136 RURAL M:\\ YORK 



periods, the extent of the drop varies in diiferent re- 

 gions of the State. That the consequence of this 

 drop is as serious to agriculture as is sometimes 

 believed is questionable, since the moisture used by 

 crops is held in the upper soil by capillarity and is 

 not drawn directly from the body of ground water. 



The range in elevation of the land which reaches 

 up to four and live thousand feet in the mountain 

 regions affords a large quantity of water power, as 

 this drainage water passes over the succession of falls 

 and rapids to sea level. Nearly all the larger streams 

 develop some potential water power on their course. 

 The flow fluctuates widely at diffierent seasons in the 

 year. A comprehensive study has been made of the 

 possibilities of storing tlie flood flow to develop water 

 supplies and hydro-electric power. It has been de- 

 termined that there are thirty-nine suitable reservoir 

 sites distributed as follows: thirteen on the Upper 

 Hudson ; three on the Sacandaga ; nine on the west 

 branch of the Hudson ; eleven on the Eaquette, and 

 three on the Genesee Eiver. One of the facts that is 

 often overlooked is that water supply is one of the 

 important limiting factors in the multiplication of 

 poiHihition. It comes even before food and is more 

 critical. Several of the reservoir sites have an im- 

 mense capacity. Tlie reservoir on Aesopus Creek in 

 the Catskills, which is being developed by ^Tew York 

 City, has a maximum capacity of 124,000,000,000 

 gallons, which would make a body of water fifty 

 feet deep over an area of 5000 acres. That on the 

 Sacandaga at Conklingville has a potential capa- 



