Status of all investigations for flood control called for by
flood-control acts and committee resolutions-Continued

Date trans-
mitted to
Congress

Document
No.

Recommendation

Report submitted to Congress on Bradford, Pa., report on Eldred, Pa., will be submitted at a later

IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE

DULUTH, MINN., DISTRICT

This district comprises northeastern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and the northern portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, embracing the United States waters of Lake Superior west of the head of St. Marys River and the Lake of the Woods with their tributary drainage basins. It includes Isle Royale in Lake Superior.

District engineer: Col. D. A. Morris, Corps of Engineers.

Division engineer of the Great Lakes Division, Chicago, Ill., comprising the Duluth, Minn., Milwaukee, Wis., Chicago, Ill., Detroit, Mich., and Buffalo, N. Y., districts: Col. D. O. Elliott, Corps of Engineers.

Location. The harbor is located on the south shore of Isle Royale, 55 miles northerly from the upper entrance to Keweenaw Waterway, Michigan, and 185 miles northeasterly from Duluth, Minn. (See U. S. Lake Survey Chart No. 981.)

Existing project. This provides for an entrance channel 75 feet wide and 14 feet deep, connecting the outer and inner harbors.

The project depths are referred to low-water datum for Lake Superior, which is 601.6 feet above mean tide at New York. The ordinary seasonal variation of water level extends from 0 to +1 foot above low-water datum. The harbor is subject to extreme fluctuations of water level of a temporary nature, due to wind and barometric conditions, of about 1 foot above or below the mean lake level prevailing at the time.

872132-50-36

The estimated cost for new work, made in 1948, is $72,500. Annual maintenance is not required.

The existing project was authorized by the River and Harbor Act approved March 2, 1945. (See H. Doc. 446, 78th Cong., 2d sess.)

Local cooperation.-None required.

Terminal facilities.-There are two small privately owned fishing wharves.

Operations and results during fiscal year.-No work was done or funds expended.

Condition at end of fiscal year.-No work has been done on the construction of the existing project. A controlling depth of 6 feet for a width of 50 feet exists in the entrance channel. The total cost was $1,232.14, all for new work. The total expenditures were $1,232.14.

Proposed operations.-The balance unexpended at the end of the fiscal year amounting to $767.86, will be applied to advance planning by hired labor.

No work is scheduled during the fiscal year 1951.

Estimated additional amount required to be appropriated for completion of existing project..

70,500.00

2. GRAND MARAIS HARBOR, MINN.

Location. The harbor is situated on the north shore of Lake Superior, 106 miles northeasterly from Duluth, Minn. (See U. S. Lake Survey Chart No. 9.)

Existing project. This provides for rock-filled timber crib breakwater piers 350 feet in length from the east and west points of the bay to narrow the entrance; for constructing concrete sea walls across the ledge at the southeast corner of the harbor; and for dredging an anchorage area of 36.5 acres to a depth of 16 feet with depths near the entrance of 18 and 20 feet. All depths are referred to low-water datum for Lake Superior, which is 601.6 feet above mean tide at New York. The ordinary seasonal variation of water level extends from 0 to +1 foot above low-water datum. The harbor is subject to extreme fluctuations of water level of a temporary nature, due to wind and barometric conditions, of about

1 foot above or below the mean lake level prevailing at the time. The estimate of cost for new work, revised in 1935, was $209,000. The latest (1935) approved estimate of cost for annual maintenance is $6,500.

The existing project was authorized by the following river and harbor acts:

Recommended modifications of project.-Under date of February 28, 1949, the Chief of Engineers recommended modification of the existing project to provide for a small-boat basin 100 feet wide, 600 feet long, and 8 feet deep below low-water datum in the northwestern part of the harbor protected by a breakwater 600 feet long with a rubble-mound shore connection at the westerly end at an estimated first cost of $114,000 for construction, with $1,500 annually for maintenance in addition to that now required, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation. (House Doc. 187, 81st Cong., 1st sess.)

Local cooperation.-Fully complied with.

Terminal facilities.-There are two general merchandise wharves, and several fish wharves, all privately owned. These facilities are considered adequate for existing commerce.

Operations and results during fiscal year.-No work was done during the fiscal year. The total expenditures were minus $9.69. Condition at end of fiscal year.-The existing project was completed in 1937. Project depth of 16 feet is available in the anchorage basin dredged by the United States and by private parties under permit. Under permits to private parties, 420,795 cubic yards were dredged between 1922 and 1930 without cost to the United States. No private dredging has been done since that period. Project depths of 18 and 20 feet are available in the entrance channel.

The concrete sea walls are in excellent condition. The breakwaters are in good condition. The gravel spit along the eastern side of the harbor is too low to prevent waves from rolling into the harbor during severe storm periods.

The total costs of the existing project at the end of the fiscal year were $209,819.91 for new work and $125,300.67 for maintenance, a total of $335,120.58. The total expenditures were $335,120.58.

Proposed operations.-The balance unexpended at the end of the fiscal year amounting to $1,660.93, plus an allotment of $2,000 made in July 1949, a total of $3,660.93, will be applied to maintenance surveys and inspections by Government plant and hired labor during the fiscal year.