Water Supply and Irrigation Papers of the United States Geological Survey

Cataloging the impressive efforts of the USGS at the turn of the century.

This fascinating collection of reports and papers was published by the Government Printing Office in 1901 as a public record of the workings of Congress. This particular volume presents one of the mandates of the United States Geological Survey – America’s water resources. A fascinating variety of topics are covered; including the development of an economic and efficient windmill by Edward Charles Murphy, operations at river stations (extensive tables of observations), profiles of rivers in the United States by Henry Gannett, and water storage at Cache Creek, California, by Albert E. Chandler.

Of particular interest is Paper No. 40, The Austin Dam by University of Texas Geology Professor Thomas U. Taylor. Taylor provides a critical examination of the Great Granite Dam, completed by the cash-strapped city in 1893 to tempt local investment with cheap hydroelectric power. In early April 1900, heavy rains along the Colorado River resulted in the dam’s complete failure, flooding downtown and killing at least fifty people. The city, now deeply in debt, was without electrical power for several months. Taylor places the blame largely on insufficient design and poor placement. Numerous photographs and illustrations outline the construction process and the aftereffects of the flood.

Source: Austin Statesman; KUT News Austin