OF THE

UNIVERSITY

OF

PROGRESS REPORT OF THE STATE WATER SUPPLY COMMISSION ON WATER POWER DEVELOPMENT.

To the Governor and Legislature of the State of New York:

The Legislature of New York by the passage of chapter 569 of the Laws of 1907, known as the Fuller bill, took an advanced stand upon the principle of State ownership and control of one of its greatest natural assets, namely, the vast water powers within its borders.

For the purpose of making a thorough investigation into the subject of State ownership of its water powers, and State control of the flood waters of the large streams, the Legislature appropriated the sum of $35,000 and directed the State Water Supply Commission "to collect information relating to the water powers of the State and to devise plans for the development of such water powers," and to report to the Governor and Legislature on or be fore February 1, 1908, the progress it had made with such investigation.

The plan and scope of the bill contemplates that the Commission, in making its final report, shall furnish to the State as complete and accurate information as would be required by a conservative business man who was looking only for profits before investing his fortune in a private enterprise. In building storage dams, the nature of the work is so intricate and requires so much technical knowledge of local conditions, namely, of drainage area, rainfall, stream flow, run-off, geological formation which can be learned only by deep borings, building material, lands to be flowed, rights to be acquired, flow lines to be established, coast line treatment, elevations, capacity of reservoir, dam foundation, height of dam, manner of drawing off water and the extent to which water may be drawn, the establishment of bench marks, etc., that a long period of time must necessarily be given and a large amount of

money expended in gaining the sufficient data to be included in any satisfactory final report.

As soon as the bill making these provisions became a law, July 12, 1907, this Commission immediately began the work it was directed to do.

Realizing the importance of a thorough investigation and the benefit which will result to the people by developing the water powers of the State under State ownership and by controlling the flood waters of the large rivers, the Commission determined to engage the services of one of the most eminent hydraulic engineers it could find to plan the investigation and direct the studies of the Commission. It secured the services of John R. Freeman for

this purpose.

In company with this engineer, the Commission then made a personal inspection of the Sacandaga, Indian and Genesee rivers and their watersheds, for the purpose of determining upon which of these rivers it should make its first detailed studies. As the result of such preliminary examination, it was decided to make careful surveys of the Sacandaga river with the project in view of building a large storage dam at or near Conklingville, Saratoga Co., and also to make surveys and studies of the conditions on the Genesee river with a view to building a storage dam at or near Portage, so planned as not to interfere with the scenic beauty of Letchworth Park. The surveys, studies and investigations already made, prove the wisdom of these selections.

The State of New York is fortunate in having in its own mountains and highlands the sources of many large rivers which run their entire course within its territory, for fall as well as volume contributes to their value for power purposes.

Excluding Niagara and the St. Lawrence, the rivers of the State, with the proper storage of their flood waters, are capable of furnishing at least 1,000,000 horse power for industrial purposes. On account of the wide difference between the minimum and maximum flow of the streams, the minimum flow being the real test of the power value, at least 55 per cent. of their potential energy is lost to the owners of water rights and to the people of the State. It is clear therefore that 550,000 horse power of energy is annually allowed to run to waste because no well devised and com

prehensive plan for the general and systematic development of water power has yet been undertaken by the State.

At a low estimate the advantage of water over steam power is at least $12 per horse power per year. The annual earning capacity of the wasted energy based on even so low an estimate is $6,600,000. Add to this the $1,000,000 per year of direct damage caused by floods, and the indirect damage which no one has yet been able to determine, but which is surely equal to the direct damage, and the value of an equalized flow during the summer months in the great rivers, which is not inconsiderable and the possibilities to be derived from proper treatment of the Niagara and St. Lawrence, and the aggregate will give some idea of the value to be obtained by the systematic development and increase of the water powers of the State.

The rivers of the State are and have been open to inspection by everyone. The locations of falls and power sites have long been known to individuals and it has not been difficult to acquire them. Meantime the possibilities of power development have been steadily growing and the advantages to be gained thereby have been constantly increasing. It is not strange therefore that far seeing men have purchased nearly all of the most desirable water power within the State, except such as may be situate along the boundary rivers.

