DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 262 SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES 1909 PART II. SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST AND EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF M. 0. LEIGHTON BY M. R. HALL AND R. H. BOLSTER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1910 DEPAETMENT OF THE INTERIOE VUNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER- STJPPX.T: PAPER 262 SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF UNITED STATES 1909 PART II. SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST AND EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF M. 0. LEIGHTON BY M. R. HALL AND R. H. BOLSTER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1910 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 7 Authority for investigations............................................. 7 Scope of investigations.................................................. 8 Purposes of the work.................................................. 9 Publications.......................................................... 10 Definition of terms..................................................... 13 Convenient equivalents. ............................................... 14 Explanation of tables................................................... 15 Field methods of measuring stream flow.............."................... 16 Office methods of computing and studying discharge and run-off.......... 22 Accuracy and reliability of field data and comparative results............ 26 Use of the data........................................................ 27 Cooperative data ..................................................... 28 Cooperation and acknowledgments....................................... 28 Division of work...................................................... 28 South Atlantic States drainage.............................................. 29 James River drainage basin........................................... 29 Description ...................................................... 29 James River at Buchanan, Va....................................... 31 James River at Holcomb Rock, Va.................................. 33 James River at Cartersville, Va...................................... 34 Roanoke River drainage basin........................................... 37 Description ...................................................... 37 Roanoke River at Roanoke, Va...................................... 39 Yadkin or Pedee River drainage basin.................................. 42 Description....................................................... 42 Yadkin River at North Wilkesboro, N. C............................. 43 Yadkin River near Salisbury, N. C.................................. 44 Yadkin River near Pedee, N. C....................................... 46 Pedee River at Cheraw, S. C....................................... 51 Santee River drainage basin............................................ 52 Description....................................................... 52 Catawba River near Morganton, N. C............................... 54 Wateree River near Camden, S. C.................................. 55 Broad River (of the Carolinas) at Uree, N. C........................ 59 Green River near Saluda, N. C...................................... 60 Savannah River drainage basin.......................................... 62 Description....................................................... 62 Tugaloo River near Madison, S. C................................... 63 Savannah River at Woodlawirj-ft-C................................. 65 Tallulah River at Tallulah Falls, Ga................................. 67 Broad River (of Georgia) near Carlton, Ga........................... 70 3 4 CONTENTS. South Atlantic States drainage Continued. Page. Altamaha River drainage basin......................................... 72 Description ...................................................... 72 Ocmulgee River near Jackson, Ga.................................. 73 Ocmulgee River at Macon, Ga....................................... 75 Oconee River near Greensboro, Ga.................................. 77 Oconee River at Fraleys Ferry near Milledgeville, Ga................ 80 Oconee River at Dublin, Ga....................................... 82 Eastern Gulf of Mexico drainage............................................ 86 Apalachicola River drainage basin...................................... 86 Description....................................................... 86 Chattahoochee River near Aerial, Ga............................... 87 Chattahoochee River near Norcross, Ga.............................. 88 Chattahoochee River at West Point, Ga............................. 91 Chattahoochee River at Alaga, Ala................................. 93 Soque River near Demorest, Ga..................................... 94 Flint River near Woodbury, Ga.................................... 95 Flint River near Montezuma, Ga.................................... 97 Flint River at Albany, Ga......................................... 102 Flint River at Bainbridge, Ga...................................... 105 Kinchafoonee Creek near Leesburg, Ga............................. 108 Choctawhatchee River drainage basin.................................... 110 Description ...................................................... 110 Pea River at Pera, Ala............................................. 110 Escambia River drainage basin......................................... 112 Description ......................................................' 112 Conecuh River at Beck, Ala....................................... 113 Mobile River drainage basin........................................... 115 Description............................... .^....................... 115 Oostanaula River at Resaca, Ga.................................... 117 Coosa River at Riverside, Ala....................................... 119 Alabama River at Selma, Ala....................................... 121 Etowah River near Ball Ground, Ga................................ 123 Etowah River near Rome, Ga....................................... 126 Tallapoosa River at Sturdevant, Ala................................ 127 Tombigbee River at Columbus, Miss................................. 129 Tombigbee River at Epes, Ala...................................... 131 Black Warrior River near Cordova, Ala.............................. 133 Black Warrior River near Coal, Ala.................................. 135 Village Creek near Mulga, Ala...................................... 136 Camp Branch near Ensley, Ala..................................... 138 Venison Branch near Mulga, Ala................................... 139 Pearl River drainage basin.............................................. 141 Description ...................................................... 141 Pearl River at Jackson, Miss........................................ 141 Miscellaneous measurements................................................ 143 Summaries of discharge per square mile...................................... 143 Index.................................................................... 145 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Typical gaging stations; A, For bridge measurement; B, For -wading measurement................................................. 18 II. Small Price current meters...................................... 20 III. Discharge, area, and mean-velocity curves for Tallulah River at Tallulah Falls, Ga ............................................ 68 IV. Portion of falls on Tallulah River near Tallulah Falls, Ga.......... 68 V. A, Etowah River near Cartersville, Ga.; B, Ocmulgee River near Jackson, Ga. Power house and dam of Central Georgia Power Company during construction.................................. 74 5 SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST AND EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO, 1909. By M. R. HALL and R. H. BOLSTER. INTRODUCTION. AUTHORITY FOR INVESTIGATIONS. This volume contains results of flow measurements made on cer­ tain streams in the United States. The work was performed by the water-resources branch of the United States Geological Survey, either independently or in cooperation with organizations mentioned herein. These investigations are authorized by the organic law of the Geological Survey (Stat. L., vol. 20, p. 394), which provides, among other things, as follows: Provided that this officer [the Director] shall have the direction of the Geological Survey and the classification of public lands and examination of the geological struc­ ture, mineral resources, and products of the national domain. Inasmuch as water is the most abundant and most valuable mineral in nature the investigation of water resources is included under the above provision for investigating mineral resources. The work has been supported since the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, by appropriations in successive sundry civil bills passed by Congress under the following item: For gauging the streams and determining the water supply of the United States, and for the investigation of underground currents and artesian wells, and for the prepara­ tion of reports upon the best methods of utilizing the water resources. The various appropriations that have been made for this purpose are as follows: Annual appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30 1895. .............................................................. $12,500 1896............................................................... 20, 000 1897 to 1900,inclusive...............................................