As early as 1888 the United States Geological Survey began measuring the discharge of the principal rivers of the Western States, with a view to making a continuous inventory of this resource and its utilization for the greatest public good. Until 1905 this work was done in cooperation with the State through the state engineer’s office. Stream-flow records are fundamental to the distribution of water and the adjudication of water rights – two of the principal duties of the state engineer – and with the continually increasing use of streams, both large and small, the need for more and more stream-flow records is obviously imperative.