APPALACHIAN AND WHITE MOUNTAIN WATERSHEDS. 13 



IMPORTANCE OF SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS AND WHITE 

 MOUNTAINS FOR WATER POWER. 



The amount of water power in the Southern Appalachians fre-' 

 quentljr has been guessed at. The Geological Survey has been 

 measuring the streams for seven years, and its report on the Rela- 

 tion of the Southern Appalachian Mountains to the Development of 

 Water Power presents facts concerning the remarkable asset the 

 nation has in the water resources of this region. Based on the low- 

 est two weeks of the year an average for seven years shows that the 

 streams afford 2,700,000 horsepower. This much power would be 

 available the year round. In common practice it is found profit- 

 able to develop a water power to the minimum of the four high- 

 water months of the year, depending upon steam power during low- 

 water season to make up the deficiency. In order to be conserva- 

 tive in this estimate the time limit has been made six months. No 

 streams or portions of streams were considered that did not flow out 

 of the Southern Appalachians. No streams with less than 500 horse- 

 power were considered. In all calculations only 90 per cent of the 

 observed fall and 80 per cent of the energy of the falling water is 

 used. Moreover, three important streams — the Big Sandy, the 

 Cumberland, and the Kentucky — are not included. With these 

 allowances and omissions the minimum power for the year and for 

 the six high-water raonths is as follows : 



Table 2. — Minimum horsepower of Southern Appalachian streams. 



The above table shows the power available under present condi- 

 tions. Development of the storage facilities of the various streams 

 would increase the minimum from three to thirty times, depending 

 upon the stream. 



It is estimated by the Geological Survey that at least 50 per cent of 

 the indicated minimum horsepower, and probably much more, is 

 available for economic development. On this basis the rental of 

 1,350,000 horsepower at $20 per annum is worth .$27,000,000 per year. 

 If we take in the same way 50 per cent of the power which is present 

 for half the year we increase this sum by $11,000,000, bringing the 

 total to $38,000,000. 



