CONGRESS, VALLEY CREEK, ALA. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORT ON JUNE 6, 1919. Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed, with illustration. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 4, 1919. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, of April 11 last, together with report from Maj. W. L. Guthrie, Corps of Engineers, dated January 22, 1917, with map, on a preliminary examination of Valley Creek, Jefferson County, Ala., made by him in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 27, 1916. Very respectfully, NEWTON D. BAKER, WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, April 11, 1919. From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army. 1. There is submitted herewith for transmission to Congress report dated January 22, 1917, with map, by Maj. W. L. Guthrie, Corps of Engineers, on preliminary examination of Valley Creek, Jefferson County, Ala., authorized by the river and harbor act approved July 27, 1916. 2. Valley Creek rises in the vicinity of Birmingham, and passing near the western limits of the city of Bessemer, empties into the Black Warrior River about 3 miles below the junction of Mulberry and Locust Forks, and about 405 miles above Mobile, Ala. It is an insignificant stream of no present navigational importance. Slack water from Lock and Dam No. 17 of the Black Warrior River extends up Valley Creek for a distance of 5 miles. A plan for the improvement of this stream with a view to providing navigation up to Birmingham was prepared in 1898. The plan contemplated the construction of 34 locks and dams, at a total estimated cost of $8,500,000. It is the present desire of interested parties to have the improvement terminate at or near Bessemer. The district engineer suggests a plan of improvement providing for (1) a lock and dam with a lift of 30 feet at the present head of slack water; (2) an impounding dam about 10 miles farther upstream with a flight of 5 locks, having an aggregate lift of about 146 feet, carrying navigation to 1 mile above McAdory, and (3) a canal 3 miles long to Nineteenth Street, Bessemer. This would require a cut at the upper end of the canal of about 41 feet, mostly through rock, and necessitate the excavation of a basin to a similar depth for a terminal. The normal flow of the creek is thought to be inadequate for lockages, and any form of improvement would probably have to include either diversion of water from another water shed or the storage of the excess waters of Valley Creek during wet seasons. The cost of the improvement would obviously be great, and could only be warranted by the assurance of a large and important commerce. The amount of commerce that would be transported by water if the improvement were made is problematical. The district engineer states that practically all manufacturing plants are located from 1 to 20 miles from the proposed improvement, necessitating a haul by rail or motor truck to reach the canal. He believes that most shippers would prefer to ship to destination by rail rather than to transfer from rail to water. In view of the excessive cost, the difficulty of providing an adequate water supply, the expense that would be attached to traffic on the canal, and the existence of ample rail facilities at established industries, the district engineer is of opinion that the locality is not worthy of improvement by the United States. The division engineer recommends a survey to determine whether any improvement is justified. 3. This report has been referred, as required by law, to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and attention is invited to its report herewith, dated February 11, 1919, concurring in the unfavorable views of the district engineer. The board states that the existing Warrior River slackwater system has cost about $25,000 a mile, while the extension contemplated, regardless of the details of the plan adopted, would cost over $200,000 a mile. A suitable rail or motor truck road to a terminal on pool 17 could be constructed for a fraction of this amount, and the board believes that after Federal improvements have been carried as far as economically feasible, as in this case, suitable connections therewith should be made by the interests concerned. At a hearing before the board, interested parties urged that a survey be made in order to determine the cost and advisibility of the improvement. The board is of opinion, however, that the data available are sufficient to warrant an adverse conclusion regarding the proposed improvement, and it does not believe that a survey, which would probably cost about $40,000, is justified at this time. 4. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports, I concur in the views of the district engineer and the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and therefore report that the improvement by the United States of Valley Creek, Jefferson County, Ala., is not deemed advisable at the present time. W. M. BLACK, Major General. