Niagara Falls 



19H from the lower Niagara river. Reporting upon this application, 

 the International Waterways Commission, in its report to the 

 United States Secretary of War, states that 



" It is our opinion that about 40,000 cubic feet per 

 second can be diverted without perceptible injury to the 

 rapids, and that any amount greater than that will approach 

 the danger line more and more nearly, according to its 

 volume. We therefore recommend that no more than 

 40,000 cubic feet be diverted on both sides of the river taken 

 together." 



Theoretically, this recommended diversion of 40,000 cubic feet 

 per second with the head of 94.5 feet would yield about 430,000 

 H.P., of which Canada's share would be 21 5,000 H.P. With 

 a total head of 78.5 feet to the foot of Foster's flats, 20,000 

 cubic feet per second would yield, theoretically, about 1 80,000 

 H.P. Owing to the difficulties of hydraulic construction and 

 the large fluctuations in head which occur in the lower river, it 

 would be difficult to determine just what proportion of the theo- 

 retical quantities could be obtained from a diversion on the 

 Canadian side of 20,000 cubic feet per second. 



Power sites on the rapids below the Falls are much inferior to 

 the power sites in the vicinity of the Falls. The Commissioners of 

 the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park had a report made as to 

 the possible power sites on the Canadian side of the lower Niagara 

 river. This Report shows a number of possible power sites using 

 the shortest possible tunnel routes, but the estimated total of all 

 the reported sites is considerably under 50,000 H.P. 



Summary. — In conclusion it may be said that under present 

 mehods of development, and assuming all the water passing over 

 the Falls to be diverted for power purposes, Canada's share of the 

 power may be under 1,000,000 H.P. Below the Falls, using 

 all the water and the total head of 94.5 feet, the lower river 

 would yield for Canada's share about 450,000 H.P. These 

 quantities are for the mean low-water discharge ; for average con- 



1164 



