APPALACHIAN AND WHITE MOUNTAIN WATERSHEDS. 15 



during ten months of the year of 120,000 horsepower. Less than half 

 is utihzed. 



In very low water the_ power is reduced nearly one-half, so that 

 but a small margin remains over the amount required for daily use. 

 At Holyoke, Mass., the margin is frequently so small as to require 

 the most careful use of water to make the supply meet the needs. 

 The census of 1880 reported for the Coimecticut and all of its tribu- 

 taries 2,298 mills usmg 118,026 horsepower developed from the 

 strea.ms. It is estimated that these figures have since been increased 

 by about 20 per cent, making the present total over 140,000 horse- 

 power. 



The Merrimac River is undoubtedly the most notable water-power 

 stream for its length in the United States. Between Franklin and 

 Newburyport, a distance of 110 miles^ it has a fall of 269 feet, of 

 which 185 feet is developed, representmg approximately 50,000 net 

 horsepower. Of the remaining 84 feet, it is believed that less than 

 half can be utihzed. Probably the total development in the main 

 stream will not exceed 60,000 horsepower. Its great water powers 

 are at Manchester, N. H., and Lowell and Lawrence, Mass. On the 

 tributaries of the Merrimac valuable powers also exist. Those at 

 Franklin on the Winnepesaukee are equal in value to some on the 

 main stream. The Merrimac is formed by the Pemigewasset and 

 Winnepesaukee rivers. The latter has its source in the lake of the 

 same name, while the former rises in the Franconia Notch of the White 

 Mountains and drains a large area of high, mountainous country. 

 Since the Pemigewasset has no lakes or swamps to conserve its 

 waters, it depends upon the forest cover alone for its regularity of 

 flow. 



The Saco River rises in Crawford Notch, in the heart of the White 

 Mountains, and drains a larger proportion of the principal ranges 

 than any other stream. None of its tributary streams from the 

 mountains have lakes to restrain their waters, though, like the Mer- 

 rimac at its lower levels, it is the outlet of important lakes. Toward 

 its headwaters the Saco is variable in its flow and has no important 

 water powers, but on its lower reaches in Maine its flow is broken at 

 six places by falls, affording water power of a high value. At Saco 

 and Biddeford, at Union and Salmon FaUs, and at Bar Mills fine 

 water power exists, a large part of which is utilized. At Hiram, 45 

 miles from the sea, is found the most extensive power on the river. 

 The Saco, while its possibiKties are great, is more dependent upon 

 the forest cover for the evenness of its flow than any other river hav- 

 ing its source in the White Mountains. 



The Androscoggin River has a drainage basin with a higher gen- 

 eral elevation and a larger lake system than any other New England 

 stream. It is formed by the union of Magalloway River and the 

 outlet of Umbagog Lake, at Errol, N. H. At its headwaters is the 

 magnificent system of Rangeley Lakes, the outlet of which is con- 

 trolled by dams. The flow of the upper river is therefore very 

 uniform. 



Farther down its course the Androscoggin receives the drainage of 

 the northern part of the principal ranges of the White Mountains 

 through Peabody and Moose rivers. On this part of its drainage 

 there are no lakes of importance. The water powers of the Andros- 



