There is probably no one in this room who has not had an experience analogous to the one I here describe. You sat at the dinner table next to a nice lady who impressed you with her breadth of interest in community affairs. She said to you "Oh, you work in the field of water resources. That certainly is a major problem facing the United States, isn't it? You know, we have had long discussions about this matter in a club to which I belong. We have made a considerable study of this matter and all of us are convinced that a key element in the survival of America is to find a solution to our water problem. "You know," she said, "there are certainly a lot of different kinds of organizations mixing up in the field of water. They all seem to be running off in different directions. It seems to me that one of the things we need most is a national water policy. Don't you think so?” I know how you answered the question. You must have about got started on a discussion of some of the complications when the conversation turned to the question of how long did it take you to get home in that last big snow. So, in effect, you continue to talk about the water problem even if merely as you exchange pleasantries about the day's weather. But then you went home and you thought some more about what the nice lady said and you asked yourself "well, now, truly how do we solve the Nation's water problem? What has a national water policy to do with a solution of this problem?" In the next few minutes I wish to exchange with you some of our thoughts on this matter.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1960

Progress report on use of water by riparian vegetation, Cottonwood Wash, Arizona

Measurements of streamflow, ground-water levels, and meterological data obtained in a 4.1-mile reach of the flood plain of Cottonwood Wash, Mohave County, Ariz., define the use of water by riparian vegetation in that part of the stream valley. The computed evapotranspiration loss during the growing season of 1959 was 175 acre-feet, which represented about 33 percent of the water that entered the reach. The maximum rate of loss during the season was slightly more than 8 acre-feet per week, or about 60 percent of the inflow. The project reach is divided into two parts: An upstream subreach of 2.6 miles and a downstream subreach of 1.5 miles. Seasonal losses in the upstream and downstream subreaches were 75 and 100 acre-feet respectively. Losses in the shorter downstream subreach were larger because of the greater plant population. During the summer of 1960 the vegetation in the lower subreach will be chemically defoliated as a part of the experiment to determine the savings in water losses that can be effected by modifying riparian vegetation. Tests on chemical defoliants indicate that a single spraying eliminates the leaves on cottonwood trees for 7 or 8 days and that no permanent damage results.

Circular↗

USGS1956

Water resources of southwestern Louisiana

In southwestern Louisiana large quantities of fresh water are available for agricultural, municipal, domestic, and industrial purposes. However, local and regional problems resulting from salt-water encroachment in the streams and persistent declines of the groundwater levels in certain areas during . drought periods have caused some concern regarding the future water supply of the region. · In order to appraise the situation, to provide hydrologic information basic to development of the area, and to provide a basis for sound plans for alleviating recurrent dry-year losses, a study of the ground-water resources of the area was begun in 1938 through cooperation with the Louisiana Geological Survey, Department of Conservation. An intensive investigation comprising ground-water, surface-water, and quality-of-water studies was authorized in 1948 in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Public Works, and was completely under' way before the 1949 irrigation season. The studies were carried through the irrigation season of 1951.

Louisiana↗

USGS1952

Water-level fluctuations in limestone sinks in southwestern Georgia

No abstract available.

Georgia↗