BROOKLYN PARK COMMISSIONERS. 29 



extraordinary flows of water during heavy storms, thus prevent- 

 ing excessive injury to the road surfaces, and also to prevent 

 the passage of any deleterious material into the lake. 



The well and water service, together with the system of dis- 

 tributing pipes upon the park, the parkway, and to Coney 

 Island, have been maintained in continuous operation through- 

 out the year, and with the exception of an occasional supply 

 to the fountain at the Plaza furnished from the city service, 

 has supplied all the water required for drinking and orna- 

 mental purposes and for sprinkling the drives of the park and 

 the Ocean Parkway. By the use of this water upon the Park- 

 way and park drives we have been enabled to maintain the 

 roadways in good condition for travel during a greater part of 

 the year. 



From Parkville to the island the four-inch extension pipe is 

 inadequate to supply all the water needed, as the flow through 

 so long a distance and through a pipe of such inferior dimen- 

 sions, is greatly retarded by friction ; the serviceable supply, 

 therefore, is a very limited one. To remedy this deficiency, 

 arrangements were made during the year with Mr. B. F. 

 Stephens, of the Coney Island water works, for the delivery 

 and use of water from his service at the island into our line 

 under a greater pressure, which will enable us to maintain the 

 lower section of the Parkway in better condition than hereto- 

 fore. 



The park lake has been in good condition throughout the 

 year. The appearance of vegetation in the water in the small 

 bays near the boat-house, usually during the warmer months of 

 the summer, has operated somewhat against the attractiveness 

 of this portion of the lake. The plant which comprises this 

 vegetation is a natural product of shallow bodies of water 

 under the influence of the higher temperature of summer, and 

 is not believed by those who have thoroughly examined the 

 subject to be productive, over so small an area of water, of any 

 harmful influences to health. No known experience upon the 

 park will justify such a conclusion. 



