Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-02-10
Great Plans For Water Development.

Reports were made simultaneously
last week in Washington BY the army
engineers, on the one hand, and en-
gineers of the Geological Survey or the
other, providing in the first instance
for an expenditure of S5+,Gi4,OO0 for
the development BY the government
of Great Falls, few miles above
Washington, and providing IN the Sec
ond instance for fourteen giant reser-
voir site along the Potomac river,
from Great Falls to Petersburg, W.
Va.
These reports recommend the har-
Messing OF the water power at Great
Falls for industrial and other purposes
and for the creation of Ill additional
water supply for the district o. Column
bia. For years government engineers
have been studying the problem of
utilizing this picturesque waterfall for
utility purposes, number of reports
having been made.
The most pressing need IS that of
more water for the growing popula-
ton of the District, but While surveying
the falls in that connection the en-
gineers have taken into consideration
the potentially of the water power
which might be developed there, pow
er deemed by most authorities to be
sufficient for lighting and traction pur-
poses not only in the District, but in
the Maryland territory to the east Of
the falls.
The army engineers, headed by
Major Tyler, have submitted to General
Beach, chief of engineers, 4 plan
providing for two dams across the Po-
tomac, one at the falls and the other at
Chain Bridge, Immediately below the
falls. Three supply reservoirs, new
filtration plant and new conduit from
Great Falls also are contemplated, the
fixed at S54,944,OOO.
The Geological Survey report does
not indicate the cost of the reservoir
system il proposes. 1t indicates, how
ever, that the best means of assuring
the District of a water supply would
be found in constructing the fourteen
reservoirs. The fourteen dams for
lows:
South Branch of the Potomac at
Petersburg, W. Va; South branch of
the Potomac about 200 feet above the
mouth; Town creek. in Allegheny
county; Edes Fort, Morgan county;
Swim Hollow, Morgan county; Hedges
vile, Berkeley county; Brooks Gap.
Broadway, Va; Mount Crawford, Va:
Port Republic, Va; Elkton, Va; a site
near Charles Town, w. Va: Goose
Neck, Va, and the Potomac river reser-
voir at Great Falls.
The idea of these big reservoirs is to
impound the water during the wet
seasons and feed it out in the DRY
seasons, SO that the water power sta
ton at Great Falls, near Washington,
would have regular flow of water at
all times.
The engineers estimate that there
is water enough flowing down the Po-
tomac river, if properly regulated, to
furnish all the heat, power and light
for Washington and Baltimore and
nearby cities and towns.
In other words, if the proposed water
power station is erected those cities can
live without ton of coal for heat and
power purposes.
The construction Of gigantic
water power station at Great Falls
for the purpose Of furnishing electric
power and light for Washington has
been under discussion. for years. One
of the objections offered to the plan
has been that the flow Of water down
the Potomac could not be regulated.
The construction of the dams is now
suggested to meet this obligation,