Lassen Volcanic National Park (40° 25'-40° 35'; 121° 15'-121° 35'). San Pedro Hills (33° 42'-33° 48′; 118° 18'-118° 26'). Waukena (36° 7' 30''-36° 15'; 119° 30'-119° 37' 30''). Yosemite National Park (37° 30'-38° 15′ 30′′; 119°–120°). Highmore (39° 30′-39° 45'; 108° 15'-108° 30'). District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia: Washington and vicinity (38° 45'-39° 5′; 76° 52′ 30''-77° 15′). Georgia. (See South Carolina-Georgia.) Hawaii: Haleakala (20° 35′-20° 45'; 156°-156° 15'). Honaunau (19° 15′-19° 30′; 155° 45'-155° 57' 30''). Hoopuloa (19°-19° 15'; 155° 45'-155° 57' 30''). Kahoolawe (20° 30′-20° 45'; 156° 30'-156° 42' 30''). Keahole (19° 37' 30''-19° 52′ 30′′; 156°-156° 12' 30''). Koolau (20° 45'-20° 57' 30''; 156°-156° 15′). Mauna Loa (19° 15'-19° 30′; 155° 30'-155° 45'). Niihau (21° 46′-22° 2′; 160° 2′-160° 15′). Idaho: Craters of the Moon National Monument (43° 16'-43° 30'; 113° 25'113° 36'). State, scale 1: 500,000. Illinois (see also Kentucky-Illinois): Brighton (39°-39° 15′; 90°-90° 15'). Chicago Loop (41° 52′ 30"-42°; 87° 37' 30''-87° 45′). Evanston (42°-42° 7' 30''; 87° 37' 30''-87° 45'). Tinley Park (41° 30'-41° 37′ 30′′; 87° 45'-87° 52' 30''). Illinois-Indiana: Jackson Park (41° 45'-41° 52' 30''; 87° 30'-87° 37' 30''). Indiana. (See Illinois-Indiana.) Iowa: Albia (41° 41° 15′; 92° 45'-93°). Kansas-Nebraska : Southwestern Nebraska and western Kansas (37°-41°; 100°-109°; land classification). Kentucky. (See Tennessee-Kentucky, Virginia-Kentucky, West Virginia-Kentucky, West Virginia-Virginia–Kentucky.) Kentucky-Illinois : Smithland (37° 37° 15′; 88° 15'-88° 30'). Maine: Dead River (45°-45° 15'; 70°-70° 15'). Dixfield (44° 30'-44° 45'; 70° 15'-70° 30′). Maryland. (See District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia.) Laingsburg (42° 45'-43°; 84° 15'-84° 30′). Missouri: Cardareva (37°-37° 15′; 91°-91° 15'). Montana: Flathead Lake project (48° 3'-48° 13'; 114° 6'-114° 18'). Nebraska (see also Kansas-Nebraska): Northwestern Nebraska (41°43°; 100° 10′-104° 3′; land classification). New Hampshire: Hillsboro (43°-43° 15'; 71° 45'-72°). Mount Kearsarge (43° 15'-43° 30′; 71° 45'-72°). New Hampshire-Vermont: Averill (44° 45′ to Canadian boundary; 71° 30′-71° 45′). Claremont (43° 15'-43° 30′; 72° 15'-72° 30′). New York (see also Pennsylvania-New York): North Carolina. (See Virginia-North Carolina.) Minot (48°-48° 15'; 101° 15′-101° 30′). Gettysburg (39° 45'-40°; 77°-77° 15′; areal geology). Pennsylvania-New York: Youngsville (41° 45'-42°; 79° 15′-79° 30′). South Carolina-Georgia : Warrenville (33° 30′-33° 45'; 81° 45'-82°). Tennessee: Decherd (35°-35° 15′; 86°-86° 15′). Gordonsville (36°-36° 15'; 85° 45'-86°). Tennessee-Kentucky: . Tompkinsville (36° 30'-36° 45'; 85° 30'-85° 45'). Texas: Tankersly (31° 15'-31° 30′; 100° 30′-100° 45'). Waldrip (31° 15'-31° 30'; 99° 15'-99° 30′). Wall (31° 15'-31° 30'; 100° 15'-100° 30′). United States: Physical divisions. Utah: Fort Douglas (40° 30'-41°; 111° 30'-112°). Vermont. (See New Hampshire-Vermont.) Virginia (see also District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia, West Virginia-Ken- Big Stone Gap (36° 45'-37°; 82° 45'-83°). Critz (36° 30′-36° 45'; 80°-80° 15′). West Virginia: Ripley (38° 45'-39°; 81° 30'-81° 45'). Spencer (38° 45'-39°; 81° 15′-81° 30'). West Virginia-Kentucky: Naugatuck (37° 45'-38°; 82° 15'-82° 30'). Point Pleasant (38° 45'-39°; 82°-82° 15'). West Virginia-Virginia-Kentucky: Matewan (37° 30′-37° 45'; 81° 45'-82°). Wyoming: Southeastern Wyoming (41°-43°; 104° 3'-107°; land classification). THE YEAR'S OPERATIONS The director continued his service as chairman of the advisory committee of the Federal Oil Conservation Board and as chairman of the Naval Oil Reserve Commission. During March to June, as the representative of the Federal Oil Conservation Board, he attended several oil conferences and as the personal representative of the Secretary of the Interior promoted oil conservation in California. This service involved 25,000 miles of travel. For the purpose of bringing before the public the results of the work of his associates and in connection with his administration