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L. E. Bidwell

Publications and source records attributed to L. E. Bidwell.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1971

Field and office instructions in stream gauging for the Hydrological Survey of Zambia

The importance of water to the basic needs of man is self- evident and needs no particular emphasis. The importance of water to a developing economy cannot be overemphasized. A few decades ago, hydrology was a division of hydraulic engineering and was a tool for project survey, plan, and design. Today hydrology still remains an important part of planning and management of water use projects, but it is imperative that surface and ground-water basic data networks be designed and operated from the standpoint of both present and future water needs. Water problems are ever increasing and ever changing and preparation for the future water demands of Zambia requires knowledge of the hydrology of the country instead of the examination of piecemeal samples for each water use project. The hydrologic survey of Zambia needs to be under the guidance of competent and imaginative hydrologists solidly trained in all elements of basic data collection and analysis and not in the hands of water project planners. Hydrology is a science which requires the highest order of teamwork and the hydrologist will need the help and advice of many employees within the organization to operate the network, provide adequate research, and examine the water needs of the country. It must be thoroughly understood that communication is essential between the hydrological survey and water project planners from both the government and private sectors. It is very important to define the aims and duties of the Hydrological Branch of the Water Affairs Department in a clear cut "Statement of Policy". Personal copies of the statement should be made available to all professional employees and technicians. The reasons for the existence of the Branch may be self-apparent to heads of the organization, but to all other employees the reasons may be vague and unknown. Every member of the technical and administrative staff would benefit by an understanding of the purpose of his work. Nebulous ideas of the function of a hydrological survey of Zambia serve little purpose to the employee making the plans or those who execute them. A dissemination and free flow of ideas in all directions is necessary in any scientific and creative organization. The primary functions of the Hydrological Branch of the Water Affairs Department of Zambia are twofold: Water resource appraisal which includes the inventory of all surface and ground waters; Research, both basic and applied, in the science of water. Possibly some function regarding water law is also conceivable, although attachment of a law enforcement function to water-resource investigations might weaken the position of the Branch as an unbiased scientific organization. As the collection of basic streamflow data is a primary function of the Branch the following instructions for the collection, analysis and computation of streamflow records have been written.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1970

Water resources of the Wild Rice River watershed, northwestern Minnesota

The Wild Rice watershed includes two general physiographic areas- the glacial Lake Agassiz Plain and a glacial moraine. The lake plain is extremely flat in the western part, sloping only a few feet per mile, but in the eastern part the plain is traversed in a north-south direction by long, narrow beach ridges up to 20 feet high. The moraine is an area of hills and depressions. The local relief is low in the western part of the moraine but increases to more than 200 feet in the east. Altitude of the land surface ranges from 800 feet above mean sea level where the Red River flows north out of the area to 2,040 feet near the southeastern edge of the watershed (one of the highest points in Minnesota). The area of the watershed is about 2,600 square miles and includes most of Mahnomen and Norman Counties and parts of Becker, Clay, Clearwater, and Polk Counties. The population of the area is about 37,000 people of which about 70 percent live on farms. The economy is based principally on farming. The area of lake clay and silt is used mostly for raising sugar beets and wheat; and potatoes are grown largely on the sandy soils. In the western part of the morainal area small grain, dairy, and cattle farming is the most common. The eastern part of the morainal area is important for forest products and recreation. Industries in the area are small and are based on agricultural processing and service.

Minnesota↗
USGS1969

Water resources of the Otter Tail River Watershed, West-central Minnesota

The Otter Tail River watershed includes three general physiographic areas- a moraine and ice-contact area, an outwash plain, and the plain of Glacial Lake Agassiz. The moraine and ice-contact area is a fairly rugged complex of hills characterized by local relief of several hundred feet in some areas, particularly in the extreme north and southeastern parts of the watershed. The outwash plain is fairly flat to rolling and the Glacial Lake Agassiz plain is extremely flat. The watershed has an area of about 1,920 square miles and includes parts of Becker, Otter Tail, Wilkin, and Clearwater Counties. The population of the area is about 55,500; 32,600 urban and 22,900 rural. The economy is largely agricultural. Grain farming is dominant, but dairying is important. The extremely large number of lakes in the area provides a basis for a large recreation-based economy.

