The project contemplates the establishment of, a navigable channel not less than 15 feet deep at mean low water. The mean rise and fall of tide is 6.8 feet. The cost of the project of 1880 was estimated at $73,187.50, and as enlarged in 1886 at $190,000, inclusive of appropriations already made. In 1880, prior to improvement, the channel was not more than 9 feet deep at mean low water. During the fiscal year just closed 7,976.48 cubic yards of brush fascines and 1,737.93 cubic yards of stone were placed in the training wall. The expenditures during the year amounted to $20,209.88. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, including all outstanding liabilities, is $147,667.61, and has resulted in securing a navigable low-water chan nel not less than 15 feet deep. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended....... July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts... July 1, 1891, balance available..... $42.27 35,000.00 14,832. 39 12,000.00 2,832.39 27,500.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 27,500.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix N 7.) 35,042.27 20, 209.88 8. Jekyl Creek, Georgia.-The plan of improvement under which operations have been carried on in Jekyl Creek during the last fiscal year was adopted in 1888. The project contemplates the establishment of a navigable channel through the creek 7 feet deep at mean low water. The mean and rise and fall of tide is about 7,1 feet. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended........... The estimated cost of the improvement is $38,590. Prior to improvement the low-water depth at some places did not exceed 3 feet. During the fiscal year just closed a foundation course of training wall, 514.5 feet in length and 40 feet in width, was constructed at the mouth of the creek. There were used 2,282.22 square yards of log and brush mattresses, 28.17 cubic yards of brush fascines, and 336.18 cubic yards of stone. The expenditures during the year amounted to $3,919.60. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, including all outstanding liabilities, is $8,888.22, and has resulted in securing a navigable channel with a low-water depth of not less than 5 feet. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended ... July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. July 1, 1891, balance available $31.38 7,500.00 7,533.80 3, 919.61 3,611. 78 3,000.00 611.78 26, 090.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion ofexisting project.... harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix N 8.) 9. Cumberland Sound, Georgia and Florida.-The plan of improvement under which operations have been carried on at Cumberland Sound during the last fiscal year was adopted in 1879, and revised in 1891. The project contemplates the establishment of a navigable channel across the bar 19 feet deep at mean low water. The mean rise and fall of tide is 5.9 feet. The estimated cost of the improvement is $2,079,500, exclusive of work done prior to 1891. Prior to improvement the low-water depth of the entrance varied from 11 to 12.5 feet, with a mean rise and fall of tide of 5.9 feet. During the fiscal year just closed there were placed in the north jetty 2,769.35 square yards of brush mattresses and 382.38 cubic yards of stone, extending the foundation course 267.4 feet. The expenditures during the year amounted to $1,775.95. The total amount expended to June 30, 1891, including all outstanding liabilities, is $488,347. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.... June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts. 95,000.00 July 1. 1891, balance available...... 13, 173.78 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 1,967,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 20, 1893 1,000,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix N 9.) == 10. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering naviga tion. The wrecks of the steamers Habersham and General Lee, together with some other vessels and barges sunk during the revolutionary and civil wars, were, after due advertisement, removed by contract during the year. (See Appendix N 10.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examination of Yellow River, Georgia, from the railroad bridge near Covington to the Ocmulgee, with a view of obtaining a steamboat channel of 5 feet deep at mean low water, was made by the local engineer in charge, Captain Carter, and report thereon submitted through Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Southeast Division. It is the opinion of Captain Carter, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is not worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred in by me, no further survey was ordered. (See Appendix N 11.) The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Captain Carter, and reports thereon submitted through Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Southeast Division. It is the opinion of Captain Carter, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are worthy of improvement. The conclusions of these officers being concurred in by me, Captain Carter was charged with their survey, the reports on which will be submitted when received. 1. The inside route between Savannah, Georgia, and Fernandina, Florida, with a view of obtaining a steamboat channel of 7 feet depth at mean low water. 2. The inside route between Doboy and Sopelo [Sapelo], Georgia, with a view of making the same navigable for sea-going vessels. 