(The description referred to above, is as follows:) Hon. DENNIS CHAVEZ, UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, September 13, 1949. Chairman, Committee on Public Works, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR DENNIS: Attached hereto is copy of the report of the Department of the Army with respect to Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River. Md.. with a view to the construction of a boat basin at Ewell and of Levering Creek at Ewell, Md., preliminary examination and survey of which were authorized by the River and Harbor Act approved July 24, 1946, respectively. It is my understanding that when this matter was first presented to Congress, such action was taken by former Congressman David J. Ward, and that the matter has now been examined and surveyed. It is my further understanding that the Department now recommends it as a project. I am, therefore, presenting the matter to the committee for consideration relative to its inclusion as a proposed project in the pending river and harbor bill, H. R. 5472, in line with the recommendation as contained in the enclosed. report of the Department. Thanking you for your consideration and with best wishes and kindest regards, I am, Sincerely yours, M. E. TYDINGS. Subject: Twitch Cove, Big Thoroughfare River, and Levering Creek, Md. 1. I submit for transmission to Congress my report with accompanying papers on preliminary examination and survey of Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River, Md., with a view to the construction of a boat basin at Ewell authorized by the River and Harbor Act approved March 2, 1945, and of Levering Creek at Ewell, Md., authorized by the River and Harbor Act approved July 24, 1946. 2. Twitch Cove, Big Thoroughfare River, and Levering Creek, Md., are part of an interconnected group of tidal channels and bays traversing or located on Smith Island, which is situated in Chesapeake Bay about 110 miles south of Baltimore, Md. Smith Island is about 4 miles wide and 8 miles long and is the largest of a chain of marsh islands separating Tangier Sound on the east from the main body of Chesapeake Bay on the west. Big Thoroughfare River, 6 miles in length, extends across the island in a southeasterly direction from Chesapeake Bay to Twitch Cove on Tangier Sound. Levering Creek, a side channel of Big Thoroughfare River, extends southeasterly a short distance to and beyond the town of Ewell, Md., to connect with Tylers River on the south. The mean range of tide is 1.7 feet. The existing Federal project, completed in 1940, provides for a channel 7 feet deep and 60 feet wide from Twitch Cove through Big Thoroughfare River, thence through the canal at Ewell, thence through Levering Creek and Big Thoroughfare River to the vicinity of Swan Point, thence of the same depth and 100 feet wide through the offshore bar to deep water in Chesapeake Bay with twin jetties at the entrance, and for a channel 4 feet deep and 25 feet wide aroundi the point between Big Thoroughfare River and Tylers River. The total cost of the existing project to June 30, 1948, was $210,433, of which $164,174 was for new work and $46,259 was for maintenance. Depths within the unimproved portion of Levering Creek, extending a distance of about 1,000 feet southeasterly from the existing project, vary from 0.2 to 4.7 feet. Terminal facilities located on Levering Creek at Ewell consist of a county wharf, numerous small commercial wharves, and five crab houses, one of which also handles oysters. These sea-food houses are south of, and within 1,000 feet of, the project caual. 3. Smith Island has a population of 1,020 persons, about 70 percent of whom reside in Ewell and the remainder in the villages of Tylerton and Rhodes Point to the southward. They are wholly dependent upon the sea-food industry for a livelihood and on water transportation for supply. The nearest community on the mainland is Crisfield, Md., on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay, about miles from Ewell. During the 10-year period 1937 through 1946 water-borne commerce of the locality varied from a high of 21,820 tons in 1940 to a low of 5,033 tons in 1946 and consisted largely of sea food, general merchandise, and petroleum products. This decline in commerce is believed to be only temporary and due in part to the effect of the war. Vessel traffic in 1946 consisted of 4,764 round trips by over 500 local vessels and a large number of transient craft. Drafts range from about 2 feet for the small crab boats to about 5 feet for the oyster boats and up to 7 feet for freight and other vessels using the waterway. 4. Local interests request provision of an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long, extending landward from the existing project into the marsh area at the northwest edge of Ewell and an extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek southeastward about 1,000 feet with a depth of 4 feet and width of 80 feet. They state there is an urgent need for the anchorage, that because of the congestion many of the transient craft from which much of their business is derived will not stop at Ewell, that vessel damages result, and a hazard to navigation exists due to lack of facilities, and that the waterway serves as a harbor of refuge. With respect to the extension of the project channel they point out that the shoal condition of the waterway prevents access on ordinary low tides and that the roiling of the waters by vessels touching bottom causes a high mortality rate among the crabs in the shedding pens. Local interests indicate they are willing to meet the requirements of local cooperation. 