The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-10-19
WATER LEVEL IN THE LAKES.
Speculation a. to the Result Of Openin
the Chicago Draiunxe Canal


the Chicago Drainage Canal.
The probable effect Of the opening Of
the Chicago drainage canal upon the
water level Of the great lakes has been
the subject of discussion ever since that
tremendous project took shape A cry
Of alarm was raised several years ago
when it was announced that tho diver
sion Of water from Lake Michigan in
anything like the quantity required to
fill the canal then being constructed
across Illinois to tho Mississippi valley
would seriously interfere with the navi.
CATION Of tho ST. Clair and Detroit riv-
ers and render it impossible for heavy
draft vessels to enter most Of the har.
bors on the lower lakes. The Chicago
engineers have done their best ever since
to dispel that belief. They have main.
tanned that tho taking from the lakes of
all the water that will ever DO required
for the canal will not lower the lake
level more than three inches, and the
the opinions expressed by tho Chicago
engineers, Us n matter Of course.
Professor e. Frederick Wright of
Oberlin college, who has perhaps made u
more careful study of the geology and
geography Of tho lake region than any
other man in the United States, does
not agree with the Chicago engineers,
however. Professor Wright shows that
the quantity of water required to be
turned into the drainage canal when it
Is first opened will be equal to about 5
per cent Of the quantity that now flows
over Niagara When the populati on OF
Chicago reaches 2. 900, 0Oo tho law uu-
der which the canal was constructed
provides that the quantity Of water
passing through it shall be- doubled
That means that at least 10 per cent as
much water as now passes over Niagara
will be diverted from the lakes to the
Mississippi Major Rutfner of the corps
OF engineers of the United States army
estimates that when the drainage canal
is first opened the result will be Co lower
the level Of Lakes Michigan. Huron and
Erie and the connecting rivers az least
nine inches, and that when the canal i
operated to its full capacity the fall in
tho water level Will DO IS inches. This,
Professor Wright says, NAV have but
little effect IN the rainy season. but dur
ing the late summer and autumn he Is
certain that 1t will seriously Interfere
with navigation He declares that the
vessel owners and all who are interested
IN tho commerce of tho lakes should
realize the danger and do all they can
To avert 1t. As a preventive measure he
suggests that darn DO constructed
across the lower end OF Lake Superior
at the 900, which will raise tho level
OF that lake two feet and store enough
water during the rainy season To supply
the lower lakes during the late summer
and fall
Professor Wright says that the level
Of the lakes Is such that II the coutinn ut
were TO dip 80 feet to the west all the
water which now goes over Niagara
would flow over Illinois and into the
Mississippi, and II the dip were 100 feet
To the north the water Of the lakes
would 20 through Lake Niplssing mot
the Ottawa river. and tho Niagara
would become dry
Certainly his sugg, stions aru worthy
tho attention u lake men and vessel
owners, and an Investigation should be
started to determine what the actual
effect Of the opening II tine Chicago ca
nal Will be- Chicago ought not 10 b.
deprived II this means u di.po-iug -
It's sewage. bu, II there il any way Of
preventing such serious lutert, reno,
with the navigation Of the lower lax -
H. l. threatened action should BE- taken
at once To avert IL. -Clrvrlani Leader