Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1909-02-26
UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE
Jacksonville, Fla, Oct. /, 1908.

Jacksonville, Fla, Oct. l, 1908.
Sir:-In compliance with the ip-
structions contained in department let
ter of January 81, 1908, directing that
new survey be made Of St. Lucie In.
let, Florida, in order to secure accurate
information as to present conditions
and as to the feasibility and of provid.
ing facilities for a system OF navigation
adequate and proper to the locality,
which should have In view q depth Of
not less that Is feet at the entrance, l
have the honor to submit the following
report:
The report on the preliminary exam
ination was submitted by Maj. Francis
r. Skunk. corps Of engineers, July 10,
1907, and the survey was made under
the direction OF my predecessor, Lieut..
Col. Lansing n. Beach, corps of engi-
neers.
This inlet originated by an opening
cut through the sand ridge between In.
dian River on one side and the Atlantic
ocean on the other. The cut which was
made by citizens OF the vicinity IN
October, 1892, was orinlnally 80 feet
wide and feet deep. In 1898, as
shown by the survey made in that year
(see pages 1348 to 1857 of the annual
report Of the Chief of Engineers for
1869 and to which attention is invited,
the opening had attained a width of
l, 100 feet and there existed an ayaila-
able mean. low water depth Of from 9 to
7 feet The opening is now Zoo feet
wide. The available depth at mean
low water is about ST feet and Lumer-
Gus sand shoals have formed at the inlet
and Ia the river inside the inlet.
The character of the material form
ing the bottom at and in the vicinity Of
the inlet is mostly fine sand mixed with
broken shell and a soft rock, composed
mostly OF she'll and coral, The rock is
bare in many place outside the general
shore line and appears to be readily
penetrated by "churning'' with a l.inch
pipe, through the lower end of which
a jet OF water is made to issue under
moderate pressure.
The st. Lucie River is the largest
affldent of Indian River and enters the
latter waterway directly opposite st.
Lucie Inlet. It's flow gives a material
preponderance of the ebb discharge
over the food influx through the inlet
and is an important factor in the main
tenance Of the opening.
The country in the vicinity of St.
Lucie River and along Indian River
is being rapidly developed and the an
nual shipment of fruits and vegetables
is assuming considerable magnitude,
as is indicated by the commercial sta
tistics, Notwithstanding the heavy ex-
pense entailed in mar citing these
products by reason Of the present trans
portation charges.
1t is my opinion that the locality is
worthy of improvement, and the fol-
lowing plan Is proposed to provide q
channel and anchorage basin having
an available depth Of 10 feet at mean
low water,
The heaviest waves along this coast
appaorch from the northeast, and in
order TO protect the channel from their
harmful actions, train the course OF the
currents, and afford protection to-
dredging operations and to vessels UNI
dertaking to enter in stormy weather
. breakwater or ietty will be necessary
on the north side of the entrance. It's
proposed location is shown on the map
OF the survey herewith. 1t is not Inn
probable that similar structure will
eventually be needed on the south side
Of the entrance TO protect the channel
from the sand movements under the
influence Of waves from the southeast.
Il Is not deemed advisable to recon-
mend its construction at this time. as 1t
Is believed that the cost Of maintain
ing the channel by occasional dredging