Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-04-17

Generdl IL. V. ADDOC ADVISED having
the lake, whose height will be deter
mined by a dam across the old path
of the Chagres, only seventy feet
above sea level. The United States
commission adopted ninety feet as the
standard. although in the driest season
this may fall off to eighty-two. Where
the canal taps the lake two or three
locks are to be introduced. The COM
mission favored only two, each making
a difference Of forty-two or forty-1ve
feet in the water level. Although such
locks are feasible, 1t is remotely possi-
BILE that three may finally be adopted.
| as it Is safer to lock up and down only
thirty feet as time. If third lock
is introduced perhaps 1t will not be
| located close to the other two, but be
constructed at Tiger Hill. An 'enor-
nous dam. blocking the course Of the
Chagres, Is to be built little east OF
the Bohio locks. Engineers say that
there will be less danger Of seepage,
or leakage through the soil, If there is
a head Of only sixty-five to seventy
feet here, instead of one Of ninety.
Still, If there is another lock at Tiger
Hill the same effect would be secured.
A spillway to discharge the surplus
water Of Lake Bohio, will be construct
ed three miles to the southwest Of the
dam and locks, on a small tributary
called the Gigante. A natural cut ex-
lists here, sixty-five feet above sea lev
ell. OF course the spillway must be
higher than that to maintain the de-
sired level in Lake Bohio. The COM
mission proposes to have it eighty-five
feet above the sea. From the Gigantic
the water will drain off through
swamps to the lower Chagres, little
excavating helping the flow here. 1t
Is expected that the Gigantic spillway
will serve as an automatic safety valve
in time of floods.
AS already stated, about twelve and
half miles Of route lie through Lake
Bohlo. For fully seven miles there
! will be deep water. Only little dredg-
Ing Will be necessary as Gamboa is ap-
preached. To the southeast Of the lat
ter point lies the heaviest work along
the whole route. For nearly eight
miles 0.95, to be exact a cut in the
backbone Of the lsthmus will be need
ed to bring the canal down to the
proper level This Is known as the
Culebra cut. The water will be no
higher here than In Lake Bohio, and
there will be no locks. However, as it
may be desirable to drain the Culebra
level some time gates will be intro
duced near Gamboa Cat Oblspo).
1t may be remarked, In passing, that
the depth Of the Culebra cut bears a
close relation to the height of the Bo-
hio dam. The amount of excavation
in the former was lessened twenty feet
when the commission decided to raise
the level Of Lake Bohio to ninety feet
above the sea, instead Of seventy feet.
, On the other hand, IL General Abbot's
+ recommendations had been adopted. It
would have been necessary to 90 twen-
, ty feet lower In the cut. Part of the
material to be removed here Is rock.
but good deal is merely clay.
Partly to control the excuses of the
Chagres In very rainy weather, 1t has
been proposed to build dam at Alba
juela, ten or eleven miles east of Gam
boa, near the source of the stream. An
. artificial lake there would serve as n
reservoir, take care Of part of the sur
g plus water when the precipitation was
q heavy, and thus relieve Lake Bohio
Of part Of Its responsibility. BY af-
q fording storage, too, 1t would be able
3 to reinforce the lower lake in the dry
: season.