SEC. 6. That for the purpose of securing the uninterrupted gauging of the waters of the Lower Mississippi River and its tributaries, as provided for in joint resolution of the twenty-first of February, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, upon the application of the Chief of Engineers, the Secretary of War is hereby authorized to draw his warrant or requisition from time to time upon the Secretary of the Treasury for such sums as may be necessary to do such work, not to exceed in the aggregate for each year the amount appropriated in this act for such purpose: Provided, however, That an itemized statement of said expenses shall accompany the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers. Gaugings were not made until the fall of 1889, although an allotment of $900 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, had been made. On account of the lateness in the season and the condition of the river, it was not deemed advisable to expend any of the money that year. The allotments of $600, $900, and $900, made for fiscal years 1889-290, 1890-'91, and 1891-92, were applied to gauging the Mississippi River at St. Paul; and, when necessary, the Minnesota River at its mouth. During the past fiscal year 135 gaugings have been made. EXAMINATION AND SURVEY, MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examination of Red River of the North and tributaries above Fergus Falls and Crookston, Minnesota, and of Big Stone Lake, Minnesota and South Dakota, with a view to improving navigation thereon by the erection of suitable dams, or by such other means as may be deemed best, was made by the local engineer in charge, Maj. Jones, and report thereon submitted through Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northwest Division. It is the opinion of Maj. Jones, and of the division engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred by me, Maj. Jones was charged with and has completed its survey and submitted report thereon. The plan of improvement presented contemplates the formation of two reservoir systems, at Red Lake and Lake Traverse, at the headwaters of tributaries to the Red River of the North, for the purpose of diminishing the effects of floods and of storing water for use at low stages in the Red River system. The plan for the Red Lake reservoir system contemplates the construction of a reservoir dam, with a lock, in Red Lake River near the outlet of the lake. Navigation up Red Lake River to the lake is to be provided for by the construction of locks and dams at Crookston and Thief River. The plan for the Lake Traverse reservoir system contemplates the diversion of Otter Tail River into Rabbit and Bois de Sioux rivers, by constructing a dam and canal near Breckenridge; construction of a dam and lock in Bois de Sioux River below the mouth of the Rabbit; and construction of a dam at the foot of Big Stone Lake, and excava tion of a canal to connect Big Stone Lake with Lake Traverse. The estimated cost of these works, not including flowage damages, is as follows: Red Lake system: Red Lake dam and lock. Dam and lock near Thief River. Lake Traverse system: $300,000 Dam and lock in Bois de Sioux River below Rabbit River........ 150,000 Maj. Jones also suggests that a canal 55 miles long could be constructed from Red Lake to Rainy Lake River (which empties into the Lake of the Woods), extending navigation to that region, at a cost of about $15,000 per mile. The amount of commerce on the Red River of the North does not justify undertaking a project of this magnitude, and in my opinion the river is not worthy of improvement to this extent by the General Government. The reports were transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 127, Fifty-second Congress, first session. (See also Appendix Z 9.) IMPROVEMENT OF MISSOURI RIVER ABOVE SIOUX CITY, IOWA, AND OF YELLOWSTONE RIVER, MONTANA AND NORTH DAKOTA. Officer in charge, Capt. Charles F. Powell, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers. 1. Missouri River between the Great Falls, Montana, and Sioux City, Iowa.-The river above Fort Benton, the head of navigation, to the foot of the falls is seriously obstructed by numerous rapids and rocks. This part of the river is the tailing out of the Great Falls. No work has been done upon it and none is proposed. From Fort Benton to Carroll, Mont., called the Rocky River, 168 miles long, the channel was originally obstructed by bowlders, short turns and sharp slopes, and insufficient low water depth on bars for 30-inch draft boats. The original project was to remove obstructive bowlders. To this was added the building of cut-off and wing dams for causing scour of the bottom, or lengthening of the slopes by raising the water at their lower ends, or for both these objects. Dredging was also added to the project. To June 30, 1891, $329,580.32 had been expended thereon. To that date the most obstructive bowlders had been removed, some dams built, and dredging done, giving a 3-foot or deeper channel at the improved places, except at extreme low water, for part of the places. During the year ending June 30, 1892, 5 dams were repaired or extended, 4 dams or sills built, bank protection was made at one place, channels dredged through three bars, and 251 bowlders, averaging about one-half cubic yard in size, were removed. On the Sandy River, viz, below Carroll, the river becomes more and more unstable going downstream, and carries more and more sediment, until at Sioux City it is called the "Big Muddy," the banks in the bottoms cave, numerous shoals exist, floods and ice gorges occa sionally cause cut-offs or radical shiftings of the channel, and snags and bowlders obstruct it. The project here is to remove snags, wrecks, and other obstructions, and to temporarily improve the worst crossings, on which project to June 30, 1891, $42,604.10 had been expended. During the year ending June 30, 1891, 322 snags, 3 ponton-bridge stone sinkers, and 312 bank trees or stumps were removed; also a channel was opened by steamboat sluicing through a bad bar near Washburn, N. Dak., last October. A detailed hydrographic and topographic survey of the river and banks to the highlands from Fort Benton, Mont., to Sioux City, Iowa, is in execution. The survey is based on a system of triangulation between river bluffs and a duplicated line of primary levels. A series of small-scale maps and one of large-scale detail charts are being made. To June 30, 1891, $81,534.59 had been expended on the river survey. During the year ending June 30, 1892, bench marks were placed and primary levels run from Poplar Creek, Montana, to Fairbank, S. Dak., 574 miles; tertiary triangulation, hydrography, and topography were completed from Wolf Point, Mont., to next below Cannon Ball, N. Dak., 461 miles; the triangulation and back topography were run from end of the completed work to Fairbank, S. Dak., 144 miles; 63 detail charts, from Fort Benton to Wolf Point were completed and 51 of them placed with the printer for publication; preliminary or small-scale chart No. 1 was completed, except title, and No. 2 one-half finished; the 8 preliminary maps from Wolf Point to Cannon Ball were penciled, and the 58 detail charts of the same series three-fourths finished. The location for an ice harbor at Rock Haven, near Mandan, having been approved, was surveyed; it is expected to improve the locality this fall for the purpose stated. The engineer in charge recommends the rectification and permanent channel improvement of the river at Pierre and Fort Pierre, S. Dak.; the Bismarck reach, North Dakota, 25 miles, and the Yankton-Sioux City reach, South Dakota and Nebraska, 130 miles, for reasons for which see appendix. