67 SE. 62 NW. 60 W. 64 W. 62 N. 75 NW. 66 NW. 62 NW.55 SE. 60 SW. 50 NW. 74 W.

Prevailing direction of wind for 16 years

75 NW

BRIDGES

The channels of Norfolk and Portsmouth Harbor are crossed by There are no bridges in the vicinity

eight bridges as described below.

The following bridge regulations have been issued by the War Department:

1. The corporations or persons owning and controlling a drawbridge shall provide the same with the necessary tenders and the proper mechanical appliances for the safe, prompt, and efficient opening of the draw for the passage of vessels. 2. Whenever a vessel approaches a drawbridge and desires to pass through the draw, the person in charge of said vessel shall cause to be sounded within reasonable hearing distance of the bridge, three distinct blasts of a steam whistle or horn, and shall repeat the same at frequent intervals until it is evident that the signal is heard and understood. Upon hearing the signal from the vessel, the tender or operator of the bridge, in case the bridge can be opened immediately, shall reply by three distinct blasts of a whistle or horn, or by three loud and distinct strokes of a bell. In case weather conditions prevent hearing the sound signals from either the vessel or the bridge, signal will be made by swinging in circles at arm's length a lighted white lantern at night or a white flag by day. 3. In case of accident to the machinery, or other contingency necessitating delay in opening the draw, the signal from the vessel desiring to pass through shall be answered by the tender or operator of the bridge by two long blasts of a whistle or horn, or by two loud and distinct strokes of a bell. In case weather conditions prevent hearing the sound signals, signal will be made by moving several times up and down, in a straight line, a lighted red lantern at night or a red flag by day.

4. The draw shall be opened with the least possible delay upon receiving the prescribed signal, provided that the draw shall not be opened when there is a train, wagon, or other vehicle actually on said bridge, or a train is approaching so closely that it can not be safely stopped before reaching the bridge, or when it is known that a mail or passenger train will arrive within 10 minutes, but it shall be opened as soon as the draw span is cleared.

5. Trains, wagons, and other vehicles shall not be stopped on a drawbridge for the purpose of delaying its opening, nor shall water craft or vessels be so manipulated as to hinder or delay the operation of a draw span, but all passage over, through, or under a drawbridge shall be prompt, to prevent delay to either land or water traffic.

6. These regulations shall be in force on and after September 15, 1921, and shall supersede all previously existing regulations for the bridges to which they are applicable.

HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS BY THE UNITED STATES

Prior to the improvement of Norfolk Harbor by the United States, commerce was hampered by bars opposite Sewalls Point, the mouth of the Western Branch, and in the mouth of the Eastern Branch, having minimum mean low water depths of 21, 19, and 15 feet, respectively. The Western and Southern Branches had minimum low-water depths of 12 feet within the limits of the present project. The minimum width of the main channel of the Elizabeth River between 18-foot contours was 450 feet.

The original project for Norfolk Harbor was adopted by the river and harbor act of August 14, 1876, and modified by the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884; project of June 30, 1885; river and harbor act of September 19, 1890; deficiency appropriation act of July 7, 1898; and river and harbor acts of June 13, 1902, March 3, 1905, and March 2, 1907. There have been no previous projects for the Eastern and Southern Branches. The original project for the Western Branch was adopted by the river and harbor act of June 3, 1896.

The existing project for improving Norfolk Harbor provides for a main channel 40 feet deep at mean low water, 750 feet wide, from Hampton Roads to the mouth of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, and 450 feet wide up this branch to the belt line bridge, a distance of 11.88 miles, except that in front of the navy yard the channel may be made 35 feet deep for a width of 600 to 800 feet; thence 30 feet deep, 375 feet wide, and 1.05 miles long to the Virginian Railway bridge, and thence 25 feet deep, and generally 200 feet wide and 2.62 miles long to the Norfolk & Western Railway bridge, making a total distance of 15.55 miles, a channel in the Eastern Branch, 25 feet deep at mean low water, 500 feet wide, and 1 mile long, from from the mouth to the Norfolk & Western Railway bridge; thence 25 feet deep, 200 feet wide, and 1.75 miles long to the Virginian Railway bridge; a channel in the Western Branch 1 mile long, 24 feet deep at mean low water, 300 feet wide from the 30-foot

contour at the mouth to the first curve east of the first bridge, and thence 200 feet wide to the first bridge, with a further widening on the north side of the entrance to a depth of 16 feet; and an anchorage area on the west side of the main channel near Lambert Point of 64 acres, 35 feet deep at mean low water, and another of 45 acres, 12 feet in depth, near Pinners Point.

The existing project was authorized by the river and harbor acts of July 5, 1884, March 2, 1907, June 25, 1910, March 4, 1913, August 8, 1917, and March 3, 1925.

