WATER POWER IN CANADA.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1920, Page 1

WATER POWER IN CANADA.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. (From Canadian Blue Hook.) The present age has been called by a prominent engineer “ The New Epoch,” inaugurated by the manufacture ol pmver, and it is certainly true, that the use of power is the great central pivot, around which every activity and industry swings to-day. It is now well lecoguised that the most valuable resources of a country are tl«pso which afford the means of manufacturing cheap power. These resources are, falling water, the coal mine, and the oil field.

01' these resources, falling water or waterpower stand'our as being inexhaustible," and therefore one of the most valuable assets of any country. A time must come when the supply of coal and oil will become limited, and the best way to conserve those fuel supplies is to make use of our water powers in their stead. Any country which possess such laigc water. powers as Canada, and especially the province of Quebec is destined to play a very important role among industrial nations, always deriving wealth and prosperity from such resources if developed with energy and foresight. The opening up of our large lesouices, such as mines and forests largely depends upon the cheap and bountiful supply of power, made possible by the development of our enormous quantities of falling waters. The last growing importance of the water powers of Quebec province may he realised by reviewing a brief collection of facts regarding its natural resources and industrial facilities. The province of Quebec is situated in the eastern part of the Dominion of Canada. Bounded on the east by tlie Atlantic Ocean, and traversed through, its entire length by the St. Cav rence river, it possesses all the advantages of both a maritime and an inland country. Being in the temperate zone, the climate is diighly favourable. Its superficial area is 351,873 square miles, being almost equal to France and Germany combined. In 1911, the population of the province of Quebec was 2,002,712, most of whom are concentrated in the districts surrounding Montreal, Three Rivers, and Quebec. More than hall of the inhabitants practice mixed and dairy farming, the majority of the remainder being engaged in industrial pursuits. « There are immense forests, the area ol timber‘limits leased being over 06,000 square miles, and the supply of h«ard woods, cedar, spruce and pi»ie is almost inexhaustible. The mineral resources of the province are considerable. Its asbestos mines are the best (and richest in the world, and gold, copper and iron are also extensixely mined. The principal manufacturers are, shoes, textile goods, paper, railway equipment, bricks and cement. Besides enjoying the services

of both ocean and inland steamship lines, the manufacturing districts of | Quebec province are well served by various railway companies, and the number of miles of railways now totals more than 4,330, of which 3,(XX) miles are operated electrically. According to Government 1 investigation, the available water powers of Canada amount to 17,000,000 horse power, of which 5,000,000 liorse power are in Quebec province. These figures constitute a very conservative estimate and could be materially increased, if the How of some of the rivers were Regulated by arranging suitable storage reservoirs for the water. The pending construction of a new dam on the St. Maurice river at a cost of. $1,500,000, to regulate the flow of water to various power plants in the Three Rivers District, may be cited as an example of such conservation of water power. This dam will be situated 240 miles north of the St. Lawrence river, and will enable the storage of a tremendous volume of water by raising the water level in a number of lakes and flooding some otherwise useless territory. The total area of these 1 lakes and flooded ground, is about three . hundred square miles. The flow from f ile dam will be regulated to suit the demands for water throughout the - year, . j thus providing the power plants with a : ‘ steady supply, and rendering their out- • put largely independent of the time of ( the year, by storing water during the , flood seasons, and permitting an outflow during the drier seasons.

Another dam is to be constructed on the Francis river near its source, and also near the discharge of th,e lake of the same name, this will regulate the flow and will be the means of supplying better power to the numerous plants on this river, and especially to the pulp and paper mills at East Angus, Bromptonville and Windsor Mills. The estimated cost of the above scheme, including expropriation of land, lias been placed at $400,000. Tire sources of water powers of immediate importance and interest in Quebec province are those within easy reach of the Ottawa, Montreal, Three Rivers and Quebec districts.