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS. [Fifth indorsement.] BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY: 1. The following is in review of the district engineer's report authorized by the river and harbor act of July 27, 1916, on preliminary examination of Valley Creek, Jefferson County, Ala. 2. Valley Creek rises in the vicinity of Birmingham, Ala., passes near the city of Bessemer, and empties into the Black Warrior River about 3 miles below the junction of the Mulberry and Locust Forks. Slack water from Lock and Dam No. 17 of the Warrior River system extends up the Locust Fork to Nichols Shoals, 15 miles northwest of Birmingham, and up Valley Creek for a distance of 5 miles. Adory Creek enters Valley Creek at a point about 4 miles southwest of Bessemer, an important iron and steel manufacturing center with 30,000 inhabitants, 12 miles southwest from Birmingham. Mc 3. A plan for the improvement of Valley Creek, prepared in 1898, for the purpose of carrying slack water to Birmingham, contemplated the construction of 21 locks and dams between the Black Warrior River and McAdory and 13 locks and dams between that point and the vicinity of North Birmingham, at an estimated cost, respectively, of $4,500,000 and $4,000,000. It is the present desire of interested parties to have the terminus of navigation at or near Bessemer. The normal flow of the creek is thought to be inadequate for lockages and any form of improvement must include either diversion from another watershed or the storage of the excess waters of Valley Creek during wet seasons. 4. The plan of improvement which seems to the district engineer to be best adapted to the locality would include (1) a lock and dam with a lift of 30 feet at the present head of slack water; (2) an impounding dam 34 miles below Rock Creek which would raise the water level about 146 feet above the lower pool and carry a navigable depth to 1 mile above McAdory, the lift to be made by 5 locks in flight; and (3) a canal 3 miles long to Nineteenth Street, Bessemer. This would require a cut at the upper end of the canal of about 41 feet, mostly through rock, and would necessitate the excavation of a basin to a similar depth for a terminal. No definite offers of cooperation have been made. 5. The commerce that would be transported by water if the improvement were made is, of course, conjectural. It has been stated by local interests in connection with a former examination that about 4,800,000 tons would be shipped out and about 600,000 tons brought In reference to this the district engineer states that practically all manufacturing plants are located from 1 to 20 miles from the proposed improvement, only two being on the canal route, which in. would mean a haul by motor truck or by rail to reach the canal. He is of opinion that most shippers would prefer a continuous rail haul rather than to transship to water, and for this and other reasons he believes that not over 600,000 tons would use the waterway if improved; also that the cost of this 35 miles, involving nearly as much as the improvement of the 405 miles already provided with slack water on the Warrior River, would not be justified even if the waterway developed the maximum volume of commerce possible. He calls attention to the fact that a belt-line railroad to connect Bessemer with the present head of slack-water navigation on Valley Creek can be built for a fraction of the cost of the proposed improvement. In view of the excessive cost, the difficulty of providing an adequate water supply, the expense that would be attached to traffic on the canal, and the existence of ample rail facilities at established industries, the district engineer is of opinion that the locality is not worthy of improvement by the United States. he division engineer is not convinced that the plan proposed is the only practicable one and he considers the matter of sufficient importance to warrant further investigation and a survey to determine whether any improvement is justified. 6. As a result of notice of unfavorable report by the district engineer, interested parties requested a hearing which was given at this office on April 9, 1918, and attended by Hon. J. H. Bankhead, United States Senator; Hon. O. W. Underwood, United States Senator; Hon. George Huddleston, Member of Congress; Hon. W. B. Oliver, Member of Congress; and a delegation of citizens from the locality. 7. The Birmingham district, which includes the city of Bessemer and other adjacent sections, is an important and prosperous mining and manufacturing center having a large tonnage now handled by rail. There has been some congestion of freight, particularly during the war, due largely to car shortage, and local interests seek relief from this condition through the extension of the Warrior River slack water system up Valley Creek as far as Bessemer, it being claimed that if such an improvement were made a large amount of commerce destined for Mobile and New Orleans for export or for domestic distribution would be handled by water. This general question has been considered before and different plans of improvement suggested. Past investigations developed doubt regarding the adequacy of the water supply and this phase of the subject has not been determined with definiteness, but it has been stated that in recent years the natural flow of the creek has been greatly increased by water brought in from other sheds for municipal and manufacturing purposes which later finds its way into the creek, and it appears that with some conservation there may be sufficient water for a moderate number of lockages for an improvement extending up to Bessemer. 8. While no precise estimate of cost has been made, there are sufficient data available to indicate that the cost of canalizing this short section of 35 miles, together with the construction of a suitable terminal, will approximate the cost of the entire 405 miles of the Warrior River system upon which about $10,000,000 has been spent. The amount of commerce that would seek the water route is problematical. No doubt a considerable part of that originating on or |