The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-05-06
REPORT ON OUR HARBoR.
what Capt zinn Has to say of it and
Work Needed.
UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

What Capt. zinn Has to Say of it and
Work Needed.
UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,
MILWAUKEE, Wis, Jan. rs, 1897.
! General have the honor to submit
the following report of survey and
estimate of the cost of improvement of
harbor at Kenosha with view to
obtaining channel q feet deep and
basin 20 feet deep, ~ in accordance with
the requirements of section 9, river and
harbor act approved June 3, 1896.
The harbor at Kenosha is situated at
the mouth of Pike Creek, on the west
ern shore of Lake Michigan, and is
understood to be the channel leading
from deep water in the lake to deep
water in the creek, or to speak more
accurately, in the basin which is the
southern section of an extensive bayou,
separated from the lake by point OF
sand, and into which the creek dis
charges.
The present project for the improve
ment Of this harbor provides for secur-
ing and maintaining a channel l6 feet
deep below the plane of reference OF
coast charts of Lake Michigan, and
which plane is 3.06 feet below the high
water of 1888, and for dredging in the
basin to provide turn around for
vessels, about acres in area. In
furtherance of this project there have
been built two approximately parallel
crib piers, the distance between them
varying from 142 feet to 165 feet. The
north pier is 1,75O feet long and pro-
.jects about 800 feet beyond the present
shore line; the south pier will be 1850
feet long when the extension of 2oO
feet now under contract shall have
been completed, and will then project
about LILO feet beyond the present
shore line. From 1880 to 1896, in
elusive, Ill, 256 cubic yards of material
were removed from the channel, and
0,848 cubic yards from the basin, in
furtherance of the project and for
maintenance of depth.
From March 10, 1914. to June 3,
1896, there has been appropriated for
this harbor 1929, 307.4l, and there re-
NAMED on hand June 30, 1896, a bal
ance of $26, 59791, which is to be ex-
pended for extending the south pier
under the present contract for dredg
ing, and for repairs to piers.
The survey required to determine
the cost of improvement to obtain the
depths of Il and 20 feet was made
December s, 1896, after the dredging
in progress during the season of 1896
was completed, and consisted mainly
in taking soundings to determine the
depth in the entrance channel and the
basin, and in making five test holes to
depth of % feet, to determine the
character of the material to be dredged
in the BASIN The location of the holes
is shown on the map. The material
found in them was all mud, and it is
a fair assumption that such will be the
material to be removed from the basin
to give 20 feet in depth. The material
in the channel between the piers is
chiefly sand, and it is therefore expect
ed that no hard material will be en-
countered in dredging to depth of Il
feet, either in channel or basin. The
depth between the piers varies from 81
to 20d feet, there being l6-foot chan
mel with g. least width of 80 feet. and a
15-foot channel with least width of
Ito feet. The depth of water at the
outer end of the north pier is about 20
feet and at the south pier about 10
feet, but the outer end OF the extension
now under contract will rest in depth
of 16 feet.
The depth in the basin over all area
of 4 acres, inclosed by the broken red
lines, will be not less than l6 feet after
the completion of the existing dredging
contract.
The inner portions of both piers are
in such condition as to readily permit
the passage of sand through them, and
TO this cause may be ascribed in large
measure the constant shoaling in the
channel. The cribs composing this
portion of the piers have no foundation
of stone or piles, but rest upon the
original bottom. The piers at this
point are less than 80 feet apart.
On December s, 1885, a section of
the westerly end of north pier, about
60 feet long, was carried away during
severe storm and has never been re-
stored. Erosion OF the adjacent bank
commenced Immediately and has con-
tinued until, in April, 1896, the bank
had been washed away for distance
of rs feet back from the shore line in
1885, the eroded material settling in
the basin and channeE This bank is
clay and rises from to 10 feet above
datum.
From the inner end of the north pier
as originally constructed, there is a
line of sheet piling extending in a
northwesterly direction for a distance
of about $50 feet, built for the protec-
| tion of the adjacent hank now in an