page 1403
V7.
IMPROVEMENT OF WHITE RIVER, ARKANSAS.
Prior to improvement, this river was choked with drift-piles, logs, and snags in its lower portion, and from Batesville up, gravel-bars, rocky shoals, channel bowlders, and overhanging trees impeded navigation.
The originally adopted project consisted in snagging operations and blasting of ledges and bowlders, and dam building to remove gravel bars or to close chutes.
The first separate 1404 appropriation for this river was made by act approved July 5, 1884. At that time the river was in excellent navigable condition for boats drawing not to exceed 3 feet of water, from its mouth to Newport, Ark. From Newport to Batesville there were many troublesome snags, and from Batesville to Buffalo Shoals there were numerous bad shoals, rendering navigation very uncertain. From Buffalo Shoals to Forsythe, Mo., there were many fine reaches of river, but the depth of water on Buffalo Shoals and others prevented any navigation at ordinary stages of water.
This river has been united so often with the St. Francis, and again once with the Black and St. Francis and once with the Black and Little Bed, that it is impossible to give exactly how much had been expended on the White River to June 30, 1884. After a careful study of House Ex. Hoc. No. 64, Forty-eighth Congress, first session, the approximate amount is set down as not under $170,000 and not over $200,000. This estimate should be given a weight 8 in a scale of 10.
The present project provides that the appropriation passed by acts approved July 5,1884, and August 5,1886, be applied to remove snags, bowlders, and other obstructions to navigation, building wing-dams to improve shoals, repairs and care of plant, and survey of the river, as provided for in the acts, with a view to its permanent improvement, from Forsyth, Mo., to its mouth. Up to June 30,1887, $46,575.24 had been expended. This completed the field work of the survey from Forsyth, Mo., to the mouth, and advanced the plotting of notes well towards completion, effectively improved many of the most dangerous shoals between Buffalo Shoals and Batesville, and removed the more dangerous snags from Batesville to the mouth.
During the fiscal year ending June 30,1888, plotting the field notes were completed, field maps were reduced, and photolithographed plans and estimates were prepared for the permanent improvement of the river, copy of which is appended and marked “A.” A few bad snags and logs were removed near Duvall’s Bluff and Clarendon, and the property was duly cared for.
It was not deemed advisable to attempt any further temporary work with the small balance until the action of Congress should be known, as it could be used more effectively with the appropriation for permanent improvement.
As stated last year, no further appropriations are recommended for temporary improvement, if provisions are to be made soon for the permanent improvement, plans and estimates of which follow.
With the snagging operations the case is a little different. To make a close estimate, $8,000 will be required annually for the first two years of the permanent improvement, probably, to remove such stray snags as may accumulate. It is possible that this sum may be needed a third year, but this river being so much more susceptible to permanent improvement than the Arkansas, it is probable that two years’ work on the permanent construction would stop nearly all bank caving, at least so nearly so that by using a supply boat, fitted with snagging appliances, the few snags met with could be removed without extra expense to the appropriation, over and above that necessary to maintain such a boat for the prosecution of the work.
Further elaboration of this report seems unnecessary, in view of the fact that the accompanying plans and estimates cover the entire ground. At the close of the fiscal year no appropriation for the year ending June 30, 1889, had been made for either the permanent improvement or for snagging operations.
1405
It remains therefore only to renew the recommendations of my last report and of the plans and estimates. Fifty-eight thousand dollars could be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890; $8,000 in snagging and $50,000 upon the permanent improvement.
The photolithograph maps having been completed, Sheet 24 is sent instead of tracing of the same as specified in the plans and estimates.
COMMERCE.
The first appropriations having been made in 1833, the records of this office do not show what was the amount of commerce prior to any attempts at improvement.
In the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1876, page 627, Colonel Suter, referring to the upper reaches of this river, says: “The country bordering on this portion of White River is almost entirely dependent on water transportation, which, from the difficult character of the navigation, is very uncertain and costly,” and even one year later he speaks of much of the commerce being carried on by teams. (Annual Report Chief of Engineers, 1887, page 501.)
