New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-07
PONPTON RESERVOIR PLAN
TO UTILIZE BIG FLOODS.
Water Might Be Used for NeSr-
York-CoSt, So 10000.
rFRoN TIE TRIBUNE BUREAUl


washington March 6.-The construction OF a
huge reservoir whereby POmpton Plains VIII be
nonverted into a great lake twenty-one miles
square at a probable cost OF S3.50Ov'O IS, in the
estimation OF the Geological Survey, the only
feasible means OF insuring the Passaic Valley
against such disastrous floods as those OF lSu<
and last October, when damages estimated al
Approximately 100000 were indicted on the
residents OF that district
Az soon as news Of the great food which
iasted from october s 10 70. 1903. reached Wash
sneton. the Geological Survey dispatched one OF
sts hydrographers. IL Q. Leighton, 10 the scene.
and since then Mr.. Leighton has made an eX-
haustive examination OF the conditions, calcu-
lating the damage inflicted by that food, the
best method Of preventing the recurrence a
similar disasters and the cost Of the necessary
improvements The figures given above are the
result OF his Investigations.
This project was drst suggested by c. C.
Vermeule. who not only outlined the details Of
the proposed reservoir, but also suggested the
possibility OF this lakes affOrding additional
water supply FOR the city OF New-York The
proposed catchment basin on PomptOn Plains
would accommodate The surplus waters OF the
Ramapo. the wanaque and the PeQuanac. Mr.
Vermeule. summing Up the features OF the
Pompton Reservoir, said Of it;
This basin. subdivided by minor ridges which
it. furnishes several admirable sites LOT la &c
storage reservoirs, with catcnneIts rom 81 70 50
square miles an area, lying above on the prlinluNe
rock OF the Highlands. About slA miles OF the
northeastern end OF the basin is cut on by Hook
5rom east 10 west, incosing basin twenty one
hayiug us outlet At AIountainview I'VE miles west
which Inc Iompton River flows to Join tie Passalc
1WO miles below This pass IS the gateway pg
Raiiroad The NeW-Y orB ana Greenwood Lake Rail-
way and TIE Morris canal enter ne plains. ne
road. The Pompton River has a drainage area
|, formed near the head OF the basin by the c7nhu-
III Wanaque from the north and the Ramapo from the
The entire How from this watershed may hs
stored by building a Gam across the gap at Noun
great lake coverinc an area Of twenty-one square
miles The elevation Of the river AT the gap Is JOS
81 elevation OF 30 feet and abrupt beyond IT, 1t
Tow, water level cd our reservoir II Is general ny
estimated Thar = Per cent of the VOLUME OF the
mean 91g rain 5 on gya es's izs tb IS 5
represent the Passaic catchment At Newark the
5a annual mn III p e. 5aeEss' = falerson %
on the Highlands. like most OF our watersheds. IS
Inches is l0G inches. which on 40 square miles,
gives volume Of 1886 eocoo cubic feet, the noces-
By raising our reservoir to 24O feet when run. we
Hmne 20 utilize the heaviest floods az The water
shed This gives a beautiful sheet OF water. q 1
square miles IA area, with bold, rocky shores and
depth AZ dam Of = feet. We secure the above
capacity b. uncOverlug but = per cent Of the
reservoir bottom; and we shall presently SEQ
shall rarely need more than half this storage.
and probably not ofterer than in ten years
VIII we expose over 30 per cent OF the area Rv
building SIDE dams 20 keep certain fats ALWAYS
flowed this may be reduced 10 per cent. ard THIS
viii be pretty evenly distributed around thr-
reservoir open 70 no valid sanitary objections. On
the contrary. by relieving the rerla lrder Of the
BssSe1c basin 81 the food waters Of the pOmptOn
which now row large areas Of fat land during
wet seasons, the sanitary condition OF the valley
would be much Improved
In constructing this reservoir M vermeule
stated that the following work would be neces-
Es-T:
The removal % the Delaware Iackav-an7a s7s
Western Railroad from the basin by changing tie
alignment Tor six miles II nav he done Uirhorf.
Increase q length detriTnent 10 the alirrrre-+
Three and one-fourth miles Of the Morris Canal
must De rebuilt No engineering difficulties are "a
vOivee. - a.
or the New-Tork and Greenwood Lake Faslvv.v
nine miles would have 20 be rebuilt
The New-Hork, 6usQuehauna and vestc-, v9,p-
roaa would be slightly shifted or raised for three
and three-Quarters miles. o
A dam, so feet long and 50 feet n height ,s.,,
tunnflst Wasteweir and accessory works Vyor'd -
required az Mountain View. The situation al ,,,Cb
that an ample wasteweir NAV be built al low
side dam on the solid rock OF Hook Mountain 70
mote from the darn and outlets nav he fs5 b., +,
melting 1he same ridge. Hence the dam NAV be a
plain, heavy earthen enbankTnent: built 81 course
with every precaUtion but subject 10 less than the