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 /O^ ^'O'-^^ •J'^-3^^ •COtJW «J"0<--'>»'^ivJ ^l«» ■JKJ<^\, -»'>^^OW <^'^ 
 
 REPORT 
 
 Of 
 
 THOMAS C. KEEFER, Esq., 
 
 ^iir-''"^ 
 
 CIVIL ENGINEER. 
 
 ON PROPOSED 
 
 I 
 
 11 WATER SUPPLY 
 
 FOR 
 
 DARTMOUTH, N. S. 
 
 II! 
 I 
 % 
 $ 
 
 
 $ 
 
 
 1949 Ll 
 
 t-s- 
 
 HALIFAX, N. ^ 
 ♦n PRINTED BY JAMES BOWES & SONS/ 
 4 ' 1876. 
 
■^ 
 
 OTTAWA, Ttii March, 1876. 
 
 O. J. TROOP, Esq., 
 
 Warden, 
 
 Dartmouth, N. S. 
 
 Dear Sir, — I have received from Mr. Murpliy, C. E., the 
 results of the surveys which I recoiutneuded to you iu my letter of 
 18th August last. 
 
 It may be proper to repeat that having examined the vicinity 
 of Dartmouth last summer, I v^^as fully convinced that the only 
 adequate sources of supply within financial reach of your town 
 were the three lakes on the Preston road, known as " Lamont," 
 ''Topsail," and " Loon" Lakes, which are over 220 feet above 
 tide, — within 3 feet of same level, and divided from each other by 
 low ground, through which a connection of dieir waters may be 
 easily made. 
 
 Apparently there was abundance of water in this quarter, there 
 being a Mill on the outlet of Lamont Lake ; — and it may be ac- 
 cepted as a rule that any source of water supply for a town is at 
 lea.st a doubtful one if it is not a " mill stream." The fact that a 
 Mill was in operation there was to me the strongest reason for 
 believing iu the sufficiency of the supply ; but I was unable to 
 pronounce upon this important point until the acreage drained into 
 these Lakes was ascertained. 
 
 The extent of water surface is not always a guide to the value 
 of these Lakes. If on a summit level they may have a mere rim 
 of drainage area around them, furnishing annually little more than 
 will supply the avaporation, and when once drawn down, it would 
 require a series of years to fill them up again. 
 
 Subterranean sources of supply are sometimes ascribed to such 
 Lakes, but the simple experiment of drawing one of them down 
 will explode this theory. This rather expensive test was made by 
 the City of London, Ontario, two or three years ago. 
 
 It requires but little reflection to be convinced that all our 
 sources of fresh water supply are derived from the clouds, and 
 that the annual quantity of water which any stream wih afford 
 depends upon the annual amount of rain and snow fall, which is 
 precipitated upon the drainage area due to that stream. A portion 
 of this water is evaporated, that from the land being the smaller 
 portion (varying very much with the character of the soil on 
 
[2] 
 
 >yhich it falls:) that from the water surface being the greater por- 
 tion if not the whole. 
 
 Evaporation jroen on at all temperatures, and for our latitudes 
 is a tolorahly constant quantity; but rain-fall varies nearly one 
 hundred per cent between the great Lakes in Ontario and the 
 neighbourhood of Halifax. While here evaporation disposes of 
 one-half of the rain-lall, with you it would seldom exceed one- 
 third, and your remainder would be about double that of ours; 
 that is the available annual yield of water from an acre in the 
 neighbourhood of Dartmouth will be about double that from an 
 acre near Hamilton, Out. Evaporation is greatest from rock and 
 clay surfaces, especially if cleared, and least from gravel, sand 
 and forest land, which immediately absorb and protect the rain- 
 fall from the sun and heated air. In this respect you are fortunate 
 about Dartmouth, and will suffer less loss than usual from this 
 action of the sim, who will always be your greatest competitor 
 for a share in the water-shed of your Lakes, 
 
 The second point in importance to be <letermined by the surveys 
 recommended, was the depth of the Lakes which it was proposed 
 to make your Reservoir's. For purposes of town supply, storage 
 is as important as drainage urea. Many streams furnish abundant 
 annual supplies, which are useless for town purposes, unless the 
 surplus in freshets can be stored up for a season of drought. Your 
 Lakes are magnificient natural reservoir's, but assuming a pro- 
 longed drounjht, during which they would receive no supply at all 
 from the clouds, while all tha while they would be losing the 
 highest amount from evaporation : it becomes necessary to know 
 to what extent they may be drawn upon. A common practice is 
 to raise the level by damming the outlet, and where the Lakes are 
 shallow this is necessary. The supply pipe should have its mouth 
 from 5 to 10 feet below the Lake surface, in order to draw off that 
 qiuintity if necessary ; and the raising of the natural surface faci- 
 litates and cheapens the work of leading out his pipo 
 
 On the other hand, unless the banks are bold, raising the level 
 is objectionable, as it increases the surface exposed to evaporation, 
 and floods more land, producing more shallow water and subaque- 
 ous vegetation, which, when exposed in a time of drought, decays 
 and taints the whole body of the water. 
 
