Estimates of "potential capacity" make use of actual risks based on inun- 

 dation and damage records, and knowledge of crop tolerances, rather than 

 on prospective user's expectations of risk. Season of the year is the most 

 critical point relative to inundation of reservoir lands. If these lands are 

 covered during the fall, winter, or early spring months ( before actual work 

 can be accomplished I . little damage may result. 



One assumption involved in the projections in Table 13 is the separation 

 of lands into those which may be flooded during the growing season as 

 compared to those which, to date, have not been flooded during the growing 

 season. The former lands are treated in Table 13 calculations as best adapted 

 to pasture. Certain additional lands are also deemed best used for pasture 

 because of adjacency to lands which may be flooded during the growing 

 season, or to give access to higher grounds in case that flooding of such 

 lands happened. Based on records covering various periods, it appears that 

 in the Franklin Falls Reservoir the critical elevation is around 340 feet, for 

 the Blackwater Reservoir, around 550 feet, and for Surry Mountain Reservoir, 

 around 510 feet. The iimndation of pasture lands during the grazing season 

 is certainly an inconvenience. Yet, with an adequate warning service and 

 the probability that such lands would be covered only a day or two, they 

 could furnish suitable pasture for most of the time without serious draw- 

 back. However, crop lands and haylands. which require more frequent and 

 intensive cultivation and/or seeding, would require some positive assur- 

 ance that such operations would not often be interrupted during the grow- 

 ing season by flooding. 



A significantly smaller amount of land is now suitable for agriculture 

 than in the period immediately after the construction of the dams. Much 

 land which could have been used conveniently after construction for crop 



The former owner still leases this tract behind Franklin Falls dam 

 for hay and pasture. He no longer plants corn on part of this farm. 



24 



