43. Existing project, Tombigbee River above Demopolis.-The existing project on the Tombigbee River from Demopolis to Columbus, a distance of 146 river miles, provides for securing a channel 6 feet deep at low water by snagging, tree cutting, bank revetment, and bar improvement. From Columbus to Walkers Bridge, 134 river miles, the project provides for securing a high-water channel by the removal of obstructions. The estimated cost of removing snags above Demopolis is $5,000 annually. LOCAL COOPERATION 44. Local cooperation required in existing projects. Under the authorizations for the existing projects on the Tennessee River and the Tombigbee River above Demopolis, no local cooperation is required. The provisions of local cooperation included in the existing project for the Tombigbee-Warrior Waterway are that local interests shall furnish free of cost to the United States all necessary rights-ofway and flowage easements, except such easements as may be necessary as a result of the construction of crest gates on Dam No. 17 The act provides, in the case of flowage easements above Dam No. 17, that all easements shall be obtained by the United States, except that in cases where the Chief of Engineers finds that the direct benefits to the owners of the parcels, because of the improvement, exceeds the value of the flowage, the easements shall be donated without cost to the United States. The act also requires that suitable areas for the disposal of dredged material for the initial construction and maintenance of the project shall be donated. All of the conditions of local cooperation have been fully complied with. IMPROVEMENT DESIRED 45. Improvement desired and benefits claimed.-The improvement desired by the proponents, developed through public hearings, held in Mobile and Birmingham, Ala., on July 20 and 25, 1934, respectively, and through correspondence and numerous interviews, is a navigable waterway of dimensions which would permit modern barge line operation between the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers. No additional hearings were held by the Special Board. Some of the local interests advocated a wide cut through the divide to provide for a combined navigation canal and a floodway which could be used to divert floodwaters of the Tennessee into the Tombigbee Valley, thereby reducing flood crests on the lower Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. These proponents pointed out that the diverted waters of the Tennessee River could also be used to develop hydroelectric power in the Tombigbee Valley. Other benefits claimed for the waterway were that it would shorten the distance by water from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, thereby lowering transportation charges; that it would offer a return slack-water route with considerably less current than on the Mississippi River for upstream traffic destined to points above Cairo, Ill., on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers; and that it would be an asset for national defense as it would give access by water to potential munitions manufacturing plants at Muscle Shoals, Ala. EXISTING COMMERCE 46. Existing commerce and vessel traffic-Tennessee River.-The following table gives the amount and value of the commerce handled on the Tennessee River during the past 10 years: TABLE 12.-Comparative statement of traffic, Tennessee River, Knoxville, Tenn., to Paducah, Ky. Of the total traffic of 1,377,107 tons handled on the Tennessee River in 1937, about 24 percent was Government material for the construction of locks and dams thereon. The principal items of commerce in 1937 were sand and gravel, forest products, cement, iron and steel, and machinery. The above commerce was carried in boats and barges with drafts ranging from 2 to 8 feet. The usual type of tow now using the river consists of a towboat and 1 to 4 barges, the barges generally being about 26 by 135 feet. The towboats are steam, Diesel, or gasoline-propelled with horsepowers ranging from 20 to 700. Upon the completion of the existing project even as far as. Chattanooga, it is believed that the equipment now in use on the Ohio and upper Mississippi Rivers will be utilized on the Tennessee River. During 1938, gasoline deliveries by barge were made to Perryville, Sheffield, Decatur, and Guntersville where terminals have been established. It is anticipated that this traffic will be increased and extended. The barge equipment now used for gasoline deliveries consists of steel barges with over-all dimensions of about 35 by 150 feet, having a capacity of 900 tons on a loaded draft of 8 feet. 47. Existing commerce and vessel traffic-Tombigbee River.-Commerce on the Tombigbee River above Demopolis declined about 90 percent since the beginning of the century and in 1937 amounted to only 4,060 tons, valued at $16,240. Practically all movements in recent years have consisted of logs barged and rafted downstream to the sawmills in the vicinity of Demopolis. A summary of the traffic for the past 10 years follows: TABLE 13.-Comparative statement of traffic, Tombigbee River above Demopolis, Ala.. 43. Existing project, Tombigbee River above Demopolis.-The existing project on the Tombigbee River from Demopolis to Columbus, a distance of 146 river miles, provides for securing a channel 6 feet deep at low water by snagging, tree cutting, bank revetment, and bar improvement. From Columbus to Walkers Bridge, 134 river miles, the project provides for securing a high-water channel by the removal of obstructions. The estimated cost of removing snags above Demopolis is $5,000 annually. LOCAL COOPERATION 44. Local cooperation required in existing projects. Under the authorizations for the existing projects on the Tennessee River and the Tombigbee River above Demopolis, no local cooperation is required. The provisions of local cooperation included in the existing project for the Tombigbee-Warrior Waterway are that local interests shall furnish free of cost to the United States all necessary rights-ofway and flowage easements, except such easements as may be necessary as a result of the construction of crest gates on Dam No. 17 The act provides, in the case of flowage easements above Dam No. 17, that all easements shall be obtained by the United States, except that in cases where the Chief of Engineers finds that the direct benefits to the owners of the parcels, because of the improvement, exceeds the value of the flowage, the easements shall be donated without cost to the United States. The act also requires that suitable areas for the disposal of dredged material for the initial construction and maintenance of the project shall be donated. All of the conditions of local cooperation have been fully complied with. IMPROVEMENT DESIRED 45. Improvement desired and benefits claimed.