The advantages to commerce if the permanent improvement is effected will be greatest of that to any river in the State, in proportion to the cost.
This is a natural highway for commerce to an extensive territory and much of this territory has as yet no other outlet except the wagon. In this connection see Annual Report Chief of Engineers, 1880, page 1313, Chief of Engineers, 1885, pages 1589' and 1591. Here will be found a steady increase in commerce, keeping pace with the improvements, which speaks for itself and calls for no comment.
As to benefits to community, it may be said that a community that will follow up the work already done as this one has can but be greatly benefited. Every improvement made is promptly taken advantage of. The rapid growth in prosperity in this section warrants the belief that the permanent improvement of this river will confer benefits upon this community so great that the cost of the works will seem too small for comparison.
Any one taking the trouble to read the Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers for the past twelve years will be struck with the uniform testimony of engineers in regard to the future great commerce of this river— a significant fact in itself.
Money statement.
July 1,1887, amount available………………………………………………..$6,430.70
Received from sale of fuel to officer………………………………………… 6.00
6,430.76
July 1, 1888, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of
liabilities outstanding July 1, 1887……… $4,239.91
July 1, 1888, outstanding liabilities…………………………………... 544.50
4,784.41
July 1, 1884, balance available…………………………………………………1, 652. 35
Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888……………………………...25, 000. 00
Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1889 ……………………… 26,652. 35
Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project……………… 80,315. 00
Amount (estimated) required for snagging annually……………………………. 8,000.00
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1890…. 58, 000.00
Submitted in compliance with, requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867
1406
PLAN'S AND ESTIMATES FOR THE PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT OF THE WHITE RIVER, ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI, BASED UPON THE COMPLETE SURVEYS OF 1885, 1886, AND 1887.
The distance from Forsythe, Mo., to the Mississippi River is 505 miles. This distance may be divided into three sections.
The first, from Forsythe to Buffalo Shoals, a distance of 112.8 miles, in which the average fall in the river is 2.36 feet to the mile. The second, from Buffalo Shoals to Newport, a distance of 135.0 miles, in which the fall of the river is 1.3 feet per mile; and The third, from Newport to the Mississippi, a distance of 253.3 miles, in which the river falls 0.30 feet per mile.
The first section can be rendered navigable at extreme low water in no way except by the construction of a system of locks and dams. The expense involved in this improvement would be so entirely disproportionate to the present commerce, or the demands of commerce in the near future, that it is not deemed expedient to devote any time to plans and estimates for this reach of river.
I have personally plotted to a scale the water-surface of this reach, which includes some 55 shoals, having falls varying all the way from five-tenths of a foot to 10 feet, and in length all the way from 700 feet to nearly 3 miles, and have carefully studied other matters connected with the reach, such as velocity of current, volume of water, and oscillation, reaching finally the above conclusion as to the kind of improvement possible.
The oscillation at Forsythe, Mo., amounts to 34 feet. From this it will be inferred that there are certain times that a steam-boat having sufficient power to stem the rapids at the shoals may navigate the river. In fact, at the opening of the survey I sent a snag-boat with supplies to Forsythe. This boat was 135 feet long, with about 30 feet beam, and drew about 16 inches of water.
As the country is settled there will be stages of improvement. The first stage will require the cutting of overhanging trees and the removal of a few dangerous bowlders. The next stage will require the erection of a few wing-dams on the worst shoals and possibly to blast out a few ledges, with a view to prolonging the period of medium stage navigation.
Ultimately there is little question but that when the vast resources of this undeveloped section are fully made known and utilized, either a canal, using the waters of the river, or a system of locks and dams should be provided, either by the State or General Government, to meet the demands of commerce.
1407
The requirements of the first stage have, so far as I have been able to learn, been met by previous appropriations for so much of the reach as steam-boats have cared to utilize.