of the general work of the Geological Survey, as in other years, he made several addresses and informal talks and contributed articles to the press. These are listed below: ADDRESSES Empire builders, Columbia section, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, Spokane, Wash., July 20. Washington development, Mining Association, Seattle, Wash., July 23. Brakes for the mineral industry, American Bar Association, Seattle, Wash., July 24. Our share in the Nation's business, joint meeting of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and the American Mining Congress, Los Angeles, Calif., September 12. Open mind and open forum, Petroleum division, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, Tulsa, Okla., October 18. Address, Tri-State Zinc and Lead Association, Picher, Okla., October 22. Address, Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, Tulsa, Okla., October 24. Geophysical exploration, radio hearing, Interior Department, Washington, November 15. Government work in aid of mining, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, New York City, December 20. Engineering standards for society, address as retiring president, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, New York City, February 20. Address, American Petroleum Institute, Houston, Tex., March 15. Address, conference on oil conservation, Colorado Springs, Colo., June 10. ARTICLES Natural resources of the United States, 1927, American Journal of Sociology, July. Conservation of oil, United States Daily, August 13. National conservation, New York Herald-Tribune, November 18. Geological Survey's oil studies of great importance to industry, Oil and Gas Journal, January 3. Radio as a stop-watch for the geophysicist, New York Herald-Tribune, January 27. Our field fact-finding, National Republic, April. What the new oil policy means, Nation's Business, May. Natural resources, 1928, American Journal of Sociology, May. Secretary Wilbur has full authority for enforcing order, California Oil World, May 8. California gas law is beneficial, California Oil World, May 15. A brief summary of the work done by the Geological Survey during the fiscal year is given in the following paragraphs: GEOLOGIC WORK Geologic work was done in 42 States and Alaska. In this work 13 of the States cooperated. The cooperative work takes a variety of forms but consists mainly of the study of specific problems on a cost-sharing basis. Considerable geologic work was also done in cooperation with other Government organizations and with nongovernmental scientific associations. Cooperative investigations bearing on oil and gas resources were made in 1 State, on metalliferous deposits in 4 States, on potash in 2 States, and on general geologic problems in 8 States. The investigations in search of potash, carried on in cooperation with the Bureau of Mines, were continued in New Mexico, where four sites for Government core drilling were selected, and in Texas, where drilling at four sites was completed. The cores were studied and selected portions analyzed, and preliminary reports on the economic results were prepared. Volcanologic studies were carried on in California, Alaska, and Hawaii. Numerous paleontologic determinations were made. Investigations of ore deposits, coal, oil shale, and other minerals and studies in glacial geology, stratigraphy, and structure were continued. In the chemical laboratory 5,880 samples of potash salts were examined and a total of 8,910 specimens were analyzed. Study and experimental work on ore deposition and other chemical problems were continued. Further work was done on problems connected with petroleum recovery. EXPLORATIONS IN ALASKA The principal explorations conducted by the Geological Survey in Alaska in the field season of 1928 were made in southeastern Alaska, the Copper River region, the Mount Spurr region of the Alaska Range, and the region north of the Tanana River. The work in southeastern Alaska consisted of reconnais sance topographic mapping in the Ketchikan district, with the aid of the aerial photographs taken by the Navy Department in 1926, and of a