71ST CONoESS COM rITZrEON RIVERS AND HARBORS, DocumENTr ,?d Session I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES No. 53 RARITAN RIVER, N. J. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR REPORT FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS ON RARITAN RIVER, N. J., COVERING NAVIGATION, FLOOD CONTROL, POWER DEVEL- OPMENT, AND IRRIGATION JANUARY 0, 1930.-Referred to tho Committee on Rivers and Harbors WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 27, 1929. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I am transmitting herewith a report dated December 26, 1929, from the Chief of Engineers United States Army, on Raritan River, N. J., submitted under the provisions of House Doctment No. 308, Sixty-ninth Congress, first session, which was enacted into law, with modifications, in section I of the river and harbor act of January 21, 1927, with accompanying papers. Sincerely yours, PATRICK J. tURLEY, Secretary of War. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Wa8hington, December 26,1929. Subject: Report on Raritan River, N. J. To: The Secretary of War. 1. I submit, for transmission to Congress, my report, with accom. panyin papers, on Raritan River, N. J, submitted under the provi- sions OfHouse Document No. 308, Sixty-ninth Congress, first lesson, which was enacted into law, with modifications, in section s of the river and harbor act of January 21, 1927. 1572-R. and H. Doe. 53, 71-2-1 2 . ABTAX RIVR, i. IT. 2. The Raritan River rises in the north-central part of New Jersey and flows in a southeasterly direction 30 miles into Raritan Bay. The drainage area of 1,105 square miles contains several small cities and is largely devoted to agriculture and manufacturing. The aver- age discharge of the river is about 2,000 cubic feet per second while the minimum is less than one-tenth of that amount. The river has been improved for navigation by the United States and has a channel 15 feet deep below theWashington Canal and 10 feet thence to the entrance of the Delaware and Raritan Canal at New Brunswick. 3. The district engineer gives consideration to questions of naviga- tion, water power, flood control, and irrigation. He finds that the extension of the navigation project above New Brunswick would not be justified by the small amount of potential traffic. Further im- provement of the river below New Brunswick is advisable and has already been recommended to Congress. A separate report on the canal from Raritan Bay to the Delaware River, which might make use of part of the Raritan River, is now in preparation, and this matter is not considered in the report now under discussion. 4. Floods occur on this river rather frequently. The rural areas subject to overflow are largely meadowland and pasture, and dam- ages from floods in these districts have not been great. 'Some dam- age has been done at times in a few of the towns but there is no general demand for flood protection. With the exception of a few limited areas the district engineer considers that extensive flood-control proj- ects would not be economically justified. The headwater streams of the Raritan River form an important potential source of municipal water supply for the numerous cities of northern New Jersey. The development of these supplies is being studied by local and State authorities. Eventually it is anticipated that large amounts of water from the tributary streams will be stored in reservoirs and diverted from the Raritan watershed for these cities. Wheh this development has been completed, the floods of the Raritan will be very greatly reduced. There are a few small power developments on, this watershed at present. Because of the small low-water flow the high value of property which would be required for flowage, and the flashy nature of the stream, the district.engineer concludes that fur- ther water-power development on an important scale is not eco- nomically feasible at the present time. Irrigation is not necessary in this district. The district engineer concludes that there is no justi- fication for any contribution by the Federal Government to the com- bined development of the drainage area. The division engineer concurs. 5. The report has been referred as required by law to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors 1nd its report concurring in general in the conclusions and recommendations of the district engineer is submitted herewith. 6. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports I concur in the recommendation of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. There appears to be no warrant for further improvement for navigation other than that already recommended to Congress and that now being studied in connection with the canal from Raritan Bay to the Delaware River. Additional water-power development is not economically feasible and irrigation is unnecessary. While V N RARITAN RIVER, N. J. some flood damage occurs extensive flood-control projects are not justified. The most valuable use of the water resources of this area lies in their development as municipal supplies for the cities of northern New Jersey. When this development has been completed, the flood problems will largely be solved. I therefore report that the improve- ment of Raritan River, N. J., for navigation in connection with power development, the control of floods or the needs of irrigation, or any combination thereof is not deemed advisable at the present tilne, except as already recommended to Congress for the improvement below New Brunswick, or as may be found desirable in connection with the canal from Raritan Bay to the Delaware River, which will be covered in a separate report. LYTrLE BROWN, Major General, Chkf of Engineers. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS SYLLABUS The Board of Engineers for Rivem and Harbors Is of the opinion that 'the improvement of this river above Now Brunswick, N. J., for navigation In combi- nation with power development, the control of floods, and the needs of irrigation Is not justified at the present time. (ThIrd indorsement] BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, Washington, D. C., June 18, 1929. To the CmEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY: I. The following is in review of the report on Raritan River, N. J., submitted under the provisions of House Document No. 308, Sixty- ninth Congress, first session, which was enacted into law, with modifi- catiois, in sectioA 1 of the river and harbor act approved January 21, 1927. 2. The Raritan River lies in the north-central part of New Jersey and is the largest river lying within that State. The main stream, which is formed by the junction of the North and South Branches,. flows east and southeast into Raritan Bay. Its length is 30 miles,. of which the lower 14 form a tidal estuary. The principal tributaries are the Millstone River, South River, and Lawrence Brook. The river is navigable for 12 miles in the tidal section from its mouth to the entrance of the Delaware and Raritan Canal at New Brunswick. Above this point it is too shallow for navigation and is obstructed by numerous dams and bridges. The Delaware and Raritan Canal extends across the State to Bordentown on the Delaware River. The drainage area is 1,105 square miles. The eastern portion lies mostly in an elevation of less than 100 feet, while the western half is mostly below 300 feet except for small mountainous areas on the margin. This basin is largely deforested and is highly cultivated. It contains 11 towns of more than 5 000 inhabitants, the largest two being New Brunswick (33,000) and Plainfield (28,000). It is crossed by many railroads, electric roads, and highways, and contains many small mills and water powers. While the topography is reasonably favorable to the development of storage reservoirs, this intense development tends to make such storage very expensive. 4 RARITAN RIVER, N. J. 3. The river has been improved for navigation by the United I States from its mouth to New Brunswick, a distance of 12 wiles. The existing project provides for a channel 15 feet deep and 200 feet wide below the Washington Canal, and 10 feet deep and 150 feet wide thence to the entrance to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. It also provides for a channel 10 feet deep and 150 feet wide on the south side of the river between Crab Island and Kearneys Dock. The South River, an important tributary, is also under improvement by the United States from the mouth of Washington Canl at Sayre- ylle to Old Bridge, a distance of 6.3 miles, the depth to be provided being 8 feet for 1.9 miles and 6 feet for the upper section. The Middle. sex Transportation Co. operates daily freight-boat service between New York and New Brunswick and distributes and collcct3 freight throughout the Raritan district by motor truck. The Delaware and Raritan Canal follows the right bank of the Raritan River to the Millstone River, ascends the valley of that stream, and finally crosses the divide to the Delaware River. It handles freight across the State between New Brunswick, Trenton, and Bordentow . The canal is 38 miles long and has 13 locks, which are 210 feet long, 23-feet 4 inches wide, with a depth of 7 feet. The overhead clearance is 50 feet. In 1928 the total commerce was 66,387 tons, of which only 1,643 tons was through traffic. The most important items were coal, asphaltum, and oil. The canal is controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad. 4. The district engineer takes up the possibility of extending.the navigation project by improvement of the Raritan River above New Brunswick, N.