 As Lament and Topsail Lakes have much low border, it was 
 evident from inspection that it would be desirable to avoid raising 
 their surfaces. If this had been necessary there would have been'^ 
 in addition to the value of the land so drowned, a much greater 
 expenditure to be provided for in order to remove all vegetable 
 matter from the flooded border, 
 
 :.. The results of the surveys are most satisfactory. The water- ' 
 shed of L;imont and Topsail Lakes, exclusive of their water sur- 
 faces, is 540 acres, and that of Loon Lake 630 acres, or a total of 
 1170 acres. 
 
.[3] 
 The area of water surfaces of the Lakes is as follows : — 
 
 Lamoiit, 
 
 acres, 24. 
 
 2.2!). 
 
 Topsail, 
 
 " 144. 
 
 2.12. 
 
 Loou, 
 
 " 193. 
 
 0.18. 
 
 362. 0.19. 
 
 Add laud draiued, 1 170. 0.0. 
 
 Total, 1532 acres. 
 
 The averapre raio-fall at Dartmouth is i)r()l»al)ly not loss than 50 
 inches, but as there is one year (ISiiO) in which 39 inches only 
 has been recorded, I think the rain-fall of that year may safely be 
 taken as the minimum, and it is with that we have to do at 
 present. 
 
 AUowiufr 24 inches of available water, from 1100 acres land, 
 drained by those three Lakes, this would give GO gallons per diem 
 each, to a" population of 27,000. As the storage is so large, a 
 higher per centage of the rain-fall than that due to the minimum 
 year can be utilized, because the Lakes, if drawn down only five 
 feet, would supply over one million gallons daily for a whole year 
 without any incoming water. When it becomes necessary to use 
 Loou Lake the surplus storage will be ample to make up the 
 deficiency of an exceptionally dry year. It is therefore evideut 
 that the first great desideratum, ample quantity of water, not only 
 for the present but for the future, cao be obtained from this quarter. 
 1 be'.ieve that with the addition of Loon Lake a population as large 
 as Halifax can be supplied in the future. For the wants of Dart- 
 mouth for many years to come, Lamont aud I'opsail Lakes will 
 afford an ample supply ; and the soundings taken shew that it will 
 not be tiecessary to raise their level. This will avoid much expense 
 and secure the best quality of water. 
 
 The depth of the Topsail and Lamont Lakes, ranges between 
 15 and 20 feet, and this makes them natural Reservoir's, to be 
 drawn upon in dry weather. Loon Lake, however, being 3 feet 
 lower than Topsail, must be raised before it can be used ; Ijut that 
 necessity will not arise with the present generation. Topsail Lake 
 alonv, will provide an ample supply for many years, and its value 
 is greatly enhanced by the fact that the supply from it can be more 
 than doubled in the future, by the addition of Loon Lake to the 
 system. When the population of Dartmouth becomes so large 
 that more water will be wanted than Topsail Lake can supply, if 
 the full sized pipe is now adopted, nothing further is required than 
 to dam the Loon Lake outlet, and cui. a ditch between it aud 
 Topsail L{ ke. 
 
 In order fully to draw down the surface of Topsail Lake it 
 will be necessary to deepen the channel which connects it with 
 
[4] 
 
 Lnmont Lake. This may be postponed until the necessity arises, 
 as il can bo done to bottor advanta^je when tbe water is low, and 
 it may be some years before it will bo necessary. 
 
 Tbe mouth of the supply pipe for the town should be placed 
 about ten feet (or not less than eight feet) below the level of Top- 
 sail Lake. This will not only enable you to draw the lar^^iest 
 amount from Topsail Lake, but when Loon Lake is brought in. 
 its great contents may then be drawn upon to the extent of at least 
 five feet from its raised surface 
 
 The headvvorks, gate house, screens, &c., can be put in below 
 the present dam, near the Mill, on dry ground, and a new dam 
 built below them, after which the old one may be cut through and 
 the Topsail Lake level brought down to the Mill. 
 
 The pipe track shouhl follow the highway where it is direct and 
 in favorable excavation ; but if to shorten the length or to avoid 
 rock or deep excavations, it will be better to go through privnte 
 property. The route should be selected with c^rre, on as good 
 grades as the ground will afford, avoiding all intermediate summits 
 as far as possible, especially any which ri.se above the line of a 
 continuous uniform gradient from the mouth of the pipe to Dart- 
 mouth. Where rock excavation occurs it will be better and 
 cheaper to arrange the pipe levels as far as possible to keep above 
 the rock, and to embank over the pipe and enter on private pro- 
 perty for this purpose ; if the highway is rock, or to get around a 
 high point, wherever this course may be followed. 
 