Minnesota↗
USGS1969

Water resources of the Buffalo River Watershed, West-central Minnesota

The Buffalo River watershed includes two general physiographic areas – a glacial lake plain and an glacial moraine. The lake plain, which was formed by Glacial lake Agassiz more than 9,000 years ago, is extremely flat – sloping only a few feet per mile westward near the Red River of the North. The moraine is largely an area of gently rolling hills, but in the eastern “tail” of the watershed the relief locally is over two hundred feet. The watershed has an area of about 1,690 square miles and includes most of Clay County and parts of Wilkin, Otter Tail, Becker, and Norman Counties. The population of the area is about 45,500 – 31,000 urban and 14,500 rural. The economy is largely agricultural. Sugar beet and wheat farming are dominant in the areas of clay and silt; potato farming is confined mainly to the sandy areas. Dairying and stock raising is important in the morainal area. The larger industries are located in Moorhead and consist of sugar beet, potato, and dairy product processing. Water-based recreation consists mostly of fishing in the larger lakes in the morainal area, and water-fowl hunting in the area of prairie potholes – the western part of the morainal area.

Minnesota↗
USGS1968

Water resources of the Lac Qui Parle River Watershed, Southwestern Minnesota

The Lac qui Parle River watershed is underlain by thick water-bearing sections of glacial drift and Cretaceous rocks. Drainage is from the Coteau des Praries, a plateau in the southwest, to the Lac qui Parle reservoir, about 800 feet lower than the plateau. The term "watershed" as used in this report refers to that part of the drainage basin (767 square miles) within Minnesota. The total area of the drainage basin, including South Dakota, is 1110 square miles. Most waters from the watershed are of good quality.

Minnesota↗
USGS1968

Water resources of the Mustinka and Bois de Sioux Rivers watershed, west-central Minnesota

The Mustinka and Bois de Sioux Rivers watershed is mantled by till deposits with scattered sand deposits. The west-central and northwestern part of the watershed was covered by Glacial Lake Agassiz and the resulting land surface is a flat, lake-washed till plain. Patches and ridges of sand scattered throughout the lake plain were formed as beach ridges and offshore bars. Small, isolated areas of lake clay also occur within this area. The remainder of the watershed is glacial moraine characterized by rolling topography in all but the extreme eastern edge which has more local relief and more permanent lakes. Alluvial sand deposits are found in the eastern part of the morainal area. The drainage area of the watershed in Minnesota is 1,429 square miles. The area includes mors of Traverse County and parts of Big Stone, Stevens, Grant, Ottertail, and Wilkin Counties. Population within the watershed unit is about 20,000. The largest community, Wheaton, has a population of 2,102. The agricultural economy of the area is concentrated on grain farming, although some dairying is carried on. The principal grain crops are corn and oats. Flax, soybeans, and barley are also very commonly grown. The natural vegetation in the area was largely prairie. A hardwood deciduous forest grew only on the extreme eastern edge. Today, the area is almost entirely farm land containing numerous local woodlots. Outdoor recreation is concentrated on waterfowl and pheasant hunting. Fishing is done in Lake Traverse and in the larger lakes in the eastern part of the morainal area.

Minnesota↗
USGS1968

Water resources of the Mississippi Headwaters Watershed, North-central Minnesota

The Mississippi Headwaters watershed is a 7,608 square mile area in north-central Minnesota which includes all land drained by the Mississippi River above the Crow Wing River. From its source in Lake Itasca, 1,460 feet above mean sea level, the Mississippi River follows a semicircular 376 mile course to where it leaves the watershed at an altitude of 1,150 feet. The origin of the river is in glacial moraine. The river flows through end moraines and rolling till plains, across an extensive outwash plain occupied by large reservoir lakes, and finally across an extensive marshy plain which is the bed of an ancient glacial lake. Glacial deposits in the watershed include till, lenses of sand and gravel in till, outwash deposits of sand and gravel, and lake deposits of fine sand, silt, and clay. Beneath the glacial drift is an uneven surface of Precambrian bedrock. Bedrock consists of igneous intrusives and metamorphosed sedimentary formations. Water resources in the area are abundant. Lakes and streams occupy about 8 percent of the surface of the area. Ground-water supplies are available from glacial drift and from bedrock.

Minnesota↗