mile 14. The minimum depths available throughout the year were 6 feet from mile 0 to mile 11 and 3.8 feet from mile 11 to mile 14, mile 0 being at mouth of stream. Depths refer to mean low Gulf. There are about 60,000 cubic yards of material to be dredged to secure a channel 6 feet deep and 50 feet wide. To June 30, 1917, $16,330.61 was expended for new work. Local cooperation. The conditions of the appropriating act provide that rights of way for the cut-offs shall be furnished without cost to the United States. Conveyances and abstracts for the 10 cutoffs have been secured and were submitted to the Department of Justice for approval. Effect of improvement.-A better channel has been secured for boats to reach the pumping plants along the stream. These plants use oil as fuel, which is brought in by barge from Mermentau River. However, the work has not yet been completed, and the full benefits to accrue can not yet be determined. Proposed operations.-It is expected that the available funds will suffice for necessary operations to June 30, 1919, and no additional funds are requested at this time. Recommended modifications of project.-None. Commercial statistics.-A comparative statement of receipts and shipments for the past five years is as follows: 1 The amount of tons and value for 1914 is restated, based on latest standardized method of ascertaining tons and value. The tonnage for the calendar year 1916 consisted principally of logs, fuel oil, rice, and miscellaneous merchandise. The usual limits of draft for loaded boats varied from 4 to 6 feet. Logs and fuel oil, which comprise about 84 per cent of the total tonnage, required vessels of a draft of 4 and 6 feet, respectively. Financial summary. Amount expended on all projects to June 30, 1917, exclusive of receipts from sales, etc.: $16, 330. 61 29, 000. 00 July 1, 1916, balance unexpended. Amount appropriated by river and harbor act approved July 27, 1916– $11, 711. 82 3,000.00 14, 711. 82 June 30, 1917, amount expended during fiscal year for new work___ 2, 042. 43 July 1, 1917, balance unexpended‒‒‒‒ 12, 669. 39 23. BAYOU PLAQUEMINE BRULÉ, LA. (E4). Location and description.-Bayou Plaquemine Brulé rises in the southwestern part of St. Landry Parish and flows in a general southwesterly direction, entering Mermentau River about 5 miles above Mermentau, La. Ít is about 75 miles long. The section under improvement is from mouth to near Crowley, La., a distance of about 19 miles. The stream is partly tidal, has widths varying from 40 to 150 feet, and a watershed area of 360 square miles. The discharge at low-water stage is about 54 second-feet, at high water about 5,400 second-feet, and at average stage about 450 second-feet. Original condition. Before improvement the stream was in fairly good condition for 8 miles above its mouth, the remaining distance being obstructed with snags, overhanging trees, and drift. The stream had widths from 40 to 150 feet and depths from 4 to 35 feet. On account of obstructions only small boats navigated the stream. The range of tide at mouth was about 1 or 2 inches and nothing at the head. Previous project.—None. Existing project. This project provides for the removal of snags and other obstructions and for dredging a channel having a width of 60 feet on bottom and depth of 6 feet below mean low Gulf, from its mouth to a point near the town of Crowley, La., a total distance of about 19 miles. Under ordinary conditions the mean range of tide is about 1 or 2 inches at mouth and nothing at head; the extreme range of tide being 3 or 4 inches at mouth and nothing at head. The variation of water surface due to floods is at times about 10 feet. The estimated cost for new work was $10,000. The latest approved estimate of cost for annual maintenance is $250. The existing project was adopted by the river and harbor act of June 25, 1910, in accordance with the report published in House Document No. 789, Sixtieth Congress, first session. There is no published map. Operations and results during the fiscal year. The work during the year consisted of general inspections and supervisions of the stream. There was expended during the fiscal year for maintenance for office expenses, $3.96. Condition at the end of the fiscal year.-A channel 6 feet deep at mean low Gulf and 60 feet wide has been secured for 19 miles from the mouth to near Crowley, La., by dredging and removing obstructions. The existing project was completed in 1915, affording a 6-foot depth at mean low Gulf throughout the year. To June 30, 1917, there was expended $32,759.90 for new work and $1,695.16 for maintenance, a total of $34,455.06, not including receipts from sales, etc., amounting to $47.20. Local cooperation.-There was no local cooperation imposed by law. Right of way was furnished for cut-off free of cost to the United States and accepted by the Government March 9, 1915. ད Effect of improvement.-Obstructions have been removed, channel deepened, and navigation made possible under the project section, enabling better facilities for transportation of material over the bayou. Proposed operations.-It is expected that the available funds will suffice for necessary work of maintenance to June 30, 1919, and no additional funds are requested at this time. Recommended modifications of project.-None. Commercial statistics.-A comparative statement of shipments and receipts for the past five years is as follows: 1 The amount of tons and value for 1914 is restated, based on latest standardized methods of ascertaining tons and value. The usual limits of draft for loaded vessels varied from 3 feet 6 inches to 6 feet. Logs and fuel oil, which comprise about 93 per cent of the total tonnage, required vessels of 4 and 6 foot draft, respectively. The balance of commerce can be carried in boats of 4 foot draft. Financial summary. Amount expended on all projects to June 30, 1917, exclusive of receipts from sales, etc., formerly included, amounting to $47.20: New work___ Maintenance_ Total expended___ Total appropriations to June 30, 1917___ $32, 759.90 1, 695. 