5. The district engineer presents a plan of improvement providing for an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long at Ewell and a southward extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek, 6 feet deep, 60 feet wide, and 1,000 feet long. He finds that a 6-foot depth in the channel rather than the 4-foot requested by local interests is necessary to provide for the type vessels using this portion of the waterway. He further finds that a channel wider than 60 feet would unduly interfere with existing structures. The district engineer estimates the Federal first cost of the anchorage basin and channel at $21,000 and the non-Federal first cost at $600 for rights-of-way and removal of structures within the limits of the proposed channel. Total Federal and non-Federal annual carrying charges are estimated at $2,160 including $1,300 for annual maintenance in addition to that now required. The district engineer estimates the annual benefits at $4,500, consisting of $3,000 from reduction of vessel damage, $1,200 from elimination of damages to crabs due to roiling of the waters, and $300 from elimination of sea-food rehandling costs. He thus indicates a benefit-cost ratio of about 2.1. Prospective unevaluated benefits include reduction in lost fishing time and the value of the harbor as a refuge for transient craft. The district engineer recommends improvement in accordance with his described plan provided local interests furnish without cost to the United States all rights-of-way, and spoil-disposal areas for the execution of the project and subsequent maintenance as required, hold and save the United States free from all claims for damages due to the construction works, acquire and reserve for public use a 50-foot wide strip of land on the south, west, and north sides of the anchorage abutting the right-of-way required for construction with a suitable approach thereto at least 30 feet wide, and remove all structures on Levering Creek within the limits of the proposed work. 6. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors concurs generally in the views of the reporting officers. It recommends modification of the existing project for Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River, Md., in general accordance with the plan of the district engineer, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation. 7. After due consideration of these reports, I concur in the views of the Board. Accordingly I recommend modification of the existing project for Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River, Md., to provide for an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long, connecting with the west side of the existing project channel at Ewell, and an extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek, 6 feet deep, 60 feet wide, and 1,000 feet long; generally in accordance with the plan of the district engineer and with such modifications thereof as in the discretion of the Chief of Engineers may be advisable; at an estimated cost to the United States of $21,000 for construction and $1,300 annually for maintenance in addition to that now required; subject to the condition that local interests agree to (a) furnish, without cost to the United States, all lands, rights-of-way, and spoil-disposal areas for construction and maintenance of the improvement, when and as required, (b) hold and save the United States free from all damages due to construction and maintenance of the improvement, (c) acquire and reserve for public use an adequate land area adjacent to the anchorage basin with suitable access thereto, and (d) remove all structures within the limits of the proposed improvement. LEWIS A. PICK, Major General, Chief of Engineers. 827. TWITCH COVE, AND BIG THOROUGHFARE RIVER, MD. THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, Subject: Twitch Cove, Big Thoroughfare River and Levering Creek, Md. 1. Local interests were informed of the nature of the reports of the district engineer and invited to present additional information to the Board. No communications have been received. 2. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors concurs generally in the views of the reporting officers. In its opinion the district engineer presents a suitable plan for providing a boat basin at Ewell and for further improvement of Levering Creek in that vicinity to meet the needs of the commercial sea-food fleet and other transient and local craft. Prospective benefits justify the estimated expenditure required for the work proposed. 3. The Board accordingly recommends modification of the existing project for Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River, Md., to provide for an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long, connecting with the west side of the existing project channel at Ewell, and an extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek, 6 feet deep, 60 feet wide, and 1,000 feet long: generally in accordance with the plan of the district engineer and with such modifications thereof as in the discretion of the Chief of Engineers may be advisable; at an estimated cost to the United States of $21,000 for construction and $1,300 annually for maintenance in addition to that now required; subject to the condition that local interests agree to (a) furnish, without cost to the United States, all lands, rights-of-way, and spoil disposal areas for construction and maintenance of the improvement, when and as required, (b) hold and save the United States free from all damages due to the construction and maintenance of the improvement, (c) acquire and reserve for public use an adequate land area adjacent to the anchorage basin with suitable access thereto, and (d) remove all structures within the limits of the proposed improvement. For the Board: R. C. CRAWFORD, Major General, Chairman. TWITCH COVE, BIG THOROUGHFARE RIVER, AND LEVERING CREEK, MD. Senator TYDINGS. Mr. Chairman, the report on Twitch Cove, Big Thoroughfare River, and Levering Creek, Md., was authorized by the River and Harbor Act, approved July 24, 1946. Twitch Cove, Big Thoroughfare River, and Levering Creek, Md., are part of an interconnected group of tidal channels and bays traversing or located on Smith Island, which is situated in Chesapeake Bay about 110 miles south of Baltimore, Md. Smith Island is about 4 miles wide and 8 miles long and is the largest of a chain of marsh islands separating Tangier Sound on the east from the main body of Chesapeake Bay on the west. Big Thoroughfare River, 6 miles in length, extends across the island in a southeasterly direction from Chesapeake Bay to Twitch Cove on Tangier Sound. Levering Creek, a side channel of Big Thoroughfare River, extends southeasterly a short distance to and beyond the town of Ewell, Md., to connect with Tylers River on the south. Smith Island has a population of 1,020 persons, about 70 percent of whom reside in Ewell and the remainder in the villages of Tylerton and Rhodes Point to the southward. They are wholly dependent upon the sea food industry for a livelihood and on water transportation for supply. The nearest community on the mainland is Cri-field, Md., on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay about 8 miles from Ewell. The existing Federal project, completed in 1940 provides for a channel 7 feet deep and 60 feet wide from Twitch Cove through Big Thoroughfare River, thence through the canal at Ewell, thence through Levering Creek and Big Thoroughfare River to the vicinity of