wait for the next daylight high tide in order to leave. That in order to take advantage of the larger and more economical vessels, drawing from 11 to 14 feet and carrying from 12,000 to 16,000 barrels of petroleum products, which are replacing the smaller craft, a channel depth of 12 feet is required, with a minimum width of 90 feet to provide for passing. Petroleum products received in this area are widely distributed and savings to the distributors will be reflected in lower costs.

JAMAICA BAY (MOTT BASIN), N. Y.

(H. Doc. 665, 80th Cong.)

Location.-Jamaica Bay is on the south shore of Long Island, 17 miles by water southeast of the Battery, New York City. The greater portion of the bay lies in the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, and a small section of the easterly end, consisting of parts of Mott Basin and Head of Bay, lies in Nassau County. Mott Basin is a Y-shaped tidal inlet located on the south shore of Jamaica Bay.

Report authorized. By review resolution adopted by the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, February 1, 1946.

Existing project. No dredging has been performed by the United States in Mott Basin. The existing project for Jamaica Bay provides for channels and turning basins 20, 18, 15, and 12 feet deep.

Plan of recommended modification of the existing project.-Modification of the existing project for Jamaica Bay, N. Y., to include a channel in Mott Basin, 15 feet deep at mean low water and 200 feet wide, extending from the existing project channel along the south shore, 3,000 feet to the junction of the two branches, thence 2,200 feet in the north branch (Inwood Creek) and 3,200 feet in the south branch. Estimated first cost to United States.-$377,000.

Local cooperation.-The improvement is recommended provided that local interests give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of the Army that they will (1) furnish free of cost to the United States all lands, easements, rights-of-way, and suitable areas for disposal of dredged material during construction of the project and for subsequent maintenance, as and when required; (2) hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction works and subsequent maintenance; and (3) perform all necessary alterations to the existing terminals and bulkheads, and dredge adequate approaches thereto. Annual cost of maintenance to United States.-$7,500 in addition to that now required.

Benefits. The improvement would result in savings of transportation costs by permitting increased loading of vessels and elimination of delays awaiting suitable tidal heights. Based on a study of prospective commerce in 1950, a saving of $78,800 on the movement of 242,000 tons of petroleum products, $17,190 on 42,000 tons of coal and $5,570 on 20,000 tons of construction material, a total of $101,560 would accrue from the improvement. The ratio of benefits to costs for the improvement is 2.5.

Remarks. The improvement is essential to navigation as an integral part of the existing project for Jamaica Bay and is iustified by the anticipated benefits.

ARTHUR KILL, N. Y. AND N. J.

(H. Doc. No. 233, 81st Cong., 1st sess.)

Location.-Arthur Kill is a waterway lying between Staten Island, N. Y., and the New Jersey shore, and extending from Raritan Bay on the south to Newark Bay on the north. It has a length of about 13 miles, an average width of about 1,500 feet, and a water area of about 4 square miles. Pralls Island, 1 mile long, lies in the waterway 3 miles south of the Newark Bay entrance. Buckwheat Island was formerly located north of Pralls Island at the mouth of Piles Creek, but it was removed during channel improvement.

Report authorized by.-River and Harbor Act approved March 2, 1945.

Existing project.-Arthur Kill is under improvement by the United States as part of a comprehensive project of improved tidewater channels designated as New York and New Jersey Channels, extending from Lower New York Bay to Upper New York Bay. The existing project for New York and New Jersey Channels provides among other things for a channel through lower New York Bay, Raritan Bay, Arthur Kill, lower Newark Bay, and Kill Van Kull to upper New York Bay, 37 feet deep in rock and 35 feet in soft material throughout, except in Arthur Kill between a point 1,000 feet north of the mouth of Smith Creek and a point 1,000 feet south of the former location of Buckwheat Island, where the depth is to be 30 feet; 600 feet wide across lower New York Bay and Raritan Bay, and in Arthur Kill to a point 500 feet south of Morse Creek, increased to 800 feet in the vicinities of Seguine Point and Wards Point; thence 500 to 600 feet wide as it passes north of Shooters Island and south of a protective dike, to the junction of the channel in Newark Bay; thence 800 feet wide through Kill Van Kull to upper New York Bay; with 2 anchorages 38 feet deep to accommodate 5 vessels each, one in the vicinity of Sandy Hook and one south of Perth Amboy, all with suitable easings at bends and junctions. The length of section included in the project is 30.8 miles.

