3i 
The Waters of the Rio Grande 
✓ 
Sanitary Analyses 
Parts per Million 
Total solids . 209.00000 
Loss on ig-nition. 37.00000 
Nitrogen as nitrates. 0.00270 
Nitrogen as nitrites. 0.07000 
Chlorin . 2.97060 
The waters of the two wells just given represent the composition 
of the white artesian waters of this basin. I have an older analysis of 
the water from the Bucher well, we have also analyzed the water of 
the Spriesterbach and McNeiland wells, but the statement of these 
analyses in full would show only minor variations in analytical re¬ 
sults and nothing more. The big features of the analyses are abso¬ 
lutely identical with the two already given. These wells are all com¬ 
paratively deep ones. While there are very many shallow wells in the 
valley, from 70 to 250 feet deep, I have only one representative of these 
which is entered in my notes as “Widow Smith’s place, depth of well 
uncertain, less than 300 feet, temperature 53 0 F., flow very strong”. 
The only new point of interest in the analytical data of this well is the 
small amount of total solids ‘that it contained, 6.6 grains per imperial 
gallon; otherwise we have essentially the same facts in regard to com¬ 
position—very high silicic acid, abundance of sodic carbonate and 
some calcic sulfate. This sulfate is more abundant than usual, due, 
possibly, to the fact that the well was probably not cased for more than 
a few feet. 
Some of these samples, together with others made by different 
analysts, may be found on p. 112 of Water Supply Paper No. 240, by 
Dr. C. E. Siebenthal of the U. S. Geological Survey. 
Spring-Waters 
In connection with white artesian waters, at least some of the 
spring waters deserve presentation. I regret, however, that I have 
studied these only in an incidental way. Some of these springs occur 
in the eastern part of the valley, under conditions which suggest that 
they may be directly connected with the artesian waters of the basin 
rather than with the surface waters as is usually the case. Some of 
these springs have a very considerable flow and are constant without 
any easily discernible source of supply. Other springs are not of this 
nature and evidently owe their supply to melting snows or surface 
waters; such springs should scarcely be considered in this connection. 
Washington Springs may be taken as a type of some springs oc¬ 
curring in the eastern part of the valley. The artesian well mentioned 
as Widow Smith’s was not far from these springs. There is one and 
may be more artesian wells at or near the springs at this time but these • 
have been put down more recently and I know nothing about the com- 
‘ position of the water discharged by these. My impression is that the 
