July 1, 1888, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities July 1; 1889, balance available (See Appendix QQ 3.) $1,660.84 7,400.00 9,060.84 $5, 913. 12 6,647, 25 2,413, 59 4. San Luis Obispo Harbor, California.-The project is intended to secure a protected anchorage by the construction of a breakwater along Whaler's Reef, extending from Point San Luis to Whaler's Island, and thence to a point where the reef rises above high water. The total length of the structure, when completed, will be about 2,300 feet. The work was commenced last February with the appropriation of $25,000, made by the act of August 11, 1888. At the close of the fiscal year the contractor had deposited 2,812 tons of rock on the line of the breakwater, very nearly completing that portion of the structure between Point San Luis and Whaler's Island. Work will be continued the coming season with the balance of the appropriation on hand. The estimate herewith is intended to continue the construction beyond Whaler's Island. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.. liabilities outstanding July 1, 1889.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities... July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts... July 1, 1889, balance available..... $25,000.00 $5,805.51 18,671. 10 24, 876.61 123.39 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... 259, 900.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 100,000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Q Q 4.) 5. Wilmington Harbor, California.-The present project is intended to secure a depth from 14 to 16 feet at mean low tide. Previous to the commencement of the improvement, there was a depth not to exceed 1. foot at the entrance at low tide; the operations have resulted in securing a greatly increased width and depth of channel. A depth of not less than 12 feet can now be carried throughout the entire length of the channel. It is intended to still increase this depth by dredging and extending the jetties. These operations will be carried on during the coming season, and in the future, under the existing project, to the extent of the funds made available. No dredging was done during the past year, owing to the failure to obtain reasonable bids for the work, though proposals were twice solic ited by advertisement. The officer in charge states that he expects to have this work done by other parties, owning dredging outfits, at a price that may be considered reasonable. The only work done on the jetties consisted in raising and strength. ening a portion of the east jetty, which was endangered by high tides. The total amount appropriated for this work is $870,000, and the total amount expended, including outstanding liabilities, is $741,041.21. The $85,000 required to complete the present project can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891. July 1, 1888, amount available... Amonnt appropriated by act of August 11, 1888. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1889, balance available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix Q Q 5.) 85,000,00 85,000. 00 6. San Diego Harbor, California.-The project for this improvement was made in 1875, and the work was completed in 1876, the object being to prevent the filling up of the harbor by material brought down by the San Diego River during flood stages. The work consisted in chang. ing the course of the river, causing it to empty into False Bay, by excavating a new water-way and building a levee across the old channel near its entrance to the harbor. Operations since the above date have been simply with a view of keeping the levee in good condition. A small force was employed last year in this work. The amount asked for is to make such repairs as may be needed. The amount appropriated since 1875 is $82,000, and the amount ex pended is $81,918,45. July 1, 1888, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888. $41.91 1,000.00 1,041.91 July 1, 1839, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. 960.36 July 1, 1889, balance available .. 81.55 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 500.00 (See Appendix Q Q 6.) 7. Survey of San Francisco Harbor, San Pablo and Suisun Bays, Straits of Carquinez, and mouths of San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers, Cali fornia, officer in charge, Col. G. H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers, until March 21, 1889.-These surveys were commenced in 1887 with the appropriation of $11,000 made by the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886. An area of 110.5 square miles in the bay of San Francisco was surveyed, and the maps thereof completed. There yet remains to be surveyed the western half of the bay, including the entrance. The estimate presented here with is intended to extend the survey over the entrance. July 1, 1888, amount available $2,014.85 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. 568.34 July 1, 1889, balance available 1,446.51 14,000,00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1891 14,000,00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Q Q 7.) EXAMINATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 11, 1888. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Major Benyaurd, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement, with facts and reasons for such opinion. The Chief of Engineers, concurring in the conclusions reached in these instances, has given no instructions to make further survey with the view to their improvement: 1. San Buenaventura Harbor, California.-(See Appendix Q Q 8.) 2. San Simeon Bay, California.-(See Appendix QQ 9.) 3. Colorado River between Camp Mojave and the point where the boundary line between Nevada and Utah Territory intersects said river, includ ing the river between Camp Mojave and El Dorado Cañon, Arizona.-(See Appendix Q Q 10.) IMPROVEMENT OF ENTRANCE TO HUMBOLDT BAY; OF SAN JOAQUIN, MOKELUMNE, SACRAMENTO, AND FEATHER RIVERS, AND PETALUMA CREEK, CALIFORNIA. Officer in charge, Maj. W. H. Heuer, Corps of Engineers. Division Engineer, Col. G. H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers. 1. San Joaquin River, Stockton and Mormon Sloughs, California.