16 
feed the river. This applies t<> the untimbered portions and those 
above timber line where the winds and rains have free access to the 
snow, and has especial reference to Longs Peak station. Under these 
modifying conditions, of which there are no records and which inject 
so many variables into the calculation, and with so few years of com- 
plete records to consider, even though conclusions were reached, they 
would not he positive in their character. Necessarily a good snowfall 
during the early winter on the higher elevations melts later than that 
lower down when unprotected under similar conditions of rain and 
sun during the melting period. If the winds aid in building deep 
drifts in the ravines, or if there are no warm rains, the beneficial 
result of an early snow is quite marked. The records given here, 
however, seem to indicate that the run-off from protected snows can 
be more easily predicted in advance and are less affected by the con- 
ditions of rain. sun. and wind during the melting period. 
The run-off and average rainfall, as given above, seem to hear a 
relation to each other. Both being- considered for the year, one would 
expect little difference in their relative proportions. By the table, 
the year L895 had 22.37 inches precipitation and an average run-off of 
282 cubic feet per second. The following year a decrease in rainfall 
brought a decrease in the run-off of 139 cubic feet per second, nearly 
50 per cent. In 1897 there was an increase in both items, in 1898 a 
decrease in both, while for 1899 the run-off was nearly twice as much 
as in 1898, and in 1900 nearly three times as much as in 1898, with 
scarcely any difference in precipitation for the three years. The run- 
off for the year 1900 exceeded, indeed, that for 1895, with its record- 
breaking rainfall of 2^.87 inches. The difference of time of year of 
the rainfall and the run-off for these years of extremes will now 
be examined. In 1895 it is seen that the run-off had a maximum 
recorded discharge of 931 cubic feet per second and a minimum of 
116 cubic feet per second; that for August, September, and October, 
months of small discharge, the flow exceeded that of any other year 
for the corresponding months. For May. June, and July, however, 
the average run-off for 1895 is exceeded a number of times in years 
greatly less in total precipitation, as, for example, May. 1897, June 
and July. 1899, and May and June. 1900. The year 1900 is especially 
remarkable, May and June Bhowing the highest run-off for any months 
of which there is record, while for the months of small now the dis- 
charge is considerably below the normal. Turning now to the record 
of precipitation, it will be seen that at the Moraine station it was 
remarkably well distributed throughout the different months of L895, 
with a maximum for May of 4.t>3 inches, about one-fifth of the total. 
In 1900, however, the distribution was very poor. 7.74 inches falling 
in the month of April alone, almost one-half of the rainfall for the 
entire year. Although the total run-off for 1900 was far in excess of 
