1918.] THE RAINFALL OF GUERNSEY. 149 



a reversal of policy took place. That group of wet years has 

 now passed and a new group of dry years has begun. The 

 last three years have yielded one of average fall — one of six 

 and one of four inches deficit — and we are already hearing the 

 calls of the users and experiencing the inconvenience of having 

 domestic supplies shut off. 



We now know that the island rainfall will suffice for all 

 possible needs and indeed for greatly increased consumption, 

 if all the water that falls is secured and stored. 



The actual deficiency of the calendular year was four 

 inches ; but inasmuch as the summer rains add nothing to the 

 ground stocks owing to the evaporation and vegetation, the 

 winter rains are all that come into the problem, and from this 

 point of view the deficit is greater than it seems, for if we 

 take winter falls without reference to the calendar year we 

 find that the winter of 1917-1918 gave a deficiency of over 

 eight inches. 



