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USGS2014

Report of the Committee on Runoff, 1948–1949

Because of the widely scattered locations of the membership, no assembled meeting of the Committee was held during the year, all discussions being held by correspondence. Consideration was given to three subjects during the year: (1) standardization of terminology as related to runoff (continued from previous year), (2) deficiencies in hydrologic research, and (3) current programs of hydrologic research. With respect to terminology, the wide divergence of opinion among committee members with respect to the definition of terms fairly common in hydrologic literature emphasizes the need for more uniformity. Various authors use the same terms to describe slightly different runoff phenomena. The Committee, while unable to agree at this date on recommended definitions, urges writers to restrict their terminology so far as practicable to that previously used. Nothing is gained by inventing a new name for a phenomenon which has already been satisfactorily named by a previous writer. On the other hand, precise definitions are necessary to proper understanding, and loose usage of runoff terms only destroys their usefulness. Where any question as to the intended definition exists, it is preferable for the author to present his definition until better agreement as to the accepted definition has been reached.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

An occurrence of saline ground water on Guadalcanal

G uadalcanal Island is largely mountainous, but on the north side there is a coastal plain about 40 mi long which averages eight miles in width and stands a about 15 ft above sea level. This plain is composed of the coalesced deltas of several large rivers. Most of the military installations of World War II were located on this plain near its western end. Wells drilled for water supply disclosed a body of saline ground water between the Lunga and Nalimbu Rivers. The saline water probably is ocean water that was incorporated into the sediments as the coastal plain was built. The location and shape of the body of salt water appears to be controlled largely by the permeability of the material.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Activity Of Paricutin Volcano From August 1, 1948 to June 30, 1949

The present brief summary of activity at Paricutin Volcano, State of Michoacán, Mexico, follows the pattern of the last report on this volcano published in these Transactions late in 1948 [Wilcox and Gutierrez, 1948]. Anticipating the end of his two‐year period of observation at Parícutin in December 1948, Wilcox instructed the junior author, a native Tarascan from the town of San Juan Parangaricutiro, now destroyed, in the processes of keeping detailed diagrammatic records of eruptive activity, of making weather observations, and of outlining the monthly advance of the new lava. On Wilcox's departure the senior author, who had closely followed the series of studies at Paricutin and had frequently visited the Volcano from June 1943 onward, took up the task‐of watching over Paricutin and preparing reports on its activity. During the first six months of 1949 he spent 11 days at the Volcano on the following dates: January 25–28, March 29–April 1, and May 18–20. On these visits he checked the elevations of the chief points on the rim of tie cone, using an alidade at known stations, and in addition followed the growth of the lava‐vent mound, variations in the form of the interior of the crater, and any other features that showed change. Further, he discussed with the junior author, the Volcano's activity during the periods between visits and assembled the observational data for formal presentation.

Michoacan↗
USGS2014

Discussion of “The relation of geology to dry weather stream flow in Ohio”

The concepts presented in this paper are of great value to the ground‐water hydrologist. They indicate one way to analyze and conveniently use the vast accumulation of stream‐flow records collected by governmental agencies as a tool for geophysical reconnaisance. To be usable as a method of geophysical prospecting for ground water, stream‐flow records must first be transformed into flow‐duration curves. Then, by means of the 90 per cent index, chosen by Cross, or other, more suitable indices, the ground‐water storage characteristics of the surficial deposits of drainage basins can readily be determined. Where there is good indication of extensive groundwater storage, it is probable that large supplies of ground water can be developed for use.

Ohio↗
USGS2014

Activity of Paricutin Volcano from July 1 to December 31, 1949

The activity of Parícutin Volcano, State of Michoacan, Mexico, during the second half of 1949 is represented diagrammatically in Figures 1, 2, and 3. An explanatory discussion of these diagrams of eruptive characteristics and a description of the lettered noise types shown on them appeared in an earlier report on this Volcano [Wilcox, 1947], to which the reader is referred. Photographs of two common types of eruptive activity are shown as Figures 4 and 5, and a map outlining the monthly advance of lava during the period covered is given as Figure 6. Altitudes of different points on Paricutin cone are listed in Table 1, and weather data are summarized in Table 3.

