report to the Congress, in the absence of evidence showing that the HENRY L. STIMSON, WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, The CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS, This MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: 1. The Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives, by resolution adopted April 24, 1941, requested the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to review the report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors dated February 8, 1938, and transmitted to Congress by the Secretary of War, March 5, 1938, on Mississippi River at Minneapolis, Minn., with a view to determining whether any modification in the existing project is advisable at this time. I enclose the report of the Board in response thereto. The E. REYBOLD, 2. I concur in general in the views of the Board and recommend modification of the project for the improvement of the Mississippiy River at Minneapolis as follows: ide a R Mississippi River, Minneapolis, Minn.: Extension of the 9-footetic channel of the upper Mississippi River navigation project to the vi- R cinity of the Soo Line railway bridge above the Falls of St. Anthony,. in Minneapolis, in general accordance with the plans described and and approved by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors andippi the Chief of Engineers in their reports of February 8 and February and t 26, 1938, respectively, as subsequently modified by the reports printed in Senate Document No. 54, Seventy-seventh Congress, first session, to provide for a vertical bridge clearance of 26 feet above the estimated 40,000 cubic feet per second stage, the railroad bridges and other privately owned utility structures to be modified at Federal expense at an estimated first cost to the United States of $8,259,000, with had $55,000 annually for maintenance and operation of the navigation emer works; subject to the conditions that local interests contribute $1, 100,000 to the first cost of the improvement as a whole and provided that responsible local agencies furnish assurances satisfactory to the the Secretary of War that they will: (a) Make the necessary alterations at the to highway bridges and publicly owned utilities, (b) furnish free of surfar cost to the United States all lands, easements, and rights-of-way neces sary for the channel and lock and dam construction, and (c) furnish per da at their own expense suitable spoil disposal areas for the new for subsequent maintenance when and as required. an ations apper er work and Very truly yours, of t on suppl to t and t of ach iver tra AT Subject: Mississippi River at Minneapolis, Minn. 1. This report is in response to the following resolution adopted , April 24, 1941: EC REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, 2. The Mississippi River rises in northern Minnesota and flows southerly about 2,450 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Minneapolis is te located on both banks of the river in southeastern Minnesota at the Falls of St. Anthony. About a mile below the main falls the river is crossed by the lower Northern Pacific Railway bridge in Minneapolis, 853 miles above the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. This junction is the zero of the mileage system for this report. The Missouri River enters the Mississippi 195 miles above the mouth of the Ohio. Congress, by the River and Harbor Act approved July 3, 1930, and subsequent acts, has authorized improvement of the Mississippi River for navigation between the mouth of the Missouri River and the lower Northern Pacific Railway bridge in Minneapolis to provide a channel of 9-foot depth by the construction of locks and dams supplemented by dredging. The improvement has been completed to the extent that project depth is maintained between its head and the lowermost lock and dam, a short distance above the Missouri River. Within Minneapolis this section of river flows through a deep gorge in which little land is suitable for river terminal improvements. The Minneapolis municipal terminal is located in this area and is restricted in its use and further development by the limitations of the site. Above the lower Northern Pacific Railway bridge, the river channel is obstructed by a rapids section 0.4 mile along, at the head of which the lower St. Anthony Falls Dam raises the water surface about 20 feet and creates a pool 0.6 mile in length. At the upper end of this pool, St. Anthony Falls proper is surmounted by an upper dam which creates a second pool 49 feet above the lower pool. Neither dam provides for the passage of navigation. Upstream from the falls natural physical conditions are favorable for improvement of a channel for navigation and development of terminal facilities for river traffic. Resolved by the Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives, United States, That the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors created under section 3 of the River and Harbor Act, approved June 13, 1902, be, and is hereby, requested to review the report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors dated February 8, 1938, and transmitted to Congress by the Secretary of War, March 5, 1938, on Mississippi River at Minneapolis, Minn., with a view to determining whether any modification in the existing project is advisable at this time. 3 3. By the River and Harbor Act approved August 26, 1937, Congress authorized extension of the 9-foot project channel to above the Falls of St. Anthony as follows: Mississippi River, Minneapolis, Minn.: Extension of the 9-foot channel above St. Anthony's Falls in accordance with the plan contained in House Document numbered 137, Seventy-second Congress, first session; subject to such changes therein as may be found advisable by the Chief of Engineers, and the final approval of the plan by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, as