Up to this time there has not been, and under present conditions there can not be such economical and general development of water power by private interests, as will include the storing of flood water on a scale at all commensurate with the advantages to be gained thereby. It is from this method that the greater amount of increase is to come. Moreover, the individual or corporation that invests money usually does so in the hope of immediate gain the larger the immediate profits the more enthusiastic the promoter. There is therefore the temptation to cut out of the work everything that can be postponed or avoided, no matter how essential it may be to the future success of any well considered plan. The storing of flood waters will provide not only power development at the site of the dam, but will also increase the power of every user down the stream. The fear of improving the plant and power of a competitor might well restrain an owner

of water power from going further up stream and building a storage dam that would increase the value of his neighbor's plant as well as his own. It is also very difficult for several interests to combine in aid of such a project. Even though 'they should be willing to engage in a joint enterprise for such a purpose, there would be still the lack of power to condemn land for storage purposes for which recourse must be had to the law-making body.

The United States census of manufactures for 1905, Bulletin 88, shows that of the 1,647,969 horse power developed by water in the United States for manufacturing purposes, 446,134, or 272 per cent. was used in the State of New York. This is more than twice as much as is used by its principal competitor, the State of Maine, and more than one-half as much as the total steam power for like purpose used in the State. The increase in water power in this State from 1900 to 1905 was over 100,000 horse power. This rapid increase in so short a period is, without doubt, one of the causes which has attracted the attention of economists to the value for the State's own benefit of this branch of its natural resources.

By means of storage dams constructed by the State at available points in order to hold back the flood waters of many of our large rivers, it is possible so to equalize their flow as to more than double the available horse power they now produce. Such improvement can be made to yield a revenue that will not only pay the cost of constructing and maintaining the dams, but that also will provide a large income for the State for all time.

The Commission believes that through the building by the State of storage dams, thus conserving water for power purposes, five distinct advantages will accrue :

(a) The construction of such dams will decrease the annual damage by flood waters.

(b) It will assure a larger minimum flow which will improve the sanitary conditions.

(c) It will provide a deeper channel for the Hudson thus improving navigation and insuring an abundance of water for the increasing needs of the canals.

(d) It will provide cheaper power for manufacturing purposes, and by stimulating various industries, furnish larger fields of em

ployment, while insuring uninterrupted labor in already existing plants.

(e) It will provide a satisfactory annual income to the State. Each of these points is in itself worthy of the careful investigation which the Legislature has directed to be made.

Controllable power is the vital force in our industrial development and one of the chief elements upon which civilization is based. Manufactoriés, transportation and artificial light are largely dependent upon it. The more complex our civilization, the more intricate our manufacturing enterprises, and the more important rapid transit becomes, the greater our dependence upon this force. There are two sources of power available— coal and falling water. Both require skill and money to turn their latent force into active energy. Coal once used is gone- - but water however often utilized returns again -coal is growing less plentiful and more expensive — while water by the processes of nature keeps up its original force without additional cost.

It is universally conceded that the use of falling water for power purposes is much more economical than coal. As competition becomes more acute the value of water power over steam becomes greater. Cheap power must continue to be a vitally interesting subject to those who manufacture goods, provide transportation, and furnish light. The discoveries which permit the carrying of electrical currents a long distance have largely increased the value of falling water for power purposes. Such power must of necessity continue to grow in value as new opportunities for its use appear, and as the price of fuel advances.

This is a plain statement of an almost elementary truth with which all who stop to consider our industrial conditions are familiar. This economic condition is attracting attention to the possibilities of the greater use of falling water and constitutes a summons to those in authority to provide a way to save the lost energy that is annually allowed to run to waste in our rivers.

For years nature has presented the spectacle of wasted energy in water courses, and the action of the Governor and Legislature in directing so important a work as the conservation of this wasted power meets the hearty approval of all who have given the subject serious thought.