July 1, 1892, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892... $19, 646.77 30,000.00 49, 646.77 20, 730.51 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1893, balance unexpended. 28,916. 26 July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities. $781.16 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... 26, 818.84 27, 600.00 1,316. 26 July 1, 1893, balance available...... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix T T 3.) 508, 660.00 150, 000. 00 4. Wilmington Harbor, California.-Previous to the commencement of this improvement in 1871, there was a depth of less than 2 feet at the entrance at low tide. Since that time the operations of dredging and jetty construction have secured a depth of 16 feet at mean low tide in the inner harbor, and a depth of over 14 feet at the entrance. The present project is intended to secure a depth of 16 feet at same stage, which will permit vessels drawing 21 or 22 feet to enter at high tide. During the past year the ship Big Bonanza, drawing 18.8 feet, entered the harbor and unloaded at the wharves. During the past year operations have been continued with the appropriation of $51,000 made by river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, combined with the balance of a former appropriation. A contract was entered into with Patrick O'Neil, after due advertisement, for delivering 18,000 tons of rock for the jetties. Under this contract work was continued upon the extension and repair of the jetties. At the close of the fiscal year the contractor had delivered 7,458.7 tons of rock, which was used in strengthening the east jetty inside of Deadmans Island and in the extension seaward of the jetty beyond the island. The line of single work of the east jetty was also raised and strengthened to resist threatened encroachment of the sea. During the coming season the work of jetty extension will be continued to the extent of the available funds. With the expenditure of the amount now on hand the present project will be completed. No further appropriation is asked at this time, as it is desired first to ascertain fully the effects of the operations now in progress in securing the desired depth at the entrance. A survey of the entire harbor is now in progress. The total amount appropriated for this work is $955,000, and the total amount expended to close of fiscal year, including outstanding liabilities, is $918,238.88. July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities $2, 119. 36 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts... July 1, 1893, balance available 16,782. 84 (See Appendix T T 4.) 5. San Diego Harbor, California.-Before the adoption of the present project the work carried on at San Diego had for its object the preservation of the harbor, which was being injured by the deposition of material brought down the San Diego River in flood stages. The river was diverted from its course and caused to empty into False Bay. This was accomplished by building a substantial levee across the mouth of the river and excavating a new water way leading to False Bay. This work was completed in 1876. The present project for the improvement of the harbor contemplates the preservation and repair of the above levee, securing a depth of 26 feet at mean low tide over the outer bar by the construction of a jetty on Zuninga Shoals and dredging and maintaining a channel of 24 feet depth at mean low tide over the shoal at the head of the middle ground. Jetty. The ground on Coronado North Island needed, in connection with the construction of the jetty, was recently purchased under an agreement made by the Department with the Coronado Beach Company. Upon the acquisition of the land specifications were issued and proposals invited for the construction of so much of the jetty as the available funds would permit. During the coming season work will be continued upon the construction of the jetty. Middle ground.-The dredged channel through the middle ground has shoaled over a narrow crest to a depth of about 16 feet at mean low water. This shoaling is due to natural causes, the material being brought into the harbor over Zuninga Shoals during flood stages of tide. With the construction of the jetty this movement of sand will be controlled and the material will be impounded behind the jetty. It is not intended to continue operations at the middle ground until the jetty shall have been extended sufficiently far to permit the dredging to be carried on and a permanent channel maintained. The total amount appropriated for the levee at San Diego Harbor since 1875 is $82,500, and the total amount expended on this work is $82,085.37. There has been appropriated for the jetty and dredging $110,000, and the amount expended, including purchase of land and outstanding liabilities, is $21,722.90. The amount of $200,000 is asked for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895. 284,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1895 200, 000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix T T 5.) 6. Colorado and Gila rivers at Yuma, Ariz.-Prior to the appropriation of $10,000 made by the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, no survey had been made of the locality upon which to base a project for improvement. An allotment of $500 was accordingly made from the above amount for this purpose. The survey was completed in October last, and a project was submitted and approved by the Secretary of War, November 25, 1892. The act requires the construction of a levee along the Gila River, near its junction with the Colorado at Yuma, Ariz., so as to confine the waters to the channels of those rivers. It is proposed to build a substantial levee along a slough near the eastern boundary of Yuma, extending from the high land on the left bank of the Colorado to an embankment of the Southern Pacific Railroad at the southerly limit of the town. The total length of the levee will be about 3,200 feet. The right of way for the levee has been obtained from the various property owners free of expense, and the deeds have been placed upon record. Owing to the intense heat prevailing at Yuma during the summer seasons, the construction of the levee will not be commenced until autumn. Specifications will be issued and proposals invited, so that the work can be carried on at that time. When completed the levee will fulfill the conditions of confining the waters of the Gila and Colorado to their respective channels and thereby prevent overflow. The officer in charge states, however, that it is not expected that any improvement of the Colorado River will be effected thereby. The total amount appropriated for this work is $10,000, and the total amount expended is $496.93. Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892. July 1, 1893, balance unexpended.......... $10,000. 00 496.93 9.503.07 (See Appendix T T 6.) EXAMINATIONS MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED JULY 13, 1892. The preliminary examinations of the following localities, required by act of July 13, 1892, were made by the local engineer, Lieut. Col. W. H. H. Benyaurd, Corps of Engineers. 1. Navigable slough known as Twelve Mile Creek, in the Bay of San Francisco, California.