2S UNDERGROUND WATERS. 



recent OilPcial report in the United States it is stated " Much 

 blind optimism prevails on this subject." This is also 

 true, to a large extent, of Queensland, with the exception 

 of some able work done by the Geological Department. 

 Measuring evaporation and gauging the run-off in the 

 rivers have been left undone until recently. I began this 

 work in South Australia 25 years ago. Such data are 

 necessary to solve the problems of the source of the 

 artesian wells, and the permanency or otherwise of their 

 flow. 



A Method of Exploration. 

 I would again emphasise the importance of the 

 question : what is the best scientific method of explora- 

 tion for underground waters ? As a contribution to the 

 answer to this I shall now describe some work I undertook 

 some years ago in that direction. I had to examine the 

 Willochra Valley, in South Australia, where a water supply 

 was required for railway purposes. I was instructed to 

 make an engineering surve}^, and report on the j^roposed 

 construction of a large dam on the Willochra Creek to 

 conserve water in the valley. I found the locality, after 

 examination and survey, not at all suited for that kind of 

 scheme, and considered a work of that nature probably 

 would prove an abortive one. 



Before preparing my report, I decided to examine 

 the neighbouring Coonatto and Flinders Ranges. Tc enable 

 me to decide on the probability of discovering an under- 

 ground supply of water there, 1 took levels of the mountain 

 slope with the aneroid barometer, measured the depth 

 of some wells, in the foot hills, yielding good potable water. 

 From these and other data obtained in the locality I pre- 

 pared a hydro-geological sketch section across the valley. 

 In this section I indicated the underground water surface 

 or line of saturation. This was obtained by joining the 

 points, indicating the water level in the wells. Then, 

 inferentially, I indicated the probable course of the under- 

 ground water, by producing this line of saturation down 

 to the bottom of the valley, intersecting the line of railway 

 at the township of Bruce. I then reported on the 

 probability of underground water being found near the- 



