The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-03-15

storage on the kennebec river was
manifest by the House of Representa-
tives Tuesday morning. when by an
almost unanimous vote 1t refused 70
postpone the bill creating
the KeDnebec reservoir company. The
motion to indefinitely postpone was
made by Representative Cummings of
Portland when the bill came off the
table for its third reading, but only
one other member stood with Rep.
Cummings when the vote was taken.
There is no bill pending before the
Legislature which is causing greater
interest in Somerset County than that
creating the kennebec Reservoir Com
pany which is a proposition to con-
struct tremendous reservoir on the
Dead River. According to reports
which have reached Skowhegar1 the
bill has had more or less of an easy
time in its progress through com
mittee, senate and house.
The bill which provides taking over
the entire township of Flagstaff has
created special interest in Somerset
County, not only from a standpoint
of sufficient storage of water to oper
ate the mills on the kennebec for the
entire year. thus preventing the clos
ing down of factories, 1t Is claimed, at
a season of the year when there is
not water enough TO generate suffi
cient power but because of the changes
1t would make in the Flagstaff sec
ton.
In report of the storage possib-
lities submitted to the directors of
the Kennebec Water. Power Co. by j.
A. Leonard. consulting engineer of the
Central Maine Power Co, many inter
esting facts are brought to light. Four
schemes We're considered of consery-
ing the annual run-off Of the kenne
bee: First, additional storage on the
Moosehead basin above Moosehead
Lake; second, additional storage on
the Dead River basin; third. improve
ment in methods of regulating stored
water and fourth improvements in log
driving conditions. Mr.. Leonard's
conclusions were: First. that addi
tional storage on the Moosehead Basin
is feasible; second, that it is probable
that d large reservoir can be con-
structed in the Dead River Basin at
reasonable cost; third that much
water can be saved by improved oper-
ations of storage and fourth that wa
ter may be saved by improving pres
ent log sluices. The recommends
tions are that the initial step should
be the construction of a dam at the
outlet of Wood Pond. creating an ad
ditional storage of two and three
tenths billion cubic feet, and costing
about two hundred and ten thousand
dollars leaving the more costly but
more desirable Brassua Lake and the
Dead River reservoirs for future con-
sideration; the regulation of the river
should be put in charge OF properly
qualified engineer; all log sluiceS
should be provided with motor operat
ed gates, and the sluices improved
where necessary. The above pro-
gram would provide twenty-seven
hundred second feet which is nearly
enough water TO operate all OF the
present plants at full capacity in any
year of the seventeen year period
since 1905, except the low period of
1910-l1
An examination of the water sheds
of the upper kennebec reveals two
storage basins: one above Moosehead
Lake embracing an area OF six hund-
red and seventy-fve square miles, and
the other the basin of the Dead River
above Long Falls. having an area of
five hundred square miles.
While there are numerous smaller
lakes and ponds upon which some
storage could be obtained. the two
larger possibilities are claimed TO be
Brassua Lake and a combination of
Wood and Attean Ponds formed by Il.
dam at the outlet of Wood Pond The
1920 report of the Maine Water Stor-
age Commission proposed the cree
tion of dam about forty feet high.
approximately fifteen hundred feet be-
low the outlet of Brassua Lake which
would impound twelve billion cubic
feet OF water. According to the esti-
mates OF the Central Maine Power Co,
engineer. this would cost close to a
million dollars Two other schemes
have been considered One a low dam
at the outlet of Wood Pond. forming
with Attean Pond reservoir contain
ing two and three tenths billion feet
at an estimated cost of S210.000 and
the other thirty foot dam at Bras
sua Lake outlet with reservoir eapa-
city of eight billion. at an estimated
cost of s649 0Oo The latter would
seem to be the better proposition ac-
cording to the engineer for the reason
that while it has nearly billion cubic
feet greater capacity. it would cost
only $4,000 more and would permit
of smaller reservoir being added
later if more capacity was desired
Careful study OF the records of out
flow from Moosehead Lake indicate
that at least an average of twenty
five hundred second feet for three
months is used at present for driving
logs. This is equivalent to nineteen
and four -tenths billion cubic feet. The
Log Driving Company have already
by the Improving the river and by
better methods. shortened the time OF
the drive materially. but more work
to he done to secure ideal
conditions. A striking example of the
saving obtainable with improved con
struetion is shown at Skowhegan. the