New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-02
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
LESS PERIL OF WATER FAMIN e.

IALrS IERlL Of WAlER -N.Hl4.e
OVER TWO INCHES AND HALF OF PAIN IN THE
CRoToN BAsIN--CROToX LAKE FULL AND THE
STORAGE RESERVOIRS FILLING UP.
All danger of short water supply is past for the
present at least: telegram received Yesterday by
lie Works announced that the rainfall at tue Croton
Dam was $1,000 inches and at Boyds Corners,
where is situated one Of the large reservoirs,
empty into the main branches of the Croton are full
and running. with rapid current. These branches
vors on which the city has in good
part deoended for it's supply Of water since the
ated at BoyE Corners, and the other on the middle
branch of the Groton River They are not far from
a storage capacity of 9,OOO,OOO,OOO gallons. The
middle, branch reservoir has an average depth of
G d e at e at bboya water in th hy
when the Department began drawing on them after
the Crotch River had ceased to furnish the requi-
sit quantity for the citys consumption.
The last report from these storage reservoirs pre-
vious to the recent rain fall showed that the supply
of water in the middle branch reservoir had been
drawn down TO 81 feet and in that at BOyds Corners
to 10 feet inches In other words the 5000 00O 600
gallons which were originally stored in these rcser-
And what was still more alarming was the fact
that the lakes and ponds which are connected with
these reservoirs by the natural streams which flow
into the latter had been drawn down so low as to
be no longer available for a supply. When the re-
whence the supply of the city is drawn
directly by means OF, the Aqueduct. %
inches DelOW lne Up OF tne uam. Yesterday morn
ing at o'clock the water had risen to within 10
inches of the lip of the dam. and Chief Engi-
neer Newton of the opinion that before the
cl Sc of the day it would be running over. The sup
ply in the Croton Lake was, increasing so rapid V
that Commissioner Thompson deemed himself
justified in ordering that no more water be drawn
from the storage reservoirs that the Croton Lake
be depended on altogether for the present.
The storage reservoirs at Central Park are in
pretty good condition. Care has been taken that
the supply Gbould not be reduced below a certain
depth. This has been deemed necessary so that in
case anything should happen to the Aqueduct the
city would have a reduced supply of from twelve to
fourteen days. The two reservoirs in Central Park
hold, one LOCO, 600 900 gallons and the other So
100000 when full There is average depth of
thirty-six feet. There is in the large reservoir a
depth OF thirty-two feet The smaller one has been
drawn down to twelve feet and one inch.
Within tho past twenty-four hours tho system of
shutting down the Central Park reservoir gates has
effected saving of 10, 000. 900 gallons Yesterday
the full pressure allowed and its effect was oh
servable all over the city Commissioner Thomp-
son said yesterday that the only danger now TO be
apprehended was the advent of cold weather If
the small streams should be frozen UP before the
large reservoirs are nearly full there would be dam
ger of short water supply next winter. The De-
partment is now doing It's utmost to provide a suf-
hclent supply OF stored water. Meantime the Com
missioner hopes that there will he no waste The
extreme peril is passed. but the situation il not such
as to warrant any lavish use of the Croton.