The Federal cost under the existing project to January 31, 1948, was $27,677,818 for new work and $505,138 for maintenance, a total of $28,182,956. The latest approved estimate of cost of annual maintenance is $195,000. It is reported that private interests have expended over $50,000,000 for plant and terminal facilities and over $1,500,000 for navigation improvements.

Plan of recommended modification of the existing project. That the existing project for New York and New Jersey Channels be modified to provide a channel 37 feet deep in rock and 35 feet deep in other material and 500 feet wide, suitably widened at bends, in the section of Arthur Kill between a point 1,000 feet north of the mouth of Smith Creek and a point 1,000 feet south of the former location of Buckwheat Island.

Estimated cost to United States.-$11,561,000.

Local cooperation. The modification of the existing project is recommended provided that responsible local interests give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of the Army that they will (a) provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements, rightsof-way, and spoil disposal areas necessary for the construction and subsequent maintenance of the project, when and as required; (b)

hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction and subsequent maintenance of the project; and (c) deepen the approaches and berths at the terminals which would use the recommended improvement in order to secure the full advantages of the deeper channel. The cost to local interests is estimated at $1,100,000.

Annual cost of maintenance to United States. No increase to that now authorized.

Benefits. The annual benefits are estimated at $603,000 and $23,000 from savings in cost of transportation of petroleum products and coal, respectively; $62,000 from reduction of damages from accidents; and $4,500 from enhancement of property value. The total estimated annual benefits are therefore $692,500 which gives a benefit-cost ratio of 1.29, when compared with the total annual cost of $536,580.

The proposed improvement would provide an emergency outlet for New York Harbor in case the main channel between upper and lower New York Bays is obstructed and would be of value in national defense. Unevaluated benefits from these sources would enhance the economic ratio given above.

Remarks. Arthur Kill, the mid portion of the New York and New Jersey Channels and one of the most important component parts of New York Harbor, serves one of the most important industrial regions in the United States. The existing project depth of 30 feet in the section under consideration is inadequate to serve present and prospective deep-draft traffic. A controlling depth of at least 35 feet is required to accommodate the larger tankers and dry-cargo vessels which will handle a large portion of the future commerce of the waterway. Resulting benefits from the proposed 35-foot channel are sufficient to warrant the improvement. The district engineer believes that future water-borne commerce of the section of Arthur Kill under consideration will follow an upward trend, and he estimates the 1975 totals at 17,000,000 tons of petroleum products, 6,800,000 tons of coal, and 1,440,000 tons of other commodities, a grand total of 25,240,000 tons.

SANDY HOOK BAY, N. J., AT LEONARDO

(H. Doc. 108, 81st Cong. 1st sess.)

Location-Sandy Hook Bay, N. J., 17 miles south of the Battery, New York City, is the southern portion of lower New York Bay, west of and adjoining the protecting arm of Sandy Hook, Monmouth County, N. J. Leonardo, N. J., is on the south shore of Sandy Hook Bay about 4 miles west of Sandy Hook and 7,200 feet west of Atlantic Highlands anchorage.

Report authorized by.-The River and Harbor Act approved March 2, 1945. The scope of this report is limited to the consideration of an entrance channel to the local small-boat harbor at Leonardo, N. J.

Existing project.-No project for improvement at Leonardo has been authorized by Congress. Local interests have dredged a harbor 6 feet deep, varying in width from 75 to 180 feet and 800 feet in length. This harbor accommodates 80 boats.

Recommended plan of improvement. That a project be adopted for Sandy Hook Bay, at Leonardo, N. J., to provide for an entrance channel 8 feet deep at mean low water and 150 feet wide extending

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from the 8-foot contour in Sandy Hook Bay to the entrance of the small-boat harbor, a distance of approximately 2,500 feet.

Estimated cost to United States.-$45,000.

Local cooperation. The improvement is recommended provided that local interests give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of the Army that they will (a) provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements, rights-of-way and spoil-disposal areas for the construction and subsequent maintenance of the project, when and as required; (b) dredge the present inner harbor to a minimum depth of 6 feet, and enlarge the harbor and make it available to accommodate approximately 198 commercial fishing vessels and recreational craft; (c) continue to provide and maintain a public landing, mooring facilities, and utilities open to all on equal and reasonable terms; (d) assume all costs of maintaining the harbor; and (e) agree to the continuance of the Leonardo Harbor Commission or other properly constituted public body empowered to regulate the use, growth and free development of the harbor facilities. Local interests have already expended $132,750 for the anchorage basin and harbor facilities and plan to expend an additional $140,000 for the enlargement of the harbor. Annual cost of maintenance to United States.-$7,500.

