Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05

Through cooperative studies by the Geo.
logical Survey, the Federal Power Commission,
the Naval Air Service and the Department of
Agriculture in conjunction with the United
States Forest Service and aided by the Alaskan
Road Commission, affording an outstanding
instance of cooperation between various Gov
eminent bureaus, valuable waterpower data
have been secured for the benefit of Govern
ment- controlled pulpwood lease holders.
The outstanding characteristics of the water
powers of the region are described by the For
est Service as follows "High-head develop
ments, short conduits, small drainage basins
with heavy run-cff, good water storage facili-
ties, accessibility of the projects to navigabe
waters and the opportunity to locate industrial
plants either directly at the power house sites
within very short power-transmiSsion dis
tanceS.
THE typical water power site has a high
changing" lake located short distance inland
from tidewater. This can be made to serve
as a storage reservoir by the use of dam
across the lake outlet, by a tunnel to tap the
lake below its present water surface, or by a
combination of these two methods. Many of
the lakes have elevations exceeding 500 feet
Conduits to connect the lakes with power houses
at tidewater will range from cne-fourth mile to
three miles In length and in most cases will be
less than one and one-half miles long.
1.-The run-on per square mile of drainage
basin is very high because of heavy precipita-
ton in this region. The normal period of low
stream flow occurs in Winter, when the precipi-
tatIon on the high watersheds is largely held in
suspension in the form of snow, SO that extern
sive water storage for Winter use is necessary
to obtain the high, regulated flow throughout
the year which is essential for pulp and paper
plant. All of the sites considered suitable tor
pulp and paper projects have lake storage and
the possibility for such regulation of the flow.
Many CT the power streams are fed by per-
petual snowfields, which sustain the water flow
Summer"
The Federal Water Power Commission exer-
ciSes supervision over the development and use
of power sites in Alaska. and provides, under
Federal act, a form of license calling for
nominal rental fee per horsepower developed
and covering period not in excess Of SO years.
THE mention of the name Alaska brings to
mind cold region where the Winters are
long and ice and snow prevail, but such is not
the case in the southeastern section. There are
no dog teams no Eskmos no walrusses and no
fields of ice where the pulp mills will locate.
The mean temperature for the Winter months
at the various towns in this region range from
295 degrees to 35 degrees, according to bulle-
tin of the Department of Agriculture. The jan
uary mean for Sitka is degrees higher than
that of Boston, Mass, and only 1.2 degrees
lower than that of Washington, D. G. Zero
temperatures occur infrequently, the official
weather records for 80 years at Juneau, located
in the northern part of the region, showing
total of only SIS days en- which the tempera-
ture fell to zero or lower. The lowest recorded
temperature there during this same period
was is degrees below zero, approximately the
same has twice been recorded in Washing
ton.
The mean Summer temperature is between
30 and SIS degrees. which is much cooler than
at Atlantic seabcard points.
The precipitation is extremely heavy, the
yearly mean for various places being: Juneau,
81 inches; Sitka, 80 inches; Ketchikan, 159
inches. There is no pronounced dry season
as in the Pacific Coast States, but the rainfall
in Fall the wettest season, is from two to three
times that of an equal period in May. June
and July the driest months. Snow does net
accumulate to great depths at sea level because
much of the Winter precipitation there is in
the form of rain. The towns are practically
free OF snow the greater part OF the Winter.
Laying stress these ideal climatic condi-
tions the United States Forest Service points
out that there are no climatic factors which
prevent seriously hinder the operation of
newsprint mills throughout the year. The main
Seaways and most of the small inletS are free
of ice throughout the Winter, that water
transportation is possible at all times. The
logging season is usually considered as covering
eight months, April 1 to December l, but Win
ter logging is practicable in many localities.
Also a very low forest-fire risk is afforded in
this region through the heavy rainfall and high
relative humidity of the average Summer
a FURTHER important advantage to the es-
tablishment of the newsprint industry in
this section which the Forest Service points out
are the excellent transportation facilities. The
Alaska Steamship Co. and the Pacific Steam
ship Co. provide year-round transportation be-