FUTURE WATER SUPPLY OK THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN REGION 469 



The section drained by the upper river in Herkimer and Hamilton counties is a 

 rugged, mountainous region with numerous hikes, a number of which have been 

 utilized by the State of New York as storage reservoirs to compensate for water 

 taken for the supply of Black River and Erie canals. 



The extreme head waters of the main river are Canachagala Lake, North Lake 

 ami South Lake. Other lakes on the head waters of the main river are Woodhull, 

 Little Bisby Chain Lakes, Little Woodhull, Chub, Long, White, and a number of 

 others. The chief tributaries of Black River are the Moose and Beaver rivers, both 

 of which rise in Hamilton County and flow across Herkimer into Lewis County. 

 The principal lakes at the head of Moose River are Two Sisters, Pigeon, Big Moose, 

 Second, Cascade, F'ulton Chain, Lime Kill, and Little Moose lakes. The principal 

 lakes at the head waters of Beaver River are Lakes Lila and Frances, Josephine 

 Lake, Nehasane, Big Rock, Little Rock, Salmon, Loon, Twitchell lakes, and others. 



Other smaller tributaries of Black River are Black Creek, Little Woodhull 

 Creek, Big Woodhull Creek, Crystal Brook, Otter Creek, Independence Creek, 

 Crystal Creek, Swiss Creek, Moose Creek, Sugar and other small streams. 



The elevation of the head waters of Black River may be taken at about 1,800 

 feet above the level of the sea. 



A reservoir was also projected for Black River, in connection with the deep 

 waterways surveys. It is proposed to construct a main barrage at the village of 

 Carthage where the water surface will be raised 48.5 feet, and an area flooded 

 at extreme high water of about jS square miles. The proposed elevation of 

 water surface is 772 feet above tide water, and the total capacity will be about 

 57,000,000,000 cubic feet.* 



3. The next important stream is Oswegatchie River, which rises in Cranberry 

 Lake and flows northwesterly in an irregular course, finally emptying into the St. 

 Lawrence River at Ogdensburg. This stream lies largely in the Laurentian granite, 

 and the elevation of its source, in Cranberry Lake, is unknown. Cranberry Lake 

 has an area of from 15 to 20 square miles. The chief tributary of Oswegatchie 

 River is Indian River, of which Black Lake is an extension. 



4. The next stream is Grass River, which rises in Massawepie Lake, and flows 

 noi'thcrly into the St. Lawrence River at the foot of Long Sault Rapids. The 

 elevation of the St. Lawrence River at this point is about 154 feet. The elevation 

 of the source of the stream is unknown, so far as can be learned no measurements 

 ever having been taken. 



5. The Raquette River is the ne.xt stream to be mentioned. It rises in the 



* For detail of this reservoir see Report to Hoard of Engineers on Deep Waterways, pp. 864-873 



