Value of public tidelands if reclaiming by desired improvements 1

Estimate prepared by U. S. engineers from data supplied by county assessor. 111 acres along the main channel are omitted as the reclamation thereof is deemed inadvisable. (See par. 80.) Not susceptible of evaluation.

106. From the above tabulation, it is estimated that United States land to a value in excess of $1,708,500 can be reclaimed, incidental to dredging.

CONCLUSIONS

107. The district engineer concludes that the completion and maintenance of existing project would be sufficient for present and early prospective commerce but for the congestion of the fairway and turning basin, caused by anchorage of naval vessels. This condition, already of importance because of the unfavorable conditions of delay and danger presented to commercial navigation, will become more acute as the present plans for naval vessels based at San Diego, is increased from the present 117 to 207 vessels in 1937. If the policy for national defense requires the Navy to continue the use of and to increase its need for anchorage in San Diego Bay, provisions for anchorage for naval vessels and seaplanes, sufficient to clear the fairway and turning basin for the safe and uninterrupted passage of commerce, is a justified Federal expenditure.

108. Widening of the entrance channel in the vicinity of Whalers Bight and the removal of the Middle Ground Shoal near Ballast Point are of sufficient value for providing temporary anchorage, for reducing hazards to commerce, and for enhancing the rapid egress of the fleet, together with reclamation of land at the naval air station and Fort Rosecrans, to warrant Federal expenditure.

109. The dredging of yacht anchorages in the vicinity of La PlayaRoseville and in Glorietta Bay are of local rather than general commercial interest.

110. In accordance with section 5 of River and Harbor Act of August 30, 1935, the district engineer reports that the improvements discussed hereinbefore, if made, would not have any appreciable effect on erosion or accretion of the shore line for a distance of 10 miles on either side of the entrance to San Diego Bay.

111. The combined pierhead and bulkhead lines in vicinity of Whalers Bight should be modified in order to execute the dredging entailed by improvement Q-1, since River and Harbor Act of July 13, 1892, prohibits the expenditure of river and harbor appropriations for dredging inside of duly established harbor lines.

RECOMMENDATIONS

112. In view of the advantages of the desired improvements to commercial navigation and national defense and the resulting value of reclamation of valuable Federal and other public lands, the district engineer recommends that the Middle Ground Channel and existing bay channel be widened and the bay channel extended, as defined by aforesaid improvements M, N, O, Q, and Q-1 by dredging to the dimensioned areas and depths indicated respectively in paragraphs 41, 55, 67, 83, and 89 of this report, and on map, enclosure VIII-B, file no. 760, at an estimated Federal expenditure of $4,184,000 for new work, and $15,000 per annum for maintenance (in addition to present maintenance) contingent upon contribution of $116,000 and provision of the disposal areas designated in this report, by local interests. The necessary data for estimates are at hand and no survey is considered necessary.

THEODORE WYMAN, Jr.,
Major, Corps of Engineers,
District Engineer.

DELAWARE RIVER, BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA, PA., AND TRENTON, N. J. (CROSS-CHANNEL OFF DELANCO, N. J.)

1936

LETTER

FROM

THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY

TRANSMITTING

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS ON REVIEW OF REPORTS HERETOFORE SUBMITTED ON DELAWARE RIVER, BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA, PA., AND TRENTON, N. J. (CROSS-CHANNEL OFF DELANCO, N. J.) WITH ILLUSTRATION

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
Washington, March 2, 1936.

Hon. J. J. MANSFIELD,
Chairman, Committee on Rivers and Harbors,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. MANSFIELD: The Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives, by resolution adopted July 31, 1935, requested the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to review the reports on Delaware River, between Philadelphia, Pa., and Trenton, N. J., submitted in House Documents No. 228, Sixty-eighth Congress, and No. 702, Sixty-first Congress, with a view to determining the advisability of removing the islands in the river off Delanco and Palmyra, N. J., which were created by the deposit of dredged material. I enclose herewith the report of the board in response thereto.

2. Delaware River, between Philadelphia and Trenton, is a tidal estuary. It is over half a mile wide at Delanco, 10 miles above Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia. The mean tidal range at Delanco is 5.3 feet. Improvement of the river to provide a channel 200 feet wide and 20 feet deep to Trenton was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 1925, and the enlargement of the channel to a depth. of 25 feet and width of 300 feet is under prosecution with relief funds. and was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of August 30, 1935. Before the dredging of the 20-foot channel was undertaken in 1929, when the prescribed conditions of local cooperation were met, the

52577-36—1