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Show Long-Range Programs The long-range programs of fish propagation are mainly cooperative ventures, in which the Fish and Wildlife Service provides technical advice. Coop- erative action is undertaken with the Department of Agriculture in its watershed treatment program, with the Federal Power Commission in the Com- mission's exercise of licensing powers, and with the Corps of Engineers in its dam and reservoir con- struction program. No specific long-term plans have been developed. Multiple-Purpose Aspects of the Program The Present Situation Nearly all water use and control facilities on the Connecticut have been single-purpose projects. All power projects are either private or local public installations, in general solely for power generation. The numerous municipal watersheds have only very limited uses for recreation and, in most cases, none at all. Because of limitations of site and local op- position to multiple-purpose developments, prac- tically all Corps of Engineers' reservoirs are used chiefly for flood control. Even recreational use thus far has been unimportant because the flood control reservoirs are operated as dry bed reser- voirs. Valuable opportunities have been lost, for recreation could have produced appreciable bene- fits in most of these projects, and fish and wildlife as well as other benefits could have been created. A few exceptions to the foregoing may be noted. Quabbin Reservoir is operated mainly for the Bos- ton municipal water supply, but a small amount of hydroelectric power is generated and there is recrea- tional use for fishing. The Cobble Mountain Res- ervoir, which furnishes the water supply for Spring- field, Mass., has an installation of 33,000 kilowatts and generates about 20 million kilowatt-hours a year. Harriman Reservoir on the Deerfield River is operated primarily for conservation storage, but power is generated at the site. Program for the Future A few projects for future development have mul- tiple-purpose features. The plans for flood control reservoirs at Knightville and Tully have provisions for power. Three authorized or recommended proj- ects are planned for flood control and conservation storage, which in turn will contribute to power. These are Victory, Gaysville, and East Burke Reser- voirs in Vermont. The recomended Enfield proj- ect would have power development and navigation benefits. It is to be expected that further multiple-purpose projects may be recommended as a result of the recently authorized survey of the resources of New England and New York.8 But the Connecticut Basin as a whole presents some problems in connec- tion with plans for multiple-purpose developments. Because of the numerous existing hydroelectric power facilities, water supply facilities, and the near-complete occupancy of the valley floors, devel- opment of plans for future multiple-purpose use of water resources will require fullest cooperation among all interests. Adequate storage for flood control and the augmenting of low-stream flows for water supply, pollution abatement, and power pro- duction is a major requisite, and can be made an important feature of water resources investiga- tions. Inundation is an important problem in pro- viding storage, and sites must be selected which will hold interference with existing land use to a prac- tical minimum. Because of these difficulties every advantage should be taken of the possibilities for multiple- purpose use of storage capacity. A system-wide management of reservoir operations is also neces- sary to permit the maintenance of pools at relatively constant levels during the recreation season at res- ervoirs having special values for recreation. The listed potential projects (table 2) indicate that there still are important possibilities if the peo- ple of the basin are given an opportunity to appre- ciate them. The many possible reservoirs can greatly extend the recreation base, improve the low flow of the streams, and greatly reduce the flood flows. The power possibilities are such that if a properly integrated system is established it can be the catalyst that may place New England on the same basis or even at some advantage over many other areas in electric rates. The people of the region have a choice-a status quo or a great inte- grated development. "Flood Control Act of 1950, Act of May 17, 1950, 64 Stat. 163. 483 |