The sun., 1884-01-06
The State Engineer and the Forests.

Tho gentleman who was State Engineer
and Surveyor last year considers at some
length the Adirondack scheme in his annual
report just submitted to the Legislature
The relations of the Adirondack region to the
water supply of the canals receives his at
tention The construction of dam and
reservoir at the head of Forestport Pond, at
an estimated cost of $4,000, in order to in
crease the supply of water delivered from
Black River to tho canal, is recommended
and sufficient water supply for the canal is
promised from damming up the ponds and
streams of the wilderness, without further
action to protect tho forests which now feed
these ponds and streams.
It is perfectly true that the water sup
ply now derived from tho Adirondack
region can be so regulated by careful
storage that its availability for summer
use may be still greatly increased. There
are yet many lakes situated in the heart OF
the wilderness whose waters can be turned
into the canal whenever it may be found
necessary to divert them from their natural
outlets. There are numerous objections,
nevertheless, to the construction OF artificial
reservoirs upon largo scale, or to the re-
moval OF streams from their natural channels
Such reservoirs are expensive to build;
they require constant and . costly repairs.
They, of course, destroy the forests growing
upon the ground which they occupy; they
breed deadly and contagious diseases; they
menace constantly the country below them
with inundation and overflow from the sud-
den breaking away Of the dams which con-
fine their waters. very considerable por-
tion of the water, too, spread out in shallow
basins is lost by evaporation, while the
gradual filling up Of such basins by the wash
OF stones and soil from steep slopes deprived
Of the protecting covering of tho forest Is
inevitable. especially in mountainous regions
like the Adirondack wilderness.
Such reservoirs have been of great use In
regulating the water supply of the canal.
and they must continue to do so. 1t Is not
safe, however. to depend upon them solely
as means for supplying the canal with
water. They are useful in n forest-clad re-
gion; they may become IN element OF great
danger In the same region stripped OF Its
forests.
The best reservoir is the forest-covered soil
Loss by evaporation is reduced to mini
mum, while from such a reservoir the water
finds It's way gradually and slowly to the
streams at the exact season OF the year
when 1t is needed. Any scheme for furnish
ing supply Of water to the Hudson River
or the Erie Canal by system of storage
basins which does not embrace the preser-
walton OF the forests must fail 1t Will fail
because the forests are essential to the per-
manency OF tho reseI Ivoirs themselves, and
to prevent loss OF water by evaporation and
superficial flow. Without tho forests it will
DO found impossible to prevent the gradual
filling up OF any reservoir which the SCI
ence OF tho engineer may be able to devise,
or to prevent such losses OF water that even
the heavy rainfall enjoyed by tho northern
part OF the State will not be sufficient to
maintain tho water supply OF our streams.
The State Engineer OF last year is OF opin-
ion that 1t would cost the State $50 900 900 to
obtain control OF the Adirondack forests He
is little sangulne, perhaps, about the value
of Adirondack property. Still. he knows u
good deal about it, He is the reputed author
OF the glowing prospectus OF the Adirondack
Railroad. He is also tho consulting engineer
OF the Adirondack Railroad and receives sal
ary for his services to that corporation. Tho
Adirondack Railroad has 100000 acres OF tor
est land In the wilderness to sell