Civilization has flourished along the ocean shores and the inland water ways of the world. The ease of water born enavigation and the fertility of the soil resulting from abundant rainfall and drainage made this possible. Man's progress can be traced by studying hisutilization and exploitation of the water courses of the earth. Industries, as they were founded and grew beyond thefamily or home level, also were located on water courses. This was partly to be near established centers of population, which were the outlet for their products and the source of their workers; partly to take advantage of the open roads of water transportation for movement of both raw materials and finished goods; and partly to have available an adequate water supply. This third factor has become of increasing importance as industrialization has expanded. New industry has tended to locate away from large centers of population and from navigable waters, but it still needs to be located near a large supply of water suitable for industrial uses.