Plans Considered
It will be readily understood that an undertaking of this nature involved an immense amount of preliminary engineering studies. In addition to the mining engineers, geologists and geophysicists who had to be called in to study the iron ore deposits, hydraulic, hydro-electric and construction engineers and surveyors
had to be brought in to determine the best methods of diverting the waters of the Seine River and pumping out Steep Rock Lake. At least six different major plans, with many minor variations, were studied and surveyed before the best and most economical plan of diversion could be decided. Alternative sources of power, transportation and shipment all had to be investigated and considered. This work involved an immense amount of surveying, mapping and calculating. Water flows had to be studied and the levels of many lakes determined, and all the different branches of the engineering fraternity had to be brought into harmony before the final plan was completed and approved. All this consumed a great amount of time and required the services of many outstanding Canadian and American experts.
The reports of the engineers summarizng all data were then presented to the Dominion and Provincial Governments for their consideration. Great credit is due to these governments for recognizing the outstanding economic importance of the Steep Rock development, and for their decisions to give the company every possible aid in getting into production.
Fortunately, the diversion and draining plan adopted does not involve any difficult or unusual engineering problems: it is simply a big, straightforward job of work.
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