34 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF 



class of boats to run, even if empty, in safety — although the total discharge of 

 the river during that very month was sufficient to have maintained an uniform 

 draught of 16tV feet. In fact, there was but one month in the whole year in 

 which the discharge for the month, if properly regulated, would not have pre- 

 served the depth on the Wheeling bar at more than 5 feet ; yet, there were 

 periods in eight months of that year when boats drawing over four feet could 

 not have run, and other periods, in the summer season, when boats drawing 

 over 24 feet could not pass the bar. Still, three dams of very moderate height, 

 not exceeding 40 feet each, and which need not be made to cost more than 

 about $300,000, would so have regulated the discharge that the depth could 

 never have fallen, during any part of the year, below 5 feet. 



In the month of October the depth was less than 2 feet, and for about half 

 the month it was less than three feet. Yet, the volume of water which passed 

 by Wheeling even in October, would have maintained an uniform depth of 6 

 feet throughout that month. 



By means of only three dams, from 40 to 50 feet high, or a greater number of 

 smaller dimensions, a fresh supply of water could have been let into the stream 

 in January, when the river was frozen over, which would have raised the sur- 

 face, increased the velocity, and swept away the ice, and have thus restored the 

 winter navigation. The reservoirs, it will be seen by reference to the table, 

 would have been filled again immediately, and would have been ready, in Feb- 

 ruary, to bring the water up from 4 feet to 6 feet, and again, in March, from 3 

 feet 2 inches to 6 feet. 



At the close of March, and early in April, they would have been replenished 

 by the melted snows, and in the course of April would have been once more 

 needed to raise the water from 4| feet to 6 feet — two dams of 50 feet being 

 quite sufficient to maintain this depth. In May and June the reservoirs would 

 have been again filled ; but about the middle of June their contents would have 

 been required to increase the depth, then down nearly to 3 feet, and bi'ing it up 

 to 5 or, if desirable, to 6 feet. 



In the beginning of July the reservoirs would have been again filled by the 

 rains, and in the middle of the same month again drawn upon to raise the water 

 from 2 feet 10 inches — a depth entirely prohibitory of navigation for boats of the 

 best class — and bring it up to 6 feet. 



On the 23d of July the natural flow from the mountains increased, the water 

 rose to 17 feet, and the reservoir would, of course, have been filled again. But 

 early in August, the failing supply would have called for further aid from the 

 artificial store: the waters might have been again raised to 6 feet; and by the 

 21st, the reservoirs would have ceased their discharge, and have been filled 

 again by the swollen mountain sources. 



In September the water is always low. But the same two regulating reser- 

 voirs would, nevertheless, have kept up the depth to 5 feet until the middle of 

 October, when a rise of 18 feet would have filled them once more. But near 

 the end of October the supply again failed, and the depth fell to 4^ feet. The 



