3IO SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS— A. 



Discussion on The organisation required for the recording of water level and 

 river flow in the British Isles (Capt. W. N. McClean ; Capt. 

 J. C. A. RosEVEARE ; Mr. W. J. S. Binnie ; Mr. E. G. Bilham ; 

 Mr. J. K. Swales; Mr. C. Clemesha Smith; Mr. W. J. M. 

 Menzies; Maj. J. G. Withycombe ; Mr. D. Halton Thomson; 

 Vice-Admiral H. P. Douglas, C.B., C.M.G. ; Mr. W. T. Halcrow ; 

 Mr. A. W. McPherson ; Mr. J. S. Thoms) :— 



Capt. W. N. McClean. — Introduction. 



After pointing out that water records in the past, owing to lack of 

 co-ordination and continuity, have been less useful to the country than 

 could have been hoped, the author points out the necessity for an 

 organisation to deal with such records, and shows how his own work on 

 the Ness Basin has resulted in an organisation which, with possible slight 

 modifications, could be applied to other areas. 



This is the ' local ' organisation, and the idea is developed to show how 

 such subsidiary areas may be brought under a central organisation such as, 

 in the case of Scotland, the Fishery Board for Scotland. In England there 

 seem to be too many departments and too many opposing interests engaged 

 in the collection of water data on different lines, and all these interests would 

 be better served by systematic water survey. 



A brief summary of the work already accomplished on the Ness area is 

 given as typical of the necessary investigations, and suggestions are made 

 that the organisation should be in the hands of local associations, represent- 

 ing fairly large areas, for the collection of observations and maintenance 

 of records, and that the flow measurements should be carried out by the 

 Ordnance Survey Department on the principal river-basins, and by water 

 authorities or specialist surveyors in the case of small areas, the whole being 

 co-ordinated under a water survey department of a ministry with inspectors 

 or area supervisors. 



Capt. J. C. A. ROSEVEARE. 



Necessity for full information regarding river flow if true economy is to 

 be obtained. 



Little information available at the present time. 



Catchment Boards set up by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 under the Land Drainage Act, 1930, are the proper authorities to undertake 

 the survey. 



Catchment Boards cover 67 per cent, of area of England and Wales, are 

 fully representative of County Councils , and can precept on latter for revenue . 



Catchment area correct unit for water questions. Boundaries determined 

 by survey. 



Water survey necessary before Catchment Board undertakes land drainage 

 works. 



Catchment Boards interested in water supply for every purpose, and can 

 make by-laws for prevention of pollution. 



Government grants to Catchment Boards. 



Mr. E. G. Bilham. — The evaluation of general rainfall over drainage 

 areas. 



The term ' general rainfall ' is used by the British Rainfall Organisation 

 to specify the space-average of the depth of rain over an extended area in 

 a definite period, such as a month or a year, the terms ' average,' ' normal,' 



