1888: U.S. Geological Survey initiates the
National Streamgaging Program with training and gage installation
on the Rio Grande River near Embudo, New Mexico, as part of
the Irrigation Surveys under Director John Wesley Powell.
1894: First Congressional appropriation specifically
for streamgaging; Hydrographic Division recognized as a regular
unit of the USGS.
1896: Congress includes an annual appropriation
for "the investigation of underground currents and artesian
well(s)".
1902: Passage of the Reclamation Act. Establishes
the Hydrographic Branch of USGS, comprising the Division of
Hydrography (for streamgaging), the Division of Hydrology (for
ground water), the Division of Hydro-Economics (for water quality
in relation to agriculture and industry), and the Reclamation
Service (later to become the Bureau of Reclamation), under F.H.
Newell, Chief Hydrographer. Initiation of significant cooperation
between the USGS Hydrographic Branch and State agencies.
1906: Name changed to Water Resources Branch
in recognition that ".our work would be more fully appreciated
if people could understand its character without resorting to
a Latin dictionary or some similar aid of understanding." -Chief
Hydrographer M.O. Leighton. Division of Hydro-Economics becomes
the Division of Water Quality, and Division of Hydrology become
the Division of Ground Water.
1912: USGS begins installing reliable automatic
water-stage recorders at streamgages.
1924: Congress recognizes the Cooperative
Hydrology Program as a jointly-funded collaboration between
USGS and State and local agencies.
1949: The Water Resources Branch becomes the
Water Resources Division, with separate branches for surface
water, ground water, and water quality.
1964: Water Resources Division re-organized
to combine the Surface Water, Ground Water and Quality of Water
Branches at the District level under District Chiefs reporting
to the Division. Chief Hydrologist Luna Leopold places increased
emphasis on research and interpretation of data.
1994: Robert Hirsch becomes Chief Hydrologist.
2008: Matthew Larsen becomes Chief Hydrologist.
(For more historical information, please see the four published
volumes of A History of the Water Resources Division
in the USGS Library.)
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
