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<br />IINecessity is the mother of invention", and dur.
<br />ing World War II engineers, both those with college
<br />degrees and technicians, solved problems which
<br />might otherwise have remained in text book form
<br />for years. Water was a significant part of this prob.
<br />lem. Defense plants had to be built where water
<br />supplies were extremely short. Form lands had to
<br />produce food and fibre in areas short of adequate
<br />precipitation. Ships at sea, aircraft in the oir, troops
<br />on the ground, could move only as far and as fast
<br />as their water supply .wou.ld permit. Fortunate was
<br />the "water manager" in the field, who could use a
<br />helmet full of water to drink, shave, bothe, wash
<br />his mess gear, and use the remainder to irrigate
<br />nearby plants for food and ecology.
<br />
<br />As a result of the technology developed during
<br />World War II, a new crop of scientists evolved de-
<br />termined to solve the water problems of the future.
<br />They perfected the "Electric-Analog-Model", which
<br />converts the flow of water through sand and gravel
<br />into a provable relationship to the flow of electricity
<br />through wire, resistors, capicitors, and oscilloscopes.
<br />Electrical circuits react to changes in t"e flow of elec-
<br />tricity in the same way the ground water system
<br />reacts to the changes in the flow of ground water.
<br />Mathematicians checked them for accuracy, univer-
<br />sities checked them for theory, and all agreed that
<br />with the input of accurate complete field data, long-
<br />range problems could be solved which would enable
<br />water users to project and predict accurately water
<br />supplies and uses into the future - even 2050 and
<br />beyond,
<br />
<br />
<br />Pictured above is an Electric~Analog-Model of
<br />the Tuscon Basin, Arizona, showing the scientific
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<br />equipment used to work out long-range water prob-
<br />lems. The Tuscon Basin is a "depressional system"
<br />with regional pumping of approximately 2 million
<br />acre-feet per year, and an annual recharge to the
<br />system from precipitation of less than 10% of the
<br />total pumped. The purpose of the study is to deter-
<br />mine how long this relationship can exist before
<br />existing pumps are completely inadequate, due to the
<br />annual decline of the water table, which in certain
<br />areas is more than 600 feel. Results of the Analog
<br />studies have enabled representatives from that area
<br />to accurately explore means of introducing new
<br />sources of water into the Basin, such as provided in
<br />the Colorado River Proiect Act, approved by the Cong-
<br />ress of the United States in 1968. Failure to find a
<br />"supplemental source" would mean the area could
<br />grow only to the point where sufficient water was
<br />available to meet the myriad of daily needs.
<br />
<br />Early in 1950, these talents were combined, and
<br />Analog Computers were perfected. Field data were
<br />evaluated, checked, and ultimately fed into the Com-
<br />puter. Answers were provided in minutes, which
<br />otherwise would require the combined talents of ex-
<br />pert mathematicians years of man hours to resolve.
<br />This concept was not only being used in the science
<br />of water management, but in other fields as well,
<br />such as: space, medicine, finance, insurance, food
<br />products, industry, just about every application neces-
<br />sary for life and progress. Many things we use, need
<br />and enioy today are the result of the use of the
<br />concept of Computers. Otherwise, we would still be
<br />moving at a 1900 - 1950 pace.
<br />
<br />Since 1950, over 60 Electric-Analog Computers
<br />have been constructed at the U. S. Geological Survey
<br />Analog Model Unit in Phoenix, Arizona. These Ana-
<br />logs cover water studies for many parts of the
<br />Earth, and answers have been obtained to enable
<br />local water managers to solve problems of today
<br />and tomorrow. The Analog Research Center, U. S.
<br />Geological Survey has been able to attract some of
<br />the top talent in this science. By sharing knowledge
<br />and experience, the experts have been able to not
<br />only con'struct workable models in a very short period
<br />of time, but to resolve extremely complex and long-
<br />range problems which might otherwise have re-
<br />mained unsolved were it not for the fact they could
<br />work together on an hourly and daily basis.
<br />
<br />Problems solved with the Analog and Digital
<br />Computers include: total water use utilizing the input
<br />of annual precipitation, ground water availabilty, re-
<br />charge potentialities, augmentation, and the doily,
<br />monthly and annual use of the people - both urban
<br />and rural.
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