falo north entrance channel to the foot of Maryland Street, Buffalo, a distance of about 4,200 feet, about 1,000 to 500 feet wide, with a short branch channel leading to Erie Basin; thence 350 feet wide, narrowing to 200 feet wide, 500 feet northwest; thence generally 200 feet wide through Black Rock Channel to the ship lock at the foot of Bridge Street, a distance of 3.3 miles, widened at the curve opposite the foot of Porter Avenue and at the angle immediately south of the International Bridge. From the lock the channel is 400 feet wide in the Niagara River to the natural deepwater pool at the upstream end of Rattlesnake Island, a distance of 3.4 miles; thence through natural deep water to the downstream end of the deep-water pool at the Tonawanda waterworks intake crib, a distance of about 4.7 miles, widened to 500 feet opposite the Wickwire Spencer Steel Co.'s plant by the removal of 200 feet of the westerly end of Rattlesnake Island Shoal; thence 400 feet wide to the foot of Tonawanda Island opposite Second Avenue, North Tonawanda, a distance of 5,000 feet, ending in a turning basin about 1,230 feet long and 1,250 feet wide extending to a point opposite Sixth Avenue. The project also provides for the removal of rock shoals from the Lake Erie entrance to the canal and in the canal south of Ferry Street Bridge, to a depth of 22 feet; for a channel 16 feet deep, 6,800 feet long, and generally 400 feet wide in Tonawanda Inner Harbor; for a channel 16 feet deep, 1,400 feet long, and generally 180 feet wide in Tonawanda Creek; for a ship lock at Bridge Street, Buffalo; for a bridge over the canal at Ferry Street, Buffalo; for the repair and 800-foot extension of Bird Island pier; for the improvement and extension of the guide pier; and for the repair of the towpath wall. The project depth in the canal is referred to low-water datum in Lake Erie, elevation 570.5 feet above mean tide at New York. The project depth in the river is referred to the river surface when Lake Erie is at low-water datum. Ordinary fluctuations of water level above the lock are from 3.5 feet above to 0.5 foot below low-water datum, and extreme fluctuations produced by winds and other causes are about 9 feet above to 32 feet below that plane. River fluctuations gradually decrease to about 70 percent of fluctuations above the lock when they reach North Tonawanda. The estimate of cost for new work, revised in 1945, is $9,252,000. exclusive of amounts expended on previous projects. The latest (1945) approved estimate for annual cost of maintenance is $176,200, including $102,900 for operating and care. Description of Black Rock lock Location: Foot of Bridge Street, Buffalo, N. Y. (in city limits). Lock, concrete walls; steel mitering gates. Dam: The dam consists of Squaw Island dike and Bird Island pier lying between the canal and Niagara River. The pier was built of timber cribs filled with stone in 1822-34, chiefly by State of New York. Cost is unknown. ost of lock pproach walls and office storehouse Total $1,037, 213. 20 526, 842. 53 1, 564, 055. 73 The existing project was authorized by the following river and arbor acts: Sept. 22, 1922 Dredging triangular area at junction with Buffalo Widening channel at foot of Maryland St., Buffalo. June 26, 1934 Operation and care of improvements provided Aug. 30, 1935 Removal of rock shoals in Lake Erie entrance to canal and in canal south of Ferry St. Bridge to 22 feet; enlargement of North Tonawanda turning basin; extension of Bird Island pier; improvement of guide pier at the lock; and elimination of upper 150 feet of Tonawanda Creek Channel from the project. 1 Permanent Appropriations Repeal Act. Documents H. Doc. No. 83, 50th Cong., 1st sess., H. Doc. No. 658, 63d Cong., 2d sess. H. Doc. No. 1004, 65th Cong., 2d sess. and H. Doc. No. 92, 79th Cong., 1st sess. H. Doc. No. 981, 66th Cong., 3d sess. H. Doc. No. 28, 73d Cong., 1st sess. H. Doc. No. 92, 79th Cong., 1st sess. Authorized May 28, 1935, by Emergency Relief Administration Act of 1935. Local cooperation.-Fully complied with. Terminal facilities.-There are no freight terminals along the channel above the Black Rock lock. Transfer of freight takes place over the towpath to commercial plants on the east side. Along the upstream end of the channel there are two small boat harbors, one unused seaplane terminal, and one Naval Militia dock. Below the Black Rock lock and at Tonawanda Harbor there are five terminals for petroleum products, two for iron ore and coal, three for coal, five for sand and gravel, one for lumber, one for wood pulp and paper, and one for pulpwood, all of which are private. There are also two State-owned barge canal terminals. The facilities are considered adequate for the existing commerce. (See Lake Series No. 11, revised 1939, Corps of Engineers.) Operations and results during fiscal year-New work.Advance planning for removal of rock shoals in the Lake Erie entrance to the canal and the canal was completed in 1944 at a cost of $838.63 for the year. Maintenance.