Conservation Commission. 49 



Had the plans of the dams, the failures of which were reported 

 to the Commission, been inspected as is now done by competent 

 engineers, under the Commission, it is believed that none of them 

 would have failed. 



The importance of supervision becomes more and more apparent 

 as the dangerous condition of old dams is revealed by their failure 

 in some cases and by the inspections in others. 



Hydrographic Investigations. 



The Commission has amplified during the past year its investi- 

 gations of the rainfall and stream flow in this State and the collec- 

 tion of data thereon. 



In the year 1912 the stream gaging work was brought to a high 

 degree of accuracy and efficiency by the introduction of automatic 

 recording gages, stay wires, measurements through the ice covers 

 of the streams and the establishment of permanent controls at a 

 number of the gaging stations. The accuracy of the rainfall 

 records has been increased by the installation of density buckets 

 and snow tubes, which make it possible to obtain records of the 

 snowfall with increased precision. 



During the past year the following new stream gaging stations 

 were established: 



Hudson River at Spier Falls; Indian River at Indian Lake; 

 Oswegatchie River at Newton Falls; Owasco Lake Outlet at 

 Auburn; Deer River at Ironton; Little Tonawanda Creek at 

 Linden; West Branch Oswegatchie River at Talcville. 



In addition to the above, stream flow records were obtained 

 from the following stations previously established by this Com- 

 mission : 



Ausable River at Ausable Forks ; Bog River near Tupper Lake ; 

 Black River at Boonville; Canaseraga Creek at Dansville; Catta- 

 raugus Creek at Versailles; Cedar River near Indian Lake; 

 Genesee River at St. Helena ; Genesee River at Jones' Bridge ; 

 Genesee River at Rochester ; Hudson River at North Creek ; Hud- 

 son River at Thurman ; Hudson River at Meehanicville ; Kush- 

 equa Creek at Sonyea ; Moose River at Moose River ; Moose River 

 at Old Forge; Oswegatchie River at Ogdensburg; Orwell Creek 

 at Altmar ; Racquette River at Racquette Falls ; Racquette River 



