, 1866-02-27
ROCK RIVER:
surrey from ii. moat,3 81 tse state
Esa1akEr's O71cE, Msy lah, 1898.

| surrey from tfs MOUTH :SA5 thdt State
|. "e.
Eza1akEr's OzncE, Msy l5h, 1873.
tn The U6o~J. W. Stcphens>u, C01nmi.eiouce q
Fublic Work for Gill judicial District:
S,E: Aftev completion Of surveys Of Rock
River, I WIS prevented from making foPoEts
as to the proposed improvement q the Same
by q variety Of circumstances. The river is
no~ naTigablc at ordinary stages for boats oi
three 10 four feet drals, except a. two points;
which require dams and locks The velocity
Of The cure ut at these points In bIeA.water Is
seven 10 eight miles per hour. During tho
high water stage the river can be assembled as
far rs the mouth Of Recaf0ntca creek which
also might be made psyfgable, md shusopcn'
communication with the lead mining retg.aon-
But The high stage of water usually lasts only
short tinc. and at Its lowest stngo presents
serious cbstacles to navigation
The length Of Rock river froro its mouth to
the State Tine Is 1G5 miles The drst obstacle
met With b the lower rap:ls opposite Rock
Island city, mud three miles above tho mouth
Of the stTer. The lenth Of these raP.ds is
three-quarte1s Of mile, the fali 10 this DIS
tanco six and a half feet About half mile
above the rapids the river divides into two
branches By . succession OF EIand5- The south
branch is S00 to 600 iect wide, with q shallow,
ruckY bottom, and offers no advantage ior aHa-
pruycmenE- The north branch t1as the deep st
Elp Ii
:cet by The hlutis near Rock Island city on ouc
side Hnd Van pruh's Island On the other
which latter extends the whole length OF the
rapids. The elevation OF the banks admits the
erection Of 4 dam sufficiently high to back tho
water son,e distance beyond the bead Of the
.apids, and thus improves tho channel at that
point. 4 small dam will also he required
acrcss the slough dividing Van Drllffs fs1eni
from another Island cxteneing up the river
nearly half mile Tho main dam being placed
.5n,+ f.1s fhca r.f
bank OF the islana will permit \ canal Of
1,COO feet will be required to reach the foot Of
the rapids, The islvnd will be the most favor
able place for the canal, thn excavation being
easy, and will give a termination near the
deepest channel OF the river, below. 4 guard
lock will b. required at the entry Of the canal
md lock of seven and half feet LII at Its
termination. The bed Of the river is Line
stone, nnd would probably answer .cr the coc-
stluc ion Of the locks. tstaps were to be
naac to accompany the report not foncd)
Is good nayieatiou, With four and half feet
ofwater, tho width Of river varying from 500
to LOCO feet. Fall from Prophetssown to
the lead Of the rapids, 2s.S feet In aity-two
miles. Average velocity Of current, three
ri1er r s 81 shallow for 4,sco fset, ehannel vasy- ~
ing In depth from three to four feot- THIS
part OF the river cum be easily improved BY a
brush and grnvel dam $50 feet long, four feet
high, extending from the north side to
small E1aul opposite Prophetstowu.
From Prophetatown to the foot Of the up
Per rnpfds, (Row Sterlngl tho channel Of tho
river has SIX feet Of water, velocity OF cnETens
three and 8 half miles per hour, (ail IL feet
in 20 miles. This brings us to tho upper
rapids, where tho river expands to 900 aud
,SvO ieet- Length Of rapids, rs mile, fal1,
SGT feet. The bed Of the riycr Is composed
ofa sandy calcareous rock with smooth sur
fucc. The banks of the stream have M elcya-
ton Of from i. to 90 feet, except on the north
bank, which at foot OF the rapids Is 6 to 8 feet
above mean water level.
Plan recommended for improvement: Build
da1a as fur down the rapids IS the bottom
Of tho river and the elevation Of the north
bank will allow Length OF dam required,
coo to Goo feet, elevation from the bottom
OF the stream not to exceed 10 feet. Il cal,al
rnpids BY I'LL cntankmcnt made III the river
about 1900 feet long. The dam will be Of
sufficient height to raise the water IS inches
at the head OF tho rapids. thus giving sntfl-
cient depth Of water without excavation.
The terminal lock will require lit Of o.'4
feet
From the urper rapids to Rockford, C
miles, the only distractions are three nova
bic snpd bars, having for a very short distance
two aud 4 hall and three feet OF wnter.
These may be removed III q short time by
frequent passages Of steamboats,, or By max
il = wing dams $50 to 900 feet long md three
10 four 7eet high. The width Of TIC riYer ba-
tween the upper rapids and Rockford varies
from 500 to so feet, fall 1.9l feet In u miles.
Average velocity three miles an hour.
Opposite Rockford the river Is shallow for
800 feet, With depth Of two to two and n
half feet. The velocity OF the current for
that distance Is four to five miles per hour.
Bed Of tho river composed Of solid, smooth
rock. By deepening the channel on the south
side, and making wing dam on the opposite
side about eco feet long and four feet high,
this obstruction will be removed.
From Rockford to the mouth of Pecatonica
creek there 1s good channcl with au average
depth Of four to four and half feet. width Of
miles, Three miles above the mouth OF Pecst-
roDica creek, near the foot Of Little fslnnd, In
the centre OF the river, q large rock, 10 to 80
yards IN dimension, obstructs the channel, and
will have to be removed. Hull q mile further
wing dam 10 feet long will be required TO
two and u halt feet for distanee oi 400 feet.
One milo from the State Inc the river varies
from 500 to 500 feet In width, and falls at the
rntc Of four feet per mile, making stron..
mouth Of Turtle river, ], 600 feet on the south
side OF . large island, Ties the main chanuet-
BY constructing dam fonr feet high from
the north shore to IN island, We Gun get q
depth Of four and hall ieet, With velocity
Of current at four and q half md fye miles
per hour. From the mouth Of the Pecatonlch
to the State line the distance is five and half
miles, fall la feet, average velocity three anda
| half miles per hour.
Locks recommended for lower rapids, 1401
IS feet Canal, so feet In with, 5 feet In depth.
| The dam to be circular built, with crib work
l dllcd with stone and supported by two aatu-
| rn1 rock buttresses.
The work at the upper rnpids Ia not difB-
| cult. The locality affords the requisite mate-
/ rial for permanent work. The canal can be
| made by an embankment in the river conf
| posed Of earth and stone excayatca from the
! bank. Plan for the lock and In,ns same as at
| the lower rapids.
l 7r..,,S J7,.f. T1....x