800 cubic feet per second for power purposes.

The site for

the power station would be near the hamlet of St. Helena, about five miles down the river as it flows, and below the limits of the Letchworth Park. In a line from the dam to the power house a tunnel 3 miles long and 18 feet in diameter would be built running in places 200 feet underground. The net working head at the power plant would be 500 feet, which would permit a gross development of 32,000 24-hour horse power, and increase by nearly 20,000 the actual 24-hour horse power now developed at Rochester; with use concentrated in working hours the number of horse power would be more than doubled. Such development on a basis of only $12.00 per 24-hour horse power per year would produce an annual revenue of $384,000 at the power station and $240,000 at Rochester. But other substantial benefits must also be considered, viz.: relief from annual damage by floods to the flat lands of the Genesee valley, to property in the city of Rochester, and also the great benefit that will accrue to that city by increasing the low water flow of the river, thereby removing the nuisance caused by the city sewers. This it is stated would obviate the necessity of the expenditure of a large sum of money by the city for a proposed trunk sewer. It is therefore clear that a storage dam of the capacity contemplated can be made to return a steady income to the State above all fixed charges.

The Commission has not considered any plan for the construction of a dam on the Genesee that would involve the slightest defacement of the scenic beauties of Letchworth Park. That the plan as proposed does not interfere with Letchworth Park must be evident, since both dam and power house are entirely outside its boundaries, and no part of the area proposed to be flooded is within the limits of the park.

The surveys and tests show that the logical and economical location for a dam is at or near the place selected by Mr. Rafter and described in the State Engineer's report of 1896, but as that location was partially within the boundary of Letchworth Park, instructions were given to our engineers to make studies for a dam site farther up the stream and outside of the park limits. Such a location has been found but on account of the width of the valley the cost of constructing a dam at the site selected

will be much greater than at the place advised by Mr. Rafter. The proposed storage reservoir would not destroy the scenic beauty of the falls by the diversion of water. Provision is made for several very large discharge pipes in the dam. By opening only one such outlet half way a flow of water would be provided which would exceed the present minimum natural flow over the falls.

A second line of possible criticism has been anticipated in connection with the claim which has been made that owing to geological formation, any dam of considerable size at Portage would be unsafe. The Commission therefore decided to investigate the subject and has had made a series of test borings to determine whether the formation of the hills confining the reservoir is such as would permanently and safely stand any strain or pressure against these natural boundaries by reason of building a dam at that point. These borings so far show that the hills consist of strata of impervious clay, hard-pan and sand, instead of quicksands as has been claimed. There is therefore no possible danger in building a dam at Portage.

In arriving at the conclusion that a storage dam capable of holding eighteen billion cubic feet of the flood waters of the Genesee river could be safely and profitably built at Portage, the Commission was not unmindful of the statement said to have been made by a noted scientist, the iate Lord Kelvin, after a superficial examination, as he himself stated, of the maps and charts of the watershed, that "the proper method of utilizing the water power of the Genesee river is to construct small, comparatively cheap dams wherever on the water-shed pondage can be obtained giving a supply of several months." The well known reputation of the scientist quoted, and the wish to proceed upon accurate information, caused the Commission to make careful surveys and studies upon the upper waters of the Genesee to determine whether small dams in sufficient numbers could be economically built to store and furnish water in adequate quantities to justify the adoption of such a plan. The Commission finds that there are on the tributaries of the Genesee above Portage 12 possible dam and reservoir sites, that the combined storage capacity of these reservoirs would be only 3,362 million cubic feet, and would cost $1,200 per million cubic feet, or $4,031,100

for the 12 storage dams and reservoirs. This amount of storage is so small that it would be wholly inadequate for either flood protection or power purposes, and the cost out of all proportion to the benefits that could be derived therefrom. At Portage a dam and reservoir that will store five times as much water can be built and the cost per horse power will be only one-fourth part as great. The Commission is therefore compelled to report in favor of the larger plan as the more economical and wiser to adopt. For the reasons given under the head of "Sacandaga Investigation," the details of the plans for a dam and power house have not been completed nor the country fully surveyed for the purpose of locating the lands to be flooded and estimating the damage which will be done in the reservoir basin, or for locating the lands to be benefited by flood prevention and the value of such benefits. The studies thus far made convince the Commission that it is possible to develop throughout the State a comprehensive and systematic storage of flood waters, which can be made to produce for it a satisfactory and perpetual income.

