Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-19
WAT ERNAY FROM THE LAKES
Report of q. s. Engineers Making the
Survey.
Recomme ndatiOns Made Regarding
Control of Discharge Through
the niagara River.

DETROIT Mich. December 19.-The
United States board Of engineers designated
by the President to make surveys and eX-
aminatons Of deep waterways and routes
thereof between the great lakes and At
| lantic tidewaters has submitted a prelimi-
mar y report by request Of the Secretary of
War upon the question Of the regulation
of the level Of Lake Erie and the water
ways above. This special report covers
only the boards findings and recommended
tons to regulation Of these ievees. The
Complete report Of the board. which will
soon be presented, covers the estimates of
the entire cost of a waterway having a
minimum depth Of sixteen feet and one Of
twenty-five feet, from upper lake ports to
tldewatSr and the results of surveys and
estinat ties of the different routes for artifi-
ciai channels between the great lakes and
the Hudson river; all of which will be sub
mitted finally to Congress.
Report in Brief.
The preliminary report, in brief recon-
mends the regulation of the Lake Erie
level by controlling the discharge through
the Niagara river by system of fixed
weirs. built near the head of the Niagara
river. and a series of sluices to be operated
in connection with The weirs. SO as to con-
troll the discharge of the lake and reduce
the variation of its level to small amount.
The board recommends that the Weirs be
constructed of concrete blocks and have
aggregate length of $500 feet the
Slutces, thirteen in number, of the Stoney
type, to each have an opening of so feet.
Piers of masonry are designed to separate
the Sluice openings. These SluiceS accord
ing to the board. can be operated under
rules easily formulated, and would amply
provide for conditions more unfavorable
than any recorded. The report recon-
mends a canal about mile in length. with
a lock. to be provided on the American side
around the end of the dam and the rapids
at the head of the Niagara river, which
canal would afford a. much safer nayigable
channel than the present one through the
rapids.
Estimate of the Cost.
The board estimates the cost of the regu-
latiug work at $I9G,923, of lock and canal
81, 3i.25 967.
The level adopted by the board for the
regulation of Lake Erie is about five-tenths
of foot below the level of extreme high
water. The board is of the opinion that
with the works proposed the level Of Lake
Erie can be maintained during seasons of
navigation within about six-tenths o. a
foot below the level adopted for regulation
under all conditions of supply.
1T is stated that the proposed modifca-
lions of the outflow of Lake Erie will not
materially change the total volume of dis
charge. nor injure the navigation interests
of the lower waterways to any marked eX-
tent. In the opinion of the board, one le-
suit would be to raise the lOw-water stage
about three feet in Lake Erie, two feet in
Lake st. Clair and one foot in Lake Hun on.
International Consent Necessary.
Attention is called to the fact that the
project would be of an international char
acter and could only be carried out after
agreement between the United States and
the Canadian government. The report is
signed by. Geo. Y. Wisner. chairman; Lieut.
Col. C. ". Raymond, corps of engineers.
L. S. A, and Alfred Noble, the engineers
composing the deep waterways board.
Accompanying it are submitted details of
the surveys, soundings. maps, data as to
supply, evaporation, etc, and estimates
which contributed to working out the re-
port.