Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts. July 1, 1893, balance available $86.00 2, 394.00 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 J 4.) $3,000.00 227.65 2, 772.35 2,480.00 292.35 12, 000, 00 12,000.00 5. Nomini Creek, Virginia.-This stream is an important tributary of the Potomac, which it enters about 82 miles below Washington, D. C. Navigation was obstructed in 1872 by a bar of sand and oyster shells at its mouth, over which but 3 feet could be carried at low tide, and the dangers and difficulties of passing the bar were further increased by a rapid current and cross tides. After passing the bar 8 feet can be carried to Nomini Ferry, about 4 miles above the mouth. The original project for the improvement, adopted in 1873, provided for dredging a channel 100 feet wide and 9 feet deep through the bar. The project was modified in 1879 by increasing the width to 150 feet, and again in 1885 by increasing the width to 200 feet. In 1890 a further modification was made, proposing the construction of two jetties parallel to the outer channel, retaining the width of dredging at 150 feet. The total cost of this modified project was placed at $72,500. At the close of work in 1883 a channel about 100 feet wide and 9 feet deep had been dredged through the bar. During the suspension of work from 1883 to 1889 the cut was reduced in depth and width by deposits of sand. In 1889 the outer channel was widened and redredged on the westerly side for a width of 94 feet and a length of 1,470 feet, the depths being from 8.9 to 13.8 feet. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, the channel at and outside of White Point was dredged, the width attained being from 130 to 150 feet, and the depth 9 feet. A riprap dike was built inside White Point to check the cross tidal current. Up to June 30, 1892, $42,211.76 had been expended. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, $1,665.35 has been expended. Two hundred linear feet of the east jetty outside White Point has been finished during the year. 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 J 5.) 20,000.00 20, 000 00 6. Patuxent River, Maryland.-The present head of navigation on the Patuxent River is Bristol, Md., about 46 miles above the mouth. Prior to the commencement of the improvement navigation below Bristol was obstructed by two mud bars, (1) Swann Point Bar, about 43 miles above the mouth, having a least depth of 7.8 feet, and (2) Bristol Bar, at Bristol, having least depths in front of the two wharves of 7.6 and 4.2 feet. Two other bars below, viz, Pope Shoal (24 miles above the mouth) and Warren Reach Bar (34 miles above the mouth), were mentioned in the report of the preliminary examination as worthy of survey, but they offer no obstruction to the present standard of navigation. The original project was adopted in 1888, and contemplated dredging a cut 200 feet wide and from 12 to 13 feet deep through Swann Point Bar and Bristol Bar, so as to secure a permanent channel about 100 feet wide and 12 feet deep at low tide. This project was modified in 1890 so as to provide for a channel 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep (then already dredged) at Bristol Bar and a channel 100 feet wide and 9 feet deep at Swann Point Bar, these last named dimensions being regarded as sufficient for the present and immediately prospective demands of commerce. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, $10,079.13 had been expended. A channel 120 feet, 12 feet deep, and 794 feet long had been dredged at Bristol Bar, and a channel 9 feet deep, about 100 feet wide, and about 2,250 feet long through Swann Point Bar. This work completes the existing project, unless it should appear from future examinations that works of contraction are needed to maintain the channel at Swann Point Bar. At the present time no further appropriations are recommended. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1893, balance unexpended...... (See Appendix J 6.) $920,87 65.00 855.87 7. Rappahannock River, Virginia.-The obstructions to navigation of the Rappahannock River before improvement were nine bars between Tappahannock, 41 miles above the mouth, and Fredericksburg, 106 miles above the mouth, over which the ruling depths were from 4 to 10.5 feet. The chief obstructions were in the 12.5 miles of river below Fredericksburg, where seven of the bars are found. Of these bars, Fredericksburg Bar, with a least depth of 4 feet, and Spottswood Bar, 4 miles below Fredericksburg, with a least depth of 6 feet, caused the most delay to steamboats and vessels. The original project, adopted in 1871, proposed a channel 10 feet deep and 100 feet wide through all the bars. This was modified in 1879 by increasing the dimensions of the channel between Port Royal and Tappahannock to 15 feet in depth and 200 feet in width to accommodate the larger class of vessels. Up to June 30, 1892, $90,500 had been expended on the original project and $123,066.38 on the modified project, making a total, including outstanding liabilities, of $213,566.38, and depths of from 8.4 to 9.5 feet secured through the bars between Fredericksburg and Port Royal by dredging and the construction of dikes. Wrecks and snags obstructing navigation had also been removed. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, $8,200.86 has been expended. Fourteen snags have been removed between Fredericksburg and Port Royal and 711.6 linear feet of dike built at Fredericksburg Bar. The redredging of a channel 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep at Fredericksburg Bar is in progress. As each recurring freshet brings additional deposits of sand and silt into the river, the officer in charge recommends an annual appropriation of $7,500 for the maintenance of the improvement. July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts 11, 395.00 13, 393.00 July 1, 1893, balance available.... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. 1,375. 73 144, 000. 00 25,000.00 8. Urbanna Creek, Virginia.-Urbanna Creek is a tributary of the Rappahannock River, which it enters 16 miles above the mouth. Before improvement navigation was obstructed by a bar outside the mouth, over which but 6.5 feet could be carried, and a shoal within the creek having a least depth of 7 feet. The original project adopted in 1879 provided for dredging a channel 150 feet wide and 10 feet deep through the outer bar. This project was extended in 1883 so as to include dredging to 10 feet through a shoal within the creek near the town of Urbanna. