The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-01-24
ENGINEERS REPORT .
ON BACKUS DAM

| UW UHUNUJ UNIV
Approval of a proposal by E. W.
| Backus to create a huge storage res
ervoir in the Rainy Lake watershed
by daming lakes and streams would
result in flooding of a tremendous
| area of shoreline timber unless that
| timber was cut and transported to the
lumber mills.
But "if only the timber of the flow
/ age areas were to be removed and sold
| and all understandable timber cleared
| and disposed of, it is almost certain
| the cost of logging would be prohib-
| tive" engineers of the joint inter-
| national commission declared in their
report to the commission.
That section of the report relating
| to the timber survey of Eastwood.
| Saganaga and Mariboeuf lakes on the
| international boundary between Min
nesota and Ontario and Northern
Light lake, lying in Ontario. was re-
vealed last night. The report on the
lower lakes has not yet been an
nounced, but the entire report Of the
whole project, contained in teveral
volumes, is expected to be issued by
the commission within the next 30
days.
Report Ends Research
The report of the engineers is the
result of more than three years work
following Mr.. Backus' proposal to
raise the level of lakes and streams
in the Rainy Lake watershed to pro-
vide water storage for his industries
OF I,,fo He EtNrt Ty~oy
ces, and for power. His scheme has
been holly opposed, however by the
conservationists in Minnesota and
throughout the United States anc
Canada.
On the success of their opposition
depends the plan of the Quetico Sup
erior Council associated with the
Izaak Walton League of America, the
American Legion and other nationaf
organizations to create a great inter-
national area for recreation and scien-
tific forestry, to be dedicated to the
men of Canada and the United States
who served in the World War.
The timber survey report, the first
to be received here, declares that
practical outlet for the merchandise
sized timber is doubtful at the pres
ent time. MIR. Backus has declared he
could remove all timber and brush
between the old and new shore lines
to he created, using the merchantable
timber and Gisposing of the balance
Dead Trees Would Result.
If the project resulted in flooding
of the shoreline timber, conserva-
tionists claim, wide fringe of dead
trees at the edge of all lakes ana
streams would result.
"The available volume Of timbe..
certainly would rot be sufficient to
interest a logging operator" the eng
ineers declared in their report. GAS
to Northern Light and Sagnaga lakes.
a distance of 40 miles, would be the
logical outlet for the material on these
units, but this would not he a profit
able proposition unless the entire re-
gion were logged.
There are no roads on any part
of the units, with the exception OF a
road across the four-mile portage
which terminates at the south END
of Hoist Bay on Eastwood lake. The
lakes are accessible in the summer by
canoe travel and in the winter only
on foot"
Five Interests in Control.
Timber on the fiowage areas is con-
trolled by five different interests. the
report said On American territory 1t
is owned by The United States forest
service, the state Of Minnesota and
private owners. On he Canadian si',e
it is included in Quitico Provincial
Park and in Canadian Crown lands.
Lands covered IL the report include
all of the area which may be
flooded with the proposed lake level
xryb:r RI nj
feet on Mariboeuf lake, nine fec. on
Northern Light lake, up to ~ feat on
Sagnaga lake and UP to 10 feet on
Eastwood lake and river.
Farther down in the chain of lakes
the proposed increases would reach as
high as approximately 80 feet, under
the original plans proposed by Mr..
Backus.
Mariboeuf lake includes Gneiss
lake, Round lake and Granite Bay.
These bodies of water are located dir
ectly south of the eastern portion Of
Sagnaga lake.
PuIpwood Included
The total volume of merchantable
timber around Mariboeuf lake which
would be flooded includes 727 cords
of pulpwood and 81 900 board feet OF
saw timber, the report says. In Can
anda the land is owned entirely by the
crown, while in Minnesota 76 per cent
is private land and "a per cent state
land. There are no agricultural lands
or improvements Of the 172 acres
of pulpwood types, 80 per cent are
covered with jack pine stands, 81 per
cent with black spruce and 8 per cent
with aspen.
1.-THE pulpwood species are approx
imately SO years of age, are thrifty
and making good growth" the report
said
Northern Light lake, embracing
water surface of 24.11 square miles
lies wholly in Ontario. Water fowage
from the lake is westward into Big
Saganaga lake and eventually into
Hudson's Bay
Lake Broken Up.
'This lake is broken UP into numer-
Gus bays. arms and channels. Water
in the lake is of good quality and
there are several springs in the region.
There are no previous cuttings, no
agricultural land. The volume Of all
| the normal lake level and to contour
| 10 feet above, is estimated to be
1895 ,281 board feet of saw timber ana
35,O53 cords of pulpwood.
There are approximately ITO acres
of jackpine pulpwood stands scattered
over this area. The stands are usually
! 100 per cent jackpine, although they
are sometimes interspersed with aspen
and white birch. The jackpine is
/ mostly even aged, from 40 to 60 years,
and is of good quality, being at least
90 per cent thrifty, averaging 40 feet
in height and having clear length
of Is feet"