embarrassed navigation. The channel is now straightened by three new channels, cutting off the bends. The channel was deepened by dredging to 3 feet at low water through the whole length, except for 2,600 feet at the upper end, where the depth was made 2 feet. Some filling has taken place, caused by wash from the land in freshets. The amount appropriated is..... $30,000 00 27,656 91 This improvement has been and will continue to be of great advantage to a considerable commerce and to a large number of industrious people occupying a fertile tract of country. July 1, 1883, amount available.. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883... July 1, 1884, amount available.... (See Appendix 0 0 5.) 15, 029 54 12, 686 45 2,343 09 6. Humboldt Bay and Harbor, California.-During the year there were 11,520 cubic yards of material dredged in widening the channel in front of the Arcata Landing to 110 feet where the width was less. The length so widened was 1,900 feet and the depth made was 10 feet. The channel fronting the town of Eureka was deepened to 13 feet over a distance of 3210 feet, requiring dredging of 26,080 cubic yards. The widths vary from a maximum of 150 to a minimum of 50 feet for a short distance. The depth adjoining this channel is usually 10 feet. Studies of physical conditions at the entrance were kept up during July and August. The funds now available and asked for are to be expended in the construction of a low wall on the south sands, projected to fix the bar channel, now unstable, in position, and to increase its depth, now insufficient. It may also be necessary to widen channels at Eureka and Arcata by dredging. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883... July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 537,500 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 200, 000 00 (See Appendix O O 6.) 7. Removal of sunken vessels obstructing or endangering navigation.-An examination of the wreck of the iron steamer Escambia on San Francisco bar was made in May, 1884, by divers and by dragging under favorable conditions of weather. The shoalest depth on the wreck at mean low water was found to be at least 33 feet, and probably a foot more, which is the governing depth on the adjacent sand. The wreck is not considered to be at present a danger to passing vessels. (See Appendix O O 7.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1882. The following locality was, after preliminary examination, reported by the local engineer as worthy of improvement so as to admit the passage of small vessels, but the work not a public necessity: 1. Redwood Slough, San Mateo County, California. (See Appendix 0 0 8.) And the following were reported as not worthy of improvement: 1. Alameda Creek, Alameda County, California. (See Appendix O O 9.) 2. Santa Monica Bay, California. (See Appendix O O 10.) 3. Clear Lake, Lake County, California. (See Appendix O O 11.) IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBOR OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. Officer in charge, Col. C. S. Stewart, Corps of Engineers. The object of this improvement is to prevent the deposit in this harbor of the sand and soil brought down during floods by the San Diego River. A project was formed in 1875 to turn the river back into False Bay, its former outlet. The work was done in 1876. An artificial channel was cut from a point in the river bed near Presidio Hill to a slough from False Bay; the old channel was dammed; and a levee, faced with stone and crossing the valley from bluff to bluff, was built between the artificial water-way and San Diego Bay to retain the overflow during floods. Thus far the improvement has been a success. The rainfall the past season has been unprecedented, amounting to 25.97 inches, of which 9.05 inches fell in February. The annual average rainfall heretofore has been but 9.32 inches. The floods have been numerous and high, carrying into the ocean a vast body of materials. The damage by the floods to the work has been slight. The usual injury has been done to the embankment by the burrowing of badgers and the gullying of reverse slopes by surface water. Owing to high water in the river, no repairs have been made. The cost of extra services during the storms has been $132. The total expenditure from the beginning of the improvement to June 30, 1884, has been $80,372.50. The amount still available from the appropriation for repairs made in 1879 will probably last for several years. July 1, 1883, amount available $759 50 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883..... 132 00 July 1, 1884, amount available..... 627 50 (See Appendix P P.) IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON TERRITORY-CONSTRUCTION OF CASCADES CANAL, COLUMBIA RIVER-IMPROVEMENT OF LOWER CLEARWATER RIVER, IDAHO. Officer in charge, Capt. C. F. Powell, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. Willard Young, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. 1. Lower Willamette and Columbia rivers, Oregon and Washington.— The present project for this improvement was adopted in 1877, and modified in 1879 and 1882, the object being to afford a ship-channel of 20 feet depth at low water. The project consists in a permanent contraction of water-way for improvement of the four bars from Portland to Saint Helen's, Oreg.; in dredging and stirring up the bottom at these bars during construction of permanent works, and also at shoal places below Saint Helen's and in snagging operations. The natural depth of channel at the shoalest place was about 9 feet, and on six other bars 10 to 15 feet, at low water. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $505,363.02, and has resulted generally in maintaining a ship-channel of a least depth of 17 to 18 feet at low water from Astoria, near the mouth of the Columbia River, to Portland, 100 miles inland. Operations during the year consisted mainly of temporary improvement at two places where permanent contraction of water-way had not been commenced; about 29,000 cubic yards were dredged at one place, and about 35,000 cubic yards sluiced at the other. Preservation of permanent works, repairs to the incomplete ones from damage, and minor snagging operations were also conducted. The city of Portland carried on dredging in conjunction with the Government dredging, and in about double the extent of the latter. The appropriation estimated for, $354,000, is for completion of the permanent structures projected, temporary improvement and preservation during the year, extension of the plan of permanent contraction to the bars below Saint Helen's, and for removal of a rock obstruction; for an explanation of which see report of the Engineer in charge, in Appendix Q Q 1. The completion of the improvement will dispense with an expensive lighterage and delay now necessary at low stage. July 1, 1883, amount available..... Amount received by transfer of property to other improvements... $12, 167 85 600 00 12,767 85 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883..... 12,765 87 July 1, 1884, amount available................ 1.98 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884... 100, 000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885............... 