HYDROLOGY OF NEW YORK 



657 



Power Development on St Lawrence River 



The st Laiorence Power Company. Among the large power 

 developments under construction in the State of New York is thai 

 of the St Lawrence Power Company at Masse na. on St Law- 

 rence and Grasse rivers. The plant includes the excavation of 

 a canal leading from the St Lawrence river to Grasse river, a dis- 

 tance of three miles, the building of a power-house, together 

 with the installation of electric generators and the necessary 

 equipment of turbine water wheels. The furnishing of the elec- 

 tric apparatus. was awarded to the Westinghonse Electrical & 

 Manufacturing Company. 



The plan of development is to divert a portion of the water of 

 St Lawrence river from its natural channel by means of a canal, 

 carrying it 3 miles across to Grasse river, where, after operating 

 turbines, it will pass by way of Grasse river to the St Lawrence 

 at a point lower down stream. Just below where the canal takes 

 water from St Lawrence river are Long Sault rapids, which have 

 a fall of about 50 feet. Grasse river runs nearly parallel to the 

 St Lawrence for several miles, flowing into it a short distance 

 below the foot of Long Sault rapids. To the south of the 

 St Lawrence river, and between it and the valley of Grasse river, 

 there is a comparatively level plateau. 



The average width of Grasse river from its mouth to above where 

 the power canal will intersect it is from 250 to 300 feet, and its 

 water surface, for that portion, is substantially on a level with 

 St Lawrence below the rapids ; hence the surface of Grasse river 

 at the point where the power canal strikes the stream is from 

 45 to 50 feet below the surface of the St Lawrence at the head 

 of the canal. The power station will be located on the north 

 bank of Grasse river, the tail-water dropping into that stream, 

 which thus becomes, in effect, a tailrace for this power develop- 



Vol. VIII (July, 1895), where may be found an account of nearly every 

 phase of the Niagara Falls Power Company's development: 2) The Elec- 

 trical World, Vol. XXX (Oct. 23. 1897), which may be consulted for a 

 description of the extension of the wheel pit: 3) Niagara Falls publication 

 of the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce, issued in 1897; 4) the 

 various numbers for 1S9T of Greater Buffalo, a monthly publication de- 

 voted to promoting the prosperity of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Engineer- 

 ing News and other technical journals may also be consulted. 



