[House Document 105-164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
105th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-164
NAVIGATION PROJECT FOR CAPE FEAR-NORTHEAST RIVERS, NORTH CAROLINA
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY (CIVIL WORKS), THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
ARMY
transmitting
A REPORT ON THE AUTHORIZED DEEP-DRAFT NAVIGATION PROJECT FOR THE CAPE
FEAR-NORTHEAST (CAPE FEAR) RIVERS, NORTH CAROLINA, PURSUANT TO PUB. L.
104-303, SEC. 101(a)(22)
November 4, 1997.--Referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure and ordered to be printed
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................ v
Comments of the Office of Management and Budget.................. vii
Commments of the State of North Carolina......................... viii
Comments of the Department of the Interior....................... xvi
Comments of the Environmental Protection Agency.................. xvii
Commments of the Department of Health and Human Services......... xviii
Report of the Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army......... 1
Report of the District Engineer:
Syllabus..................................................... 6
Addendum to the Feasibility Property and Environmental Impact
Statement.................................................. 7
Section I--Introduction...................................... 62
Study Authority.......................................... 62
Purpose and Scope of Study............................... 62
Study Participants and Coordination...................... 63
Prior Reports............................................ 65
Section II--Problem Identification........................... 68
Public Concerns.......................................... 68
The Federal Objective.................................... 68
Study Area............................................... 68
Port Facilities, Wilmington Harbor....................... 68
Existing Federal Project................................. 69
Problems, Needs, and Opportunities....................... 73
Reach 1--Navigation Problems and Improvements
Considered......................................... 73
Reach 2--Navigation Problems and Improvements
Considered......................................... 77
Reach 3--Navigation Problems and Improvements
Considered......................................... 79
Summary of Problem, Needs, and Opportunities............. 79
Section III--Potential Economic Benefits for Harbor
Improvements............................................... 80
Wilmington Harbor Commerce............................... 81
Historic Commerce.................................... 81
Future Commerce...................................... 83
Vessel Fleet, Wilmington Harbor.......................... 85
Existing Vessel Fleet................................ 85
Trading Ports............................................ 86
Most Efficient Vessel Sizes with various Channel
Constraints............................................ 87
Vessel Fleet Distribution and Costs Savings.............. 90
Computation of Potential Economic Benefits............... 92
Existing Benefits.................................... 92
Summary of Potential Economic Benefits............... 93
Section IV--Plan Formulation................................. 94
Plan Formulation Criteria................................ 94
Economic Criteria.................................... 94
Engineering Criteria................................. 94
Environmental Criteria............................... 94
Design Vessel............................................ 95
Plan Formulation Rationale............................... 95
Optimization of Channel Depths........................... 96
Selection of Channel Widths.............................. 99
Rationale for Plan Selection and Designation of NED Plan. 99
Section V--Selected Plan of Improvement...................... 100
Channel Improvements, Reach 1............................ 100
Channel Improvements, Reach 3............................ 100
Plan Accomplishments..................................... 100
Economic Benefits........................................ 102
Project Costs............................................ 102
Project First Costs.................................. 102
Interest During Construction......................... 104
Average Annual Costs..................................... 104
Benefit-cost Ratio....................................... 104
Sensitivity Analysis..................................... 105
Alternative Base Year Conditions..................... 105
Alternative Growth Projections....................... 105
Alternative 1995 Commerce............................ 105
Project Construction and Maintenance..................... 106
Project Maintenance.................................. 107
Disposal Areas....................................... 107
Alternative Disposal Locations....................... 107
Real Estate and Relocations.......................... 109
Modifications of Berthing Areas...................... 109
Environmental Impacts.................................... 110
Endangered and Threatened Species.................... 110
Wetlands............................................. 110
Primary Nursery Areas................................ 110
Water Quality........................................ 110
Effects on Hazardous and Toxic Wastes.................... 112
Mitigation Measures...................................... 112
Environmental Commitments................................ 113
Plan Implementation...................................... 115
Views of Non-Federal Sponsor......................... 115
Division of Plan Responsibilities.................... 115
Section VI--Conclusions and Recommendations.................. 117
Conclusions.................................................. 117
Recommendations.............................................. 117
Recommendation of the Division Commander......................... 120
LIST OF TABLES
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No.
Page
1 Existing Federal Project...................................... 71
2 Vessel Draft Availability..................................... 74
3 Draft Constraints in Reach 1.................................. 75
4 Commerce and Vessel Calls..................................... 81
5 Wilmington Harbor Oceangoing Commerce......................... 82
6 Wilmington Harbor Projected Tonnages.......................... 84
7 Vessel Calls.................................................. 86
8 Costs Per Ton, Far East Trade Route........................... 88
9 Costs Per Ton, Far East Trade Route........................... 89
10 Vessel Fleet Distribution and Cost Savings with Harbor
Improvement.................................................... 91
11 Benefits for Harbor Deepening................................. 92
12 Expected Annual Benefits...................................... 93
13 Design Vessel Dimensions...................................... 95
14 Benefits and Costs for Alternative Channel Depths............. 96
15 Pertinent Project Data........................................ 101
16 Summary of Average Annual Benefits............................ 102
17 Summary of Project First Costs................................ 103
18 Average Annual Costs.......................................... 104
19 Apportionment of Costs........................................ 116
LIST OF FIGURES
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1 Location Map.................................................. 64
2 Northeast Cape Fear Project................................... 66
3 Channel Widening Project...................................... 67
4 Wilmington Harbor Reaches..................................... 70
5 State Port.................................................... 76
6 Upper Wilmington Harbor....................................... 78
7 Optimization of Project Depths, Reach 1....................... 98
8 Disposal Areas................................................ 108
LIST OF PLATES
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1 Recommended Plan.............................................. 122
2 Recommended Extension of Anchorage Basin, Reach 1............. 123
3 Recommended Widening of Turning Basin, Reach 3................ 124
4 Project Schedule for Recommended Plan......................... 125
5 Schedule for Implementation of Related Federal Projects....... 126