HYDROLOGY OF NEW YORK 



825 



LOSS OF WATER FROM ARTIFICIAL CHANNELS 



In order to provide ample water supplies, the large amount 

 of canal construction in New York State has necessitated the 

 collection of considerable information as to the various sources 

 of loss of water to which artificial channels are subject. 



The original Erie canal was constructed with the water sur- 

 face 40 feet wide, the bottom width 28 feet, and the depth 4 feet. 

 In 1824 measurements of the loss from filtration and evaporation 

 were made by John B. Jervis on the eastern division and by 

 David S. Bates on the western division. Mr Jervis states that 

 his measurements were made in the original Erie canal, between 

 the first locks below the village of Amsterdam and the aqueduct 

 below Schenectady, a distance of 18 miles. This section was con- 

 structed mainly through an alluvial soil, containing a large por- 

 tion of vegetable matter. In some places this soil was very 

 leaky, owing probably to the decay of roots, although the greater 

 portion retained water very well. There was a considerable 

 quantity of gravel and slaty soils. He states that the quantity 

 of water lost in this 18-mile section was very uniform, and 

 averaged' 2.10 cubic feet per second per mile. 1 



Mr Bates states that his measurements in 1824 showed that a 

 mile of new canal, such as the Erie canal then was between 

 Brockport and Ninemile creek, would require 1.7 cubic feet of 

 water per second per mile in order to supply the losses from 

 filtration, leakage and evaporation. 2 The following are some of 

 the details of Mr Bates's measurements in 1824: 



On 79 miles of the canal and feeder, comprising 20 miles of 

 canal from Rochester to Brockport, 57 miles from Rochester to 

 Cayuga, and 2 miles of feeder, the supply was 133 cubic feet per 

 second, or 1.69 cubic feet per second per mile. The months 

 are not stated, although it may be inferred that these observa- 

 tions are averages of the navigation season. 



Mr Bates further states that in August, 1824, he found a total 

 use for the 20 miles from Rochester to Brockport of 35 cubic 



Report of John B. Jervis to the Canal Commissioners, on the Chenango 

 canal. An. Kept Canal Com. (1834). Ass. Doc. No. 55, p. 54. 



2 Report of David S. Bates to the Canal Commissioners, on the Chenango 

 canal (1830). Ass. Doc. No. 47, p. 31. 