 The size of your pipe should be as large as can be afforded at 
 present. It is usual to provide a pipe capable of passing a supply 
 for say double the pre.sent population. Sixty gallons per head, 
 per diem, is considered a liberal supply ; and although there are 
 some places using more, the greater number are under this. 
 Dartmouth, however, being upon the salt water, and an eligible 
 situation for manufacturing establishments, should (with an un- 
 limited gravitation supply under high pressure) anticipate the 
 highest rate of consumption per head. In large places the esti- 
 mate for domestic use, as above, is always in excess of that re- 
 quired for another mo.st important purpose, the extinguishment of 
 fires, but in smaller towns this is reversed. For efficiency in this 
 direction, a certain provision is necessary without reference to 
 population ; and. in the case of Dartmouth, I think this is the 
 consideration whieh ought to determine the size of pipe to be u.sed. 
 For the domestic wants of Dartmouth (with a population of 6000) 
 a six inch pipe would afford an ample supply from Topsail Lake ; 
 but for fire and manufaeturing purpo.ses the size should be twelve 
 inches. With such a pipe you can dispense with fire engines of all 
 kinds, in all parts of the town, not more than 12o feet above tide. 
 Moreover, with ample capacity of pipe, the water may be freely 
 used for small occa.>iional powers, where steam could not be afford- 
 
C(l, such aa warehouse hoists, priuting presses, sewing machinos, 
 church orjjans, &c., &c. 
 
 Lastly, with such a pipe it wouhl not be necessary to buy a 
 second one when the jrrowth of Dartmouth wouhl call for tlu 
 addition of Loon Lake to your system. 
 
 COST OF THE WORKS. 
 
 The cost of brinjrin;; in the water will depend upon the size of 
 pipe adopted, and I have prepared a table she win;,' the relative cost 
 and efficiency of different sizes between 6 and 12 inch. From 
 this it will be seen that a twelve inch pipe will be more efficient 
 than five six inch pipes, while it will only cost twice as much. For 
 fire purposes the smallest size which could be entertained would be 
 1) inches, and this wonhl not he efficicMit on the hi^rher level*. The 
 fact that Dartnu)uth extends so hi;,'h above tide, and that these 
 elevations are the most helpless in case of fire, renders it doubly 
 important that the delivery should be as efficient as possible on 
 the hiorh levels ; moreover these hi<j:h levels comprise a lar;?e por- 
 tion of the taxable area, and if efficicuitly supplied their taxable 
 value will be doubled, and the rate will be cheerfully borne because, 
 with efficient water supply for house and garden purposes and for 
 fire protection, they will become the most eligible building sites. 
 
 The difference in cost between a 9 inch and a 12 inch pipe will 
 not exceed S 1 0,000 ; and the Dartmouth Water Works, with a 
 twelve inch pipe, will be worth at least double what they will be 
 with a nine inch one. The difference, in your favor, in the annual 
 cost of Fire Insurance, with the larger pipe, will in a few years 
 pay for the extra cost. 
 
 The cost of the distribution will depend upon the extent to 
 which it is carried, and the amount of rock excavation which may 
 be encountered. 
 
 Exclusive of land and water rights, the necessary present ex- 
 penditure to bring in a 12 inch pipe, with the headworks and pipe 
 track expenditure, will range between $40 000 and $50,000, antl the 
 co.st of distributing the same will be S6000 per mile, in earth ex- 
 cavation, and nearly double this amount wherever there is an 
 average of 4 feet of rock. This includes hydrants, valves and 
 special castings and all the work of laying and setting complete. 
 
 T(ie want of correct maps, shewing the position of the roads 
 and Lakes, makes it impossible to form any opinion as to how 
 direct a route the Preston Road gives between Dartmouth and 
 Topsail Lake. If the route can be shortened, or the pipe kept on 
 a higher level until it approaches Dartmouth, a route through 
 private property may be preferable. It is not necessary to pjTr- 
 chase a right of way, or create a " severance," — a " servitude" 
 
[6] 
 
 only i8 require.!. The -round over the pipe can, except in cuttin-s 
 and embftukments, be cultivated aa usual. ° 
 
 In conclu.siou I must say that I know of no town more favor- 
 ably situated for an abundant, efficient and economical supply of 
 the best quality of water thun Dartmouth. I would also say that 
 I know of no town which has regretted water works expen.liture • 
 or which has not regretted that that expenditure was, in the first 
 pla.e, too small. Everywhere the complaint is,--waut of sufficieut 
 foresight and confidence in the fulure,-want of pluck to carry 
 out, on a liberal .scale, works upon which so much of the future 
 success of the municipality depends. With such facilities as you 
 possess 1 ain satisfied n.. better investment can be ,nade ; nothin- 
 which, for the same outlay and in the same time, will add ,so much 
 and so rapidly to the population and wealth of Dartmouth, as the 
 bringing of an abundant supply of pure water from so high an 
 elevation as Topsail Lake. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 . "Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, ♦ 
 
 . THOS. C. KEEPER. 
 
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