Evening star., 1912-06-04
Park Commissions Plan.

In general, the board adopts the plan
recommended by the park commission to
Congress in 1901 for the improvement of
the Anacostia river valley by the con-
struction of a dam with a lock on the line
Of Massachusetts avenue extended to
maintain the pool at a normal elevation
of about two feet above mean low water.
the construction of river walls eight feet
above mean low water between Ana
costa bridge and the dam, the construc-
tion of low walls or gravel beach around
the basin from the dam to the District
line, necessary dredging between Ana
costa bridge and the District line, and
the construction of draw spans in the
Pennsylvania avenue, Pennsylvania rail-
road and Benning bridges.
The report of the board has just been
submitted to Gen. Bixby. chief of engi-
neerS. 1t is a voluminous document and
includes a mass of data in regard to con-
ditions along the Anacostia river, such as
tide influences, sedimentation, discharges,
turbidity. sewage. precipitation, freshet
conditions etc.
The board considered seriously only two
general plans for the reclamation of the
river and flats. One involved the elimna-
ton of the objectionable flats or wide
shore margins, bare at low water. with
out the construction of dam. That plan
required the building of walls similar 10
those on the Potomac Park along the en-
tire length Of both banks of the river.
Such walls would have to have an eleva-
tion of eight feet above mean low water.
The board concluded that such an eleva-
ton would restrain all but the rare flood
waters where occasional overflow onto
the reclaimed areas would. 1t is believed.
do but little damage. The probable cost
of such walls is about $50 a l1neal foot.
The total length of wall required would
be about nine miles, involving an expendi-
ture of about $95O,00O for the wall.
Necessary dredging would involve an ad-
ditional expenditure of about $s51. $50.
Dam at Massachusetts, Avenue.
The other plan calls for reclamation
with dam. Regarding this plan the
board said that il tidal action were elm
mated by the construction of dam.
sand or gravel beach probably would be
satisfactory for the shores of the pool,
and added that at most nothing more
than very low wall costing about
So lineal foot would be required, and
that only for a few limited distances.
IF the dam were located at Massa-
chusetts avenue" said the board, "a saw
ing of approximately $415,OO would thus
be made in the cost of wall construction
for the six miles of river bank above the
dam. even though a considerable portion
of the shore were protected by a low
wall. This saving i'll cost Of wall con-
Struction Is much more than the probable
cost of a dam and lock. 1t appears de-
sirable that the land and water areas
should be about the same. whether dam
is constructed or not. The elevation OF
the reclaimed area below the dam must
be at least eight feet above mean low
water Above the dam it has been as
sumed that the park area would ultimate
ly extend approximately to the ten-foot
contour. That gives practically an aver
age elevation of eight feet above mean
low water for the fill in that portion also.
The depth of the dredging WILL of course,
be the same as without dam. in order
to get the necessary material for the NIL.
The pool depth above the dam therefore
will be about eleven feet, much more than
necessary to prevent undesirable aquatic
growth.