The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-12-13
Regulation Of Water Power.

" WdkCT TO"ST.
Tier" arr pending before congress
large number ~ bills proposing to grant
privileges q! erecting dams for the pur-
pose % creating water power in oug nayi-
gable rivers. The tendency OF these bills
lac brought out an important defect in
Tho visiting general dam act. That .rt
does not. H. nay opinion. gran, sufficient
power 90 III. federal government in deal
i.g with the construction Of such dams tu
exact protective conditions in the interest
~ navigation II does not permit the
federal government, as condition Of it,
p,smt 10 require that n part of the
value thus created shall be applied IL the
further general Improvement and protcc-
'un ~ the stream. ! believe this &" oe
ono 81 the most important matters of
internal Improvement now confronting
th, government Most Of the nayigable
i..crs 81 this country are comparatively
long and shallow In order that they
may be- made fully useful for navigation
i.,ro has come into vogue a method "
l'rprorcmcnt known as CanaliZat.pn. or
the slnck-water method which consists
In h.ildinC \ series OF dams anu locks.
each II which will create q long pool IT
deem naViCahc water. At each Of these
dams there r. usually created long pool
OF deer nav igable water. Al each of these
dams there Is usually created also water
pnwrr uf commercial value. II ia" water
power thus created can be made available
for tho further Improvement Of naviga-
ton In the stream, Il IL manifest that ~"
lmprnycmrnt viii be much moro quickly
erected on The one hand and on tn"
other. that tie burden on the general tax
p4vcrs ~ the country will be- very much
r.duccd Private interests seeking per
,nits to building watcrpowrr dams IN
uayicahlc streams usually Urge that they
Tim. improve navigation. and that " the"
dn not impair navigation they should De
allowed Ia take for themselves the en-
tirr profits ~ the wate:-powcr develop
mont whatever they may do bN way OF
relieving the government Of the expense OF
luIn-nving navigation should be given Que
consideration. but IL must Ne appnreht
,E,, tn.re may be n profit beyond rea-
snnably liberal return upon the private
investment which IL n potential asset az
~, government In carrying out n COM
rr,bersiyc policy ~ waterway develop
mont II Is no objection 10 the retention
,nl usc az such m asset by the govern
mont that n comprehensive waterway
no,i,y will include the protection ana de-
',,,,,rt az tho other publ" uses OF
.,,cr which cannot and should not he
iynorrd I'm making and executing plans
Tor the protection and development OF
navigation IL is also equnlly cIear thai
,rosmuch MS the water power mus Gre
80 10 ar may he an incident ~ gen
81 .cbcnc OF waterway Improvement
,i,h,, no constitutional jurisdiction ot
- ,odcroi government. the regulation or
,.,',h water mower lies also within that
I,risdirtion. In my opinion constructive
g'a,,su,,nahip requires that legislation
sno,,ia no enacted which will permit the
1ovclopnent Of navigation In these great
-, IA on hand in hand with the uti-
,1,tIon OF this by-product or water pow
- creoted IN the course or the same I'M
,,.,,,,narit. and that the Eeneral dlm act
,h,,,ll he so amended as 10 MAKE 'IhS pos.
s,hIa deem II highly important INA,
cation should adopt consistent ana
w .,t,,,, treatment OF these water
n". projects. which will preserve for
-, ,,rnose their value to the govern
80, whose right u IL Ia grant the per-
VI. ary other policy Is eduivaient 10
,'. ~. away a most valuable natioha'
asset. Canal
, an, mast year the work or con
bul mon the canal has progressed
s' sur" ,,,,sfoctorIly About ~ per cent. OF
i,o'' ocavation work has been coinpieteu'
wv oro than ?3 per cent. OF ire con
anu - all the locks Is IN place' IN
clc'o ,hc great interest which mas pee"
S'cw ., 81 as a. s,mc slides In the Guile
nla' r., nm s..,d 10 say thar the report
~" 81 Goethals should niias ans ~
-. ,,ans,op on this point. ~ ,u'"e
.,,a that none OF the snucs WIZ. ~
CURED Cured, '" with the passage OF the ships
TERI ,sc canal in fact been In , ho~s
hna , ,uS.n The slope pressures VIII nave