On June 30, 1925, the previous projects, and the parts of the existing project adopted prior to the modified project authorized by the river and harbor act of August 8, 1917. had been completed with the following results:

(a) A channel in Hampton Roads and Elizabeth River, having a depth of 30 feet at mean low water, a width of 600 feet between Hampton Roads and Lambert Point, a distance of 6. 79 miles, and width of 800 feet between Lambert Point and the junction of Southern and Eastern Branches of Elizabeth River, a distance of 3.06 miles, was completed in 1911; (b) a channel in Southern Branch of Elizabeth River, having a depth of 25 feet at mean low water and a width of 300 feet from the belt line railroad bridge beyond the navy yard, 2.03 miles above the mouth, to a point 1.27 miles above, and a depth of 22 feet at mean low water and a width of 200 feet, thence to the Norfolk & Western Railway bridge, a distance of 2.47 miles, was completed in 1911; (c) a channel in Hampton Roads, Elizabeth River, and Southern Branch of Elizabeth River to the belt line railroad bridge, having a depth of 35 feet at mean low water, and a width of 400 feet (included within the limits of the 30-foot channel), extending over a total distance of 11.88 miles, was completed in in 1912; (d) a channel in Eastern Branch of Elizabeth River, having a depth of 25 feet at mean low water between the mouth and the Norfolk & Western Railway bridge, a distance of 1.08 miles, a depth of 22 feet at mean water between the Norfolk & Western Railway bridge and the Campostella Bridge, a distance of 0.53 mile, and a width of 500 feet, was completed in 1910; and (e) a channel in Western Branch of Elizabeth River, having a depth of 24 feet at mean low water, a width of 300 feet from 30-foot channel in Elizabeth River upstream for a distance of 0.75 mile, and thence with the same depth and a width of 200 feet to the West Norfolk Highway Bridge, a distance of 0.38 mile, was completed in 1914. With the exceptions of the first section of (d) Eastern Branch channel and all of (e) Western Branch channel, which are part of the existing project, the above improvements pertain to previous projects.

The work on the 40-foot channel has resulted in a completed channel having the project depth of 40 feet at mean low water, with the

following widths: From the 40-foot contour in Hampton Roads to Lambert Point, a distance of 6.79 miles, 525 feet; from Lambert Point to Hospital Point, a distance of 2.48 miles, 475 feet; from Hospital Point to junction of Southern and Eastern Branches, a distance of 0.58 mile, 485 feet; and from junction of Southern and Eastern Branches to Belt Line Railroad bridge, a distance of 2.03 miles, 450 feet. Opposite the navy yard areas outside the 40-foot channel, aggregating about 14 acres, have been dredged 35 feet deep at mean low water, making the total available width for this depth 600 to 800 feet for a distance of about 3,000 feet below the Belt Line Railroad bridge. The controlling depths at mean low water at the end of the fiscal year were as follows: From Hampton Roads to Belt Line Railroad bridge over Southern Branch of Elizabeth River, 37 feet (this minimum depth occurring at several places within these limits); in Southern Branch, between Belt Line Railroad bridge and Virginian Railway bridge, and between Virginian Railway bridge and Norfolk & Western Railway bridge, 25 and 20.5 feet, respectively; in Eastern Branch, between mouth and Norfolk & Western Railway bridge, and between Norfolk & Western Railway bridge and Virginian Railway bridge, 21.4 and 15.2 feet, respectively; and in Western Branch, between 40-foot channel and first bridge, 19 feet. The work remaining to be done is the completion of the 40-foot channel between Hampton Roads and the junction of the Southern and Eastern Branches to project width of 750 feet; dredging a 12-foot anchorage 45 acres in extent, near Pinner Point; dredging a channel in Southern Branch, 30 feet deep at mean low water and 375 feet wide between Belt Line Railroad bridge and Virginian Railway bridge, and 25 feet deep and 200 feet wide between Virginian Railway bridge and Norfolk & Western Railway bridge; and dredging a channel in Eastern Branch 25 feet deep and 200 feet wide between Norfolk & Western Railway bridge and Virginian Railway bridge, a distance of 1.75 miles.

The channel from Hampton Roads to Newport News, which is on the James River, 10 miles west of Norfolk Harbor, was originally 25 feet deep and 2,500 feet wide. This depth was not sufficient for commercial or naval vessels, and on June 13, 1902, the United States undertook the dredging of a channel 500 feet wide and 30 feet deep at mean low water through Middle Ground Bar. On June 25, 1910, the present project was adopted. As modified August 8, 1917, this project provides for a channel 600 feet wide and 35 feet deep, 34 miles long, through the shoal north of Middle Ground Light. The project was completed April 20, 1921, and subsequent operations have been conducted for the purpose of maintaining the authorized channel dimensions. On June 30, 1926, the full project depth of 35 feet at mean low water was available.