1941: Water Power

Reports received through the United States Geological Survey as to water-power developments in foreign countries, from the Dominion Water and Power Bureau as to developments in Canada, and from the Bureau of Reclamation; the Corps of Engineers, United States Army; the Tennessee Valley Authority; the Public Works Administration; and the district engineers, United States Geological Survey, as to developments in the United States, show an increase made up of capacities not previously reported and capacities reported installed during 1941 of about 2,313,500 h.p. This makes the total reported capacity of installed water wheels in the world nearly 72,000,000 h.p. as of Dec. 31, 1941, on the basis of the most recent report of the United States Geological Survey with respect to world water power.

Many countries have reported no water-power developments within the year 1941, and many others have made no report because of the war situation, the relation of the supply of power to the production of munitions of war, and the requirement that no information be made available which might be of value to the enemy. The reports of water-power installations in 1941 should, therefore, be recognized as incomplete, especially with respect to Europe and Asia, and in a lesser degree to other countries. There is no possibility that complete figures will be available until hostilities have ceased.

On the basis of available reports, it appears that the United States continues to lead the countries of the world both in the total installation of water wheels, about 19,800,000 h.p., and in the increase, 948,000 h.p., during 1941.

See also CONSERVATION.