KIVEES OF THE LAHONTAN BASIN. 



41 



Two measurements were made of the volume of the Humboldt, one 

 on September 10, 1881, the second July 17, 1882 ; the former gave 48 and 

 the latter 750 cubic feet per second. When the first measurement was taken 

 the river was at its lowest stage for the year. At the time of the second 

 measurement it was flooded, and heavy with sediment, but had fallen three 

 feet below the line that recorded its highest rise; two weeks later its dis- 

 charge had decreased nearly one half 



An analysis by Dr. T. M Chatard of the water of the Humboldt, col- 

 lected November, 1882, near Stone House, just before the river enters the 

 Lahontan basin, is given below. 



Constituents. 



Silica (SiOi) 



Alumina ( Al-iOs) 



Calcium (Ca) 



Ma;inesiuin (Mg) 



Potassium (K) 



Sodium (Na) 



Sulpliuric acid (SO4) . 

 Chlorine {CI) 



Carbonic acid (CO3) by diflference. 

 Total 



One liter of 

 water con- 

 tains, in 

 grammes — 



0. 0326 



0. 0013 

 0. 0489 

 0. 0124 

 0.010(1 

 0. 0467 

 0. 0477 

 0. 01)75 



Per cent, in 

 total solids. 



0. 2071 

 0.1544 



9.03 



0. 87 



13.53 



3.46 



2.77 



12.92 



13.12 



2.08 



Constituents. 



57.28 

 42.72 



Silica (SiOa) 



Alumina (AI2O3) 



Calcium c irbonate (CaCoa) .... 

 Magnesium carbonate (MgCoa) 



Potassium chloride (KCl) 



Potassium carbonate (KaCOa) . 



Sodium sulpliate (Na^Soj) 



Sodium carbonate (NaaCoa) 



Total (95.52 per cent, accounted for) 



Probable com- 

 bination (In 

 grammes per 

 liter). 



0. 0326 

 0. 0013 

 0. 1222 

 0. 0434 

 0. 01.57 

 0. 0(146 

 0. 0705 

 0. 0550 



0. 3453 



If excess of CO3 above amount required for NaaCos be calculated as NaHCo3. we will have 0.3453 less NajCoj 

 (0.0550) =0.2903 

 Na;C03 =0.0200 

 NaHtoj =0.0312 



Total.. 0.3615 



An analysis of the water of Humboldt Lake is given on page 67. 



QUINN RIVER. 



Quinii River is formed by the union of many brooks that have their 

 sources on the Santa Rosa Mountains and on the eastern slope of the Quinn 

 River Range. It flows south for about fifty miles down Quinn River Valley 

 and then turns abruptly westward, and continues its course until the north- 

 ern end of the Jackson Range is passed ; it then flows southward again and 

 enters the Black Rock Desert. During the spring months, while the snow 

 on the mountains is melting, this is a good-sized river, and has a swift 

 muddy current. At Mason's Crossing, some 75 miles from its source, it is 



