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10 Cbe Conservative *
ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION OF
WATER POWERS.
f By CIIAS. D. WAI.COTT , Director U. S. Ceolo-
glcnl Survey ]
Recently there has been such a
complete demonstration in California
of the feasibility of transmitting
electric energy at high voltage for
great distances , that all important
streams within 200 miles of Los
Angeles or of San Francisco which
are capable of developing substantial
water power are being carefully
studied.
The two factors producing power
are the volume of water and the
amount of fall , hence the U. S.
Geological Survey , owing to its work
in gaging streams and topographic
mapping , is being called upon from
Jjf4 many quarters in connection with
p > these investigations. Frequently in
vestments of many hundred thousand
* dollars are made or rejected on the
basis of these records. The demand
for accuracy in the determination of
the low summer flow of the stream is
particularly severe , and calls are
made for a greater amount of detail ,
both as to the number of points of
measurement and as to frequency ,
than it has been possible to obtain
heretofore with the limited funds
available for this work. A compre
hensive knowledge of a stream can
only be obtained after several years
of careful study. Manifestly capital
seeking investment will not wait to
compile the records itself , especially
in view of the fact that the result
may prove unsatisfactory.
For power developments the low
summer flow of the stream is that
which is most urgently desired at
first. These low volumes doubtless
will bo supplemented by stored water
in the near future. During the past
four summers meter measurements of
the lowest September flow have been
v
made of nearly all the trunk streams
on the western slope of tne Sierra
Nevadas and Sierra Madres. ' These
measurements are of especial value
as these years have been of unusual
drought.
The crest of the Sierra Nevadas
ranges in elevation from 10,000 to
15,000 feet above sea level and is dis
tant from 50 to 00 miles from the
low San Joaquin Valley lands , the
elevations of which are less than 500
feet. The streams issuing therefrom
have very short steep gradients.
Profiles of a largo number of them ,
taken from the contour maps of'tho
United States Geological Survey , are
given in Water Supply and Irrigation
Paper of the United States Geologi
cal Survey , No. 40.
The upper portion of the main
streams and their tributaries natur
ally contain the steeper gradients ,
and though usually showing a smaller
volume'"f of water theyr afford the
greater power possibilities because of
the higher available pressure heads.
These streams are largely within
the various National Forest Reserves.
One of their interesting character
istic that has been learned , is that
during the late summer months when
the water is low , practically all of
it comes from the highest portions of
the drainage basins , say above ele
vation of 0,000 feet. In fact some
rivers like the Kern , the Kings , and
the San Joaquiu , decrease in volume
in the lower half of their mountain
courses owing to losses by seepage
and evaporation.
Arrangements have lately been
made with the Forestry officials of
the Interior Department for their
Superintendents in the future to
measure these streams at trail cross
ings , at high elevations , during their
low summer stages , under the direc
tion of J. B. Lippiucott , the Resi
dent Hydrographer of the Geological
Survey. It is believed that this will
add much to the knowledge of Cali
fornia streams in their upper courses.
Heretofore they have not been ac
cessible owing to their remoteness and
the absence of any reliable observers.
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