-The improvement desired by the proponents, developed through public hearings, held in Mobile and Birmingham, Ala., on July 20 and 25, 1934, respectively, and through correspondence and numerous interviews, is a navigable waterway of dimensions which would permit modern barge line operation between the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers. No additional hearings were held by the Special Board. Some of the local interests advocated a wide cut through the divide to provide for a combined navigation canal and a floodway which could be used to divert floodwaters of the Tennessee into the Tombigbee Valley, thereby reducing flood crests on the lower Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. These proponents pointed out that the diverted waters of the Tennessee River could also be used to develop hydroelectric power in the Tombigbee Valley. Other benefits claimed for the waterway were that it would shorten the distance by water from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, thereby lowering transportation charges; that it would offer a return slack-water route with considerably less current than on the Mississippi River for upstream traffic destined to points above Cairo, Ill., on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers; and that it would be an asset for national defense as it would give access by water to potential munitions manufacturing plants at Muscle Shoals, Ala. EXISTING COMMERCE 46. Existing commerce and vessel traffic-Tennessee River. The following table gives the amount and value of the commerce handled on the Tennessee River during the past 10 years: TABLE 12.-Comparative statement of traffic, Tennessee River, Knoxville, Tenn., to Paducah, Ky. Of the total traffic of 1,377,107 tons handled on the Tennessee River in 1937, about 24 percent was Government material for the construction of locks and dams thereon. The principal items of commerce in 1937 were sand and gravel, forest products, cement, iron and steel, and machinery. The above commerce was carried in boats and barges. with drafts ranging from 2 to 8 feet. The usual type of tow now using the river consists of a towboat and 1 to 4 barges, the barges generally being about 26 by 135 feet. The towboats are steam, Diesel, or gasoline-propelled with horsepowers ranging from 20 to 700. Upon the completion of the existing project even as far as. Chattanooga, it is believed that the equipment now in use on the Ohio and upper Mississippi Rivers will be utilized on the Tennessee River. During 1938, gasoline deliveries by barge were made to Perryville, Sheffield, Decatur, and Guntersville where terminals have been established. It is anticipated that this traffic will be increased and extended. The barge equipment now used for gasoline deliveries consists of steel barges with over-all dimensions of about 35 by 150 feet, having a capacity of 900 tons on a loaded draft of 8 feet. 47. Existing commerce and vessel traffic-Tombigbee River.-Commerce on the Tombigbee River above Demopolis declined about 90. percent since the beginning of the century and in 1937 amounted to only 4,060 tons, valued at $16,240. Practically all movements in recent years have consisted of logs barged and rafted downstream to the sawmills in the vicinity of Demopolis. A summary of the traffic for the past 10 years follows: TABLE 13.-Comparative statement of traffic, Tombigbee River above Demopolis, Ala. The traffic on the river above Demopolis is carried on small barges with drafts of 6 feet or less. The commerce on the Tombigbee River below Demopolis is identical with the traffic on the Tombigbee-Warrior River system and will be discussed in the paragraph on existing -commerce on the Warrior River. 48. Existing commerce and vessel traffic-Tombigbee-Warrior system.-The Tombigbee-Warrior River system was opened to through traffic from Mobile to Birmingport for 6-foot navigation in 1915. In that year 407,245 tons moved over the waterway. The movement was predominantly downstream, consisting principally of forest products, sand and gravel, coal, and manufactured iron and steel products. The commerce continued to increase at a fairly uniform rate until 1927 when a considerable increase in tonnage was caused by the movement of a large volume of lime rock to New Orleans from a point near Demopolis. (See chart No. 5.) In 1928 the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co. started operating their own barge line from Birmingport to Mobile, which resulted in additional traffic being moved on the river. The traffic continued to increase until 1929 when a peak of 1,928,773 tons was reached. From 1929 to 1934 the tonnage dropped sharply, due to the economic conditions which then prevailed. Since 1934 there has been a steady rise in tonnage. A summary of the commerce from 1915 to 1937 follows: TABLE 14.-Comparative statement of traffic, Warrior-Tombigbee system In chart No. 51 the above figures are plotted on semilog paper to show proportionate changes in tonnage and value. Despite fluctuations in the value of the commodities handled, it is apparent that changes in tonnage and value are roughly parallel except during the early part of the period when value increased proportionately faster than tonnage. While the downstream traffic still predominates, the amount of upstream traffic has been gradually increasing and becoming 1 Not printed. |