Evening star., 1928-03-04
ANACOST|A MARSH !
TO FORM BIG PARK.
Army Engineers Prepare to
Start New Project as Soon
as Funds Are Ready.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.

BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY.
= Elimination Of the largest OF the
National Capitals remaining unsiehtly
and health menacing marsh land areas
and its Identification for an addition
to the park system will begin July /.
under the item in the District of CO.
lumbia appropriation bin as 1t appears
now II is the Anacostia River fats
project between Benning Bridge and
the District of Columbia Maryland
line.
All preparations have been made by
Maj. Brehon Somervsll, Army Engineer
In charge of the local river and harbor
district, to begin work at that time, es
the present bill docs not carry the
usual restriction against the use OF any
of the appropriation for work above the
bridge. While not all of the work has
been completed between the bridge and
the mouth OF the Anacostia River,
nevertheless the engineers have been
ready to start work above the bridge
for some time. There remains about
a wears work to be done below the
bridge but this can be completed SIM
ultaneously with the promotion Of the
project above the bridge.
EaTk VIII Dc NHtQue.
Completion of the project. which
will require approximately nine years.
will give the National Capital park
Of kind said to be different from any
found anywhere else in the world.
Purchase of property necessary In the
reclamation work has been going on
for number Of years, and is practically
completed.
-Th. ,a,ass.r,. oo,,;o,,ort I,~ t>o,,,
assent bled and the plans perfected for
tnaugurating the project at the bssir-
ming of the fiscal year. The Army
dredge Benning is now in the river
ready to go under the Benning Bridge.
The first work that will hive to be
done In connection with the project
will be to change the piers in the cham
nelway of the bridge. AT the present
time there Is only q width of 26is feet
clearance between the picrS. BY re-
moving these. and replacing the present
piers with smaller ones, he Engineers
will have a clearance of 30i, feet:
which will permit the dredge Renning
TO pass through. without the necessity
Of building an expensive draw, which
has been found objectionable. This
dredge has been specially designed so
that the superstructure may be easily
dismantled to permit it TO pass under
the bridge with its present clearance.
and as it will remain in tho upper
reaches of the river for nearly q decade.
the dismantling is not looked upon as
Q serious or expensive proposition.
Once the bridge is prepared. and the
dredge taken through and again f1tted
up 1t will begin the work of throwing
up leyees over sea-wal foundations OF
stone behind which will oe pumped the
tons OF dredgings from the channel.
VIII Displace Marsh Water.
As il passes up the river toward the
District line. the dredge viii eat a
channel feet deep and varying IL
width from 100 to 300 feet. which after
ward is to be deepened by. cleaning.
As the dredce deepens the chanrei.
throwing the silt on the river banks.
the marsh waters viii be displaced and
drained into the new channel
When the new park Is completed II
will have total area OF $40 acres. 500
Of which will be reclaimed marsh land
and i40 Of It so-called fast lano.
which had to BE- purchased 10 give me
Government fun riparian rights IN the
project. OF this $40 acres l60 will De /
water covered. There viii be 40 acres |
3, the river channel proper, 45 acres |
tn Lake Kingman. on the western
tank. and IS acres in East Lake. which
Ell be on the east bank in the Mary
land end Of the project.
In each OF the two lakes will be two
islands, Island No in East Lake COW
ering acres and Island No. 2 in
the same lake acres. Island No. 3
In Kingman Lake will cover 3 acres
and Island No. 4 4 acres.
Under the present plans 1t Is pro-
Dosed TO develop the southern end OF
this parkway for recreation and the
upper end is TO be turned over TO the
Department OF Agriculture for the de-
velopmen: Of a national water park"
As this area Is adjacent TO the National
Arbofetum proposed 1t will fit In with
the plans for that national project.
also under the Department OF Agricul-
ture. In the water park II Is proposed
70 plant only trees and shrubs which
grow along the waterways Of the coun- /
try and TO put In many species. Also
In this end of the park II is proposed
10 put down a wild rice preserve. for
the feeding OF wild birds Of the water
ways. Here. too. will be included the
lily ponds. now privately owned. but
which will be acquired by the Govern
ment for inclusion In the project.
These alone are distinctive. according
70 the officials. and exist only because
OF the peculiar alkaline waters fed into
the ponds by springs.
Level To Be Constant.
The lakes are being designed as what
Is known as constant level lakes-that
Is. there will be the same level OF water
IN them al all times, regardless Of tidal
changes in the river proper during each
"A hours They are intended for Use
Cf those who Ike canoeing and rowing.
snd the water Will be al the same level
a. the banks at all times.
With the spread Of the metropolitan
city development into Maryland. there
II a likelihood that the Prince Georges
metropolitan area ofiicialS viii want TO
take up the reclamation work from the
District line where the Federal Govern
Enent will leave Of, and carry the
project through the greater capital dis
tYict. The Anacostia continues up
through EladenSburg, and above the
E>~.,:>~