New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-14
The reservoirs and lakes within the Croton basin


The artificial reservoirs furnish q, 700 900 900 GAL
Ions and tn natural lakes aud ponds 800, 100000
he BoyGS Corners reservoir IL built upon he west
branch and the other upon the middle branch OF the
Crorou River aud cost together the sum OF
Sl.51O,O0O. The Streams received In these
two reservoirs only drain 80 Of the S39
SQUARE miles Of tie CrOtOn watershed.
these are only two of the fifteen sites for reservoirs
which have been surveyed aud marked out by tue
engineers employed at various times by the Depart
mont of Pubic Works. Daily observations have
been made for several years by the engineers OK
the Cro.on Bureau OF the amount OK
rainfall aud tue average daily quantity
The smallest rainfall was In 1870, 1893 inches;
and the greatest in 1873. 54.l4 inches lhe great
est average daily dow was 6OO.00O,OOo gallons,
and the minimum 3O7.00oOOO gallons The gen.
era daily average! for fourteen years was
304. 100000 gallons Allowing lOO,OOOUO0 gar
Ions as tho amount now received ny ,h taS
2GO. 900 600 gallons the average daily amount
running to waste. IL is estimated that
daiiv demand of $50 600 900 gallons. and IL is be
lieyed that the average cost for each million gall
Ions of all the reservoirs projected in the CrOton
General Eitz john Porter, then Commissioner Of
Public Works, III 1870 caused surveys 10 be made.
with a view to the construction OF q rev aqueduct,
The plan of General Porter comprised an additional
aqueduct and several storage reservoirs. The pro-
posed aqueduct was to be ono-halt larger than the
100000 900 gallons daily, thus making supply By
both aqdeducts ample for city OF 2,oOO'oOo
inhabitants To supply another aqneduc,
with 15O.O00,O00 gallons daily additional
storage 10 the extent Of about 100000 Oo,OOo
gallons would need to he provided. Inc
cost of these reservoirs, at $500 toi
each / 600 900 gallons. would be $6.000,OO0. Ine
cost of the additional aqueduct would Dc
FLO, 600 900 more, total cost OF $l6,OOooOV
This plan contemplated the building Of dam GU tne
Croton River, about one-fOurth OF mile ABOVE
the head of CrOtop Lake, to an elevation OF thirty
feet above the top of the present dam. forming
settling basin of about 500 acres In extent ana 2
capacity oil /, $50 100000 gallons thence tnnnel
is TO be cut through tue hills south OF the Cr9ton
River through which the water VIII DO conveyed "
the head of the aqueduct. The latter might "
bult on either Que OF two rOuteS-by the b5onA
RIVER route 10000 miles IN length. or by the Sa M
mil River route 36S2lOo miles In length 10 hsu
Bridge. hv ,bat tina
Ctoton watershed can he depended on 10 suppy
this civ with an ample amount OF waIeI VIZ ,nan
has a population two aud half times g,oa'e' from
at the present time. The revenue aayn.
the CrOton water after deducting the cost on m
tanning the present aqueduct reservoirs anu supps
pines Is now equal to the Interest az per ecu. ahs
capital Of S1S 10O 900. Inc original cost o. 81. az
present water supply has been more thal @ ths De
The revenue derived from II. lt Is uIgeu oy wafet
partment of Public Works that an lncreasseea ,sason
supply would be beneficial TO the city LOT III ane.
that the revenues from this source wouie ON tina
mentcd more than enough to pay the lnVeioo, ,Isy
bonds which WOuid be issued to meet Tue Vu'iN''