ACTIVITIES 57 



and additional areas of approximately the same aggregate ex- 

 tent are covered by older guides to desert watering places. 

 The region to be covered lies east of the Cascade and Sierra 

 Nevada Mountains and west of the following cities: Boise, 

 Twin Falls, Salt Lake City, Grand Junction, Santa Fe, Ros- 

 well, Pecos, and Fort Stockton. The area has been tenta- 

 tively divided into twenty-six districts, for each of which a 

 guide is ultimately to be prepared. The preparation of maps 

 and guides and the erection of a fairly adequate number of 

 sign-posts for the entire area will cost about $100,000. It is 

 hoped that this work can be done within the next few years. 



Investigation in Problems of Water Utilization and Con- 

 trol. From time to time the Survey undertakes the investi- 

 gation of large problems of water utilization and control. 

 The early investigations made by the Survey into the problem 

 of irrigating the arid lands of the West, and the more system- 

 atic work of the Powell Irrigation Survey, in '1888-90, 

 have already been mentioned. It is worthy of note that in 

 his report for 1888, in discussing the problem of irrigation, 

 Major Powell adverted also to the possible reclamation of 

 the flood plains of the lower Mississippi valley by the control 

 of the headwaters of that stream and its chief tributaries. A 

 problem closely akin to this was brought expressly within the 

 province of the Survey by the act of 1908, to which more 

 extended reference will be made in the next section, imposing 

 upon the Survey the duty of examining forest lands proposed 

 to be purchased by the government for the prevention of floods 

 on navigable streams. 



While one or another problem of water utilization or con- 

 trol has thus from time to time been brought within the pur- 

 view of the Survey's activities, no express authorization to 

 investigate generally problems of this type has ever been con- 

 ferred by statute. Such investigations as are currently carried 

 on are conducted under the general authorization to investi- 

 gate "the water resources of the United States." 