detailed survey of a small tract in the Juneau region for the Forest Service. The work in the Copper River region consisted of the revision of earlier geologic surveys in the Nizina district. The Mount Spurr expedition accomplished the topographic and geologic mapping of 1,000 square miles of new country. In the Tanana region the major geologic features of an area of nearly 4,000 square miles were mapped. Six field projects were in progress at the end of the fiscal year 1929, including topographic studies in southeastern Alaska, in connection with the airplane photographing expedition of the Navy Department, geologic reconnaissance in the Copper River and Yukon-Tanana regions, and geologic and topographic reconnaissance in the Alaska Range. Some of the work in southeastern Alaska is being done for the Forest Service, which is bearing the cost. Special assistance is being given to the Alaska Railroad in solving problems that arise in its work in which geologic information is useful. The supervision of operations under leases issued by the Government for extracting coal and oil on public lands was continued during the year, a small staff being maintained at two local offices in Alaska for this purpose. TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING The topographic work was done in cooperation with 25 States, county officials in 2 States, the War Department, the Corps of Engineers, and the Colorado Metal Mining Fund, and the area mapped amounted to 17,333 square miles in 29 States, the District of Columbia, and Hawaii. Of this total 12,956 square miles represents new surveys, 4,049 square miles resurveys, and 328 square miles revisions. The total area mapped to June 30, 1929, is 1,327,234 square miles. Nine States and the District of Columbia are now entirely mapped, and the percentages in other States range from 8 to 88.6. Of the total continental United States, exclusive of Alaska, 43.6 per cent has been mapped. River surveys amounting to 838 linear miles were also made. In connection with the topographic work 8,542 miles of spirit levels and 5,068 miles of transit traverse were run and 211 triangulation stations were occupied. Cooperation was continued with the Air Corps, United States Army, whereby aerial photographs were furnished for use in topographic mapping. A base map of California was prepared, and the base map of Arkansas was revised. A partial culture and drainage map of the Tensas Basin, Louisiana and Arkansas, was compiled for the Mississippi River Commission. INVESTIGATIONS OF WATER RESOURCES The work on water resources is done largely in cooperation with other Federal bureaus, with State, county, and municipal agencies, and with permittees and licensees of the Federal Power Commission. The amount expended by State, county, and municipal agencies for such work during the year, in part directly and in part through the Geological Survey, was $367,929.66. This sum covered work in 35 States and Hawaii. Including the cooperative work, the study of surface waters, which consists primarily of the measurement of the flow of streams, was carried on in 47 States and Hawaii, in which at the end of the year 2,238 gaging stations were being maintained. The work on groundwater resources has been planned to meet the more and more exacting public demand for precise information with increasing need for the water. Investigations relating to ground water and power or reservoir sites were made in 22 States. Research into the principles of hydrology has been continued in order to provide a more secure basis for ground-water investigations. Cooperation was continued with well drillers' associations with a view to developing higher standards and better results in water-well drilling. The work on quality of water involved the examination of 1,037 samples of water and 245 samples of silt. The investigations of power resources included the preparation of monthly and annual reports on the production of electricity and consumption of fuel by public-utility power plants. WORK IN CLASSIFYING AND LEASING PUBLIC LAND The work of classifying public and Indian lands with respect to mineral