The country has not yet reached that stage of development which will bring into play the requirements of the second stage. With these statements I will leave this section with one more remark, and a very important one, namely: That it should be the duty of the officer charged with the improvement of this river to collect annually statistics bearing upon the commerce of this section, embody the same in his annual reports, and prepare plans and estimates whenever the second stage is reached.
The other two sections should have immediate attention, as they are preeminently worthy of improvement, and when properly improved will remain so for many years, as this is a stream not subject to those rapid changes in regimen common to so many of the streams of the Lower Mississippi Valley. Its waters are very clear at all times compared with other rivers in the State, its banks cave but little, and from the mouth of Black River, a few miles above Newport, it will require a comparatively small outlay to make it a great highway of commerce.
Above the mouth of Black River, or practically, say, for the whole of the second section, greater outlay will be required, yet at the same time the river lends itself readily to improvement, and the benefits to be conferred are so great that the outlay seems insignificant.
In discussing the plans for the improvement of the river, the third section, i.e., from Newport to the mouth, presents the fewest difficulties, and will be therefore considered first, leaving the more difficult second section to the last.
The field maps are being reduced as rapidly as possible, and the reduced maps will be photolithographed, but not in time to accompany this report. A careful study of these maps reveals comparatively few places having less than 5 feet of water at extreme low water, while the general depth of the river in this reach is much greater than this.
At all points where the depth at extreme low water is less than 5 feet, it is found that the river is abnormally wide, giving rise to bars the same as in the Arkansas River (except upon a smaller scale, as the sediment carried is so much less), the river lacking defining power due to reduced velocity of current.
All the improvement the river requires is to have the shoal places so improved as to give a minimum depth of 5 feet at extreme low water, and this improvement must be made, if possible, so as not to disturb the regimen of the river at any other point, or the least possible at those points.
This reduces the problem to much the same condition as those existing upon the Arkansas River, and the plan results as follows:
It is proposed to erect at suitable points, to be determined by the well-known laws of bar formations and extension, spur-dikes of length and height just sufficient to give the necessary contraction at a 3 to 4-foot stage, to enable the river when falling from that stage to extreme low water to define its channel as it does where the river has a normal width.
The length of the dike is in no case to be such that it will contract the low -water channel to less than that found at points where good water has been found for years, and the height shall be the minimum necessary to give the specified defining power (minimum) that the general regimen of the river may be disturbed the least possible.
Each locality will have to be made the 1408 subject of special study at the time of locating the dikes. To make an estimate of the cost, however, certain general conditions may be assumed to prevail.
After examining the maps and then the river and discussing the latter with river men, and then studying the maps again, I am convinced that in no case, or at least in very few cases, will the permeable spur-dike require to be 200 feet in length, and its height will not exceed 4 feet above extreme low water.
Shoals requiring improvement occur as follows, starting from Newport, Ark., and going down the river.
Sheet No. 23.
A. About three-fourths mile above Iron Mountain Railroad Bridge.
B. About 1¼ miles below Iron Mountain Railroad Bridge.
C. About 2½ miles below Iron Mountain Railroad Bridge.
D. Three and three-fourths to 4 miles below Iron Mountain Railroad Bridge-.
Sheet No. 24.
K. Three and three-fourths to 4 miles above Grand Glaise.
F. Three-fourths to 1 mile above Grand Glaise.
0. Three-fourths miles below Grand Glaise.
H. One and one-fourth mile below Grand Glaise.
1. Two to 'ii miles below Grand Glaise.
Sheet No. 25.
J. Four and One-half to 4¾ miles above Dudley's Dread.
K. From one- fourth mile above down to Dudley's Dread.
Sheet No. 26.
L. One-fourth of a mile below Dudley's Dread.
M. One-half mile below Jenning's Landing.
N*. Two miles below "De Parte Creek."
Sheet No. 33.
O. Three miles above Cache River.
P. One-fourth mile above Cache River.
Q. One and one-half miles below Clarendon.
Sheet No. 34.
