HYDROGRAPHIC BRANCH. 91 
RECLAMATION SERVICE. 
The reclamation service is an outgrowth of the early investigations 
of the arid region begun by Maj. J. W. Powell, and continued by 
authority of Congress under a resolution approved March 27, 1888, 
and an appropriation made October 2, 1888 (see p. 75). Systematic 
examination of the streams of the arid region were then begun by the 
Geological Survey, and have been carried on continuously in connec- 
tion with topographic surveys or by means of various appropriations 
and allotments made for gaging streams and determining the water 
supply, as described in the preceding pages. 
The act approved June 17, 1902, known as the reclamation law, 
creates a fund in the Treasury from the disposal of public lands in 13 
States and 3 Territories. This fund is to be expended by the Secretary 
of the Interior in the reclamation of arid lands. 
In order to carry into effect the purpose of the law, the Secretary 
authorized the creation of a division in the Geological Survey desig- 
nated the "reclamation service," utilizing, for this purpose, the men 
who had previously been investigating the extent to which the arid 
lands might be reclaimed, and adding to these, through civil-service 
examinations, other men experienced in construction of reclamation 
works or in the administration of water laws. 
The reclamation service now consists of about 250 engineers, assist- 
ant engineers, and engineering aids, organized under a chief engineer, 
who is assisted by supervising, consulting, and district engineers. 
Each of the district engineers is in charge of the operations in a State 
or a large drainage basin, and conducts the general examinations and 
directs the assistant engineers and engineering aids in work on definite 
projects. When these projects have been brought to a point where 
conclusions can be reached, the facts and recommendations are sub- 
mitted to the chief engineer, who in turn refers them to a board of 
consulting engineers to pass upon the adequacy of the work, the com- 
pleteness of the designs, and all facts which bear upon the feasibility 5 ' of 
the project. If additional information or any modifications are desired 
by the board, the matter is referred back to the district engineer for 
further consideration. Ultimately the plans perfected and approved 
by the consulting engineers are submitted, with suitable recommenda- 
tions, through the Director of the Geological Survey, to the Secretary 
of the Interior. When the plans are passed upon and approved by the 
Secretary, if the work is to be done by contract, advertisements and 
specifications are prepared and bids invited for the work, these being 
so arranged as to permit as great competition as possible. If it is 
decided that any part or all of the work shall be done by the Govern- 
ment, instructions to that effect are given. 
Such surveys and examinations for specific construction have been 
