550 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION December 



seen that any legislative enactment essential. He requests that an investi- 

 which would require the expenditure gation be made of the water power 

 of several millions of dollars in that of Broad River between Alston, Fair- 

 state or in Oklahoma on irrigation field County, South Carolina, and the 

 works would surely result in failure. North Carolina line, and a like inves- 

 The works would lie idle six years out tigation of the power of the Catawba 

 of every ten, the ditches would fall and Wateree rivers between Caniden, 

 into disrepair, and the farmers would South Carolina, and the North Car- 

 refuse to bear the burden of main- olina line. 



tenance. Meanwhile feasible projects The Hydrographic Branch of the 

 in sections in which irrigation is abso- Geological Survey is engaged in col- 

 lutely necessary for the production of Acting data on 'this important sub- 

 crops would be held up and the mate- j ec t, and is giving particular atten- 

 rial development of some of the most t ion to several portions of the Fifth 

 valuable and productive areas in the District. Gaging stations are now 

 arid country would be checked for being maintained on Broad River at 

 many years. Alston, on the Cawtawba and Water- 

 Of course there is no necessity for ee rivers near Camden, South Car- 

 becoming unduly alarmed over the sit- olina, Catawba, South Carolina, and 

 uation as long as President Roosevelt at Morgantown, North Carolina. A 

 is at the helm. His knowledge of the profile of Cawtaba River has been 

 question of irrigation is so broad, his made for a short portion in North 

 familiarity with the semi-arid regions Carolina, extending from Marion to 

 is so intimate, and his opposition to Connellys Springs, 

 anything like political graft is so well Appreciating the value and import- 

 understood, that he can be counted up- ance o f t h e river surveys, the hydro- 

 on to nip in the bud any and all such grap hers will extend their work next 

 onslaughts on the irrigation law, a sea son to cover the important valleys 

 measure in which his interest is par- j n t hj s district. 



ticularly deep and abiding. 



v 



X 



Artesian Investigations carried 



water- The Fifth Congres- Water a on during the last 



Power in sional District Of Fertilizer . ^ g w 

 South Carolina c . ^ .ycai u_y LI. o. vv . 

 South Carolina, Metallic, Assistant State Geologist of 

 which includes the counties of Chero- Georgia, acting in co-operation with 

 kee, York, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Lan- the United States Geological Survey, 

 caster, Chester, and Kershaw, is rich have revealed the presence of inter- 

 in undeveloped natural resources, and e sting and perhaps valuable proper- 

 the attention of capital is being direct- t j es m some o f t h e artesian waters 

 ed toward that section. All informa- j n tne Coastal Plain of that state, 

 tion concerning the potentials of this \Yater taken from a deep well at Bax- 

 region is eagerly sought for. ley showed on analysis 5.5 parts per 

 Congressman Finley in a letter to 1,000,000 of phosphoric acid, which 

 the Geological Survey has called at- would indicate that it might be used 

 tention to the splendid opportunities for fertilizing as well as for irrigating 

 for water power development afforded barren fields. In other words, it may 

 by the Fifth District, which he repre- be acceptable to the desert land as 

 sents. He thinks that not less than both food and drink. It is estimated 

 200,000 horsepower can be developed that a layer of this phosphoric acid- 

 on its numerous streams, and urges bearing water 12 inches deep over 

 that more detailed information con- one acre of land would exert a fer- 

 cerning the flow of the streams and tilizing effect equal to that of 200 

 topography of their drainage areas is pounds of commercial fertilizer. 



