The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-09-23
uRHANNA, OccO0UAN. AQUA AND NOM.
I'M CREEKS.
Report of Engineer on the Work on Them.

Lieutenant Colonel Chas. J. Allen of the
] Corps OF Engineers, who has charge OF
the river and harbor. improvements in
Maryland, District of Columbia. and yir-
ginia, has made his report to the War
department on operations carried on du-
ring the month OF August. The report
shows that work has been carried on
with more or less activity all over the dis
trict. While the report does not show
any great amount of progress during the
past month, it contains much interesting
information about what has been done
and what is to be done
The report is full of material regarding
the work that is being done in Virginia.
and though most OF the work during the
month OF August consisted Of prepara-
ton oi plans Tor future work. SURVEYS.
repairs to plants, and the like. there is a
great fund OF interesting matter concern
ing the work in the past upon the vari-
Gus creeks and rivers and harbors in the
State
IMPROVING URBANNA CREEK
The original project for this work was
adopted in 1873. and provided for dredg
ing "a channel ten feet deep at low tide
and 100 feet wide through the bar at the
mouth OF the creek. 1t was modified in
mel through shoal within the creek
The project was again amended 10 1855.
SO as to include a system of dykes. or let
ties, to prevent the channel at the mouth
OF the creek from shoaling. The estima-
ted cost Tor the entire project, as revised
IN 1897, $4,000. But a very small
amount o. this is still available. as most
OF 1T has been expended in CARRYING on
the work. On account of lack OF funds.
the work. has not been as good as the
engineers wonld like TO see. the alb
sence OF protection work permitting the
channel to shoal, thus requiring an ex-
penditure OF much OF the appropriations in
dredging. The work has largely been
confined to dredging and redredring as
last as the channel shoaled. As n result |
o! these operations the channel in June.
lS9o, had been entirely completed to the
required. A contract was
made in October, 1900. with John Miller. |
oi Washington, for dredging this creek
No work was done in September. owing
to n scarcity of funds to carry onthe op. !
erations under the proposed project
oocooUAN, AQUA AND NoMINI GREENS.
The navigation of Occoquan creek was
obstructed by four bars. which were
dredged and improved between S73 and |
lSSO by the expenditure OF $50. 900. so
as 10 have navigable depth of six feet
TO the town OF Occoquan, four miles
above the mouth. $45. 900 is the estimat-
ed cost OF the present proposed work
which consists Of maintaining a channel
100 feet wide and six feet deep up to the
town OF Occoquan. A channel has been
dredged through the four bars, and a
depth OF from six to eight feet and n
width oil 100 feet has been secured. The
project now stands over three-sourths
completed. The least depth of water in
the channel is six feet.
The original project for the improve
ment OF Aqua creek has been reported
completed and a channel eighty feet wide
ana SIX ieetdeep from the mouth through
the Narrows" has been secured, at a |
cost oil S3O,o36,64. The present pro-
lect is to improve this channel and make
upon it.
In 1876 Nomini creek was obstructed |
from navigation by a number of sand |
and oyster bars and shoals, over which |
vessels OF draft OF over three feet could |
not be carried at low tide. The original
PROJECT was to secure n channel 100 feet |
wide and nine feet deep over this bar.
The project was modified in 1879. so AZ
to obtain width OF $50 feet and again
In 1885 in order to secure a width of
200. In 1890 the project was again mo-
dified, providing for the construction of
letties to prevent the outer channel from
shoaling from littoral currents, and the
reduction OF the width of proposed chan
mel TO 100 feet. The total cost of this
modified project is $105, 900. of which
amount -, 2,T34.07 is still available. The
work has progressed slowly but salts
factorily, a channel $50 feet wide and nine
ieet deep having been dredged
through the bar
LOWER MACHODOC CREEK.
The present project approved Novem-
ber %, 1892, provided for dredging a
channel 90 feet wide by nine feet deep
at low tide from the bar at the Narrows.
two miles above the mouth of the creek |
so as to permit steamers and vessels to
pass above the bar with depth of nine
feet for about three miles from the mouth. |
The original estimated cost of the i'm
provement was SIS, 900 This estimate
was revised in 1897 and reduced to SI1.
600. A channel nine feet deep and $50 |
feet wide for 1,150 feet has been secur
ed. The remaining work TO be done is
to secure this depth and width for the !
full length OF the proposed channel.