X.—RAINFALL Notes, Nova Scotra.—By F. W. W. Doane, 
M. Can. Soc. C. E., City Engineer, Halifax, N.S. 
(Read May 13th, 1901.) 
If officials in charge of water works, water power and sewer 
systems are inclined to profit by knowledge acquired in the 
school of experience, the lessons presented to them during the 
year just closed have been severe and extraordinary ones. The 
long drought of 1900 will be remembered and referred to by 
meteorologists and others for many years to come. One of the 
severest ever recorded, occurred between the months of May and 
November. This condition was far-reaching, and extended 
throughout the whole of New England and New Brunswick, 
but does not seem to have reached Nova Scotia. The scarcity of 
water in public supplies as a result of the unusually dry season, 
was one of the most unpleasant features of the year. Water 
supplies, heretofore considered inexhaustible, failed. The fields 
and forests became thoroughly wilted and parched. The rural 
population suffered not only from the failure of wells, but more 
from the failure of their crops; and added to this, was the 
devastation and damage caused by numerous forest fires which 
covered large areas of country. 
There were many superintendents of water works who, in the 
spring, contemplated with satisfaction the overflowing reservoirs 
and the abundant sources of supply which fed them, and who 
thought, no matter how much their fellow citizens consumed and 
wasted, nature had provided, and would continue to provide, 
sufficient water for all purposes. Before the summer had far 
advanced, the fast receding water lines on the reservoir embank- 
ments and the steady decrease of the “meadow stream and 
mountain torrent” warned them of the approaching short supply, 
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