-The project adopted in 1877 and slightly modified in 1881 had for its object to secure and maintain a channel 9 feet deep and 100 feet wide to Stockton, 4 feet deep and 80 feet wide to Miller's warehouse in Mormon Slough, to straighten the river by cut-offs below the mouth of Stockton Slough, and to temporarily improve the low-water channel of the Upper San Joaquin by the removal of snags, scraping bars, and the construction of wing-dams. Before work was commenced the channel to Stockton had at low-water stage a depth of only 6 feet. The upper river was navigable to Hill's Ferry for boats drawing 2 feet or less for 6 or 7 months in the year. There has been expended to June 30, 1889, on the river and sloughs, $173,034.12. During the past year $15,079.76 was expended in dredg ing Stockton Slough and building a submerged dam at Paradise Cut, the latter was done by contract at a cost to the United States of $5,600. From the Stockton Slough 82,150 cubic yards of material was dredged by the United States dredge and put on shore, leaving a good channel 9 feet deep throughout the length and breadth of the slough. At Paradise Cut the dam built was 255 feet long and its crest was 8 feet above low-water level of the San Joaquin River. The water poured over the dam to a depth of 44 inches for several months, and in June, 1889, as one flank of the dam became undermined, it became necessary to cut away about 30 feet of the dam where built in stiff clay in order to save the balance of the structure. Repairs will have to be made here during the coming autumn when the river is at its lowest stage.. A dam is also required to close a crevasse at Laird's Slough; the estimated cost of this dam is $9,570. The amount of money appropriated in 1888 was insufficient to warrant the building of this structure. The dredging and other work done in the river has been very beneficial to navigation, though the rates of freight and insurance have not been materially reduced in consequence of the improvement. Where cutoffs have been made they have proved of great advantage and have been self-maintaining. With any future appropriations it is proposed to continue work on the adopted project in the following order unless otherwise directed by Congress, and depending on amounts appropriated: 1. Dredging to maintain 9 feet depth to Stockton. 2. Repairs to Paradise Cut Dam. 3. Closing crevasse at Laird's Slough. 4. Suagging, scraping, or building low wing-dams in Upper River. 5. Making new cut-off at Twenty-one Mile Slough or Head Reach. Estimated amount that can be profitably expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, $50,000. July 1, 1888, amount available..... $795.64 Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888. 25,000.00 25,795.64 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888...... 15,079.76 July 1, 1889, balance available..... 10,715.88 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 50,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Ꭱ Ꭱ 1.) 2. Mokelumne River, California.-The project was adopted in 1884; its object was the removal of snags and overhanging trees which obstructed navigation between the mouth of the river and Benson's Ferry. Both forks of the river were cleaned out to the head of navigation at a cost of $10,960.58. Appropriations have been made at various times for the improvement of this river amounting to $13,000. During the past year the snag-boat Seizer worked in this river from December 1 to December 18, 1888, and removed snags, overhanging trees, and cleared the brush from the banks. Snags will continue to lodge in the narrow channel, and occasional work by the snag-boat will be necessary. It is believed that no additional money will be necessary for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891. The project as made has been completed; it has enabled boats to get to Benson's Ferry and made 10 or 12 miles of river, which was dangerous to navigate, perfectly safe. Steamboats make regular trips. It is not known that freight or insurance rates have been reduced in consequence of the improvement. July 1, 1888, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.......... July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.... July 1, 1889, balance available.. (See Appendix R R 2.) $39.42 2,000.00 2,039. 42 1, 479. 12 560.30 3. Sacramento and Feather rivers, California.-The project was made in 1874 and had for its object the improvement of the low-water channel by wing-dams, bar scraping, and the removal of snags and trees. Up to June 30, 1889, there has been expended for this purpose $342,632.01, which includes the construction of a dredge, snag-boat, and two barges. Thus far Congress has appropriated for these streams $465,000, but by act of July, 1884, prohibited the expenditure of $100,000 of these funds until the Secretary of War should be satisfied that hydraulic mining had been stopped, and $13,890.03 additional have been reserved for legal expenses in the suppression of hydraulic mining. Before improvement began, in 1875, the Upper Sacramento River was much obstructed by snags, navigation was dangerous, and freight and insurance rates were very high. Snags accumulated annually; at first they were removed by contract, afterwards by our own snag-boat and hired labor at less than half the cost heretofore paid. Railroads were built upon both sides of the river; thereafter and after the removal of the snags, freight rates were reduced fully one-half and navigation was rendered perfectly safe. It is not assumed that the improvement of the river alone produced the reduction in freight rates and insurance. Competition with the railroads was an important factor in this reduction, but had the snags not been removed, navigation would have been impracticable, and in all probability these rates would have been increased instead of being reduced. The last appropriation of $20,000 for continuing the improvement was so worded that it could only be used for dredging and snagging work. This was unfortunate, as dredging in these rivers is only of temporary benefit to the low-water channel, and better results are produced by wing-dams at less cost and in less time; but as no funds could be used for wing-dams, only snagging operations could advantageously be applied during the past fiscal year. The snag boat worked about ten weeks in 1888 and removed all the troublesome snags in the river, and thus permitted navigation to go on uninterruptedly. She also repaired a wing-dam near the city of Sacramento. The transportation company furnished the material (old barges) with which the repairs were made. The snag-boat now needs extensive repairs, estimated to cost about $8,000, and until these repairs are made will be unfitted for further service. She is again in commission, and must complete the work for this summer on which she is now engaged, which will probably exhaust all the funds available. The legislature of the State of California, in March, 1889, empowered the governor to appoint three engineers as an examining commission on rivers and harbors in California. The legislative act referred to says the commission shall determine what steps are necessary for the rectification and improvement of such rivers and streams, and shall make, or cause to be made, such surveys, examinations, maps, designs, drawings, estimates, specifications, etc., as will enable Congress to clearly understand the condition of such rivers and the cost and expense of properly rectifying the same. Reference to printed annual reports since 1874 shows what is necessary to improve and maintain the low-water navigation of these rivers, and the improvement and maintenance of lowwater navigation is all that the Government engineers have attempted, of which Congress has been fully informed and for which funds have been appropriated and judiciously expended. Snags will re-form and will have to be removed annually, hence no final estimate for the completion of the work can be made with any degree of accuracy. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, $48,000 can be expended to good advantage in snagging and building low wing-dams. |