11. Surveys for reservoirs at the sources of the Mississippi, Saint Croix, Chippewa, and Wisconsin rivers.-The officer in charge reports that if the reservoir work now begun in Minnesota at the headwaters of the Mississippi river is to extend to the Saint Croix, Chippewa, and Wisconsin rivers, it will be necessary, in order to meet questions constantly arising, as well as to be enabled to make closer estimates of cost of dams, &c., to continue hydrological observations, to continue borings at proposed dam-sites, to recontour some of the sites, and to work up maps, drawings, and estimates. He estimates the cost of such examinations for one year at $50,000. There having been no appropriation for such work during the past fiscal year, nothing was done under this head. 1 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. $50,000 00 (See Appendix Y 11.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1882. The following locality was examined by the local engineer in charge and not recommended for improvement: 1. The source of Minnesota River, near the foot of Big Stone Lake, with a view of its being added to the reservoir system of the Mississippi and its tributaries. (See Appendix Y 12.) And upon a favorable report, after preliminary examination in each case, Major Allen was charged with and completed the following, the results of which were transmitted to Congress and printed as Senate Ex. Doc. No. 76, Forty-eighth Congress, first session: 1. The lakes near the headwaters of Cannon River, in Rice and Le Sueur counties, Minnesota, with a view to adding the same to the reservoir system of the Mississippi and its tributaries. (See Appendix Y 13.) 2. Minnesota River, near the village of Belle Plaine, with a view to prevent the washing away of the banks of said river opposite said village. (See Appendix Y 14.) IMPROVEMENT OF TENNESSEE AND CUMBERLAND RIVERS, AND OF CERTAIN RIVERS IN EASTERN TENNESSEE, GEORGIA, AND KENTUCKY. Officer in charge, Maj. W. R. King, Corps of Engineers, with Capt. Eric Bergland, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. 1. Tennessee River.-a. Above Chattanooga.-Examinations of the river were made in 1830 and 1872 from Chattanooga to Knoxville, 189 miles. The present project for the improvement of this section is based upon the latter examination. The obstructions, some twenty-nine in number, were found to consist of gravel bars, rock reefs, rapids, and shoals, with about 15 inches of water over them. The project of improvement contemplates the removal of these obstructions by blasting a channel through the reefs, and building stone wing and retaining dams to scour out the gravel, or deepen the channel by reducing its width, so as to secure a depth of 3 feet at low water. The total amount expended up to June 30, 1884, is $215,408.45, which has resulted in the removal of many obstructions and greatly improved others. There is now a depth of 2 to 3 feet at low water as far as Knoxville. No work has been done during the fiscal year. The estimate for the improvement of this section made in 1872 and 1874, and modified in 1877, was $225,000. On account of the small amounts of the annual appropriations it will not be possible to complete all the work that should be done within the modified estimate, and as the work is of great importance, the Engineer in charge of the work recommends that the estimate be increased to $300,000, and that the additional amount ($75,000) be applied to the completion of the existing project, and to the repair and extension of some of the dams already built. July 1, 1883, amount available.... $287 05 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 ...... 3,091 55 81,500 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix Z 1.) 20,000 00 b. Below Chattanooga.-The original condition of this portion of the river was as follows: From Chattanooga to Brown's Ferry, 162 miles, about 3 feet of water for nine months of the year; thence to Florence, 39 miles (including the Muscle Shoals obstructions), not navigable; from Florence to mouth of river, 255 miles, 10 to 20 inches over numerous shoals, with navigable pools between them. The present project, adopted in 1872 and modified in 1877, consists in building a canal, 70 to 120 feet wide and 6 feet deep, around the Big Muscle Shoals, with nine locks, 300 feet between gates and 60 feet wide, to replace the old canal built by the State of Alabama nearly fifty years ago; and in extending the improvement in a similar manner around Elk River Shoals, where two locks and 13 miles of canal are required; Little Muscle Shoals, and minor obstructions between Chattanooga and Paducah, to be improved by channel excavation, wing-dams, &c. The total amount expended to June 30, 1884, was $2,345,500, and has resulted in the improvement of the river as follows: Several of the more serious obstructions between Chattanooga and Decatur have been removed, and others greatly reduced. On the Elk River Division the channel excavation is completed; stone for one lock and half of the other has been quarried, cut, and placed near the sites of the locks. On the Bluewater and Shoal Creek Divisions the nine locks are completed. ready for the gates; one pair of iron gates has been constructed; the masonry of the Shoal Creek Aqueduct, 900 feet long, is completed; permanent bridges have been built over three creeks; the canal trunk is well advanced and can be easily completed in one year. The Little Muscle Shoals have been put in navigable condition by rock excavation and wing dams. Snags and other obstructions have been removed, and considerable heavy work has been done at Colbert Shoals and other points below Florence. Work during the year was mostly confined to the Elk River Division, where stone was moved from Trinity Quarry to Decatur by rail, thence to lock-sites by water. Dams injured by high water were repaired, and two iron lock-gates were constructed in Chattanooga and sent down the river to Lock No. 1. The amount available and the appropriation herein estimated for can be profitably expended in continuing operations at the Muscle Shoals, and in removing minor obstructions in other parts of the river between Chattanooga and Paducah. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $23,650 00 18,579 15 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. 5,070 85 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884 23,650 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix Z 1.) 350,000 00 1,437,500 00 550,000 00 2. Cumberland River.-The States of Tennessee and Kentucky made appropriations for the survey and improvement of the Cumberland in 1830, and in 1870, 1875, 1879, 18-0, 1881, and 1883 surveys and examinations were authorized by Congress, upon which the present plans of improvement are based. (a) Below Nashville (192 miles).