Evening star., 1903-07-01
SHOALING CHANNELS
COL. ALLEN REPORTS CONDITIONS
IN POTOMAC.
improvements Recommended to Gen.
Gillespie-Suggestio That Depth
of Water Be Increased.

Col Allen the engineer officer in charge
of local river and harbor works. has made
a report to Gen. Gillespie. chief of engi-
neers in reference to the alleged shoallng
of the channel on the Potomac river be-
tween Giesboro' point and the south end OF
the flats and also at points in the WASH
ington channel. 1t was represented to the
District Commissioners that the channels
had shoaled to such an extent as to inter-
fere with the navigation of the river by
the deeper draught vessels. They asked
that the channels be examined and II shoal-
ing existed. that they be dredged.
ION the 22d of this month";. says COL
Allen, In his report, ''the ice laden four
master vessel Alice NJ Colburn, drawing
2O9 feet of water. practically q feet
traversed the said reach of river between
Giesboro' Point and the south end OF the
flats Potomac Park) and passed up the
Washington channel without ollnculty ~
an ordinary high tide. On that day there
were, according to my information, not less
than two four-masters in the upper part OF
the Washington channel. 1t Is rare that
vessels Of deeper draught than that JUS
mentioned arrive at this port. The nav1ga-
BILE channels of the Potomac river at WASH
ington are frequently examined py ensl-
neers and by parties from this once anu
their general condition when any marheu i
change occurs, is reported to the chlef OIL
engineers.
Channel Sounded in May.
Last May the Georgetown channel OF
the Potomac was carefully and sufficiently
sounded. During the present month the
WASHINGTON channel was sounded through
out its length by party sent out from tn's
Office, although efforts have been made
to get the sounding started much earlier,
the same party carrying its soundings over
the part of the reach from Giesboro to the
flats to which allusion is made in the letter
of the Doth instant from the Commissioners
as having shoaled. The assistant IN
charge of this party noted the draught Of
the four-master Alice M. Colburn, which
vessel had also, on the same day been seen
en- route up the Potomac, by others from
this Office.
'"rhe soundings taken in the Washington
channel, including the said reach above
Giesboro' Point showed at Few points IN n
the main channel in front OF the line OF
wharves, least depths of nineteen rect at
low tide corresponding to twenty-five feet
at high tide; and in the Giesboro Point
reach depths of eighteen rect at low or
twenty-one feet at high tide at one locality,
the rest Of said channel having depths In
excess Of those just stated.
Redredging at Giesboro'.
"A project for dredging at the Giesboro,
etc., line and also in the Georgetown chan
mel, SO as to restore the ruling depths of
twenty feet at low or twenty-three feet at
high tide was submitted on the 18th In
stant More or less shoaling Is apt to
occur every year, as those familiar with
the river know, as the result or spring
freshets, at two different definite localities
in the Potomac river at Washington. The
extent of shOaling Is known by means OF
soundngs taken after the freshets nave
subsided. The channel was last dredged
| in 1901. The shoaling last year was not
| enough to warrant expenditure at that
| time of the comparatively small amount
| of funds on hand, in dredging. Hence they
were held over. This year the soundings
| taken after subsistence of the freshetS
| showed that dredging was warranted. One
| locality had shoaled, as had been anttci-
pated In a report made last season from
| this office, viz, at the GiesborO reach
Hence the project of the 10th instant re-
| ferred to above.
Recurring to the draft OF vessels-the
| large steamers of the Norfolk and Washing
! ton line draw about fourteen feet and they
! would not be expected to experience diff
| Guilty from shoals while running in the
main channel. AS for four-masters Of the
| same draft as the Colburn it came in
| the other day, it has been shown that such
| should be able to enter and traverse the
| Washington channel as 1t now is The
| Giesboro, reach crossing is probably mar
| rowed somewhat in consequence of the
| late shoaling, but this will be remedied
| when dredging shall be done this summer.
Twenty-Four-Foot Channel.
"It has been hoped for a number OF years
past that the present project for improve