Benefits. The average annual benefits to accrue from the accommodation of 198 boats are evaluated at $42,700. The benefits are based on the value of the clams handled by commercial fishermen and the fish caught by charter and open recreational vessels using the harbor, and the additional tax revenue that would accrue to the United States upon completion of the improvement. For the contemplated expanded improvement to provide accommodations for approximately 198 vessels the benefit-cost ratio is 2.01.

Remarks. Including past expenditure local interests upon completion of the project and in accordance with the conditions of local cooperation, will have expended $272,750 in the harbor.

LAKE OGLETON AND WALNUT LAKE, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD.

(H. Doc. 712, 80th Cong.)

Location. Lake Ogleton is an embayment on the western bank of Severn River about 2.5 miles southeast of Annapolis, Md. Walnut Lake, also known as Walnut Creek and as Blackwalnut Creek, is an embayment on the west shore of Chesapeake Bay 1 mile south of the entrance to Severn River and about 2 miles by shore line south of Lake Ogleton.

Report authorized by.-River and Harbor Act approved March 2,

1945.

Existing project. There is no existing Federal project for either locality. Local interests constructed a channel 3 feet deep from Lake Ogleton into Severn River in 1923, which remained open until about 1939.

Plan of improvement recommended.-A channel 8 feet deep and 75 feet wide from the 8-foot depth curve in Severn River to the 8-foot depth curve in Lake Ogleton, Anne Arundel County, Md., with protecting jetties on each side of the channel in Severn River.

Estimated cost to United States.$76,000.

Local cooperation. The improvement is recommended subject to the conditions that local interests furnish free of cost to the United

States all necessary lands, easements, and rights-of-way for initial construction and subsequent maintenance, when and as required; hold and save the United States free from all claims for damages due to the work of improvement; and provide a suitable and adequate public landing accessible by public road and open to all on equal terms. Annual cost of maintenance to United States.-$1,000.

Benefits.-Estimated annual benefits from reduction of storm damage to vessels and net annual savings from reduction of lost time of the oyster fleet when Annapolis harbors are icebound, would total $6,125. The improvement also would decrease the storm hazard to life and would provide for a more stable sea-food supply. The benefit-cost ratio is 1.42.

Remarks. The improvement would restore the lake as a harbor of refuge for small craft, particularly sailboats including those operated by midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy, unable to reach harbor at Annapolis during sudden summer squalls from the northwest. It would also provide a more convenient base for local recreational craft resulting in saving of time and expense, encouragement of boat ownership, and relief of congestion in Annapolis harbors. The lake is ice-free in the winter and an adequate entrance channel would permit the oyster fleet to base and operate therefrom during the periods of from 2 to 3 weeks that Annapolis harbors are icebound.

HELLENS CREEK, CALVERT COUNTY, MD.

(H. Doc. 663, 80th Cong.)

Location. Hellens Creek is a small stream 41⁄2 miles long that enters the left bank of Patuxent River about 6 miles above the mouth at Chesapeake Bay. It is 80 miles south of Baltimore, Md., and 120 miles north of Norfolk, Va.

Report authorized by.-River and Harbor Act approved March 2, 1945.

Existing project.-No improvement of Hellens Creek has been authorized by Congress Local interests have constructed a new wharf 113 feet long by 10 feet wide at a crab-packing house three-fourths of a mile above the mouth.

Plan of recommended improvement.-Adoption of a project for Hellens Creek, Calvert County, Md., to provide a channel 6 feet deep and 60 feet wide through the bar at the entrance, from deep water in Patuxent River to deep water in the creek, a distance of about 1,750 feet.

Estimated cost to United States.-$10,400.

Local cooperation. The improvement is recommended subject to the provision that local interests contribute $1,000 toward the first cost and give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of War that they will: (a) Furnish the lands and rights-of-way for, and construct a public wharf, a public landing area, and an access road thereto; and (b) hold and save the United States free from damage to all oyster beds and other property which may result from the work.

Annual cost of maintenance to United States. $1,000.

Benefits. The annual carry.ng charge, including $100 for maintenance of aids to navigation and $1,000 for Federal maintenance of the channel, is estimated at $2,217. The annual benefits are estimated at $12,129 of which $720 is elimination of lost working time due to