Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-17
Dangers in Potomac
River Dam Are Stressed
TO the Editor OF The Star:


At the time of the recent New Eng
land floods The Star published an edi-
torial pointing out the danger to Wash
ington of a series of large impounding
reservoirs and power dams In the Poto-
mac River. Following closely on the
heels of the Lichtcnstein catastrophe in
Germany, the New England floods
caused the breaking of dams supposed
to be more than adequate and to this
was traceable most Of the damage and
suffering, The Star pointed out that
C-lc mans opinion as to how large and
strong a dam is necessary in given
Situation is no better than any other
mans. merely because he Is an engi-
neer: for no one can predict the ram
fall which may be precipitated upon
IT seems to the writer that reiteration
of this point of view is called Tor at
this time because of the proposal OF
the Army engineers to develop COM
promise plan which will permit OF con-
serving the scenic beauty OF the Great
Falls area without abandoning the
power plan. The writer's nome Is In
this district and he fully appreciates
the desirability of preserving It's natural
beauty. but surely the safety OF the Ma
tion's Capital is an issue the Importance
of which far transcends its beauty. and
one on which there can be no compfo-
mise With the development Of power
plant by private capital for the pur-
pose of profit however. there can be
nothing but compromise in this matter
because the cost of construction must
be scaled down to nloney-maklnS
basis which, with the recent large in
creases in efficiency of steam turbines.
is not so easy as the public might De
led 10 believe.
The average layman generally ex-
aggcrates the power available IN
waterfall and more particularly It's
availability. as he stands IN awe az It's
turbulent beauty HarneSslng Great
Fails as Niagara is harnessed is admit
tedlv wholly without the possibility OF
profit because of the great variations IN
the flow of the Potomac. Huge dams
musi be constructed not only 10 aid
10 the available head. but more cspe-
ciallv to euualizc the seasonal variation.
and even then steam must be available
10 supplement the water power at times.
especiallv when the rainfall is light
for more than a year at time. with
the difference between the cost of water
mower and steam power rapidly decreas-
ING the writer believes that in permit
ting such development, particularly
by private capital. the Nation would
Subject itself to needless risk OF fright
full catastrophe for little, II any. proft.
The ordinary consumer would scarcciE
notice the difference in what ne pays
for current particularly II private con-
Germs are given control OF distribution.
for even at best the cost of distribution
far outweighs the cost OF production
from any source of power.
May be permitted 10 add another
observation OF relatively minor lmpor-
lance. but wh.ch may have escaped the
attention OF engineers who Planned
the proposed Chain Bridge power dam?
The normal water level behind this dam
would be lis feet above sea level. This
is the elevation OF the level Of normal
flow in Rock Run. where II flows
through a cuivert under the city water
eonduits about miles below Great
Fails. / have seen this culvert two
thirds full of water when this stream
was flooded and !, has been known tc
be practically filled Under such cordi-
tlons II may BE- estimated that rs much
a. 200 900 cubic feet of water per min
ute must be passed through this CulTcrt
Such food carries with II many tons
@! detritis-sand. gravel. mud. etc
which. with the water leve! az rs feet.
would obviously be deposited IN the ctil-
vert. clogeins IL at once and causing
food waters u pile up back Of 'he Two
CITY water conduits, perhaps even 70 the
~n!nt Of ov~rfowinc them and putting
washircton's water supply in s"r!1u-
Jeopardy. ALDEN A. POTTER.