The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-08-19
CONSERVATION Tor CONFISCATION

vastly lHcredSeu.
Why the Waters Will Fluctuate
The reason there will be low water
as well as high is not only because
of drought but because storage
reservoir must be regulated in the
interests of the power needs farther
down stream. When water is
abundant, the dam liberates all the
water it can, even though the coun-
try may be drowned. When water
is scarce, the dam liberates all the
water it can even though the lake
may. run dry. This, of course, pro-
vidlng there is no rigid government
regulation to protect the public in
terests which are at such variance
with the purpose of the storage
basins, Such regulation has never
been known in this district. In JUS
tice to Mr.. Backus it must be said
that in his plea at the hearing he did
advocate government jurisdiction
over the new dams but how that
would be arranged, if at all, and
how well it would function can not
be predicted. Even under the most
careful jurisdiction, as Mr.. Backus
admits, the lakes often get out of
nand. You cannot keep region
of such magnitude in strait jacket.
When you double or treble or quad
ripple the natural capacity of a lake
and do not at the same time en-
large it's outlet correspor dinghy, you
accentuate the risk of flood. In any
sudden accession of rain or snow
water, the dam becomes incapable
of handling the flow. There then
occurs what Mr.. Backus calls IAN
act - God" Such ACTS have oc-
Cured periodically on the Lake of
the Woods, Rainy Lake, Namakan,
and wherever else Mr.. Backus has
his dams, ever since those dams were
installed; but strangely enough, by
Mr., Backus' own admission they did
not occur on the uncontrolled upper
lakes even in the flood of 1916
] the worst in this region in the men,
DRY of man.
Effect on Fish
If we must then, as part of Mr..
Backus' plan, reconcile ourselves to
the fact of the very large and vio-
| lent fluctuations on all the lakes
regulated for storage, what will be
the effect of such fluctuations aside
| from inconvenience, unsightliness
and fire hazard? Let us hear from
some of the experts. Says the Min
nesota State Game and Fish Com
missioner: Generally speaking, il
is not high water levels which are
destructive to fish and aquatic life
but rather a varying and irregular
artificial change of water depths
| and levels. There is involved the
problem of the development of plant
life, not only that vitality necessary
and essential in the life of all species
| Of fish at certain periods of life of
each but that upon which migratory
birds are dependent for food supply
not only during the breeding season
but during flight as WELL" Or Mr..
George H. Selover, president of the
Minnesota Walton League: "Winte1
IS the time when the water goes
down on account of these water
projects, as / understand it. But
the lowering of the water will kill
the eggs of the species l have men
toned, the lake trout and the white
fish" These of course are the COM
, mercial fish of the region. Or hear
what the commissioner of drainage
and waters has to say: eff the fluc-
tuations permitted are considerable
fish life will be seriously menaced
if not entirely destroyed" And
whole pages of similar testimony as
to the destructive effect upon fish
| ing, both commercial and for sport.
What Are the Benefits?
From the point of view, then, of
the summer visitor and the home
maker, Mr.. Backus' storage project,
on the best testimony, involves the
ultimate despoilation of the entire
Rainy Lake watershed, both in
Canada and the United States. If
| that is true, there remain only two
questions. What are the Industrial
benefits? What public necessity or
emergency exists to justify such a
sacrifice?
Navigation
Mr.. BackuS spoke glowingly, but
in general terms, of the public bene-
fits to be derived. For one thing,
he predicted a revival of naviga,
tion," forgetting evidently that only
since the installation of his dam at
International Falls with it's conse-
quent sudden raising and lowering
of Rainy River has there ceased to
be a regular boat service between
Fort Frances and Kenora, Ontario.
His plans, by his own admission, in
clude no provision for locks in the
storage dams. 'The way" says Mr..
S. T. Tying of New York, who has
made an admirable summary of all
the. arguments, ''the way in which
navigation, even of pleasure craft,
would be improved by the erection
of series of dam without locks is
left unexplained" There is already
more than sufficient water for all
boating needs, either now or so far
as can be seen in the future. In
view of the fluctuations and trouble
with landings and docks, the effect
would seem rather 10 be to hamper
navigation. Certainly that has been
the experience on the lakes already
damned by Mr.. Backus.
Industrial Claims
''New wealth in the building up
of induStrieSo said Mr. RackuS