In a report just presented to Seattle's City Council, J. D. Ross, Superintendent of Lighting, urges that an entire change of policy be made immediatley in regard to the Cedar Falls reservoir and power plant. It will be remembered that sluicing operations have been under way for two years in an endeavor to seal the reservoir so that water might be stored int it (see Engineering Record, and Engineering News, both volumes of 1915.).

The leakage which is twice the average normal flow of the stream seems not have been lessened and a continuation of the sealing operations, Mr. Ross says, "will result only in financial disaster and should at once be abandoned in favor of a plan that is better, quicker, and perfectly sure." The new plan which would require only 12 month's working time, comprises three divisions. (1) making a rock-fill dam at the site of the old timber dam (which is about 7,000 ft. upstream from the concrete dam), (2) driving an 11-ft. tunnel 8,500 ft. long from above the proposed dam to connect with the existing tunnel and penstock line and (3) enlarging the power plant from 6,000 kw. to 18,000 kw.

A rock quarry opened some years ago is available near the dam site. The structure could be brought up to the height of the temporary spillway of the masonry dam and paved with concrete on both sides for about $150,000. The tunnel would be entirely through solid rock and could be driven from several adits. The intake end would be in the face of a steep cliff. This would raise the present water level of the lake 45 ft., increasing the storage to 80,000 acre-feet. The storage necessary to regulate the runoff of this basin, for records covering 15 years, averages 72,000 acre-feet, which would supply the 18,000 kw. contemplated. This amount of storage is considerably greater than could result from sealing, even if the operations were carried successfully to the full height contemplated.

By eliminating the present temporary structures the yearly cost of operating the enlarged plant would be actually less than present costs, Mr. Ross says. On the plan proposed the total installaton cost would be $313 per kw. as against the installation cost of $582 per kw. on the plant as it now stands.

This year the light department paid one quarter of its receipts for fuel oil. If power from the Skagit development is not available until 1923, at the present rate the city would then be paying $1,000,000 per annum for fuel. With the proposed enlargement at Cedar Falls plant serving the city, the fuel-oil bill could be cut $800,000 per annum and consumers now refused could be served.

With the report is a recommendation that a bond issue of $1,750,000 be considered at once to provide for carrying on the work. The estimated costs are as follows:

     Bringing old Cedar Lake dam
       up to a height of 30 or 35
       ft. by means of a rock fill..  $150,000
     Driving 8,500 ft. of 11-ft tun-
       nel including head gates..    1,100,000
     Transmission and substation
       labor, machinery and equip-
       ment  .....................     500,000
                                    ----------
       Total ....................   $1,750,000

The report was presented to the Seattle City Council and has been placed on file without action.