WW 3. IMPROVEMENT OF COLUMBIA AND LOWER WILLAMETTE RIVERS BELOW PORTLAND, OREGON. For further information relative to the improvement of these streams attention is invited to the summary of this report. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 1908. The original revetment of Coon Island at the mouth of the Willamette River was a brush and stone-pile dike, with two rows of piles. This dike was flanked some years ago, leaving a portion of it in the channel of the river, where it had become a serious obstruction to navigation. Two thousand five hundred and fifteen linear feet of this dike was removed by a large dipper dredge during the year, at a cost of $5,515. The dredging was carried to a depth of 23 to 33 feet at low water. The stone revetment at Coon Island was extended 380 feet upstream and 80 feet downstream. Cubic yards of rock placed, 4,458; square yards of revetment constructed, 6,910; total cost, $5,484. The usual low-water surveys after the summer freshet in the Columbia were made at Willow bar, Henrici bar, Martins Bluff bar, and Hunter bar. Channel survey was made between St. Johns and the steel bridge in the Willamette River, Portland Harbor. The U. S. dredge W. S. Ladd worked the entire year in the lower estuary, and removed 472,998 cubic yards of material, at a total expense of $36,303.63. The total cost per cubic yard was $0.0768, of which the coal item alone, which was exceptionally high this year, was $0.0296. The total amount dredged by this boat in this and previous fiscal years is 7,376,802 cubic yards. The dredges Columbia and Portland, belonging to the port of Portland commission, were used in dredging the main ship channel from Portland to the mouth of the Willamette River and in the Columbia River at Henrici bar, Hunters bar, Dobelbowers bar, and Slaughters bar. The total amount excavated was 2,012,000 cubic yards, and the total cost was $93,085. As there was no national appropriation available, the expense was borne by the port of Portland commission. The ruling depth at the end of the fiscal year between Portland and the mouth of the estuary was about 22 feet, with the exception of one point near Astoria, where there was but 20 feet, but where an 8-foot tide can be taken advantage of for passing deep-draft vessels. The increase in the ruling depth in the main ship channel since the beginning of improvement is about 8 feet. The variations in water level are 2-foot tide at Portland and 7-foot tide at Astoria. The variations due to freshets in the Columbia range from 21 feet at Portland to zero at Astoria. The new dredge to replace the W. S. Ladd, which is being constructed under contract with the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, of New York, is nearly completed, and it is expected that she will start on her voyage around the Horn about next October. Miscellaneous work of repairs to plant were carried on at the Government moorings below Portland, and numerous applications for permission to erect fish traps and other structures were examined and acted upon. Money statement. July 1, 1907, balance unexpended. $387, 384. 07 14. 35 387, 398. 42 Allotted Philadelphia district for constructing dredge, less $3.20 account sales of blueprints__ 46, 101. 80 341, 296. 62 June 30, 1908, amount expended during fiscal year for maintenance of improvement 61, 095. 14 July 1, 1908, balance unexpended. July 1, 1908, balance available_____. 280, 201.48 2,815.00 277, 386. 48 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. 2, 498, 509. 93 (Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1910, for maintenance of improvement, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1, 1908. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sundry civil act of 200,000.00 APPROPRIATIONS. Lower Willamette, act of― June 23, 1866. March 2, 1867_. July 25, 1868 (allotted). April 10, 1869 (allotted). July 11, 1870. June 10, 1872. Lower Willamette, from Portland to the sea, act of— March 5, 1873.. June 23, 1874. $15,000.00 30, 000.00 21,000.00 13, 365.00 31,000.00 50,000.00 160, 365. 00 20,000.00 March 3, 1875_ August 14, 1876. March 3, 1879_. 20, 000, 00 20, 000, 00 20, 000. 00 30, 000. 00 45,000.00 155,000.00 Lower Willamette and Columbia, from Portland to sea, including bar at the mouth of Columbia River, act of— June 14, 1880_. March 3, 1881. August 2, 1882__. 45, 000, 00 45, 000. 00 100, 000. 00 190, 000.00 Columbia and lower Willamette, below Portland, Oreg., act of— Name of contractor: The Port of Portland, Portland, Oreg. Date of contract: September 4, 1906. Character: Hire of 30-inch suction dredge. Amount of work: Indefinite. Price: $265 per day. Approved: September 18, 1906. Date of beginning: September 18, 1906. Date of expiration: June 30, 1908. Emergency : Name of contractor: Geo. W. Sanborn, Astoria, Oreg. Date of contract: June 20, 1907. Character: Furnishing and delivering coal. Quantity: Approximately 2,000 tons. Prices: $7.75 per ton of 2,240 pounds for "Black Diamond." $7.60 per ton of 2,240 pounds for "South Prairie." $7.75 per ton of 2,240 pounds for "Franklin." Approved: Contract authorized by Chief of Engineers June 7, 1907. Date of expiration: June 30, 1908. Emergency: Name of contractor: Pacific Bridge Company, Portland, Oreg. Date of contract: March 21, 1908. Character: Hire of one dipper dredge and two scows. Prices: $170 per day for use of dredge. $5 per day for use of each scow. Approved: Contract authorized by Chief of Engineers March 20, 1908. Date of expiration: Thirty days after date of beginning. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Arrivals and clearances of vessels at Astoria, Oreg., during the year ending December 31, 1907. [From collector of customs at Astoria, Oreg.] Principal articles of import were cement, coal, and Chinese merchandise. Arrivals and clearances of vessels at Portland, Oreg., during the year ending December 31, 1907. Registered tonnage, in and out, over Columbia River bar during year ending Total freight, foreign and coastwise, carried in and out over the Columbia River bar during the calendar year 1907, 1,664,717 tons. |