DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY No. 131 WASHINGTON GOYEKNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1896 UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL STJEVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR REPORT OF PROGRESS OF THE DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY FOR THE CALENDAR YEARS 1893 AND 1894 PEEDERIOK EAYNES NEWELL TOPOGRAPHER IN CHARGE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1895 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction................................................................ 9 Legislation................................................................. 10 Field-work in 1893 and 1894................................................. 13 Upper Missouri basin, in Montana............................................ 14 Spanish Creek station, on West Gallatin River.......................... 14 Logan station, on Gallatin River......................................... 16 Red Bluff station, on Madison River..................................... 18 Three Forks station, on Madison River.................................. 20 Sappington station, on Jefferson River.................................. 22 Townsend station, on Missouri River.................................. .. 22 Yellowstoue basin, in Wyoming and Montana................................. 26 Horr station, on Yellowstone River, Montana............................ 2 Platte basin, in Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska........................... 28 Woods Landing station, on Laramie River............................... -28 Uva station, on Laramie River ................ .......................... 28 Douglas station, on North Platte River.................................. 29 Orin station, on North Platte River...................................... 29 North Platte station, on North Platte River.............................. 30 Fort Collins station, on Cache la Poudre River........................... 30 Columbus station, on Loup River........................................ 32 Kansas basin, in Nebraska................................................... 32 Benkelman station, on North Fork of Republican River.................. 33 Benkelman station, on South Fork of Republican River.................. , 33 Palisade station, on Frenchman River................................... 33 Arkansas basin, in Colorado........................................... 1..... 34 Hayden station, on Arkansas River....................................... 34 Canyon station, on Arkansas River................................ ...... 35 La Junta station, on Arkansas River...................................... 37 Holly station, on Arkansas River......................................... 39 Canadian basin, in New Mexico.............................................. 40 Watrous station, on Mora River......................................... 40 Rio Grande basin, in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas....................... 41 Del Norte station, on Rio Grande..........:............................. 41 Alarnosa station, on Rio Grande.......................................... 43 Embudo station, on Rio Grande.......................................... 43 Water Tank station, on Rio Grande...................................... 45 San Marcial station, on Rio Grande...................................... 46 El Paso station, on Rio Grande.......................................... 46 Colorado basin, in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona............ ................. 47 Grand Junction station, on Gunnison River.............................. 48 Grand Junction-station, on Grand River................................. 48 Blake station, on Green River........................................... 48 Helper station, on Price River................ .......................... 48 Arizona dam, on Salt River.............................................. 49 Yuma station, on Colorado River......:................................. 51 5 6 CONTENTS. Page. Interior basin, in Nevada, Utah, and Idaho.................................. 52 Golconda station, on Humboldt River.................................... 52 Battle Creek station, on Bear River ..................................... 53 Collinston station, on Bear River........................................ 55 Uinta station, on Weber River.......................................... 57 Provo station, on Provo River........................................... 59 Leamington station, on Sevier River.................................... 60 Columbia basin, in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.......................... 62 Chase station, on Teton River........................................... 62 Idaho Falls station, on Snake River..................................... 64 Boise station, on Boise River............................................ 66 Payette station, on Payette River....................................... 66 Weiser station, on Weiser River......................................... 66 Nyssa station, on Owyhee River..................................... .... 66 Vale station, on Malheur River.......................................... 68 Pendleton station, on Umatilla River.................................... 68 North Yakima station, on Naches River ................................. 73 Toppenish station, on Toppenish Creek.................................. 74 Satas station, on Satas River............................................ 75 Sacramento basin, California................................................ 75 Red Bluff station, on Sacramento River.................................. 76 Tehama bridge, on Sacramento River.............................:..... 77 San Joaquin basin, California............................................... 78 ' Tejon station, on Tejon House Creek..................................... 79 Bakersfield station, on Kern River....................................... 79 Kingsburg station, on Kings River...................................... 80 Herndon station, on San Joaquin River.................................. 81 Modesto station, on Tuolumne River..................................... 83 Lodi station, on Mokelumne River....................................... 86 Southern California streams................................................. 87 Potomac basin, in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.................... 87 Springfield station, on South Branch of Potomac......................... 88 Cumberland station, on Potomac River.................................. 88 Mill vllle station, on Shenandoah River.................................. 89 Point of Rocks station, on Potomac River............................... 89 Chain Bridge station, on Potomac River.................................. 89 List of discharge measurements of various streams in the United States...... 89 Well records in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas............................. 92 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY, Washington, D. (7., May 20, 1895. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript entitled " Eeport of progress of the Division of Hydrography for the calendar years 1893 and 1894," and to request that it be published as a bulletin of the Survey. Yery respectfully, yours, F. H. NEWELL, Topographer in Charge. Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director United States Geological Survey. ' 1 REPORT OF PROGRESS OF THE DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY FOR 1893 AND 1894. BY F. H. NEWELL. INTRODUCTION. This bulletin contains the results of observations and measurements made by the Division of Hydrography during the calendar years 1893 and 1894, together with similar facts obtained by persons or officials cooperating with the Survey or conducting related lines of investigation. It has not been customary to publish results until the computations have been'fully worked up and the matter has been put into the most concise form possible for insertion in one of the papers accompanying the Annual Report; but experience has shown the desirability of printing at as early date as possible much of the original data regarding the location of the river stations and daily observations, as these are becoming to be matters of importance to individuals and communities in different parts of the country. In the past all facts of this kind have been fur­ nished by letter to persons requesting them, but a time has been reached when it seems economical and advisable to present these matters in form accessible to all persons. It is proposed, therefore, to publish in bulletin form, without illustrations, the data obtained during each field season, reserving the more condensed general statements and the results of final computations, as before, for the Annual Eeport of the Survey, wherein they will be presented, as far as possible, graphically, by means of maps and diagrams. In one of the annual reports succeeding this bulletin will be given a resume of some of the data herewith presented. This will be the sixth paper of the series.1 The field seasons for the years 1893 and 1894 marked the time of greatest depression for the Division of Hydrography and the begin­ ning of a period of renewed activity. During 1893 and the earlier 1 The five preceding papers are as follows: Hydrographic Work: First Annual Keport of the Irriga­ tion Survey, being Part II of the Tenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, pp. 75-90. Hydrography: Second Annual Eeport of the Irrigation Survey, being Part II of the Eleventh Annual Eeport of the United States Geological Survey, pp. 1-110. Hydrography of the Arid Regions: Third Annual Eeport of the Irrigation Survey, being Part II of the Twelfth Annual Eeport of the United States Geological