The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-10
TO DRAIN MONTEzUMA MARSH.

TO DRAIN MONTEZUMA MARSH
Plans TO Reclaim 5000 Acres In Northerr
New York.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Gin Wayne, Seneca,
and Cayuga counties, N. Y, there is an ex'
tensive swamp known as Montezuma Marsh,
which has become the despair of all who
nave proposed TO drain IL. Plan after plar
for its drainage has been drawn up, but
thus far these plans q been developed on
paper only. and the project has com to
be regarded "a visionary. Recently, how
ever, interest in the scheme for draining
Montezuma Marsh has been revived, and
II is probable that the project will in the
near future be the subject of IN exhaustive
examination. IL IL, therefore, OF interes I
to note that members OF the United States
Geological 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 COM
bined these topographic sheets afford in
formation concerning this area which
should be OF the utmost value to those who
are formulating general plans for It's drain
age and preliminary estimates of the ex-
pense.
These maps nave been made in oonsidera-
BILE detail. They show the location. the
height and slopes OF every hill. the existing
drainage systems. az 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 these plans contemplate the utiliza-
ton of Wolcott Creek to carry the water
diverted through it from the swamp and
include the development OF oonsi 4erable
water power at the outlet 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
offset the cost of the drainage system.
The most promising plan calls for the
diversion of Clyde River from near Mead
willie into the channels OF Black and Butler
creeks. This necessitates the construction
of levees along the west bank of Seneca
River for a. out ten miles and the digging
OF a canal, about twelve miles long, large
enough 10 carry off the flood waters of
Clvde River. Ii is roughly estimated that
this would result not only in the develop
ment of the water power but in the drain
age of nearly 1900 acres of very fine land.
The deepest cutting would be required
near Butler Centre.
Another plan worthy Of careful examina-
ton contemplates the diversion of Seneca
River, leading it down CrusOe and Butler
creeks, and thus draining the swamp with
less need for lateral bitches. The advisa-
bility of diverting Seneca River would
depend on the value Of the new water powers
a. compared with the loss OF power else
where.
Of the Clyde further south for about four
miles. Then, by building levees along the
Clyde and the Seneca, the marsh could be
drained by means of bitches leading by
Crusoe and Black creeks through Butler
Creek into Wolcott Creek. This last plan
would furnish little water power and would
cost relatively the most for ditchinR.
The whole question is 50 complicated
and the initial outlay would he 80 great
that. while the anticipated return in in
screased land values and water power would
doubtless justify the expenditure, the prof.
ect il one that should have back of II the
resources Of a rich State or of the nation
itself.
A careful study OF the surveys topo-
graphic maps emphasizes the following
pertinent facts:
Cavura Lake, with its great drainage
area. discharges northward through Seneca
River into the Oswego River and thence
into Lake Ontario. 1t ia joined near Monte
zuma, about four miles below Cayuga
outlet, by Clyde River, which also drains
"A great area. The slopes Of Seneca River
are 80 slight that its tortuous channel ia
incapable of carrying of the large volume
of water accumulated near Montezuma at
the junction of the two rivers. Here Il
formed an extensive marsh nearly thirty
miles in length and two and a half miles IN
maximum width.
IL il doubtful If the expense of draining
this marsh by rectification OF the channel
of Seneca River would he warranted. This
is the problem that engineers have been
attempting to solve. h topographic map
shows an elevation Of $50 feet above sea
level near the lower end of the marsh north
of the New York Central Railroad. The
slopes are 40 slight that the elevation OF the
mean water surface Of Cayuga Lake il
only 3sl feet. Near the entrance of Clyde
River into the marsh it il 3S2 feet. There
il "A divide just north Of this in the marsh
between Clyde River and Black Creek. An
elevation of 3s5 feet occurs at the head
Of the swamp on Butler Creek, about five
smiles south OF Woloott.
The most promising plan OF those above
outlined would accomplish drainage of the
swamp by turning the course Of the waters
flowing Town Crisoe and Butler creeks
in the opposite direction Whereas they
now flow southwark into Seneca River, a
moderately deep cut through the divide
between the heahwaters OF Butler and VOL
colt creeks would carry the water Of these
creeks and that Of the swamps Immediately
northward, with a sudden drop in a distance
Of FIVE miles from 3S5 feet to 40 feet. The
maximum cutting through the divide would
probably not exceed forty feet, and it is
possible that a fall Of az least thirty feet
might be developed for the creation Of water