250 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



AUSTRALIA SORRY TO LOSE MEAD 



(Continued from page 244) 



face the most hostile audience, and generally not only 

 have his say out, but would leave them partly, if not 

 thoroughly, convinced. Frequently he has found an 

 audience of roaring lions, and his cool, persuasive and 

 convincing way and arguments have converted them 

 into the proverbial lambs. Deputations have been ap- 

 pointed by indignant meetings to wait upon him and 

 go as close to eating him as possible. They invariably 

 returned smoothed and full of Mr. Mead's arguments 

 and expectations for a less troublesome but brighter 

 future. 



Mr. Mead gave evidence of possessing qualifica- 

 tions that were the envy of politicians, and such as 

 would have brought him to the forefront in any line 

 of life. He could give "the soft answer that turneth 

 away wrath." He had a genuine warmth of feeling 

 and kindliness of heart that prompted him to take a 

 personal interest in everyone with whom he had deal- 

 ings, and particularly the settlers and the officers of 

 the water department. He had a remarkably renten- 

 tive memory, and could not only reel off huge figures 

 connected with such a vast enterprise as the irrigation 

 settlements of the state with readiness and unerring 

 precision, but would remember faces and incidents. 

 He was one of the most popular men to travel with. 

 Although every now and again he would revert to 

 features of the great work the commission had in hand, 

 he had a reservoir of humor and incidents to draw 

 upon with which to relieve the tedium of a long train 

 journey. But never would his irrigation maps, statis- 

 tics, and,bulletins be far from his knees. They would 

 certainly be somewhere in the railway compartment 

 projecting from bags or the racks. Every one who 

 traveled with Mr. Mead, whether he be politician, re- 

 porter, or land seeker, would soon be a willing student, 

 learning of the great possibilities of irrigation in this 

 state, as well as getting an insight of the difficulties 

 of the past, and those to be overcome and avoided in 

 the future. Mr. Mead could answer any question 

 readily, and with convincing satisfaction, no matter 

 how intricate the issues involved. It would be a mag- 

 nificent thing for this state and the commonwealth if 

 before he returns to America, Mr. Mead were invited 

 to address both the state and Federal Parliaments on 

 the Murray waters question. This special information 

 is just what the country needs, and would appreciate 

 before taking the momentous step of ratifying the 

 agreement. If they heard him it would be ratified. 



This unexampled drought has raised new prob- 

 lems, or, rather, has given edge to the contentions of 

 Mr. Mead when he first came to this country. Chiefly 

 they relate to the economic waste in sending water 

 long distances, which could be used with a minimum 

 of waste in irrigating areas surrounding the water 

 storages, such as Waranga. Mr. Mead had strong 

 views on this matter, and his representations to the 

 political heads would make interesting neading were 

 they published. Even yet politics prevail too largely 

 in the administration, and their influence is more dis- 

 couraging to a strong man like Mr. .Mead than are 

 the wails of a thousand large landholders who are only 

 learning the possibilities of irrigation. But as far as 

 the large landholders are concerned, there has been a 

 complete reversal in their attitude towards Mr. Mead. 



They have been clamoring for water rights. They 

 have admitted that the water charges are remarkably 

 low compared with the advantages, but they have 

 found to be true what they were warned by Mr. Mead 

 at the beginning, that the amount of water available 

 for irrigation was limited, and there would soon come 

 a time when the whole of it could be allotted with 

 safety. No one more than these selfsame men will 

 regret his departure. 



WATER MEASURING DEVICES 



(Continued from page 246) 



covers what is necessary for an 18-inch Cipolletti weir 

 box and weir as installed at Davis. This box is long 

 enough and of such other dimensions as to meet the 

 general conditions that have been named. In some 

 situations the box might be made somewhat shorter, 

 but the additional cost required for a 12- foot over, 

 say, an 8-foot box is not sufficient to justify using the 

 shorter box where only a small number of weirs are 

 involved. This box is suitable for measuring from 

 about 0.25 to about 1.75 or 2 cubic feet per second, 

 equivalent to 12J/2 to 100 customary California min- 

 er's inches. 



4 ,.c. 1 



1 pc. 1 

 4 pc. 1 



7 pc. 1 



8 pc. '2 



2 pc. 

 8 pc. 1 

 1 pc. 2 



1 pc. 2 



2 ,-.c. 2 

 2 pc. 2 

 8 pc. -2 



BILL OF MATERIAL FOR CIPOLLETTI WEIR BOX. 



Board Feet. 



* X 12" X 2' (cut-off walls) 8 



'' X 12" X 7' (cut-off walls) 7 



" X 12" X 12' (main walls) 48 



* X 12" X 12' (floor) 84 



X 4" X 3' (posts) 



X 4" X 4'-4" (posts) 



X 2" X 2' (clests) 



X 4" X 4'-6" (gate stem) 



X 2" X 6' (gate stem brace) . . . 



X 12" X 3' (gate) 



X 12" X 3' (weir board) 



X 4" X 3'-10" (cips and sills). 



16 



12 



3 



3 



2 



12 

 II 

 21 



Total 



The weir without end contractions is illustrated 

 by Figure 14, which is from a photograph of the weir 

 of this type installed at Davis. It is different from 

 the Cipolletti weir just described mainly in having the 

 weir board extend the full width of the weir box. The 

 same bill of material can therefore be used except that 

 more or less lumber will be necessary according to 

 the width and height of the weir chosen. This type 

 of weir can only be used in a channel of constant 

 cross-section and vertical sides directly above the weir, 

 such as is provided in the box shown. This weir must 

 be so constructed as to allow free access of air to the 

 under side of the falling sheet of water. This can be 

 accomplished by making a horizontal notch in the side 

 of the weir box directly below the crest and extending 

 down stream to the end of the wall. The water must 

 not be allowed to approach the weir with an appre- 

 ciable velocity. The velocity of approach is largely 

 governed by the height of the weir board above the 

 bottom of the box. It has been suggested by Profes- 

 sor Richard R. Lyman of the University of Utah, that 

 a weir of this type 1 foot or less long should be 6 

 inches high, that with lengths of 1.5 to 2.5 feet, it 

 should be 9 inches high, that with lengths of 3 to 4 

 feet it should be 1 foot high, and that with lengths of 

 5 to 7 feet it should be 1.5 feet high. 



The nc.vt article "i-ill deal with the measurement of water 

 through snl>i>icn/cd orifices. 



