STATE OF NEW YORK

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Water Control Commission

For the Year 1924

ALBANY

J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS

To the Legislature:

The following annual report of the Water Control Commission for the year 1924 is respectfully submitted:

The Water Control Commission was created by chapter 413 of the Laws of 1922, to administer articles VII (River Improvement), VII-A (River Regulation by Storage Reservoirs), VIII, VIII-A, VIII-B (Drainage of Agricultural Lands) and IX, IX-A, IX-B (Water Supply) of the Conservation Law, thus succeeding to the duties heretofore exercised by the Water Power Commission, Conservation Commission and the State Water Supply Commission. The Commission is composed of the Conservation Commissioner, the Attorney-General and the State Engineer, or deputies designated by them. During the past year the State Engineer has acted as chairman of the Commission. The law provides that the office of the Commission shall be in the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor and that the secretary shall be an officer or employee of that office.

RIVER REGULATION BY STORAGE RESERVOIRS

Article VII-A provides for the creation of river regulating districts which may be formed by the Water Control Commission upon petition and after hearings held thereon. Following the creation of such a district, the Governor of the State appoints a board of three members to administer the affairs of such district. The acts of the boards thus appointed are subject to the approval of the Water Control Commission.

Black River Regulating District

This district was created on June 2, 1919. The present board consists of J. Victor Baron and John N. Carlisle of Watertown, and Harry S. Lewis of Beaver Falls; E. S. Cullings of Watertown is secretary and engineer.

The general plan of the district was approved by the Commission June 28, 1921. Preliminary plans and specifications for the proposed reservoir at Stillwater on the Beaver river were approved July 13, 1921, and the apportionment of the cost of that structure December 15, 1922.

Clearing of the area to be flooded is being carried on by the forces of the Board. Contract for the construction of the dams and outlet works was awarded to Scott Brothers of Rochester at the price of $226,131.25, which contract was approved December 28, 1923.

On December 4, 1923, the Commission approved a bond issue by which the funds required for the construction of this reservoir are to be raised. Bonds in the aggregate amount of $1,000,000 are to be issued in several series. These are to be 5 per cent serial bonds, of which $6,000 of each series are to mature annually. They are