Advisory Commission, the Bureau of Mines, the Water Front Commis-
sion, and the Water Resources Commission. The Department is under
the direction of a Commission of five members appointed by the Gov-
ernor for terms of five years. The term of one member expires each
year. The Commission selects its own Chairman and appoints the
Director of the Department. Those functions of the Department deal-
ing with geology and water resources are under the immediate super-
vision of the Director; the supervision of the mining industry is
charged to the Bureau of Mines..

The Department has supervision of topographic, geologic, hydro-
graphic, and magnetic surveys. It prepares topographic, geologic and
such other maps as may be necessary to meet a specific need. Reports
on the extent and character of the State's mineral and water resources
are prepared by the department. In cooperation with the United
States Government, surveys of the water resources of the State are
made. The agency investigates and recommends plans and policies for
the protection of the State's waterfront and waterways against
erosion. The Department has the further power to control and to
conserve, in so far as is practicable, the surface and underground
waters of Maryland; and to that end has jurisdiction over the con.
straction and repairs of reservoirs, dams, and other water-way obstruc-
tions. In this regard, the Department works in cooperation with the
Bureau of Sanitary Engineering of the State Department of Health.
In order to carry out this function, the Department licenses all water
well drillers in the State and issues a permit for each well to be drilled.
The Commission also has the power to promulgate and enforce such
rules as may be necessary to conserve the State's water resources
(Code 1947 Supp. Art. 19A, secs. 12-12C and Art. 96B).
Publications: Topography Map of Prince George's County, 1946..

Note: The Annual Reports of the Department of Geology,
Mines and Water Resources excepting the Reports of the
Bureau of Mines, since 1941 have been published with the
Report of the Board of Natural Resources..

Appropriations: 1948 1949.

(Geologic and Water Resources
only) General Funds...........................$78,326 $78,596.

Staff (Geologic and Water Resources only) : 3.*.

BUREAU OF MINES
John J. Rutledge, Chief Mine Engineer
A. E. Mulleneaux, Fuel Combustion Advisor.

State Office Building, Annapolis Telephone: Annapolis 2261
The first Mine Inspectors were appointed by the Governor in 1878
serving in Allegany and Garrett Counties. These inspectors func-
tioned independently, reporting only to the Governor, until 1916 when
they were placed within the Department of Labor and Statistics. The
inspection powers became a function of the Bureau of Mines upon its
organization in 1922 as a unit of the Department of Labor and Sta-
tistics. Upon the organization of the Board of Natural Resources in
1941, the Bureau was transferred to the newly-created Department
of Geology, Mines and Water Resources (Code 1947 Supp. Art. 89,
sec. 17). The Bureau of Mines is responsible for the inspection of all.

*Employees working on Water Resources Survey are under juris-
diction of the federal government..