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project *..... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix A A 1.) 175, 000. 00 2. Yellowstone River, Montana and North Dakota.-The project consists in rock removal and building closing dams and wing dams for confining the water to one channel, from Glendive, Mont., to the mouth of the river. The amount expended thereon to June 30, 1891, is $106,983.80. The channel was originally obstructed by rocks, and also, and now in part, by swift rapids, sharp turns, and insufficient depths at bars. *This amount includes estimate for bank protection authorized by river and har bor act approved July 13, 1892. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project............... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix A A 2.) 11, 720. 16 106,000.00 EXAMINATION, MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examination of Missouri River, Montana, between Great Falls and canyon next below Stubbs Ferry, was made by the local engineer in charge, Capt. Powell, and report thereon submitted through Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northwest Division. It is the opinion of Capt. Powell and of the di vision engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is worthy of improvement, and this opinion was concurred in by me. No new survey of this reach of Missouri River is necessary at this time; but in order to obtain use of the results of surveys heretofore made, an allotment was made for preparation of maps, and a final report, with plan and estimate for improvement, has been submitted. The plan of improvement proposed contemplates (1) removal of snags from the reach of river extending up from Great Falls, 51 miles, known as the "long pool," which now admits 3-foot navigation at low stages, and from a few miles above; (2) construction of 2,000 feet of dams and 3,500 feet of bank protection, so as to extend the 3-foot channel 4 miles farther to the towns of Cascade and St. Clair; and (3) construction of 10,000 feet of dams, removal of bowlders and rock, and marking other bowlders and rock with buoys, on the next reach of 60 or 70 miles up to the cañon next below Stubbs Ferry, so as to provide a channel with a least depth of 2.5 feet at low water. The cost of this work is estimated as follows: It is estimated that the inaintenance of this work will cost $4,500 annually. The reports were transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 114, Fifty-second Congress, first session. (See also Appendix A A 3.) IMPROVEMENT OF TENNESSEE RIVER ABOVE CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, AND BELOW BEE TREE SHOALS, ALABAMA; OF CUMBERLAND RIVER, TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY, AND OF THEIR TRIBUTARIES IN EASTERN TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY. Officers in charge, Lieut. Col. J. W. Barlow, Corps of Engineers, to October 23, 1891, and Lieut. Col. Henry M. Robert, Corps of Engineers, since that date, with Lieut. John Biddle, Corps of Engineers, under their immediate orders. 1. Tennessee River.-a. Above Chattanooga, Tennessee (188 miles). This section of the river extends from the mouth of the French Broad River to Chattanooga, and is usually navigable during the winter and spring months. Examinations were made in 1830 and 1871. The obstructions were described as "low-water obstructions," consisting of reefs, rock or gravel bars, and snags, etc., brought down by freshets. The depth on these bars varies from 10 to 30 inches at a low-water stage; the current being from 24 to 6 miles per hour. The original project, under which the work is still carried on, was to blast a channel through the reefs, reduce the gravel and sand bars, and to deepen the water on the bars by the construction of wing dams, thus contracting the water way so as to secure a safe, navigable channel, 3 feet in depth at average low water. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, including outstanding indebtedness, was $253,891.33, which expenditure has resulted in securing a lengthened season of navigation for steamboats and a safer channel for the passage of rafts and flatboats. Of the forty-three obstructions enumerated in 1830, channel work has been carried on to the extent of improving at least twenty-nine of them. Owing to the character of the banks these improvements are practically permanent. At White Creek Shoals the longitudinal dam was lengthened and two spur dams built, causing the removal of the sand bar to deep water. The comprehensive survey "from Chattanooga, Tenn., to the junction of the Holston and French Broad rivers" provided for by act of September 19, 1890, was begun in May, 1891, under the local charge of First Lieut. John Biddle, Corps of Engineers, and was carried to Concord, about 25 miles, at the close of the fiscal year 1891. During the present fiscal year this survey was extended to Chattanooga, 188.1 miles from the initial point. The field work was finished October 31, 1891. The preparation of maps of the survey, whereon to base the required estimates and project for improvement are well advanced, and report will he rendered as soon as practicable. In July the channel at Soddy Shoals was carefully examined and preparations made for drilling and blasting the rock forming the dangerous reefs of this obstruction. Three dams were also repaired. High water and frequent rises during the season greatly hindered the progress of the work, which was entirely suspended in November. Engineer property pertaining to the Tennessee River and the upper tributaries was then moved to Chattanooga for winter moorings as a measure of economy and safety. Amount expended during the fiscal year, including outstanding indebtedness, was $17,821.80, as follows: General improvement $7,077.03 Survey from Chattanooga to junction of Holston and French Broad rivers. 10, 744. 77 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 19, 518. 70 17, 675.77 1,842.93 146. 03 1,696.90 25,000.00 26, 696.90 44,000.00 |