content and of supervising mineral operations on such lands was carried on in 21 States and Alaska. The number of cases involving land classification acted on during the year was 15,428, and the results accomplished include net decreases of 57,006 acres in the area of outstanding coal withdrawals, of 92,140 acres in outstanding petroleum withdrawals, and of 26,261 acres in outstanding phosphate reserves. At the end of the year the total area classified as mineral in character amounted to 36,433,446 acres in 14 States and Alaska and the outstanding mineral withdrawals to 46,639,593 acres in 14 States. Definition of the "known geologic structure" of producing oil and gas fields was continued, and at the end of the year the net area so defined was 515,378 acres in seven States. Investigations to obtain information for classifying public land with respect to its value for the development of water power were made in four States. There was a net increase of 245,808 acres in the area included in power reserves, making a total of 6,479,570 acres in 20 States and Alaska, on which about 15,000,000 continuous horsepower can be developed. The net increase in enlarged-homestead designations was 142,493 acres, making a total outstanding of 325,302,286 acres in 14 States, and the net increase in stockraising homestead designations was 1,141,957 acres, making a total outstanding of 120,266,561 acres in 18 States. There was a net increase of 15,040 acres in public water reserves, and the total outstanding is now 418,431 acres in 12 States. The supervisory work on public lands subject to the mineral leasing laws was increased by the issuance of 101 leases, 2,539 permits, and 13 licenses, covering 4,295,366.98 acres, and decreased by 8,756 cancellations of leases and permits. The production of petroleum on such lands during the year was 22,458,842.62 barrels, of natural gas 22,770,394,110 cubic feet, and of gasoline 47,319,874.32 gallons, on which the royalty, rentals, and bonuses amounted to $3,685,883.35. The production of coal on such lands was 1,022,860.90 tons, of phosphate rock 21,792.06 tons, and of sodium 23,580.99 tons, on which the royalty, rentals, and bonuses amounted to $414,186.11. Supervision over oil and gas operations on naval petroleum reserves was continued, and the production was 8,116,635.98 barrels of petroleum, 7,711,858,000 cubic feet of natural gas. and 24,908,262.82 gallons of gasoline, on which the royalty value was $1,817,464.45. Inspectional, regulatory, and advisory service was rendered in connection with the leasing of mineral deposits on Indian lands in seven States, with a royalty value of approximately $7,500,000, nearly all in Oklahoma. PUBLICATIONS The publications of the year consisted of 60 books and pamphlets of the regular series, 76 new or revised maps, 200 reprinted maps, and numerous circulars, lists of publications, etc. The total number of pages in the new book publications was 7,381. In addition to the publications in the regular series, 89 brief reports were issued in mimeographed form as memoranda for the press. The manuscript edited and prepared for printing amounted to 16,601 pages; 2,677 galley proofs and 14,814 page proofs were read and corrected. Indexes were prepared for 31 publications, covering 6,291 pages. The drawings prepared for publications numbered 2,738, and the proofs of illustrations examined 969. The new topographic maps edited and transmitted for engraving numbered 57. and 473 other maps were edited. Map proofs numbering 600 were read. Of new and reprinted maps and folios 759,732 copies were printed. The publications distributed numbered 975,155, of which 8,910 folios and 717,349 maps were sold for $49,289.38. GEOLOGIC BRANCH W. C. MENDENHALL, Chief Geologist ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL The work of the geologic branch has been administered during the year through 10 units, representing topical or geographic groupings of activities. These units are as follows: Paleontology and stratigraphy, T. W. Stanton, geologist, in charge. Geology of iron and steel metals, E. F. Burchard, geologist, in charge. |