Evening journal., 1919-07-25
NO BULKHEAD FUR
ASSAWAMAN CANAL
Government Denies Canal
is Cause of Conditions
insndian River
SUGGESTED CHANGE
A STEP BACKWARD

In reply TO Representative Layton
request for the consideration or IN
matter, the Secretary OF War says:
I'm regard to the proposed erection
OF a buikhead in the Assawomai
canal have the honor to inclose
copy OF a report Of the matter by IN
district engineer in charge OF the 10
sality.
ut will be seen that in ihs iudg
ment. the canal Is not the cause Of th'
change Of conditions In the river anC
bay and that closure would be a steI
backward in view Of a considerable
and growing commerce for which th'
Waterway can be made available d,
the expenditure OF a little more thai
30 per cent. OF the amount already ex'
pended under appropriations OF Con
gress.
"He also states that the canal has
beneficial effect on the surrounding
,ountry by draining It and making for
nerly worthless land highly productive
He thinks that a lock would not be OBJ
lectionable. but advises against max
Ing a decision on the matter until re-
port Is made, in the near future on
preliminary examination ordered Dy
Congress and which will include the 10
cality.
"The chief OF engineers concurs IN
the Views OF the district engineer ana
rs the position seems TO be well taken
st is my feeling that the decision
thould be deferred until the report re-
lerred to by the district engineer has
been received and considered. l shall
lake pleasure in then advising you fur
ther in the matter"
Yhe report OF the district engineer
al Wilmington to the chief OF engineers
OF the army in regard to the proposed
project in full is as follows,
The kssawoman canal is a cut
through highland four miles long from
the head OF Little Assawoman bay
northward 10 Whites creek, tributary
Of Indian river bay. constituting a por-
lion Of the finland waterway from
Chincoteagie bay, Va, 10 Delaware
hay at or near Lewes, Dell" distance
Of seventy miles, the project for pIe
Improvement Of which was adopted by
Congress in the river and harb0r act OF
August 5, 1896. and repealed by the
river and harbor act OF March 2 1900
. The river and harbor act Of March
3 1919. provides for a preliminary eX-
animation OF waterway from Chinco-
league bay, Va. 20 Delaware bay at or
near Lewes. Del, including considera-
tiop Of the relative advantages and
casts OF utilizing the Mispillion river
as the northern entrance to the water
wav rather than the Broadkill river.
This examination viii cover the project
Of 1856
q The Assawoman canal Is now
link in a continuous inland waterway
from Delaware Breakwater harbor to
Cape Charles, Va, a distance OF 100
miles This waterway is navigable In its
entirety by very light draft boats only,
as boats large enough 10 be used com
mercially are prevented from using IL
by a number Of shoal spots scattered
along its length, but the several por-
tions Of Il between the shoal places are
used to a large extent.
Nothing for Maintenance.
4. Prior to 1891. the Assawoman
canal section was dredged to a depth
N four feet with a bottom OF twenty
feet and nothing has been done since
10 this section by the Federal Govern
ment. except TO keep fin repair three
yovernment-Owned bridges. There was
80 for new work and nothing for
maintenance. This section OF the water
way was improved first, as there was
an insistent demand at the time that
the waters 20 the north and south Of
the canal should be connected.
;. The canal has maintained itself
remarkably well during this long term
Of years, and it has been used CONNER
cislly to a large extent. but now there
are several shoal places in it near its
upper end with but one foot depth
over them, barring passage TO all but
very small boats.
6. in the Annual Report for 1913, !
page 1875, and again in that Of 1914. /
page 372, attention was invited 10 the |
fact that the canal was shoalng and |
an appropriation or allotment Of |
bi2-500 would re-dredge it 90 a depth /
of three feet ample for the boats then /
using 70.
Z. Indian River inlet. according TO |
local Information. was about two |
miles south Of its present location |
about one hundred years ago. and it |
was then navigable by the small sail !
Ing vessels OF the time The move
ment Of the inlet northward has been
gradual and from the time 10 got
abreast OF the cluster OF islands. be-
hind which IL Is now located. It has
been periodically closing and bursting
open again by the pressure OF the
accumulated head in the bays behind
Il. This began long before the ASA
woman canal was dug.
8. In the network Of channels
among the islands. the water is very
shallow. less than a foot. and when
the inlet is open 10 the fun flow Of
the tide the tidal influence ceases to
be perceptible less than a mile from
the inlet.
.. Appropriation OF $4,000 was
made by The river and harbOr act or
1882 for dredging a direct channel
through the islands from the inlet to
Indian River About $4,000 Gu. yds.
Of dredging was done, but the channel
filled up Immediately and the project
was abandoned.
10. Preliminary examination called
for by the acts Of 1905 and 1912, were
reported unfavorably.
H. There is somewhat higher water
level In Indian River than in the bays
south OF the Assawoman Canal, caus-
ing a prevailing southerly current !
through the canal, which is reversed |
only under pressure OF heavy south
erly winds. This fact has attracted |
the attention Of the local people, some
OF whom have formed the conclusion
that this draft upon the waters OF
Indian River has rohhed 4hem of fhe