OFFICE OF EXPEKIMENT STATIONS. 

 Official stations and names of observers — Continued. 



227 



DESIGNING OF INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING AND RECORDING FLOW 



OF WATER. 



The designing of instruments for measuring and recording the 

 water used in irrigation begun by Professor Mead has continued 

 under his direction. Two new designs for water registers were fur- 

 nished to irrigators and canal companies last year. The latest of 

 these designs can be furnished irrigators at about one-half the cost 

 of the foreign instruments formerly used, and one instrument maker 

 in Denver has engaged in their manufacture extensively. The first 

 step toward economy in the use of water is to enable farmers to know 

 whether they are receiving what they are paying for, and to insure 

 to canal companies an accurate record of what they deliver. Since 

 the ultimate extent of the cultivated area will be measured by the 

 water supply rather than the area of irrigable land, the efforts to 

 increase its duty have a direct relation to both the value of irrigation 

 work and the ultimate area of cultivated land. 



DISTRIBUTION OF WATER PROM STREAMS. 



Better facilities for observation and more capable observers have 

 permitted an extension of the studies of the duty of water so as to 

 embrace an entire stream. Those in charge of the division of rivers 

 know that much of the water diverted returns again; that in some 

 places the flow of the stream sinks in the sand to again reappear on 

 the surface lower down. Each stream has therefore problems of its 

 own, and its behavior, as irrigation extends, must be studied and 

 understood in order that the largest and best use of its waters may 

 be made. Experience has shown that not only is the land along one 

 portion of a stream much more valuable than another portion, but 

 that its waters can be made to irrigate a much lai-ger area in favor- 

 able sections than if unfavorable ones are chosen. The area which a 