Michoacan↗
USGS2014

Report of the Committee on Runoff, 1949–1950

The Weather Bureau activities in the runoff field during the 1949–1950 year centered largely around its flood and water supply forecasting activities. A new River Forecast Center was inaugurated at Portland, Oregon in January, 1950 to provide service for the Columbia River Basin and adjacent coastal areas. The first custom‐made model of the electronic flood routing machine has been delivered and is being tested to determine its electrical and operating characteristics. A large portion of the Bureau's investigations during the year were aimed at developing to the fullest all possible applications of existing techniques but considerable effort was devoted to the problem of developing new methods for short‐range forecasting of runoff from melting snow. A technique has been developed which appears to satisfy the requirements but it has not yet been adequately tested. Water supply forecasting activities were continued and the number of forecast points increased to about 300. The Cooperative Snow Investigations, with the Corps of Engineers, continued during the year.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Discussion of “Annual floods and the partial duration flood series”

The writer is interested in finding from this paper a similar idea which he had in mind when engaging in a statistical study of hydrologic data, a part of the Highway Drainage Research Project being carried out in the Department of Civil Engineering, the University of Illinois. However, a complete presentation of the study will be reserved for future publications, and only fragments of thought are discussed here. In treating hydrologic data for the study of their frequency of recurrence, two phases of study are generally met. One is the frequency of recurrence for the observed distributions, and the other is the corresponding frequency of recurrence for the theoretical distributions of best‐fit. The former is usually required for the purpose of plotting observed data, and hence is called the “plotting positions,” a term used by Foster [1934, p. 1217]. The latter is treated by the mathematical theory of probability, and generally serves as a theoretical interpretation of the observed phenomena.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Discussion of “pedological relations of infiltration phenomena”

Smith provides an illuminating consideration of infiltration through soil in relation to the structure and texture of the soil its moisture content, and the variation of infiltration for A, B, and C soil zones. The organic nature of soil might also be stressed. Rotting rootlets provide passageways for water in addition to physical structure and texture. The impression is gained that mechanical treatment, such as plowing and harrowing, general decreases the infiltration capacity of soil, through destruction of surface structure, and fragmentation. This appears true of the soil in the physical sense. Equally true, in a plowed soil, may be the formation of puddling colloids after a rain, through the breaking of natural granules into fragments. However, the surface infiltration is increased by plowing and harrowing through the turnover of the sod layer composed of grasses and weeds. Smith does not consider the sod layer as a soil zone, yet it is the first barrier that precipitation must pass before it enters the structural crevices and textural pores of the soil. Although a dense sod layer usually does not increase runoff because of its retentive nature, it increases interception, and hence evaporation, so unless the sod is economic, the water is lost anyway.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Rainfall frequency: An aspect of climatic variation

Analyses which have been made in the past have shown no significant trend in annual values of rainfall during the period of rainfall records in the southwestern United States. In the present study, frequency of daily rains of various sizes are analyzed for four long-record stations in New Mexico. It is shown that the frequency of rains smaller than 0.50 inch in a day progressively increased from 1850 to about 1930. Opposite trends in different size classes tended to partially compensate one another in such a way that trends do not appear in the annual rainfall totals. Frequency of rains of various sizes comprising wet years and dry are compared. Some effects of changes in rainfall frequency on vegetation and erosion are discussed.

New Mexico↗
USGS2014

Tide‐producing forces and artesian pressures

Data are presented to show the relationship of changes in gravity and fluctuations in artesian pressure, and atmospheric pressure, as shown by simultaneous measurements. Computed tide‐producing forces are also shown. The curves are generally conformable.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Magnetic anomalies at high altitudes

To investigate the effect of anomalies in the Earth's magnetic field at high altitudes , aeromagnetic maps of two representative areas showing isanomalic curves for total intensity are projected to levels of 10 and 20 miles above the surface of a plane Earth. The projections are accomplished by numerical computations and by use of a magnetic ‐field projecting machine at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory. It is found that anomalies of 500 gammas near the surface of the Earth, in merging into neighboring anomalies , may produce effects of 100 gammas or more at an altitude of 20 miles.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Nitrate in the ground water of Texas

Ground water in many parts of Texas contains nitrate in excess of 20 ppm (parts per million) as NO 3 . About 3,000 of the 20,000 nitrate determinations made of water from wells in Texas showed more than 20 ppm of nitrate . The public water supplies of 27 Texas towns and cities contained more than 50 ppm of nitrate . Recent medical research indicates that methemoglobinemia or infant cyanosis (“blue babies”) may be caused by nitrate in water used in formula mixtures. Most of the high nitrate in ground water is found in wells less than 200 ft deep and mainly in water from late Tertiary and Quaternary formations; however, high nitrate was found in water from all kinds of rocks of all ages. The presence of high nitrate in ground water appears to be unrelated to rainfall, geography, or cultivation. A hypothesis of bacterial origin of the high nitrate is supported by strong evidence but is weakened by the presence of the correspondingly high content of associated salts. The disappearance of nitrate at depth presents additional problems.

Texas↗
USGS2014

Report of the Committee on Ground Water, 1949–1950

The present report concludes the duties of the above Committee , and the Chairman takes this opportunity to thank the members and others for their splendid cooperation during the triennium ended June 30, 1950. Another in the series of reports on hydrology and physiography of limestone terranes, by A. C. Swinnerton, is given as an Appendix to this report .