16 34, 455. 06 40,000.00 Amount appropriated by river and harbor act approved July 27, 1916. 2. 000. 00 June 30, 1917, amount expended during fiscal year, for maintenance__ 3,548. 90 3.96 July 1, 1917, balance unexpended-- 3, 544. 94 Amount allotted from river and harbor act approved Aug. 8, 1917 2,000.00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1918. 5, 544.94 24. BAYOU DES CANNES, LA. (E5). Location and description.-Bayou Des Cannes has its headwaters in Evangeline Parish, flows in a southerly direction, and empties into the Mermentau River. The air-line distance from the farthest tributary to its mouth is 38 miles and the section under improvement is 8 miles. The stream is semitidal. The width varies from 50 to 200 feet. The stream has a watershed of about 402 square miles. The discharge at low water is about 60 second-feet, at high water about 6,000 second-feet, and at average stage about 500 second-feet. Original condition.-Navigation on Bayou Des Cannes was not practicable except by small launches and oil barges, owing to numerous obstructions. The channel from the mouth to the Acadia Parish bridge (8 miles), was from 5 to 40 feet deep and from 50 to 200 feet wide. After improvement by local interests small launches could ascend about 13 miles above the mouth. The range of tide is from 2 to 3 inches at the mouth and nothing at the head. Previous projects.-None. Existing project. This project provides for the removal of overhanging trees, logs, snags, etc., from the bayou from its mouth to the Evangeline bridge. The total length of improvement is 8 miles. Under ordinary conditions the mean range of tide at mouth is about 2 or 3 inches and nothing at head; the extreme range of tide being 4 or 5 inches at mouth and nothing at head. The variation of the water surface due to winds is from 1 to 2 feet, and to freshets is from 6 to 10 feet near mouth, and over 20 feet in upper reaches. The estimated cost of new work was $500. There is no approved estimate of cost of annual maintenance. The existing project was authorized under the provisions of section 1 of the river and harbor act of July 25, 1912; $500 being allotted on February 2, 1916, from the appropriation "Maintenance and improvement of existing river and harbor works" (for Mermentau River and Tributaries.) There is no published map. Operations and results during the fiscal year.-Preliminary examination was made of this stream in October, 1916, in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of the river and harbor act of July 27, 1916, and report thereon was submitted on April 17, 1917. No funds were spent on improvement during the year. Condition at the end of fiscal year.-During the fiscal year 1916 the lower 8 miles of the improvement was partially cleared of obstructions, but the work was not thoroughly done due to lack of sufficient funds. The ruling depths, mean low gulf, on June 30, 1917, were as follows: From mouth to mile 15.25 (Tota bridge), 7 feet; from mile 15.25 to mile 31.25 (Frisco Railroad bridge), 1 to 5 feet and badly obstructed. Mile zero being at mouth of stream. There has been expended to June 30, 1917, $500 for maintenance. Local cooperation.-From time to time private interests have removed obstructions from the stream from its mouth to about one-half mile below Iota bridge (mile 151), and have dredged numerous landing slips and cut-offs; the cut-offs aggregating 5,950 feet in length, between mile 83 and mile 143. Effect of improvement. The improvement has resulted in temporarily rendering navigation safer and easier and available for larger boats. Proposed operations.—None. Recommended modifications of project.-None. Commercial statistics.-A statement of shipments and receipts for the calendar years 1915 and 1916 is as follows: The tonnage consisted principally of logs, lumber, and fuel oils, logs comprising about 53 per cent of the total tonnage, and fuel oil 43 per cent. These articles require vessels from 4 to 6 feet draft. Financial summary. Amount expended on all projects to June 30, 1917, exclusive of receipts from sales, etc.: 25. CALCASIEU RIVER AND PASS, LA. (E6). Location and description.-Calcasieu River has its source in southwestern Louisiana, and flows in a general southerly direction to the Gulf of Mexico. About 25 miles from the Gulf it debouches into Calcasieu Lake, which lake is about 18 miles long. The connection between the lake and the Gulf, about 7 miles long, is known as Calcasieu Pass. The entire length of the stream is about 215 miles, but the portion under improvement extends from the mouth of the pass through Calcasieu Lake up the river to Philips Bluff, a distance of 97 miles. (See U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey chart No. 20.) The waterway is tidal to Lake Charles, La., and partly tidal from Lake Charles to Philips Bluff; has widths varying from 100 feet to over a mile and a drainage area of 3,475 square miles. The discharge at low water is 600 second-feet, at high water 60,000 second-feet, and at average stage 5,000 second-feet. Original condition.-River head of navigation in 1881 was at Jones Bluff, 72 miles from Gulf, or 27 miles above Lake Charles. Occasionally small boats went up 12 miles farther. Above Jones Bluff to Philips Bluff, 25 miles, the river was obstructed with snags and sand bars and had a width of about 100 to 150 feet and a depth of 5 feet in places. From Jones Bluff to Calcasieu Lake the stream had an average depth of 10 feet, mean low Gulf, with width vary |