Oxford Democrat., 1911-01-24
Water Storage Commissions Report.

An interesting document is q pam
phlet issued by the water storage COM
mission of Maine, created by the last
legislature, containing partial report
of Cyrus W. Babb, the district engi-
neer of the com mission, in place OF the
full report which makes 300 pages, and
is now in the printers hands. In clos
ing the following recommendations are
made to increase and conserve the wa
ter powers of Maine:
First-To require every person, hrm
or corporation, contemplating the con-
structiou of a dam for the storage OF wa
ter or the development of power in the
state, to submit their plans to the Com
mission and obtain the approval of the
Commission before beginning construc-
ton.
Second-To require every person, hrm
or corporation applying for charter for
the development Of storage or water
power, to submit their plans to the
Commission for approval before begin
ming construction; to provide for prac-
tically the same requirements in the
case of agreements for the merger or
consolidation of two or more corpora
tions for the same purpose; to require
the approval of the Commission in all
cases OF sale, assignment, disposition or
transfer of any franchise OF company
formed for the development OF storage
or water power.
Third-To assess and collect fees an
nually for all franchises of water power
which may be granted hereafter by the
state, the amount of assessment being
on a sliding scale and based either on
the gross receipts of the company, or on
the horsepower proposed to be develop
ed.
Fourth .>a Control and regu'a-
tion, Of all reservoirs now built or that
VII" be b1IA.tS BY private parties on lands
i.I.r or in whole controlled by the
state, known as public lots or state
lands, and on all great ponds and lakes
of the state, taking care in such iegisls-
ton not to injuriously affect vested
rights. For a suggested plan for the
administrative control of reservoirs
reference should be made to page 20.
Briefly stated, il contemplstes the form
alton of river districts with district
superintendents in charge of the reguls-
ton of reservoirs; said district super
intendents to be appointed by the water
users, approved By the State Water
Storage Commission and reporting to
the engineer of said Commission.
The report says that the stage OF de-
velopment has not been reached when
the state should itself build reservoirs
for the storage of water, but it should
control them, for the benefit of all the
people of the state. 1t also says that the
water power is not the sole thing to be
conserved, even from a business stand
point, as is pertinently set forth IN this
paragraph:
The state of Maine ranks third in the
union in the total horsepower developed.
IL has natural storage facilities per
square mile of area, that can be improv-
ed BY artificial construction, unsurpassed
by any state. If Maine desires to as
sumo active control of its water powers
or storage reservoirs, il should take early
and adequate steps to that end, for the
reasons: first, before private power
rights become further vested, and sec
ond, before the shores of its lakes are
more thickly settled and land damages
increase, ii the ponds and lakes are to
be utilized rs reservoirs.
The much discussed problem Of the
r6IatlOn OF our Idhco IO tuc AaiSc ouhl
mer tourist travel can be looked at both
from a commercial and altruistic stand
point. Conservation of the twenty mil
lion dollars or over, as has been estimat-
ed, brought into the state every summer
from the outside, should be considered.
1t is, furthermore, the duty of the state
to consider, to a certain extent, the
regulation of reservoirs, in ways that
will not be Objectionable tn the artistic
views Of the people. The utilization OF
our lakes and ponds for manufacturing
and commercial uses may be of primary
Importance, but the scenic side should
also be made prominent. The develop
ers of water powers, in some cases, are
inclined to neglect, and occasionally
ridicule this stand, and the state should
therefore assume control. With a GEN.
tral state authority having in its pos
session all the hydraulic facts OF drain
age basin or system of storage certain
legislative fights, that have occurred in
past, should be obyiated. Lines OF
compromise should be found that will
satisfy the manufacturer, the sportsman
and the lover of the beauties Of nature.