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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



terranean water is taken in large quantity for the supply of cities 

 or for manufacturing purposes the party taking it is liable to 

 the adjacent landowners the same as in the case of diverting sur- 

 face water. 



Long Island is chiefly a sandy plain, about 120 miles in length, 

 with a total area of 1682 square miles. A considerable portion is 

 below an elevation of 100 feet above tidewater, although in places 

 it rises to elevations of 300 feet and more. The streams are all 

 small and only a few miles in length, running down from the high 

 land of the middle section to the Atlantic ocean on the south and 

 to Long Island sound on the north. As regards water power, the 

 water resources of Long Island have little significance, although 

 there are many places where small powers are utilized for grist- 

 mills and other similar uses. The chief value of the inland water 

 of Long Island is for the water supply of the city of Brooklyn. 



East river, which connects Long Island sound with New York 

 bay. may also be referred to for convenience as a Long Island 

 water resource. The great value of the stream to the commerce 

 of New York is so obvious as to hardly require mention. 



The foregoing description of the river systems of New York has 

 been made brief, because very complete descriptions have been 

 given in the several monographs relating to New York State 

 which appear in the report on the Water Power of the United 

 States, Tenth Census, 1880. In these reports may be found the 

 detail of the several river valleys, with statements as to agricul- 

 tural production, population, geology, climatology, and many 

 other subjects either not at all touched on, or only briefly, here. 



RUNOFF OF NIAGARA AND ST LAWRENCE RIVERS 



In view of the size of the streams and their importance the 

 runoffs of Niagara and St Lawrence rivers are discussed sepa- 

 rately from the balance of the streams of New York. 



Niagara river. The great developments of the Niagara Falls 

 Power Company authorized by the laws of 1886 have been in part 

 completed, while a1 the same time the original Niagara Falls power 

 development, now owned by the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & 