R. Three and three-fourths to 4 miles below " Rock Row Bayou."
8. Seven and three-fourths miles below "Rock Row Bayou."
Sheet No. 35.
T. One mile below Gascoe.
U. Three and one-half miles below Gascoe.
V. Seven-eighths to 1¼ miles below Mount Adams.
W. One and one-half to 1¾ miles below Mount Adams.
Sheet No..36.
X. One and three-fourths miles above "Crockett's Bluff."
Y. One and one-half miles below "Crockett's Bluff."
Sheet No. 37.
Z. Two miles above Anderson's Bay.
A. Seven-eighths to 1 1/8 miles below "Saint Charles."
B'. One and one-half to 1¾ miles below "Saint Charles."
Sheet No. 38.
C. Seven-eighths of a mile below chute at the foot of Big Island.
Sheet No. 39.
D. Three-fourths of a mile above head of Little Island.
E'. One-half of a mile above foot of Little Island.
F'. Seven-eighths of a mile above "Scrub Grass Creek."
1409
All localities marked with an * require 2 dikes and one marked ** require three dikes, while each other locality practically requires three dikes, while each other locality practically requires bat one. This will require forty-one dikes, averaging 200 feet in length or 8,200 linear feet of dike. These dikes are so similar to those now being built on the Arkansas River that a very close estimate can be made of their cost. They will not be buried over with sand quite so soon as are the dikes upon that river, and hence will require to be made of slightly more durable material.
Making all due allowances for this, they should be constructed at a cost not to exceed $10 per linear foot, making the total cost for this reach $82,000.
It only remains now to give a description of the permeable spur dikes. This is scarcely necessary, perhaps, as it is a well-known structure now to hydraulic engineers, yet, that the plan may be complete in itself, it is given in detail, with accompanying tracings.
Such dikes consist, in the first place, of a foot-mat from 80 to 100 feet wide and 40 to 50 feet longer than the pile portion of the dike, the extra length being at and beyond the channel end of the pile portion. This mattress is formed by first placing poles parallel to the axis of the dike and 8 feet and 10 feet apart, to form the warp, and then weaving brush 12feet to 20 feet in length as woof, as shown in the tracings. The mattress is held in position by boxes filled with sand (being cheaper than stone and answering as well, there being no advantage in having any part of the dike more durable than the rest), the boxes being generally 15 inches by 18 inches by 24 inches, and placed 7 to 10 to the 100 square feet.
Through the axis of this mattress a row of piles is driven, 8 feet apart in the row, 10 to 12 feet into the bar, and projecting 4 to 5 feet above low water, these piles being straight and not less than 8 inches in diameter at the smallest end.
The piles of this row are wattled with brush, woven upon them after the manner of weaving baskets, the wattling being carried to the requisite height above low water, and are joined together by horizontal stringers, bolted to each pile by a three-quarter-inch iron rod, these stringers being placed upon the down-stream side of the piles to prevent drift catching under them during a rise.
Parallel to this row, and at such a distance from it that a brace from the foot of a pile in the second row to the stringers upon the upper row will make an angle of 45 degrees with the perpendicular, another row of piles is driven upon the down-stream side of the first row, and containing one-half of the piles in the upper row. This row carries a stringer like the upper row, but no wattling. Every other pile in the first row is braced to the pile in the lower row by a horizontal brace and a diagonal brace, as shown. To facilitate the placing of the diagonal brace, a stirrup is used at its foot large enough to slip over the top of the pile in the lower row.
The total cost as given, $82,000, covers the dikes actually required, as far as personal observation and study of the maps can determine them. It may be that three or four other dikes will be required, and there may be fluctuations in the cost of plant. To provide for these contingencies allowance is made for possible additional dikes, or 800 feet at $10, say $8,000, and to this add a contingent of $1,000, and the total cost appears as follows:
Forty-one dikes as per study………………………………………$82, 000
Four contingent dikes……………………………………………… $8,000
Allowance for fluctuation in cost of plant…………………………. $1, 000
Total estimate for reach from Newport to the mouth of the river. $100, 000
1410
This is a close estimate and will require the utmost skill and accuracy in field and office, but is all that is necessary, and if made available all at one time will make a magnificent water-way of this reach.
