INLAND WATER SURVEY 395 
recommends that suitable recording gauges should be set up for this purpose 
on rivers, lakes and reservoirs. 
As a consequence of this Act and stimulated by the findings of this 
Committee, it may be anticipated that this branch of water engineering will 
receive increased attention in the future on those undertakings which possess 
large storage reservoirs for upland water. 
SouRCES OF SUPPLY. 
Referring again to the Local Government Board Memorandum, 1914, 
and classifying lakes, ponds, rivers and streams as surface supplies, and wells 
and springs as underground supplies, the principal sources at that date 
were :— 
Lakes:—Thirlmere, Crummock, Hayeswater and Ennerdale. 
Rivers and streams.—One hundred and thirty-nine undertakings use these 
as sources of supply, some of the most important of which are river Thames 
and its tributaries Lee and Kennet; river Severn and tributaries Avon, 
Chelt, Wye and Elan ; river Derwent ; river Tees and tributary Balder. 
Upland surfaces.—In some cases it is not possible to differentiate between 
supplies derived from upland surfaces and from rivers, streams, lakes and 
springs, but approximately 167 undertakings depend upon gathering grounds 
for the whole or part of their supplies. 
Special Acts authorising the abstraction of water from upland surfaces 
invariably contain provision for compensation either in money or generally 
in compensation water. 
Springs —The actual number of springs from which supplies are obtained 
is not known, but it appears that springs are among the sources of supply of 
520 undertakings. 
Underground sources, excluding springs, comprise wells, borings, adits 
and headings, etc. These furnish supplies to 495 undertakings. 
For some years the supply from underground waters has been increasing, 
and the proportion of underground to surface waters used has been con- 
stantly growing. At that date the amount of underground water supplied 
was put down very roughly as 285 million gallons a day, and particulars are 
given showing roughly the amount derived from each geological formation. 
In this connection it is pointed out that surface water is generally filtered, 
whereas underground water, including that from springs, as a rule is not. 
REGIONAL WATER COMMITTEES. 
_ In 1928 the Ministry issued a booklet (approved by the Advisory Com- 
mittee on Water) recommending the formation of regional water committees 
in districts where anumber of undertakers are concerned in the same general 
sources of supply, and where a common water policy is much to be desired. 
Several such committees have been formed, e.g. the Sherwood Area 
Regional Advisory Committee (mentioned in the Ministry of Health Annual 
ort, 1931-32), comprising twenty-four local authorities whose supplies are 
derived from the Bunter sandstone beds. 
In this booklet the Ministry points out, with regard to surface supplies, 
for -which in few instances are accurate records available :— 
‘It is often necessary to become committed to a source of supply on such 
information as is available before accurate records can be obtained, but the 
earliest opportunity should be taken to instal proper gauges. 
. ‘The collection of reliable data by the Committee will represent a valuable 
' part of their work.’ 
