OCR Text |
Show power generation, industrial and domestic water supply, pollution abatement, agriculture, forestry, mineral production, industrial development, flood control, navigation, fish and wildlife production, and recreation. Power Full utilization of the hydroelectric power po- tential of the Alabama-Coosa will do much to stimulate the economy of the basin. But when co- ordinated with the latent resources of other rivers in the region, it may take a leading part in the power picture of the southeastern region. The total possibilities, both existing and potential, are indicated in the following tabulation. River Ultimate capacity Average annual energy Roanoke................. Kilowatts 596, 000 431, 000 1, 388, 000 1, 254, 000 421,000 1, 013, 000 2, 575, 000 3, 360, 000 920, 000 1, 200, 000 1,000 kilowatt-hours 1, 668, 000 1, 370, 000 4, 220, 000 3, 786, 000 1, 828, 000 3,491, 000 11, 749, 000 15, 528, 000 3,165, 000 8, 000, 000 Yadkin-Pee Dee............ Santee.... .... Savannah.............. Altamaha................. Apalachicola.............. Mobile (including Alabama-Coosa and. Tombigbee).... Tennessee *................ Cumberland............... Dog Island-Mississippi....... Total............... 12, 858, 000 64, 805, 000 1 Present total installed capacity on Tennessee River is 2,552,140 kilowatts. This immense hydroelectric potential, in con- junction with the vast possibilities for steam-electric power made possible by the region's fuel and water resources, can make the basin a center of energy production vital to the Nation. A combined system of hydroelectric and fuel electric plants is essential to provide energy in the southeastern region because the hydroelectric po- tential is not sufficient to meet the power needs. If the present desirable ratio of equal amounts of hydroelectric and steam-electric power is con- tinued, full development of the region's hydro- electric potentials would require many times the present fuel-electric generation, and correspond- ingly more coal. Water Supply Water for domestic and industrial uses, fish and wildlife, and recreation is adequate in quantity throughout the basin. However, some of the larger water supply sources are on main stem rivers which have considerable pollution. In some cases the quality of the water is unsatisfactory. The development and preservation of an ade- quate water supply satisfactory for all uses, safe- guarded against unreasonable pollution, must be considered if the full water supply needs of the fu- ture basin are to be met. Planning should take into account future storage capacity and operation to meet public and industrial water supply require- ments as they develop. Where ground water is utilized as a source of water supply, it should be pro- tected against overdraft and contamination. Pollution Abatement At present the waters of the Alabama-Coosa River are generally free from serious pollution. If, however, industrial development continues at the rate experienced in the past few decades, this con- dition easily could be changed. Past abatement measures have not followed a comprehensive program for pollution control. Construction of waste treatment facilities has not been commensurate with the needs for such facilities. The ultimate objective of a plan for pollution control should be the provision of adequate safe- guards to protect the waters for maximum use. A program to accomplish this end should include (1) collection of basic pollution data for the streams; (2) establishment of uniform pollution control laws in the States of the basin; and (3) de- velopment of a comprehensive program for pollu- tion control. Such a program should be integrated into the comprehensive plan for basin development. Agriculture Planning for basin development should provide for acceleration of land-treatment features. The present depleted condition of the watersheds and extensive shifts in land use needed call for a pro- gram of considerable magnitude. A farm conser- vation program aims toward a healthy and pros- perous agriculture, capable of providing abundant supplies of food, fiber, and forest products to meet present needs and future requirements. The same 568 |