R.S. § 5252 derived from Res. Feb. 21, 1871, No. 40, 16 Stat. 598.

The first paragraph of this section is from R.S. § 5252, which, as enacted, authorized and directed the establishment of water gauges and the making of daily observations at or in the vicinity of certain enumerated places, and at such other places as the Secretary of War might deem advisable. It further provided that the expenditure should be made from the appropriation for the improvement of rivers and harbors and that the annual cost of the observations should not exceed $5,000. These latter provisions were apparently modified by section 6 of act Aug. 11, 1888, as amended by section 9 of act June 13, 1902, which was substantially the second paragraph of this section. As originally enacted, section 6 of act Aug. 11, 1888, provided for the gauging of the waters of the Lower Mississippi and tributaries, and limited the cost for each year to the amount appropriated in the act for such purpose.

1954—Act Aug. 30, 1954, repealed proviso requiring that an itemized statement of expenses incurred in gauging waters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, as provided in this section, should accompany the annual report of the Chief of Engineers.

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. Section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. Section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

Section 2 of act June 26, 1934, ch. 756, 48 Stat. 1225, which was classified to section 725a of former Title 31, Money and Finance, repealed the permanent appropriation under the title “Gauging waters of the Mississippi and its tributaries (fiscal year) (8–961.54)” effective July 1, 1935, and provided that such portions of any Acts as make permanent appropriations to be expended under such account are amended so as to authorize, in lieu thereof, annual appropriations from the general fund of the Treasury in identical terms and in such amounts as now provided by the laws providing such permanent appropriations.