Swan Point, thence of the same depth and 100 feet wide through the offshore bar to deep water in Chesapeake Bay with twin jetties at the entrance, and for a channel 4 feet deep and 25 feet wide around the point between Big Thoroughfare River and Tylers River. The total cost of the existing project to June 30, 1948, was $210,433 of which $164,174 was for new work and $46,259 was for maintenance. During the 10-year period 1937 through 1946 water-borne commerce of the locality varied from a high of 21,820 tons in 1940 to a low of 5.033 tons in 1946 and consisted largely of sea food, general merchan dise, and petroleum products. This decline in commerce is believed to be only temporary and due in part to the effect of the war. Vessel traffic in 1946 consisted of 4,764 round trips by over 500 local vessels and a large number of transient craft. Drafts range from about 2 feet for the small crab boats to about 5 feet for the oyster boats and up to 7 feet for freight and other vessels using the waterway. Terminal facilities located on Levering Creek at Ewell consist of a county wharf, numerous small commercial wharves, and five crab houses, one of which also handles oysters. These sea-food houses are south of, and within 1,000 feet of, the project canal. Local interests request provision of an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long, extending landward from the existing project into the marsh area at the northwest edge of Ewell and an extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek southeastward about 1,000 feet with a depth of 4 feet and width of 80 feet. They state there is an urgent need for the anchorage, that because of the congestion many of the transient craft from which much of their business is derived will not stop at Ewell, that vessel damages result and a hazard to navigation exists due to lack of facilities, and that the waterway serves as a harbor of refuge. With respect to the extension of the project channel they point out that the shoal condition of the waterway prevents access on ordinary low tides and that the roiling of the waters by vessels touching bottom causes a high mortality rate among the crabs in the shedding pens. The district and division engineers concur in recommending a plan of improvement which provides for an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long at Ewell and a southward extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek, 6 feet deep. 60 feet wide, and 1,000 feet long. A 6-foot depth in the channel rather than the 4-foot requested by local interests is necessary to provide for the type vessels using this portion of the waterway. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors concurs generally in the views of the reporting officers. It recommends modification of the existing project for Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River, Md., in general accordance with the plan of the district engineer, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation. In accordance with existing practice a copy of the Chief of Engineers' proposed report was furnished the Governor of Maryland for comment. He approves of the plan of improvement and urges its early consideration. In accordance with section 4 of Executive Order No. 9384 the report was submitted to the Bureau of the Budget for information as to the relationship of the proposed report to the program of the President. The Bureau of the Budget advised that there would be no objection to the submission of the report to Congress. The Chief of Engineers after due consideration of these reports concurs in the views of the Board. He recommends modification of the existing project for Twitch Cove and Big Thoroughfare River, Md., to provide for an anchorage basin 7 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and 700 feet long, connecting with the west side of the existing project channel at Ewell, and an extension of the existing project channel in Levering Creek, 6 feet deep, 60 feet wide, and 1,000 feet long; generally in accordance with the plan of the district engineer and with such modifications thereof as in the discretion of the Chief of Engineers may be advisable. The improvement is recommended subject to the condition that local interests agree to (a) furnish, without cost to the United States, all lands, rights-of-way, and spoil disposal areas for construction and maintenance of the improvement, when and as required, (b) hold and save the United States free from all damages due to construction and maintenance of the improvement, (c) acquire and reserve for public use an adequate land area adjacent to the anchorage basin with suitable access thereto, and (d) remove all structures within the limits of the proposed improvement. The cost to the United States for construction is estimated at $21,000. The cost to local interests is estimated at $600. The total cost is $21,600. Total Federal and non-Federal annual carrying charges are estimated at $2,160 including $1,300 for annual maintenance in addition to that now required. The annual benefits are estimated at $4,500, consisting of $3,000 from reduction of vessel damage, $1,200 from elimination of damages to crabs due to roiling of the waters, and $300 from elimination of seafood rehandling costs. The benefit-cost ratio is 2.1. Prospective unevaluated benefits include reduction in lost fishing time and the value of the harbor as a refuge for transient craft. The inhabitants of Smith Island are dependent entirely on an adequately improved waterway for means of earning a livelihood and communication with the mainland. The improvement will be of great value, not only to local but to transient craft, as a harbor of refuge. Senator MCCLELLAN. At this point I submit for insertion in the record of hearing additional statements. (The statements referred to are as follows:) STATEMENT CONCERNING THE GRAND PRAIRIE-BAYOU METO PROJECT Mr. J. W. Dixon of the Bureau of Reclamation summarized before this com mittee the objections of the Bureau to the authorization of the irrigation features of the Grand Prairie project, which is included in H. R. 5472, as it passed the House of Representatives. I have reviewed all of the testimony carefully and find that the following main points were stressed by Mr. Dixon. 1. Grave questions of national policy with respect to irrigation are involved. 2. Local interests will not bear their full share of cost of this project under the plan submitted by the Corps of Engineers, as would be the case under reclamation law as administered by the Bureau of Reclamation. |