-Lieut. Col. Benyaurd submitted report under date of October 10, 1892. It is his opinion, concurred in by this office, that the locality is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 91, Fifty-second Congress, second session. (See also Appendix T T 7.) 2. Alviso Slough, California.-Lieut. Col. Benyaurd submitted report of examination under date of October 22, 1892. It is his opinion, concurred in by this office, that the locality is not worthy of improvement by the United States. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 44, Fifty-second Congress, second session. (See also Appendix T T 8.) EXAMINATION BY BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR DEEP-WATER HARBOR AT SAN PEDRO OR SANTA MONICA BAY, CALIFORNIA, IN COMPLIANCE WITH RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED JULY 13, 1892. The river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892, provides as follows: The Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to appoint a board of five engineer officers of the United States Army, whose duty it shall be to make a care ful and critical examination for a proposed deep-water harbor at San Pedro or Santa Monica bays, and to report as to which is the more eligible location for such harbor in depth, width, and capacity to accommodate the largest ocean-going vessels and the commercial and naval necessities of the country, together with an estimate of the cost. Said board of engineers shall report the result of its investigations to the Secretary of War on or before the first of November, eighteen hundred and ninety two. The board appointed under this provision, consisting of Col. William P. Craighill, Lieut. Cols. Henry M. Robert and Peter C. Hains, and Majs. C. W. Raymond and Thomas H. Handbury, Corps of Engineers, submitted its report under date of October 27, 1892, in which it expresses the following opinion: Having made a careful and critical examination for a proposed deep-water harbor at San Pedro or Santa Monica bay, as required by law, the board is unanimously of opinion that the location selected by the Board of Engineers of 1890, at the present anchorage at the westerly side of San Pedro Bay, under Point Fermin, is the "more eligible location for such harbor in depth, width, and capacity to accommodate the largest ocean-going vessels and the commercial and naval necessities of the country." The cost of the necessary break water, of the size and character determined upon, is estimated at $2,885,324. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 41, Fifty-second Congress, second session. (See also Appendix TT 9.) IMPROVEMENT OF SAN JOAQUIN AND SACRAMENTO RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES AND OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN CALIFORNIA NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO. This district was in the charge of Maj. W. H. Heuer, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. G. H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers. 1. San Joaquin River, California.-When a project was first adopted for the improvement of this river, in 1877, there was only a low-water channel to Stockton of about 6 feet in depth, and this was gradually deteriorating. The upper river, above Stockton, was navigable for about six months in the year for light draft boats. The project first adopted was for a channel 9 feet deep to Stockton, secured by dredging the shoal places both in the river and Stockton Channel; the making of cut-offs to straighten the river between Stockton and the mouth; the removal of snags, scraping of bars, and building small wing-dams in the upper river to increase the depth and prolong the boating season. The closure, or partial closure, of several crevasses or sloughs that injured navigation by the amount of water they took from the river has since been added to the project. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, there had been expended on this project $257,780.55. This expenditure had secured and maintained, severally, a 9-foot channel to Stockton all the year round; had straightened the river by 4 cut-offs, 3 near Devils Elbow and 1 at Head Reach, and made navigation between the cities of San Francisco and Stockton easy and safe. In the upper river Laird Slough and Paradise Cut had been partially closed by dams, but the length of the boating season had not been materially prolonged, as in the low stages of the river, except for a few miles above Stockton Channel, there is not water enough for navigation purposes. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the annual dredging necessary to maintain the 9-foot channel to Stockton has been carried on with most successful results, and navigation has been uninterrupted. The dams both at Paradise Cut and Laird Slough were flanked by the heavy floods and were repaired. The amount spent on the improvements during the fiscal year was $22,925.30, and the results were of great benefit to the commerce of the river. The right of way necessary for a double cut-off in the narrows, just below Stockton Channel, has been acquired, and bids for doing the work will be opened early in the next fiscal year. At Twenty-one Mile Slough the right of way has also been acquired for a cut-off, which will be shortly made. In both these cases the right of way was acquired free of expense to the United States Government. The following is a list, in the order of importance, of the works needed for the improvement of this river, together with the estimated cost of the several items: (1) Dredging to maintain 9 feet depth to Stockton... (2) Making cut-off at Twenty-one Mile Slough.. $35,000 65,000 (3) Increasing cut-off at Head Reach in width, depth, or both.... 37,750 (4) Removing obstruction near county bridge, above Stockton Channel... (5) Snagging, wing dams, etc.. 5,000 10.000 152,750 Total.... All the above amounts could be advantageously expended in one fiscal year. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 152, 750.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix U U 1.) 2. Mokelumne River, California.-Before improvement navigation in this river was difficult and dangerous on account of numerous bad snags and overhanging trees, and the object of the original project, adopted in 1884, was the removal of such as obstructed navigation. The river was cleaned out to the head of navigation in 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, and 1888, and navigation was made easy and safe. It has since deteriorated, but as the act of July 13, 1892, appropriating funds for this river, provided that none should be expended until a drainage canal, dug by private parties near New Hope Landing, should be closed free of expense to the Government, the commencement of the work has been delayed. This canal has now been closed and the improvements will be resumed. There was expended up to June 30, 1892, on the improvement of this river, $12,457.62, and this resulted in great benefits to navigation. No work has been done during this last fiscal year. The improvements now needed for the safe navigation of this river are the removal of the snags and trees obstructing navigation, the removal of a point of land near New Hope Landing, and also a shoal formed by the drainage canal. The estimated cost of these works is $9,100, and they could all be done in one fiscal year. |