CONGRESS Session HILLSBORO RIVER, FLA. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORT ON PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF HILLSBORO RIVER, FLA., FROM MICHIGAN AVENUE TO LAFAYETTE STREET BRIDGE, TAMPA. OCTOBER 3, 1919.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed, with illustration. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 2, 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 yesterday's date, together with report of Col. Glen E. Edgerton, Engineers, dated May 13, 1919, with map, on a preliminary examination of Hillsboro River. Fla., from Michigan Avenue to Lafayette Street Bridge, Tampa, authorized by the river and harbor act approved August 8, 1917. Very respectfully, BENEDICT CROWELL, Acting Secretary of War. From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army. To: The Secretary of War. Subject: Preliminary examination of Hillsboro River, Fla. 1. There is submitted herewith, for transmission to Congress, report dated May 13, 1919, with map, by Col. Glen E. Edgerton, En gineers, on preliminary examination of Hillsboro River, Fla., from Michigan Avenue to Lafayette Street Bridge, Tampa, authorized by the river and harbor act approved August 8, 1917. 2. Hillsboro River empties into Hillsboro Bay at Tampa, Fla. It is navigable from its mouth to the Tampa Electric Co.'s dam, a distance of 10 miles. The existing project provides for securing and maintaining a channel 200 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean low water, from a point 100 feet south of Lafayette Street Bridge to the turning basin at the mouth of the river, by dredging. The distance from Lafayette Street Bridge to Michigan Avenue is about 1.2 miles. The business on this reach is confined to the section between Lafayette Street Bridge and Garcia Avenue Bridge, where there is now a channel 7 feet deep and 50 to 100 feet wide. The mean range of tide is 2.2 feet. The improvement apparently desired is a channel of similar dimensions to those of the existing project, in extension of the present dredged channel. The commerce reported amounts to 54,700 tons, valued at $713,500, consisting principally of sand and shell and cedar logs. The district engineer states that the improvement of Tampa Harbor is being carried on with the object of ultimately securing a depth of 27 feet, and one of the conditions under which this work is being prosecuted is that rail facilities shall be provided by the city for that portion of the channel under improvement known as Ybor Estuary. This estuary now has a depth of 24 feet with unoccupied areas along its banks, and the district engineer does not consider it advisable for the Government to improve the Hillsboro River to any greater extent than is now authorized until greater advantage has been taken of the channels already constructed. The division engineer is of the opinion that the advisability of the improvement is dependent upon its cost, and he recommends a survey and estimate for a channel 12 feet deep and 200 feet wide, from the Lafayette Street Bridge to the bend of the river opposite the Tampa Waterworks Co.'s pumping station, a distance of about 6,000 feet. 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 June 24, 1919, concurring in the views of the district engineer. 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 Hillsboro River, Fla., from Michigan Avenue to Lafayette Street Bridge, Tampa, is not deemed advisable at the present time. W. M. BLACK, REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS. [Third indorsement.] THE 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 August 8, 1917, on pre liminary examination of Hillsboro River, Fla., from Michigan Avenue to Lafayette Street Bridge, Tampa. 2. Hillsboro River rises at the town of Crystal Springs, flows in a general southwesterly direction for 50 miles and empties into Hillsboro Bay at Tampa, Fla. It is navigable from its mouth to the Tampa Electric Co.'s dam, a distance of 10 miles. The existing project provides for a channel 200 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean low water, from the turning basin at the mouth to a point 100 feet south of the Lafayette Street Bridge, a distance of about one-half mile. The project was completed in 1915. 3. The section of river under consideration is about 2 miles in length and has a channel through it varying in width from 50 to 150 feet, the controlling depth being about 7 feet. The mean tidal range is about 2.2 feet. The commerce reported for this section amounts to 54,700 tons, consisting principally of sand and shell and cedar logs. The business is all confined to the section between Lafayette Street Bridge and Garcia Avenue Bridge, there being no development above the latter. To secure a depth of 12 feet in the reach under consideration would require dredging for a distance of about 10,350 feet, a part of the material to be excavated being rock. The district engineer refers to the extensive improvement of Tampa Harbor and channels already accomplished and the enlarged project now under way, and expresses the opinion that it is not advisable for the Government to improve Hillsboro River to a greater extent than now authorized until more use has been made of the channels already constructed. For reasons given, the division engineer recommends a survey and estimate, believing that the advisability of the improvement is dependent upon the cost. 4. Interested parties were notified of the tenor of the district engineer's report and invited to submit statements and arguments to the board, but no communications on the subject have been received. 5. There has been expended on the deep-water channels leading to Tampa and into Ybor Estuary over $3,300,000, resulting in facilities not yet fully used. Much of the area adjacent to these improvements and suitable for industrial development is still unoccupied. Owing to the underlying rock in Hillsboro River, the cost of improvement would be comparatively high and the area available for commercial and industrial development is limited. It is believed that a knowledge of these conditions largely governed in deciding upon the improvement of Ybor Estuary, which is generally free from these objections. The present facilities on the lower Hillsboro permit the use of light draft vessels and a business of considerable importance. The additional improvement desired would be of benefit to some of the local industries, but it seems doubtful if any material increase in commerce would result. The board concurs with the district engineer in the opinion that until the facilities offered by the Tampa channels have been more extensively used, it is not advisable for the United States to undertake additional improvements in the Hillsboro River. 6. In compliance with law, the board reports that there are no questions of terminal facilities, water power, or other related subjects which could be coordinated with the suggested improvement |