-The project for the improvement of this section consists of blasting out a channel through the rock reefs, and removing bowlders, gravel bars, snags, and overhanging trees, in order to prolong the season of navigation. During the year work was carried on at Little River Shoals, Lower Nashville Island, Harpeth Shoals, Palmyra Island, and Race-Track Shoals. The work at the last three points is completed; at the first two it is respectively one-fourth and nine-tenths finished. Also snag-boat work between Nashville and Little River Shoals. Before improvement there was an average depth at the shoals of about 14 inches at low water. The work done has resulted in a lengthened season of safe navigation for steamers drawing from 3 to 4 feet, enabling them to make more trips with less difficulty and in less time than before improvement, and making it practicable to run light-draught boats during the low-water season. The entire amount expended on this section to June 30, 1884, is $234,938.86. The amount available and that herein asked for can be profitably expended in continuing work upon the shoals below Nashville, including the bar at the mouth of the river, in accordance with the present plan. The original estimate for the improvement of this section was made in 1871, and was $248,821. On account of the small amounts appropriated from year to year, the cost of improvement will exceed the estimate. For this reason, and with a view to the more thorough improvement of some of the most serious obstructions, the Engineer in charge of the work recommends that the original estimate be increased to $348,000. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of $5,268 26 outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $5,044 76 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. 162 36 5,207 12 July 1, 1884, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. 61 14 7,500 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 7,561 14 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 105,500 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 50,000 00 (See Appendix Z 2.) (b). Above Nashville.—From Nashville to the foot of Smith's Shoals (327 miles).-Work was in progress at the beginning of the fiscal year, and was continued until the appropriation was exhausted, September 1, 1883. Building of riprap dams, dredging in the channel, and snagboat work were carried on at several obstructions. The work of improvement has resulted in a cleared channel, having an increased depth of from 6 to 8 inches at the principal obstructions, by which the season of navigation is lengthened. Larger boats are now making regular trips to Point Burnside than were used before the improvement, although the work is not yet completed. The project for improvement hitherto followed consists in blasting out a channel through rock reefs, removing gravel bars, bowlders, snags, and overhanging trees, and building riprap dams where a contraction of water way is necessary. The original project and estimate have been modified by recent survey-as set forth in Senate Ex. Doc. No. 129, first session Forty-eighth Congress-which also includes Smith's Shoals. The amount expended up to June 30, 1884, was $162,000. The appropriation now available and that herein asked for can be profitably expended above Nashville in building locks and dams, and in such open channel work as will be needed whether the lock system be carried out or not. A small portion of the funds now available may be used to advantage in making detailed surveys necessary for locating the first locks and dams. July 1, 18-3, amount available... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 $2,388 23 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. $2,212 05 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.... 2,388 23 50,000 00 4,027,922 00 (See Appendix Z 2.) 400,000 00 (c) Smith's Shoals (8 miles long).—These embrace four rapids, with an aggregate fall of 55 feet, which form a positive barrier to up stream and a serious obstruction to down-stream navigation. The original plan of improvement, based on the survey of 1875, was to deepen the channel and make it as smooth as practicable by excavating through the reefs, remove bowlders, contract the channel, and change the direction of the current, where necessary, by the use of riprap dams. The amount expended up to June 30, 1884, was $115,000, which has resulted in completing the improvement as contemplated. These shoals are now in as good condition as those higher up, and are available for navigation, as shown by the increased number of barges and rafts which passed over the shoals during the year. As these shoals are included in the new project for the Cumberland River above Nashville, no further estimate or project for their improvement is necessary. July 1, 1883, amount available .... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities (See Appendix Z 2.) $771 50 $690 90 80 60 771 50 (d) Above the mouth of the Jellico (110 miles).-The principal obstructions consist of eleven mill-dams, and snags, bowlders, &c., in the channel. The latter have been removed, but no work has been done on this section during the last two years, because of the nature of the remaining obstructions, and the fact that the legislature of Kentucky has granted a charter to a company to build locks and dams on this part of the Cumberland, and operate the same for fifty years. The amount expended up to June 30, 1884, was $9,638.44. No further appropriation is asked for this part of the Cumberland River. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884, amount available $5,727 56 $282 00 366 00 5,361 56 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ (See Appendix Z 2.) 35,000 00 3. Hiwassee River, Tennessee.-This river is tributary to the Tennessee, and is navigable for about 33 miles from its mouth. An examination was made in 1874, upon which the present plan of improvement was based. The total amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $28,868.47, which has secured a greatly improved channel from Savannah Ford to its mouth, but all of the shoals have not yet been improved according to the project. No work was done during the year. The appropriation asked for ($5,000) can be profitably expended in completing the projected work if it be made in one appropriation, for with a smaller amount the work cannot be economically done, and there is no commercial necessity for an outlay of money not so expended. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1884, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 $149 27 17 74 131 53 2,500 00 2,631 53 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix Z 3.) 5,000 00 5,000 00 4. French Broad River, Tennessee.-This river joins the Holston about 4 miles above Knoxville, Tenn., forming the Tennessee River. It has a course of about 121 miles in Tennessee, 90 miles of which, from the mouth to Leadvale, are capable of being improved under the existing project. Above Leadvale slackwater navigation, involving enormous cost, is the only practicable improvement possible. The total amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $18,500, and has secured the improvement of eleven principal obstructions, giving an additional depth of water of not less than 10 inches, the present plan being to provide a 23-foot channel at low water, as high as Leadvale. The amount asked for ($15,000) can be profitably expended in continuation of work under the present project. $27 87 27 87 3,500 00 July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ 128,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix Z 4.) 15,000 00 |