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, $20,534.04 had been expended. The channel through the outer bar had been dredged to a depth of 10 feet and a width of 140 feet, but owing to the action of storms the width had decreased from sand filling to 110 feet and shoaled to depths of from 83 to 93 feet. A channel had also been dredged through the shoal within the creek from 80 to 170 feet wide and 10 feet deep, and dikes and jetties had been built along the sand spit to check the movement of sand, which tends to close the natural channel at the end of the spit. This channel was widened 70 feet by dredging off the end of the sand spit. The depth made was 10 feet at low tide. An appropriation of $3,000 was made July 13, 1892, which will be applied to widening and deepening the channel through the outer bar. This work was in progress at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, and at that date the channel was 10 feet deep and 120 feet wide. July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts........ 1,841.00 1,990.00 July 1, 1893, balance available 303.52 *$1,916.97 due on contract of Geo. E. Ward, dated April 5, 1889. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... $10,080.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 10, 080. 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 J 8.) 9. York River, Virginia.-The Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers unite at West Point, Va., to form the York River, which is 41 miles in length and empties into Chesapeake Bay about 16 miles above Old Point, Va. Prior to the commencement of the improvement navigation was obstructed by Potopotank Bar, 9 miles below West Point, on which the ruling depth was 18.5 feet; by West Point Bar, extending about 2 miles below West Point and having a ruling depth of 15.5 feet; and by shoal water in front of the West Point wharves, at the mouth of the Pamunkey. The original project provided for a channel 22 feet deep and 200 feet wide through these bars, with an increased width at the wharves. In 1884 the proposed channel width was increased to 400 feet, and in 1887 the project was amended so as to include the construction of a dike along the flats on the right of the channel to contract the waterway and maintain the depth dredged, which had decreased from continued silting. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, $145,924.18 had been expended in the following work: A channel 105 feet wide and 22 feet deep was dredged in 1880-'81 through Potopotank Bar, which had, however, shoaled in 1890 to from 20.8 to 21.7 feet. A channel 22 feet deep and from 161 to 257 feet wide, with a center cut 24 feet deep and 40 feet wide, had been dredged at West Point Bar below the wharves, but this channel has shoaled to such an extent that much redredging has been necessary. The channel in front of the West Point wharves has been dredged to a width of 160 feet and a depth of 22 feet, the length being 2,700 feet. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the construction of the dike at West Point Bar was commenced and at the close of the year was still in progress. Great difficulty has been experienced in finding suitable dumping grounds on the York River. The flats on either side of the channel are largely occupied by oyster beds, whose owners object to the dumping of material or the construction of dikes. July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts..... 37, 690.00 37,780.00 July 1, 1893, balance available. 7,692.40 115, 050.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 100, 000. 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 J 9.) 10. Mattaponi River, Virginia.-The Mattaponi River is navigable for small steamers from its mouth, at West Point, Va., to Ayletts, Va., a distance of about 52 miles, and can be made navigable for barges for about 26 miles above Ayletts to Munday Bridge. The obstructions to 5.5-foot navigation are five bars below Ayletts, having ruling depths of from 2.5 to 3.6 feet, and wrecks, snags, logs, and overhanging trees. There were eight bars reported above Ayletts, but no improvement of them is proposed. The approved project adopted in 1880 provides for a channel 40 feet wide and 5.5 feet deep through the bars below Ayletts and the removal of logs, snags, overhanging trees, wrecks, etc., as far up as Munday Bridge. The river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, directed the expenditure of $1,500 in improvement of the river between Ayletts and Guinea Bridge, near Milford Station, on the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, $19,167.39 had been expended in removing snags, wrecks, logs, and other obstructions between Robinson Bar and Munday Bridge, a distance of 34 miles, and in building 2,226 linear feet of dike at Robinson Bar, and in the construction of the plant necessary for these operations. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the removal of snags was in progress under the appropriation of $1,050, made July 13, 1892. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended ... Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892. June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year.... July 1, 1893, balance unexpended 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 J 10.) $132.61 4,000.00 4, 132. 61 930.91 3, 201. 70 336.00 2,865.70 48,800.00 10, 000. 00 11. Pamunkey River, Virginia.—The Pamunkey River has a navigable length of 59 miles, and empties into the York River at West Point, Va. Navigation was originally obstructed by five bars in the upper part of the river and by snags, logs, and overhanging trees. The project was adopted in 1880 and amended in 1885, and provides for channels 100 feet wide and 7 feet deep through Spring Bar and Skidmore Bar, or to a distance of 47 miles above West Point, and channels 40 feet wide and from 3 to 5 feet deep through the bars above, together with the removal of logs, wrecks, snags, and overhanging trees. The amount expended to June 30, 1892, was $18,446.66. Snags, logs, and overhanging trees had then several times been removed from 22.5 miles of the river between Garlick Ferry and Hanovertown; dikes had been built at Spring Bar and Skidmore Bar, and a channel 95 feet wide and from 6 to 7 feet deep had been dredged through Skidmore Bar. The plant necessary for snagging operations, pile driving, etc., had been constructed, being paid for in part from appropriations for this river. No work has been done during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the plant being engaged on the Rappahannock River and the Mattaponi River, and not available for the Pamunkey. |