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Show for the future regional power load should be de- termined by the results of the survey which has just been undertaken. To the extent that this re- sponsibility is assumed by the Government, includ- ing that of transmission, the Federal system should be expected to be operated and administered as a coordinated unit. Conclusions The power to be developed at multiple-purpose projects in the Connecticut Basin is of special worth because of its capacity value as peak load power to supply the extra demands during a few hours each day. It could be used in the basin or regional area in conjunction with local steam-generated power to supply the present utility load, or could be used as peak power in coordination with the Interna- tional Rapids Project on the St. Lawrence to pro- vide a wholesale power supply for public bodies, cooperatives, and private systems in accordance with the marketing policy established by Congress. This might provide electric cooperatives in the region with a considerably cheaper power supply and thereby increase farm use and production. (See problems C-3 and C-4.) B. Conflicts in Beneficial Use 1. Inundation of Agricultural Lands and of Facili- ties for Established Enterprise, Including Trans- portation Facilities The Problem Reconciliation of conflicts between local losses and possible impairment of the local economy by reservoir inundation with regional needs. The Situation A conflict exists between upstream and down- stream interests in the use of the water resources of the basin. People in the upstream States of New Hampshire and Vermont are opposed generally to the inundation of their lands by the construction of Federal reservoir projects for the primary purpose of providing flood control, power, and other bene- fits to the downstream States. This problem is illustrated by the Williamsville, Vt., project pro- posed by the Corps of Engineers, and the redevel- opment of the existing Wilder hydroelectric project by a private utility under Federal Power Commis- sion license. Part of the conflict arises because good agricul- tural land in the basin is scarce. There is only about three-fourths of an acre of cultivated land per capita in the basin as compared to the national average of almost three acres. The entire New England area is now far from being agriculturally self-sufficient. Although the New England States contain a little more than 6 percent of the Nation's population, they account for only 2 percent of the gross agricultural production. Agricultural land therefore has a relatively important regional as well as local significance. This importance is fur- ther emphasized by considering the already serious imbalance between rural and urban opportunities in New England, and the relation of part-time farm- ing opportunities to the maintenance of a stable labor supply for manufacturing industry. On the other hand, a smaller proportion of the water power resources of the Northeast is devel- oped than is now being utilized in the Southeast, and rates in the Northeast constitute a higher bar- rier to domestic, rural, and industrial use of electricity. Facilities other than agricultural land that might be affected by inundation also are of local impor- tance. In some instances the existence of railroads pre- cludes the construction of potential water resources projects. Typical examples are found in the vicin- ity of the towns of Huntington, Russell, and Wor- onoco on the Westfield River where the Boston & Albany Railroad tracks can be relocated at an ele- vation high enough to permit reservoir construction, but only at great cost. Another notable example of valley occupation by a railroad is found on the White River, where cost of railroad relocation may be very high at a poten- tial reservoir site of great importance to control of the whole Connecticut River. A series of smaller reservoirs must be so arranged that they do not inundate railroads. A well developed network of highways also con- stitutes a large item of expense in water resources development. Although highway relocation costs are generally large at most reservoir sites, particu- larly in rough terrain, they seldom prove to be the major item in economic consideration of any project. Conclusions (1) Although agricultural land regionally and locally is highly significant it should not be consid- 495 |