The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-01
DAN
| and BACK WATER
engineer shelton Of Burlington Is the
Latest Person to Give His Opinion
Of Stage Of River
There.
FALL OF THE RAPIDS
Total Fall From Nauvoo to kskouk Is
Twenty-Three Feet-Paper Read
in 1907 Is Re
called.

the stage Oh water at Burning ton
after the Keokuli dam has been COM
pleted has occasioned quite wide
DISCUSSION in Burlington, both among
business men and engineers. The Ia
test person to contribute information
on the matter is w. NJ. P. Shelton. a
Burlington engineer. In communi-
cation he says:
AS there are many questions now
being asked relative to this gigantic
enterprise, and also as to what effect
It will have in raising the stage of
water in the Mississippi river at Bur.
lington, few words explanatory of
the situation may not be amiss.
This project of damming the river at
Keokuk has been in embryo for many
years. The peculiar feature of the
river in that vicinity appeals to the
project, from an engineering stand
point. In 1907 S. N. Williams. G. E.,
Of Mt. Vernon, Ia, contributed a very
interesting report which was read be-
fore the Engineering Society of Iowa.
IN this report 1t is stated: The Des
Moines rapids extend from Montrose
to keokuk, and from Nauvoo to Ham
ilton, ILL.,, twelve miles. Total fall OF
water, twenty-three feet Total fall at
high water, sixteen feet Then the
article ends by stating: Above the
dam will extend lake twenty-four
miles long and from three-fourths to
sl1 x,.sA 80 -
sheets Of water anywhere in this coun-
try Ice houses, bath houses and boat
houses will, no doubt. line the shore,
while on the hills will be the residen-
ces, connected by broad avenue.
This truly magnificent power scheme
involving development Of from co.
900 to over 100000 horsepower, has
been worked out by Mr.. Hugh l.. Coop
err. etc. About one year ago at the
Commercial Exchange the subject was
mooted as to what effect would a
levee on the Illinois shore have upon
the stage of water at Burlington The
writer Of this article stated that it
would raise the water above the nor
NAL, and that the interest of this city
would not be benefited. Some Of the
members opposed this view, probably
thinking of Burlington land owners
interests opposite the city. Soon after
aletter from Major Meigs. of Keokuk,
government engineer. was read by
President Oberle. Major Meigs said it
was not possible to state at present
just the effect the levee would have,
but that higher water would certainly
follow. as shown in the south where
for considerable distance, levees line
both banks of the river. Major Meigs
said the Keokuk dam would cause a
register of at least one foot higher on
the gauge at Burlington bridge and
that between here and keokull the riv-
err would resemble lake. Heretofore
the placid back waters of the Keokuk
dam We're to rest in the neighborhood
of Fort Madison. Now, several land
owners of the Illinois side, and other
people of Burlington have been wor-
dering, since the report was recently
made that the keokuk dam was to
give seven 1eet OF water at burlington
over the low water mark at the Bur
lington bridge, how.it would affect this
section or thereabout. BY special in
curry it was found that the top, of the
dam at Keokuk is to be 515 feet above
sea level, or elevation 514 feet by what
is known to engineers as the Memphis
Datum. The elevation of the zero
mark (low water MARK OF the Bur
lington bridge is 505.o3 Memphis Da
tum The bottom to outlet of tbs
Hawkeye sewer is practically the same
as the zero mark at Burlington bridge
The height of the sewer outlet, some
II feet and inches. 1t also has been
stated that the stage Of seven feet. or