The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-12-11

In Wayne, Seneca, and Cayuga
counties, N Y, there is an extensive
swamp known as Montezuma Marsh.
which has become the despair of all
who have proposed to drain it. Plan
after plan for it's drainage has been
drawn up, but thus far these plans
have been developed on paper only,
and the project has come to be re-
garded as visionary. Recently, how
ever, interest n the scheme for drain
ing Montezuma marsh has been re-
vived, and it is probable that the pro-
ject will, in the near future be the
subject of an exhaustive examination
1t is therefore. of interest to note that
members of the United States geologi-
cal survey, working in cooperation
with the state engineer of New York,
have mapped this swamp together
with Seneca river, which drains it,
and the tributaries of Seneca river
When combined these topographic
sheets afford information concerning
this area which should be of the ut
most value to those who are fOrmulat-
ing general plans for it's drainage and
preliminary estimates of the expense.
These maps have been made in
considerable detail. They show the
! location, the height and slopes of
every hill, the existing drainage sys-
TENS, as well as the canals, railroads.
and wagon roads. Examination of them
seems to indicate that there are three
possible drainage schemes for this
area.
All of these plans contemplate the
! utilization of Wolcott creek to carry
| the water diverted through it from the
swamp and include the development Of
considerable water power at the out
let of the drainage system. This is a
very important part of the scheme, as
any such water power would be very
valuable and would in a measure Off
set the cost of the drainage system.
| The most promising plan calls for
the diversion of Clyde river from near
Meadville into the channels of Black
and Meadville into the channels of
Black and Butler creeks. This neces-
states the construction of levees along
| the west bank of Seneca river for
about 10 miles and the digging of a
canal, about II miles long, large
enough to carry off the flood waters of
Clyde river. 1t is roughly estimated that
this would result, not only in the de-
velopment of the water power, but in
the drainage of nearly 10000 acres of
very fine land. The deepest cutting
jwould be required near Butler center.
| Another plan worthy of careful
examination cOntemplates the diver
sion of Seneca river leading it down
Crusoe and Butler creeks and thus
draining the swamp with less need
for lateral bitches. The ACCESSIBILITY of
diverting Seneca river would depend
on the value of new water powers as
compared with the loss of power else
where.
The third plan would shift the
channel Of the Clyde further south for
about four miles. Then by building le-
wees along the Clyde and the Seneca,
the marsh could be drained by means
| Ol ullClleS lcdulIlS NY VI uSOS "iAA DAoNOA>
creeks through Butler creek into VOL
colt creek This last plan would furnish
little water power and would cost rel
atively the most for ditching.
The whole question is so complicated
and the initial outlay would be so
great that, while the anticipated return
in increased land values and water
power would doubtless justify the ex-
penditure, the project is one that
should have back of it the resources OF
a rich state, or of the nation itself.
A careful study of the surveys top
ographic maps emphasizes the follow
ing pertinent facts:
Cayuga lake, with its great drain
age area, discharges northward
through Seneca river into the Oswego
river and thence into Lake ontario. IL
is Joined near MonteZuma, about TOUR
miles below Cayuga outlet by clyde
river which also drains great area.
The slopes of Seneca river are SO
slight that it's tortuous channel Is IN
capable of carrying off the large VOL
ume of water accumulated near Monte
yuma at the junction of the two rivers
Here is formed an extensive marsh
nearly 80 miles in length, and two and
one-half miles in maximum wldtn. IL Is
doubtful if the expense OF draining this
marsh by rectification of the channel
of Seneca river would be warranted
This is the problem that engineers
have been attempting to solve. The to-
geographic map shows an elevation OIL
$50 feet above sea level near the lower
end of the marsh north of the New
York Central railroad. The slopes are
so slight that the elevation OF the mean
water surface of Cayuga lake Is only
3S1 feet. Near the entrance OF Clyoe
river into the marsh it is 3Sz 1eet.
Tbere is divide Just north OF tnls