HYDROLOGY OF NEW YORK 



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Skaneateles outlet. Skaneateles outlet, which is one of the best 

 power streams of the region, has a fall of about 500 feet in a few 

 miles. According to a statement made by W. R. Hill, formerly 

 Ohief Engineer of the Syracuse Waterworks, there is about 3000 

 horsepower on this stream. However, in consequence of the city's 

 taking Skaneateles lake as a water supply for Syracuse, the water 

 rights on this stream have either been purchased or condemned 

 by that city. Some of them are still in use in 1904, but definite 

 statements are not at hand as to whether they all are. 



The following streams of the Oswego catchment are more or 

 less utilized for a water supply to the Erie canal : Owasco, Spring, 

 Putnam, Skaneateles Carpenter, Nine Mile, Butternut, Lime- 

 stone, Chittenango, Cowaselon and Oneida creeks. The total 

 -catchment area above the point of diversion amounts to about 

 750 square miles. On the headwaters of Limestone creek there 

 is a diversion from De Ruyter reservoir, artificially supplied from 

 the headwaters of Tioughnioga creek, which naturally drains to 

 the Susquehanna river. 



Salmon river west. The next stream of any importance tribu- 

 tary to Lake Ontario is Salmon river west, which rises in the 

 highlands of Lewis county and flows first southerly, then westerly, 

 into Lake Ontario. Its headwaters are at an elevation of over 

 1600 feet above tide. 



In 1889 this stream was extensively considered as the source 

 of a public water supply for the city of Syracuse. The Salmon 

 river catchment, above the proposed point of diversion, comprises 

 70 square miles of forest land from 1000 to 1600 feet above tide- 

 water, and distant northeast from Syracuse about 40 miles. The 

 brooks tributary to the main stream head in springs and gen- 

 erally flow for the first few miles through swamps. Above Red- 

 field the fall is rapid along the main stream, and there is stated 

 to be very little vegetation along the shores, which are of sand- 

 stone and gravel. The water is clear but of a brownish tint. It 

 is estimated that from 80 to 85 per cent of the catchment is 

 wooded. 



