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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



mum rainfall of 47.79 inches, with a runoff of 19.38 inches, 

 occurred in 1894. 1 The minimum rainfall of 31 inches, with a 

 minimum runoff of 6.67 inches, occurred in 1895. These figures 

 of rainfall indicate that either the extreme maximum or the 

 extreme minimum rainfall has not vet occurred on the catchment 

 area of this stream. 



On the Muskingum river the maximum rainfall thus far observed 

 is 56.97 inches, with a maximum runoff of 26.84 inches, which 

 occurred in 1890. The observed minimum rainfall of 29.84 inches, 

 with the corresponding minimum runoff of 4.9 inches, occurred in 

 1895. Jt is also doubtful if either the extreme maximum or the 

 extreme minimum rainfall has been yet observed on the catchment 

 area, of this stream. As to whether the rainfall will go lower 

 there is no certain way of determining. Moreover, 4.9 inches 

 seems a very low runoff — and the imnoff is not likely to be less 

 than this figure. However, the runoff in any year depends very 

 largely on the rainfall of the months from December to May, 

 inclusive. There .may possibly be, therefore, a lower annual 

 runoff than 4.9 inches, even though the total rainfall should exceed 

 29.84 inches. The rainfall for December to May, inclusive, was 

 13.04 inches. The runoff for that period was 4.04 inches. 



Division of streams into classes. The foregoing statements indi- 

 cate that, as regards runoff, streams of the eastern part of the 

 United States may be divided into classes. In the first class will 

 fall streams where the maximum rainfall is from 50 to 60 inches, 

 with corresponding runoff somewhat more than one half of the 

 rainfall. The minimum runoff will be about one half the "rainfall, 

 or a little less. These statements, it may be again repeated, are 

 general ones, to which there are exceptions. 



Another class of streams, of which the Genesee and Muskingum 

 rivers are typical, are those with maximum rainfall on their 



J In the combined Genesee river and Oatka creek record the maximum 

 runoff of 21.22 inches occurred in 1890, when the rainfall is placed at 47.54 

 inches. This, however, is less reliable than the rainfall and runoff of 

 L894, which latter is accordingly given the preference. 