necessary to provide adequate terminal facilities for Minneapolis. Co Pact Accordingly the district and division engineers formulated a plan pro- eith bee w inte inte ther es Wo priva estir ment ginee e the f in vier by Cost $55.00 has be As su rests fo estion of stion of Total iation of estion of Total Grand general bridge changes and estimated first costs thereof for these two plans as presented in Senate Document No. 54 are tabulated below: Bridge Northern Pacific.. Total. Plan for flow of 73,500 cubic Work Estimated the 8737 Total for city-owned structures. $33, 600 18,750 288,000 151, 720 369, 700 161,000 279,000 330,000 92, 200 1,743, 730 Plan for flow of 40,000 cubic Work Pier protection... Reconstruct piers. Remove arches. Pier protection... Provide movable span. Raise. do..... Increase span and Vares Under either plan the Great Northern railroad bridge, at mile 854.4, would be equipped with a movable span. Under the plan based upon providing 26-foot clearance above the flow line for 40,000 cubic feet per second, the Northern Pacific bridge at mile 855.8 would not be provided with a movable span. It is estimated that the annual costs for maintenance and operation for each of these bridges would be increased by $6,000 if converted to movable span structures and that the maintenance costs of the remaining bridges would not be increased. For either plan city-owned sewers, water mains, and pumping plant intakes would require alterations at an estimated first cost of $46,000 and a privately owned submarine power cable would need to be lowered at an estimated cost of $48,000. In the reports printed in Senate Document No. 54, Seventy-seventh Congress, first session, the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and the Chief of Engineers approved the plan for bridge changes to provide 26 feet vertical clearance above the flow line of 40,000 cubic feet per second discharge and stated that in view of the terms of the act authorizing the project no further action by Congress appeared necessary. The most recent estimate of the cost to the United States for the improvement is $8,259,000 with $55,000 annually for operation and maintenance. No construction has been undertaken. C Estimated first cost $33, 600 19,760 18,750 288,000 $885, 000 151, 720 369, 700 130, 200 234, 500 175,000 67, 200 1,488, 430 5. As summarized from the above, the estimated first cost to local $604, 000 $650,000 933, 000 1, 583, 000 In addition local interests would be required to operate and maintain the movable span of the Great Northern railroad bridge at mile 854.4 at an estimated annual cost of $6,000 and to furnish free of cost to the of United States all lands needed for the improvement and suitable spoil disposal areas for new work and for subsequent maintenance as required. 6. The city of Minneapolis is greatly interested in the improvement. At a public hearing held by the district engineer at Minneapolis local st interests indicated that they do not at this time advocate any modifie cation of the project plan in regard to the works included. They desire consideration of a change in the nature of the local cooperation required. No reduction in the amount of local cooperation so as to st c reduce the cost to them is requested. They point out, however, that Loca difficulties in furnishing the local cooperation could be avoided by that modification of the items required. No particular difficulties arise insa connection with furnishing the required lands and spoil disposal areas and with alteration of the highway bridges and city-owned utilities. However, the city expects that it will need to be responsible for seeing me to it that all the conditions of local cooperation are met. This presents legal problems and requires that the city act as an inter-the mediary between the United States, the several owners of the railroad bridges, and the owner of the submarine power cable. In preference to being involved in these matters it suggests that it be permitted to make a suitable cash contribution to the cost of the improvements as a whole. 0807 expe Quer 7. The Board has given careful consideration to the advisability of modifying the conditions of local cooperation as desired by the city of Minneapolis. Because of the large local benefits of the improvement, it is of the opinion that no reduction should be made in the amount of the local cooperation required and notes that local interests do not advocate a reduction in the costs to them. At the time the plan was approved by the Board, it was not definitely known that the city would be the agency to furnish the funds needed for meeting the requirements. The city has now considered its ability to be the responsible agency and advised that fulfillment of the requirements of a suitable local contribution will be facilitated if the nature of the requirements are modified. This will not increase the estimated cost to the United States and the Board knows of no sufficient reason why modification of the terms should not be made. It will enable the United States to deal direct with the owners of the railroad bridges to be modified and with the owner of the submarine power cable. After review of the matter the Board concludes that suitable local cooperation will be provided for if local interests are required to make the necessary alterations to highway bridges and publicly owned utility structures, to contribute $1,100,000 to the first cost of the improvement as a whole and to furnish at their expense all lands needed and spoil disposal areas for new work and subsequent maintenance. 8. Accordingly, the Board recommends modification of the project for the improvement of the Mississippi River at Minneapolis as follows: Mississippi River, Minneapolis, Minn.: Extension of the 9-foot channel of the upper Mississippi River navigation project to the vicinity of the Soo Line railway bridge above the Falls of St. Anthony, in |