100,001 98 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (exclusive of annual expense of temporary improvement and maintenance)... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, as explained above.... (See Appendix Q Q 1.) 83,635 00 354, 000 00 2. Mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington Territory.The plan of this improvement, as required by the act of July 5, 1884, is the construction of a low-tide jetty, about 44 miles long, from near Fort Stevens, on the South Cape, to a point about 3 miles south of Cape Disappointment. The natural channel is shifting, sometimes good and sometimes poor, but always unreliable. Of late years the channel has carried about 19 feet at low water and for an insufficient width; 26 feet are required on the bar in a wide and direct channel, and 30 feet are desirable on account of the heavy seas of the locality, for the deep vessels needed by the Columbia River trade. Preceding appropriations have been made for surveys, expenses of a Board of Engineers, and minor temporary improvement. The amount expended therefor is $17,500. It is expected that the present appropriation will permit the construc tion of elevated tramways from the Fort Stevens Landing, along high water, to the point from which the jetty is projected into the breakers; the purchase of plant, including a fleet of sea-going dump-scows; required wharf extension; construction of needed buildings; extensive brush work at the base of Clatsop Spit; and generally preparations for work on the jetty proper. The appropriation asked for, $500,000, is for building about 13 miles of the structure, which it is believed will check a present shifting tendency of the channel southward, increase the channel depth, and give prompt relief to a large and increasing shipping. July 1, 1883, amount available... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstand- Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. (See Appendix Q Q 2.) $2,965 38 2,965 38 100,000 00 3,710,000 00 500,000 00 3. Upper Willamette River, Oregon. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1870, modified in 1878, and application extended in later years. The object is to afford and maintain an easy lightdraught navigation from Portland to Eugene City and on 12 miles of tributaries, making a distance of 184 miles. The work consists in snagging operations, bar scraping, and for the reach between the Willamette Falls and Corvallis, in the contraction of water-way by low cutoff or wing dams and in rock removal. The natural channel from Portland to Willamette Falls, 12 miles, was generally deep and wide; above the falls it was narrow, tortuous, and much obstructed. The mouth of the Yamhill, 28 miles from the falls, was the head of an inconvenient low-water navigation on a draught of 2 feet; 1 foot only could be carried above. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $145,499.46, and has resulted in making and generally keeping an easy channel, with a least depth during the year of 2 feet to Corvallis, 102 miles from the falls, and also, except during extreme low stage, to Harrisburg, 344 miles further. The reach from Harrisburg to Eugene, on account of railroad facilities and difficult access from the farming region to the landings, has been abandoned during late years for navigation. Limited operations were conducted during the year for one and a half weeks by the snag-boat, and subsequently by a small boat party. Two buoys which had been carried away from Rock Island Rapids were replaced by new ones; gauge readings were taken at four stations during a season of unusually low water. The amount asked for, $20,000, is to be applied to the construction of a snag-boat and 2,000 feet of low dams, operation of the boat for a year and rock removal, for part completion of the present project and maintenance of the channel for a year. July 1, 1883, amount available.... Amount received by transfer of property to other improvements $196 07 126 42 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $322 49 321 95 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (exclusive of annual expense of temporary improvement and maintenance)....... 33,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 20, 000 00 (See Appendix Q Q 3.) 4. Upper Columbia and Snake rivers, Oregon and Washington Territory.— The plan of this improvement, adopted in 1877, consists in rock removal at numerous rapids, to give channel depths, at low water, of 5 feet in the Columbia and 4 in the Snake on a reach of river of 266 miles from Celilo, at the head of the Dalles obstructions on the Columbia, to Lewiston, Idaho, at the junction of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, and was made when the Upper Columbia navigation was confined to that route. The natural channel was narrow, tortuous, and dangerous, with a swift current and depth at low stage of 2 to 4 feet. On reaches between the rapids the depth is ample, and throughout the banks are stable. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $213,944.97, and has resulted in improvement at fifteen localities. Seven places remain for work under the present project. Contract work was executed during the year at Five-Mile Rapids and at reef next below Five-Mile, on the Snake River. Work at Little Goose Island and Log Cabin Island Rapids, also on the Snake, is included in the present contract, whose expiration is October 31, 1884. The amount asked for is to complete the present project, requiring $36,000, and to extend the improvements on the Snake River above Lewiston, and on the Columbia River above the mouth of the Snake; for an explanation of which, see report of the engineer in charge. 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.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885... $5, 140 29 $3,085 26 130 57 3,215 29 1,924 46 20,000 00 21,924 46 36,000 00 36,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix Q Q 4.) 5. Columbia River at the Cascades, Oregon.-The plan for this improve ment, adopted in 1877 and modified in 1880, is to give lockage around the main rapid, and open river navigation through the minor rapids below, for stages, at the foot of the canal, of 20 feet above low water. The plan is arranged for easy extension for higher stages. The canal will be about 3,000 feet long; the low-water lock will have a lift of about 24 feet; the lock capacity will be 90 by 462 feet, with a least draught of 8 feet. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $799,252.10. Work during the year consisted in preparing stone for and laying 4,075 cubic yards of dry squared masonry face and rubble backing in the side wall on the left at upper entrance to the canal, and 2,997 cubic yards of dry stone pavement on the slopes and berm on the left side of the canal; excavating 13,302 cubic yards of material on the canal line, and quarrying about 1,500 cubic yards of bowlders for building stone. Work of river improvement was also conducted, and to the extent of removing 3,160 cubic yards of rock by submerged blasts and breaking and loosening 45,814 cubic yards by drill-hole charges. The appropriation asked, $500,000, is for guard-gate and part lock 5908 EN--22 |