In taking up the second reach, i.e. from Buffalo Shoals to Newport, the problem is a more difficult one, but it is worthy of note that this reach is a remarkably satisfactory one to improve, since its regimen is about fixed, the bed being defined by rocks or unyielding gravel and banks either of rock bluffs or earth thoroughly protected by willow or other aquatic trees which grow almost to the lowest water mark.
The improvements, therefore, instead of being uncertain in their results, as on many streams where a supposed improvement may prove only temporary in its action, or possibly prove a damage to navigation by transferring the difficulty to a point below, on this reach may be regarded as efficient and permanent.
The obstacles to be overcome in making this improvement are rock and gravel shoals with occasional bowlders and a few snags and sunken logs. Considerable work of a semi-permanent and in some instances permanent character, has already been done upon a number of these shoals. This work has proved very effective, and demonstrates that the improvements may be made so as to be practically permanent. It will be necessary to increase the velocity of the current in some instances in order to get the requisite depth, so that steam-boats will be obliged to lay lines to pass over the shoals, but with this exception there is no point at which it will not be possible to erect dams in such a manner as to give at least a 2-foot channel at extreme low water, and make it a permanent channel. Some rock excavations may be required, but will be small in amount.
An examination of the maps and notes of the survey shows that there are some 88 shoals, varying in length from 7,400 to 400 feet and having falls varying from 4 feet to 0 5 foot.
Of these 88 shoals, 18 may be practically ignored, inasmuch as they are practically good for all purposes of navigation that it is possible to render the other shoals available for. The balance may have been more or less improved in a temporary way in some instances, and in very permanent and substantial ways in others.
I have personally prepared a low-water profile of the water-surface, and from a study of this incline to the opinion that the only really satisfactory solution of the problem would be the use of locks and dams.
This is at best very expensive, in view of the present commerce. In most of the cases contraction will only transfer the trouble to another point, as it will have to be violent to be effective, and I incline to the opinion that the best solution possible is that by which the local slopes can be broken up and distributed over such distances as will restore them to reasonable limits.
This can generally be done by curving and thereby increasing the length of the channel, low dikes being run out alternately from each bank, so as to concentrate the water pouring over the crest of the bar, and hold it up until the requisite level is reached.
Such dikes when properly placed will not increase the velocity of the current, but rather diminish it, and as the flow will soon deposit gravel above and below them, it is believed that the curved channel-way thus set up will be reasonably firm and reliable.
Of course in time it will be necessary to raise the dikes, and perhaps to extend them, but at any rate the system will not resulting transferring the bar from the head to the foot of the system of dikes, as almost invariably results when spur-dikes designed simply to increase the scouring 1411 action of the current are used, so that violent contraction of the water-way is produced.
In the study of this reach the question of a greater depth of water than 2 feet of low-water channel has been canvassed.
The following discharge sections, taken within the limits of this reach, show that there is water enough to warrant a channel 3 feet deep and at least 400 feet wide. After allowing for all existing contingencies and all errors likely to be made in computing these discharges, or in their reductions, at the same time the constructions necessary to give this depth would require very nice adjustment, oppose more weak points to the action of high water and would therefore be required to be built at so much greater expense and risk, that it is recommended that the 2-foot channel, only, be attempted at present.
The works can all be so placed as to simply require increasing in number or certain additions in length or height, to make them available for the 3-foot channel when desired.
The following are the discharge sections to which reference has been made:
Sheet No. 10.
1 mile below Buffalo Shoals:
Discharge…………………………………………cubic feet per second. 6, 355
Area…………………………………………………………. square feet. 2, 020
Average velocity……………………………………...…. feet per second . 3.14
Stage of water………………………………………………………………4. 80
Sheet No. 11.