-Government plant and hired labor removed 116,281 cubic yards of material from Black Rock Channel and Tonawanda Harbor at a cost of $73,134.68; repaired Bird Island pier at a cost of $13,565.50 and made an investigation of the Niagara River channel section at a cost of $2,739.68. Squaw Island Dike was policed at a cost of $3,258.45. Operating and care.-The lock was in continuous operation 275 days and in operation during the day only for 83 days. The lock was closed March 15 to 21, 1945, inclusive, for underwater cleaning and repairs. The Ferry Street Bridge was in continuous operation 275 days and in operation during the day only 90 days. The signal station at the foot of Genesee Street, Buffalo, N. Y., was in continuous operation 254 days and was closed from December 16, 1944, to April 5, 1945, inclusive. The cost for the fiscal year was $119,452.49 including $13,996.47 for policing the lock, bridge, and Government reservation. The total cost for year was $212,989.43 of which $838.63 was for new work, $92,698.31 for maintenance, and $119,452.49 for operating and care. The total expenditure was $221,196.67. Condition at end of fiscal year.-The existing project was about 86 percent completed. The channel from Buffalo Harbor north entrance to opposite Sixth Avenue, North Tonawanda, is completed except for removing rock shoals from Lake Erie to Ferry Street. The different sections of this channel were completed to project depth as follows: Lake Erie section in 1909; Black Rock Canal section in 1915; Niagara River section from lock to deep-water pool above Tonawanda in 1913; and Tonawanda section including turning basin in 1921. The triangular area at Lake Erie entrance to the canal was completed in 1922 and transferred from Buffalo Harbor project in 1945. The channel was further widened as follows: Lake Erie section was widened at the bend opposite foot of Georgia Street, Buffalo, in 1924; Black Rock Canal section, just south of the International Bridge at Buffalo. in 1928 and opposite the foot of Maryland Street, Buffalo, in 1930; and Niagara River section in the vicinity of the westerly end of the Rattlesnake Island Shoal in 1928. Rock shoals extending above a depth of 21.4 feet were removed from the Lake Erie entrance to the canal and in the canal south of Ferry Street Bridge in 1937. The Tonawanda Creek Channel was completed in 1902. Tonawanda Inner Harbor Channel was completed in 1904. The enlargement of the Tonawanda turning basin and the extension of Bird Island pier were completed in 1936. The lock, including wing walls and retaining walls above the lock, was completed in 1914, and the 100-foot east-wing wall extension in 1927. The guide pier connecting with the west-lower-wing wall was completed in 1916, except 200-foot northerly extension and construction of concrete platform in the angle. The bridge at Ferry Street was completed in 1914 and the lock-operating houses in 1924. The work remaining to be done to complete the project consists of the improvement and extension of the guide pier, as authorized by the River and Harbor Act of August 30, 1935, the completion of removing rock shoals from Black Rock Channel from Lake Erie to Ferry Street, and widening the Lake Erie entrance to the canal. Structures are all in good condition except the towpath wall and low part of Bird Island pier which require repairs. The controlling depths at low-water datum are Black Rock Channel 20 feet, Tonawanda inner harbor 14 feet, and Tonawanda Creek channel, 14 feet. The total cost of the existing project was $10,111,680.25, of which $7,952,298.71, including $1,760,000 Emergency Relief funds, was for new work, $1,121,302.55 for maintenance, and $1,038,078.99 for operating and care. The total expenditure was $10,119,887.49, including $1,760,000 Emergency Relief funds. In addition, the sum of $1,356,006.68 was expended between July 9, 1914, and June 30, 1935, on the operation and care of the works of improvement under the provisions of the permanent indefinite appropriation for such purposes. Proposed operations.-The balance unexpended and the accounts receivable at the end of the fiscal year plus an additional amount to be allotted will be applied as follows: 203, 310. 57 Total, maintenance and operating and care The removal of rock shoals from the Lake Erie entrance to the canal and in the canal, advance planning, and widening the Lake Erie entrance to the canal should be completed. Redredging and sweeping are required annually and structure repairs are necessary. For these items, and for operating and care, the additional sum of $1,292,000 can be profitably expended during the fiscal year 1947 as follows: Total, new work, maintenance and operating and care--- 1,292,000 Amount allotted from War Department Civil Deductions on account of revocation of allotment Net amount to be accounted for 105, 300.00 $341, 300.00 44,000.00 297,300.00 |