RAQUETTE RIVER.

The Commission has made a personal inspection of available. sites upon the Raquette river for dams and storage reservoirs.

The river has its source in the mountain streams and lakes of the Adirondacks, in the southern part of Hamilton county, at an elevation of about 1,700 feet. It has a drainage area above the outlet of Round Lake of 40 square miles; above Big Tupper Lake of 655 square miles, and above Piercefield of 690 square miles.

On account of the elevation of the water-shed above Piercefield, the annual rainfall ir that locality is 48 inches, while the average rainfall throughout the State hardly exceeds 38 inches per This large rainfall upon more than 600 square miles of the upland water-shed increases the value of the Raquette river for water storage, and for power purposes.

year.

There are many thousand acres of swamp lands besides a large area of lakes and ponds,-to wit: Tupper Lake, Long Lake, Round Lake, Little Tupper Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Forked Lake and Raquette Lake,- that can be turned into storage reservoirs and the country thereby made much more attractive

and healthy than it is at the present time. A committee which studied the subject for the Water Storage Commission in 1902, reported that 20,000,000,000 cubic feet of water could be stored in this region at a cost of $50,000 for dams. The statement does not include land damages, and this estimate may be, and probably is, far too small. It is true, nevertheless, that there can be erected by the State, a series of dams forming reservoirs that would yield a large revenue to the State.

That the State could build storage reservoirs and not destroy the beauty of the mountains and forests, or their value for pleasure and health resorts, there can be no doubt. A visit to the camp of Hon. Timothy L. Woodruff on the upper waters of Moose river will convince the most skeptical that in his treatment of the boundary of the reservoir, made by building a dam about 400 feet long and 25 feet high, he has been able to turn the low and unsightly lands into an attractive and beautiful lake. With like treatment by the State and proper regulations prohibiting the drawing of the water below a fixed level, the State can turn the swamp and lowlands along the Raquette river into charming lakes, which will give the State a steady income above the expense of maintenance and interest charge; besides increasing the commercial prosperity of the portion of northern New York traversed by that river.

The details of developing power by means of storage reservoirs upon this river have not been worked out, but will be taken up in the future work of this Commission.

DELAWARE RIVER.

Since the commencement of the work of investigation under chapter 569 of the Laws of 1907, the attention of the Commission has been directed to the possibilities of power development on the Delaware river and the necessity of flood prevention thereon.

Communications and many petitions from local village officials and power users have been received, praying, in accordance with the provision of section 2 of the law, for the development of the water powers of this important stream, and asking that this water-shed be included in the studies of the Commission. Owing to the necessity of concentrating its preliminary efforts on the

two streams already selected for expository treatment, the Commission is able at this time to present only a cursory summary of the conditions along the Delaware. Such a first glance is proof, however, of the importance of the stream in any general scheme of power development and the necessity of carrying on more detailed investigations in that region.

The river rises at an altitude of 1,800 feet and with its two branches has a length of 105 miles in river flow in New York State and a drainage area therein of 2,570 square miles. It has an average fall within the State of seven feet to the mile and at Port Jervis, where it leaves New York, it exceeds in volume the Mohawk at its mouth and the Hudson at Schuylerville.

Since 1880 when there were 276 water powers in use on this river there has been a steady decrease in their number, which is keenly felt by property owners along the river. It is plain therefore that in any comprehensive plan of power development by the State the Delaware must be considered. .

Plans have been proposed by interested persons for the storage and control of its waters by the erection of a series of dams which shall hold at least 26 billion cubic feet of water. These plans contemplate about 40 reservoirs, and also a series of river basins. in the stream itself, each from 5 to 10 miles long. By so equalizing the river flow it is claimed that this project will secure safe and advantageous power development, and in addition will convert the region into a beautiful and attractive pleasure resort and greatly increase land values.

Without a careful survey and study of the river and its possibilities, the Commission cannot commit itself to any special plan of development, but the subject will be taken up and carefully considered in the future work of the Commission. It has under contemplation the advisability of having a conference upon the subject of water storage with the representatives of the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, in which States Commissions with powers similar to our own have been created.