Page images
PDF
EPUB

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix Z 5.)

$693, 868. 63

6. Red River of the North, Minnesota and North Dakota.-The project for the improvement of this river from Breckenridge to the northern boundary line, adopted in 1877 and amended as to cost in 1883, consists in the removal of snags, leaning trees, and bowlders, and in dredging channels through the bars, at an estimated cost of $179,310. A revised estimate made, in 1887, placed the cost of completing the improvement at $79,598.37.

Before improvement the ruling depth upon bars between Moorhead and Goose Rapids at ordinary low water was but 13 feet and below Grand Forks 2 feet, while between Moorhead and Abercrombie the navigation was at all times difficult.

The work to June 30, 1891, has resulted in opening a channel 3 feet deep at ordinary low water and 60 feet wide from Moorhead to a point 80 miles north, and a channel 4 feet deep at ordinary low water and about 70 feet wide from Grand Forks to a point 62 miles north by river; also in the removal of snags and trees between Moorhead and Abercrombie so as to afford safe passage for steamers between those points during high and medium stages of water.

Total amount expended, including outstanding liabilities, to June 30, 1891, $198,932.58.

Dredging operations in 1891 were continued to October 28 on the reach of river north of Grand Forks, and resulted in extending the dredged channels 22 miles. The excavated channels are 4 feet in depth at low water and aggregate 21,510 feet in length; 100,442 cubic yards of material was removed.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities.

July 1, 1892, balance available.....

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30,

1893....

(Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix Z 6.)

$19, 158.83 17, 091.78

2,067.05 1,300.00

767.05

25,000.00

25, 767. 05

9, 598. 37

7. Gauging Mississippi River at or near St. Paul, Minnesota.-The Board of Engineers, to whom was referred the project for the application of $37,500 appropriated by the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, for reservoirs at headwaters of Mississippi River, recommended in their report dated May 24, 1887, "that such gaugings be made at or near St. Paul during the annual operation of the reservoirs as shall determine accurately the discharge at that point at critical periods.” (Page 1692, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1887.)

The river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, authorized the gaugings, and provided for them as follows:

And the Secretary of War shall cause such gaugings to be made at or near St. Paul during the annual operation of said reservoirs as shall determine accurately the discharge at that point, the cost of the same to be paid out of the annual appropriation for gauging the waters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The estimated cost of these works, not including flowage damages, is as follows:

Red Lake system:

Red Lake dam and lock...

Dam and lock near Thief River.

Lake Traverse system:

Dam and lock in Bois de Sioux River below Rabbit River....
Canal between Otter Tail River and Rabbit River, near Breck-

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Maj. Jones also suggests that a canal 55 miles long could be constructed from Red Lake to Rainy Lake River (which empties into the Lake of the Woods), extending navigation to that region, at a cost of about $15,000 per mile.

The amount of commerce on the Red River of the North does not justify undertaking a project of this magnitude, and in my opinion the river is not worthy of improvement to this extent by the General Gov

ernment.

The reports were transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 127, Fifty-second Congress, first session. (See also Appendix Z 9.)

IMPROVEMENT OF MISSOURI RIVER ABOVE SIOUX CITY, IOWA, AND OF YELLOWSTONE RIVER, MONTANA AND NORTH DAKOTA.

Officer in charge, Capt. Charles F. Powell, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers.

1. Missouri River between the Great Falls, Montana, and Sioux City, Iowa.-The river above Fort Benton, the head of navigation, to the foot of the falls is seriously obstructed by numerous rapids and rocks. This part of the river is the tailing out of the Great Falls. No work has been done upon it and none is proposed.

From Fort Benton to Carroll, Mont., called the Rocky River, 168 miles long, the channel was originally obstructed by bowlders, short turns and sharp slopes, and insufficient low water depth on bars for 30-inch draft boats. The original project was to remove obstructive bowlders. To this was added the building of cut-off and wing dams for causing scour of the bottom, or lengthening of the slopes by raising the water at their lower ends, or for both these objects. Dredging was also added to the project.

To June 30, 1891, $329,580.32 had been expended thereon. To that date the most obstructive bowlders had been removed, some dams built, and dredging done, giving a 3-foot or deeper channel at the improved places, except at extreme low water, for part of the places.

During the year ending June 30, 1892, 5 dams were repaired or extended, 4 dams or sills built, bank protection was made at one place, channels dredged through three bars, and 251 bowlders, averaging about one-half cubic yard in size, were removed.

On the Sandy River, viz, below Carroll, the river becomes more and more unstable going downstream, and carries more and more sediment, until at Sioux City it is called the "Big Muddy," the banks in

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... 106, 000.00
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix A A 2.)

EXAMINATION, MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF RIVER
AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890.

The required preliminary examination of Missouri River, Montana, between Great Falls and canyon next below Stubbs Ferry, was made by the local engineer in charge, Capt. Powell, and report thereon submitted through Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northwest Division. It is the opinion of Capt. Powell and of the division engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is worthy of improvement, and this opinion was concurred in by me. No new survey of this reach of Missouri River is necessary at this time; but in order to obtain use of the results of surveys heretofore made, an allotment was made for preparation of maps, and a final report, with plan and estimate for improvement, has been submitted. The plan of improvement proposed contemplates (1) removal of snags from the reach of river extending up from Great Falls, 51 miles, known as the "long pool," which now admits 3-foot navigation at low stages, and from a few miles above; (2) construction of 2,000 feet of dams and 3,500 feet of bank protection, so as to extend the 3-foot channel 4 miles farther to the towns of Cascade and St. Clair; and (3) construction of 10,000 feet of dams, removal of bowlders and rock, and marking other bowlders and rock with buoys, on the next reach of 60 or 70 miles up to the cañon next below Stubbs Ferry, so as to provide a channel with a least depth of 2.5 feet at low water.

The cost of this work is estimated as follows:

[blocks in formation]

It is estimated that the maintenance of this work will cost $4,500 annually.

The reports were transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 114, Fifty-second Congress, first session. (See also Appendix Ꭺ Ꭺ 3.)

IMPROVEMENT OF TENNESSEE RIVER ABOVE CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, AND BELOW BEE TREE SHOALS, ALABAMA; OF CUMBERLAND RIVER, TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY, AND OF THEIR TRIBUTARIES IN EASTERN TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY.

Officers in charge, Lieut. Col. J. W. Barlow, Corps of Engineers, to October 23, 1891, and Lieut. Col. Henry M. Robert, Corps of Engineers, since that date, with Lieut. John Biddle, Corps of Engineers, under their immediate orders.

« PreviousContinue »