3. Brunswick Outer Bar, Georgia, to determine the feasibility and cost of deepening the same to 26 feet at ordinary high water. IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN RIVERS AND HARBORS IN FLORIDA. Officer in charge, Capt. W. M. Black, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. D. DuB. Gaillard, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders; Division Engineer, Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. 1. St. John's River, Florida.-Operations for the improvement of this river have been carried on in conformity with a project submitted in 1879 by the late General Gilmore, Colonel, Corps of Engineers. The plan contemplates the formation of a continuous channel 15 feet deep at mean low water from Jacksonville to the ocean. The points where work is required are in a reach near Dame Point, 12 miles from the mouth, and on the bar at the mouth. Near Dame Point the mean lowwater depth varies from 12 to 13 feet, with a tidal range of 1 to 2 feet. The bar at the mouth is formed of sand. Before work began the mean low-water channel depth across it varied from 5 to 7 feet, with a tidal range of 5.8 feet. The channel across the bar shifted continuously north and south through a mile range. The work was divided into two parts: (1) The formation of a channel across the bar at the mouth, by the concentration and direction of the tidal currents by two jetties, to start from the opposite shores of the entrance, and to converge, until, on the bar, their outer ends should be approximately parallel and 1,600 feet apart; and (2) the improvement of the Dame Point Reach, by dredging, and the construction of works of protection, under a project approved June 11, 1891. As the improvement at the mouth was at first most urgently needed, the five appropriations up to that of 1886, inclusive, aggregating $675,000, were made for improving "the channel over the bar at the mouth," under the estimate for that part of the total project. Since 1887 the depth on the bar has been greater than that in the Dame Point Reach, and the interests of commerce have demanded that work at the latter point should be started. Accordingly, the appropriations since 1888 were made for improving the river "from Jacksonville to the ocean, including the channel over the bar at the mouth," under the estimate for the entire project. At the close of the fiscal year 1889-'90, $828,065.21 had been expended. The south jetty had a total length of 7,147 feet. Of this 1,740 were at the full height and capped; 2,740 were built to the height of mean low water, but with insufficient width of crest; for 800 feet further the average low-water depth on the crest was 1 foot; for the remaining distance the jetty crest was about 5 feet below mean low water. The total length of the north jetty was 9,048 feet. Of this 553 feet were built to full height and capped; 6,404 feet were built up to mean low water, with insufficient width of crest; the mean low-water depth over the remaining length averaged 1 to 5 feet. Prior to 1886 the jetties were built of alternate layers of mattresses and rock. Since that date mattresses have been used in the foundation course only. A survey of the Dame Point Reach was made in 1889. Work by contract, under the appropriation of 1890, was begun in February, 1891. Since that date 12,976.8 tons of rock and 14,783 square yards of brush mattresses have been placed in the jetties. The south jetty superstructure has been raised to the level of mean low water for 1,000 feet. The north jetty foundation has been extended 1,117 feet and its superstructure built up for 236 feet. In October and November, 1890, a small amount of dredging was done in the north chanuel over the bar and in the Dame Point Reach. Other work during the year included the construction of a storehouse and wharf and the construction of wings to the south jetty shore extension. During the year the favorable action of the jetties has continued. The 12-foot contour of the north channel was pushed seaward 2,100 feet. It is now distant only 700 feet from the outer 12-foot contour of the bar, with a minimum channel depth of 10 feet at mean low water between. The south jetty channel is also improved. The mean lowwater depth over the inner bar is now 11.5 feet and over the outer bar 13 feet, as against 8.9 and 11.2 feet of last year, with a straighter channel. Ward Bank, between the jetties, has entirely disappeared. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $23, 094. 51 170,000.00 193,094.51 602,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... (See Appendix O 1.) 2. Oclawaha River, Florida.-The portion of the Oclawaha River which it is proposed to improve lies between Leeburg on Lake Griffin and the mouth, a distance of 94 miles. The channel width varies from 30 to 70 feet and the depth from 5 to 9 feet. From the outlet of Lake Griffin, for a distance of 28 miles, the river is sluggish in current, has numerous bends, and is badly obstructed by floating islands and grass. For the remaining 58 miles the current is strong and the principal obstructions are snags and overhanging trees. An appropriation of $10,000 was made in the act approved September 19, 1890, for improving the river. A portion was spent on making a survey and map and in preparing a project. The remainder will be expended in removing the obstructions. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. $10,000.00 2, 455.68 7,544.32 33.42 7,510.90 |