Evening star., 1922-09-14
RESERVOIR RAIN
DAMAGE REPAIRED
$4,000 Spent on Washouts
Caused by Recent
Downpours.
CITY HEALTH GUARDED
Water Chlorinated, Following In
vasion by Flooded Greeks
Nearby.
CITY HEALTH GUARDED

Dalecarlia reservoir on the Con-
duit road at the District line, where
all the drinking water Of the District
is impounded before it reaches the
filtration plant near the Soldiers
Home. narrowly escaped serious i'm
pairment during recent heavy rain
falls.
When the reservoir was first put
into service about sixty years ago,
several small streams, including Lit
tie Falls branch. Murdock Mill branch
and their auxiliaries. draining the
country around Somerset, Friendship
Heights and Chevy Chase, fed into
it. Several years later these streams
became badly polluted and seriously
affected the water supply of the Dis
trict.
To remedy the situation ii became
necessary to divert the flow of these
streams from the reservoir. Embank-
ments were constructed around the
exposed sections of the reservation
on the northwestern. northern and
northeastern sides. Outside of them
q drainage ditch was provided and
the waters from the offending streams
were then diverted through a short
tunnel into Little Falls branch. That
stream was then drained into a brick
shaft about fifty feet deep and car
ried under the reservoir through
long steel tunnel to an outlet near
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, from
which 1t reached the river.
Flooded Twenty Years Ago.
That arrangement prevented any
invasion Of the reservoir until about
twenty years ago. when water from
the streams swollen by heavy rains
rose over the arch. broke through
the embankments and entered the
reservoir. AS a result, the embank-
ments were widened and heightened
and reinforced with sheet Npiling in
the most exposed places. No further
trouble was experienced until a few
weeks ago, when a series of heavy
rainstorms caused a general overflow
into the reservoir. Two sections of
the embankment, each involving
about 1000 yards were washed away
and the embankment was seriously
eroded in several other places. The
heaviest washout occurred September
on the line of Murdoch mill creek.
where the embankment had been re-
inforced with sheet piling. That was
reservoir, and before the stream joins
Little Falls branch.
Prompt action was taken by Maj.
Tyler, the engineer officer In charge.
and his assistants. 1t took large
force of men several days to replace
the fallen walls and repair other
sections. The work cost about $4,000
and was met out of the emergency
funds.
Health PrecautiOn Taken.
Maj. Tyler today said that the water
stored in the reservoir had not been
seriously impaired by the invasion, but
that as q matter of precaution it was
deemed advisable to chlorinate it for
several days. preliminary to its final
publication at the filtration plant. He
said the fact that a reinforced section
Of the dixie had been washed out twice
| indicated that some more permanent
means of protection must be taken than
indicated that Congress might be asked
| to make special provision for the better
protection of the big reservoir, which
will become of additional Importance
when the aQueduct, now under construc-
ton. is put into operation.
These recent washouts," said he,
indicate to my mind that changing
conditions on the watershed draining
toward Dalecarlia reservoir are maxi
ing the streams more difficult Of con-
troll. The territory around Chevy Chase
and Tenleytown is building up and I
believe that more positive methods than
earth dilSes will shortly be required to
prevent the rather frequent breaking
through of surface water into Dale
carlia reservoir. The situation will be
studied with q view to submitting to
the chief Of engineers at an early date
| recommendations for remedial work"