One-half mile below “The Rapides:”
Discharge………………………………………….cubic feet per second. 4,988
Area…………………………………………………………..square feet. 2,116
Average velocity………………………………………….feet per second. 2. 35
Stage of water………………………………………………………………..1.15
Sheet No. 16.
One and one-half miles below “Wild Haws Shoal:”
Discharge……………………………………………cubic feet per second. 2,472
Area…………………………………………………………….square feet. 1,160
Average velocity……………………………………………feet per second. 2.13
Stage of water - 0. 00
Sheet No. 22.
At Jacksonport:
Discharge……………………………………………cubic feet per second.. 6,754
Area…………………………………………………………… square feet.. 3,276
Average velocity……………………………………………….……………..2.06
Stage of water…………………………………………………………………1.00
Sheet No. 23.
At Newport:
Discharge…………………………………………….cubic feet per second.. 8,488
Area………………………………………………………………square feet. 9,036
Average velocity……………………………………………………………….0.93
Stage of water………………………………………………………………….3.60
The 88 shoals specified, or the 70 after deducting the 18 as above, have been subject to more or less improvement for the past ten years or more, and this improvement has been so judiciously applied that there are but twenty-five localities at which any work is now required to complete the permanent improvement of this reach.
I would respectfully invite attention to this fact, as it shows the advantage of adhering to a definite plan even prior to a survey, anticipating as far as possible the probable outcome ofsuch survey, for there now 1412 results a cost of completing the improvement based upon the survey which is so slight that but for the fact of the permanent improvement having been always kept in view, might be a surprise to the casual reader.
To give an idea of the work already done, there is forwarded here with 17 tracings of sketches of the more prominent shoals, showing the[1]improvements already made.
The completion of the permanent improvement providing a 2-foot channel for this reach resolves itself into extending and making more substantial the works already in place, and adding a few more slight ones, possibly, where the present works have not given the requisite slope of
surface and velocity of current, matters that have to be determined experimentally, and for which certain contingent sums must therefore be provided. A study of each improved and unimproved shoal in detail shows that, all told, material, etc., will be required as above about as follows:
Rock quarried and placed ...................... cubic yards. 705
Rock picked up and placed. .......................do……… 335
Gravel placed..............................................do............ 200
Brush placed .................................................. cords…. 60
Rock removed ...................................... cubic yards... 170
The above gives an idea of the nature of the dams, and permits the condensation of this paper.
The brush is principally used to prevent the gravel being cut out
around and under the first course of stones in the dams, and with the
gravel is used to fill interstices between the stones used in the construction until the river has provided this filling completely. A tracing is sent showing the cross-sections of these darns. No description is deemed necessary. The height and thickness of the dams has to be fixed on the spot and is determined by the forces brought to bear upon each particular case.
In submitting the estimate, the amount seems small, and this must be my apology for treating the subject in an exhaustive manner.
The constructions have been gone over in detail, and with results as stated.
The cost may be summed up as follows:
This added to the estimate of $100,000 made for the reach from Newport to the mouth, makes the total estimate $105,315.
Of this sum $50,000 can be profitably expended during the year ending June 30, 1889.
As entirely new plant will have to be provided for this reach below Newport, it will be most economical and advantageous to the Government to make at least $50,000 available the first year.
Twenty tracings accompany this report. The tracing of sheet No. 24 1413 is, designed to show in what shape the photolithographs will finally the forwarded, and also shows how the dikes are located on the lower reach, i.e., from Newport to the month, being a sheet that contains an exceptionally large number of bad places.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. S. TABER,
Captain of Engineers.
U. S. ENGINEER OFFICE,
Little Rock, Ark., July 1,1888.
N. B.—At this date the photolithograph maps having been completed, a set is forwarded herewith.
[ 1888 Chief’s Annual Report]; Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, to the Secretary of War, for the year 1888; Appendixes to the report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army.
https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll6/id/1813/rec/30
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