SOUTH BUFFALO FLOODS AND PROPOSED REMEDY. 15 



The fact that this new outlet is located some 10,800 ft. above 

 the present outlet, and the new outlet being at the same level 

 as the old, will necessarily increase the flood slope of the water 

 by shortening the length of the flow from the city line to the 

 lake. Without this outlet a rise of 4 ft. in the lake level will 

 produce a rise at the junction with Cazenovia Creek — a distance 

 of 24,600 ft. measured on the stream, of 2 1-10 ft. With the 

 proposed cut-off to the lake, the same rise in lake level would 

 produce a rise of only about 1.65 ft. at the junction. 



The new channels proposed are all based on assumed maxi- 

 mum discharge of the Buffalo River of 25,000 cu. ft. per second, 

 and a velocity of 5 ft. per second. This total discharge is a safe 

 maximum, it probably being very nearly attained at least once 

 a year, and is very seldom, if ever, exceeded. 



The velocity of 5 ft. per second is considered safe for the 

 banks, as proposed, inasmuch as it cannot exist but for a few 

 hours in maximum flood, and at all other times is very much 

 less. 



I think that further details, such as bank protection, which is 

 necessary at different points, bridge abutments, etc., would not 

 be of especial interest in this connection and I will omit all that 

 and refer anyone who is especially interested in the problem to 

 the specifications prepared for the work by the Bureau of En- 

 gineering of the Department of Public Works, and to the very 

 full report on the hydraulic problems involved, presented to the 

 New York State Water Storage Commission by the local com- 

 mittee appointed by such commission and requested to present 

 a study of the situation. 



As a suggestion of the value of the proposed improvement 

 beyond that suggested in the fore part of this talk, I would state, 

 that before the location of the Lackawanna Steel Co's. plant just 

 beyond the city line on the lake shore, land along the Ridge 

 Road, which runs from the lake, parallel to the city line and 

 just beyond it, sold for $300 per acre, or $1.00 per foot front 

 on said Ridge Road. Since the location of the Steel Plant, 

 land on this road has been selling for from $100 to $150 per 

 foot front, or $30,000 per acre. Figuring an acre as having 300 

 ft. frontage, the average value of the land in this territory is 

 now $5,000 per acre as against $300 three years ago. 



With all of South Buffalo relieved from the inroads of Buffalo 

 River and Cazenovia Creek and equipped with proper drainage, 