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Discussion of “a comparison of several heat and mass transfer networks of interest in water conservation”

The use of electrical networks to describe heat‐ and mass‐transfer problems is an interesting concept and undoubtedly will be of considerable value in future water‐loss investigations, provided the processes involved can be represented, electrically, with sufficient accuracy. Although it is true that errors in measurement of water‐surface temperature may arise when there are steep gradients in the fluid, such a temperature profile will not be associated with high evaporation rates, as implied by Poppendiek and Tribus. High evaporation is associated with appreciable wind and a resultant stirring or mixing of the upper part of the fluid. Hence the possibility of making large errors in water‐surface temperature measurements during periods of high evaporation rates are minimized. The results of the first three months of operation at Lake Hefner, Oklahoma City, Okla. [Anderson, Anderson, and Marciano, 1950] indicate that any error in evaporation computed from either the mass‐transfer or the energy‐budget equations due to errors in the measurement of the water‐surface temperature are insignificant when total evaporation over a 24‐hour period is considered.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Report of the Committee on Land Erosion, 1950–1951

Activities of the Committee on Land Erosion, since the present Committee was appointed in September, 1950, have been confined mainly to correspondence among members as a means of becoming better acquainted and of deciding on a suitable program for consideration of the Committee Erosion being such a far-flung and complex phenomenon defies any small group to consider all of its many facets. It is obvious, therefore, that greatest practical results would be obtained if Committee activities were confined in the main to those investigations in which members are currently engaged. Colman and Sinclair state that one of their chief current interests is the study of possibilities for decreasing creep on steep mountain slopes in Southern California. They have reason to believe that a considerable part (the precise amount being unknown) of the debris issuing from the canyons starts its way to channels as dry sliding or other type of soil movement that takes place during the dry seasons although the actual damage occurs during wet periods. Initially they hope to obtain more information on channel accumulations and to learn more about where the material comes from and how and when it moves to the channel. With this information they expect to be in a better position to study means of decreasing debris movement. The importance of debris movement into the densely populated valleys of Southern California is of such an order that additional planning along these lines can be well justified.

California↗
USGS2014

Discussion of “tide‐producing forces and artesian pressures”

I was an employee of the Texas State Board of Water Engineers in charge of the Fort Stockton field office at the time that the data for this paper were gathered. Since I have done both extensive and detailed ground‐water work in the Fort Stockton area, including the setting and maintaining of the water‐stage recorder at the Gonzales well, I believe I can add some pertinent hydrologic remarks about this paper. The authors state that the principal water‐bearing formation is a limestone. This opinion is not shared by myself and most likely the majority of other geologists in this area. Adkins [1927] favored the basal Cretaceous sands as the principal source of water to Comanche Springs. I believe that the most extensive and the principal water‐bearing formation is a sand and sandstone. The crevices and channels reported in wells and exposed at the springs are only a localized condition resulting from structural weakness and solution caused by a high water surface. The piezometric surface in sand and crevice wells is essentially identical; this suggests that there exists but one principal aquifer in this area. W.N. White, former District Geologist in Texas for the U.S. Geological Survey, in a personal communication to me in 1948, reported Comanche Springs to be the most reliable springs in Texas. This reliable flow strongly supports the concept of a sand aquifer, whose catchment area, or source, is of vast and varied extent, and a great distance from its outlet.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Pumping from wells on the floor of the Sevier Desert, Utah

Data collected at the Topaz Relocation Center provide an excellent record of the development and subsequent disappearance of a cone of depression caused by pumping . This Center occupied temporarily an area of natural ground‐water discharge on the floor of the Sevier Desert in west‐central Utah . Water for a population of 6500 was pumped from artesian wells which tapped aquifers of sand. Overlying these sand beds are lake‐bed sediments too impermeable to yield water to wells , but apparently permeable enough to permit slow upward movement of water from the artesian aquifers. The water table is near the surface, and there is natural discharge by evapotranspiration, accumulation of “alkali” in the soil, and a need for drainage of irrigated lands. The wells were abandoned when the Relocation Center was closed, apparently because these handicaps were so great that the ground water could not be used profitably for irrigation.

Utah↗
USGS2014

Trap efficiency of reservoirs

Forty-four records of reservoir trap efficiency and the factors affecting trap efficiency are analyzed. The capacity-inflow (C/I) ratio is found to offer a much closer correlation with trap efficiency than the capacity-watershed (C/W) ratio heretofore widely used. It appears likely from the cases studied that accurate timing of venting or sluicing operations to intercept gravity underflows can treble or quadruple the amount of sediment discharged from a reservoir. Desilting basins, because of their shape and method of operation, may have trap efficiencies above 90 pct even with very low C/I ratios. Semi-dry reservoirs with high C/I ratios, like John Martin Reservoir, may have trap efficiencies as low as 60 pct. Truly “dry” reservoirs, such as those in the Miami Conservancy District, probably have trap efficiencies in the 10 to 40 pct range, depending upon C/I ratio

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