Iirought up to this point during the 

 early spring. 



Navigation was more difficult than had been prc^viously e.\i>ericnceil. 

 and many obstructions in the way of snags and sand bars were met. Al- 

 together 779 samples were collected, 334 of them from the river. The 

 river for about 100 miles below Indianapolis was found to be in a serious 

 condition, due to the great amount of .sewage and manufacturing wastes 

 introduced into the river at Indianapolis. The flow of the river during 

 dry sea.sons is entirely too small to care for tliis great amount of sew- 

 age, and the (mly remedy for the situaticm is the treatment of this refuse, 

 which has already l>een liegun in an experimental way. When Indian- 

 apolis has relieved its p(vrtion ol" the jiolliitinn. otbei' I'ities will liave 

 to do likewise, and in this way, the condition of the river will gradually 

 be restoi'ed to as near its original state as pt)ssible. 



Altogether, a total distance of 1,10") miles were covered in the survey 

 of the last llirei' rivers, and over L'.i:<H» samples were analyzi-d. \:.H\:\ ol 

 them river samples. The work done has revealed serious conditions on 

 two of the rivers, the Caluiuet and Whiti'. steps for the iniproveinent ui' 

 wliicli iiave already been taken. In the case of the otlier two. steps I'oi- 

 the restoration of the water to its former condition should be taken, and 

 future pollution probii)it(Mi. The a( <dniiianying map >-lio\\s the extent of 

 tile v.ork (haie on Indiana rivci's. 



