[House Document 105-174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-174


 
                   CHARLESTON HARBOR, SOUTH CAROLINA
                     DEEP DRAFT NAVIGATION PROJECT

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                     THE ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY

                             (CIVIL WORKS),

                       THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

                              transmitting

 A REPORT ON THE AUTHORIZATION OF A DEEP DRAFT NAVIGATION PROJECT FOR 
 CHARLESTON HARBOR, SOUTH CAROLINA, PURSUANT TO PUB. L. 104-303, SEC. 
                               101(a)(27)





  January 27, 1998.--Referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure and ordered to be printed


                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................   vii
Comments of the Office of Management and Budget..................    ix
Comments of the State of South Carolina..........................     x
Comments of the Department of the Interior.......................    xi
Comments of the Department of Transportation.....................   xiv
Comments of the Environmental Protection Agency..................    xv
Comments of the Department of Commerce...........................  xvii
Report of the Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army.........     1
Addendum.........................................................     6
Executive Summary................................................    12
Introduction: the Study and the Report...........................    15
    Study Authority..............................................    15
    Study Purpose and Scope......................................    15
    Non-Federal Partner..........................................    16
    Evaluation Criteria..........................................    16
        Regulations and Guidance.................................    16
        Engineering Criteria.....................................    16
        Economic Benefits and Costs..............................    16
        Environmental Impact.....................................    17
        Non-Federal Partner Interests............................    17
    Prior Studies and Reports....................................    17
        Prior Studies and Reports................................    17
        Reconnaissance Study.....................................    17
Study Area Description...........................................    18
    Regional Characteristics.....................................    18
        Location.................................................    18
        Climate..................................................    18
        Topography and Geology...................................    18
    Economic Base................................................    20
        Commerce.................................................    20
Plan Formulation.................................................    22
    Overview.....................................................    22
    Existing Project and Environmental Conditions................    22
        Existing Federal Navigation Improvements.................    22
        Project Maintenance......................................    24
        Disposal Sites...........................................    24
        Environmental Conditions.................................    27
        Port Facilities..........................................    31
    Deep Draft Commerce..........................................    38
        Existing Versus Future Without-Project Overview..........    38
        Existing Activity........................................    38
    Deep Draft Fleet.............................................    39
        Historical Trends........................................    39
        Current Operating Practices..............................    40
    Problems and Opportunities...................................    41
        Transportation Efficiencies and Delays...................    41
        Planning Considerations..................................    45
        Dredged Material Disposal................................    46
    Formulation of Alternatives..................................    46
        Without-Project Condition................................    47
        Channel Modifications....................................    47
        Channel Deepening........................................    50
        Non-Structural Alternatives..............................    51
    Beneficial Use of Dredged Material...........................    52
        Shore/Erosion Protection.................................    52
        Nesting Habitat at Crab Bank.............................    52
        Castle Pinckney..........................................    52
        Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site.....................    52
Comparison of Alternative Plans..................................    53
    Design Considerations........................................    53
        Design Vessels...........................................    53
        Channel Design...........................................    53
        Dredging Quantities......................................    55
        Increased Annual Maintenance.............................    59
        Associated Improvements..................................    59
    Project Costs................................................    60
        Construction Cost Estimates..............................    60
        Project Investment Costs.................................    60
        Maintenance Costs........................................    60
        Annual Costs.............................................    61
    Comparative Environmental Effects............................    61
    Benefits Analysis............................................    61
    Benefit-to-Cost Evaluation...................................    62
        Determination of Optimal Project Depth...................    62
        Incremental Analysis.....................................    64
        NED Plan.................................................    66
Selected Plan....................................................    67
    Plan Components..............................................    67
        Description and Justifications...........................    67
        Costs....................................................    73
        Construction Methods.....................................    73
        Operation and Maintenance................................    74
        Annual Maintenance.......................................   748
    Dredged Material Disposal Plan...............................    74
    Environmental Impacts........................................    75
        Environmental Effects....................................    75
        Cultural Resources.......................................    75
        Mitigation...............................................    76
    Plan Benefits................................................    76
Plan Implementation..............................................    77
    Design and Construction......................................    77
        Construction Period......................................    77
        Project Monitoring Plan..................................    77
    Cost Apportionment...........................................    77
        Fully-Funded Cost........................................    77
        Non-Federal Cost Sharing.................................    77
    Division of Responsibilities.................................    79
        Federal Responsibilities.................................    79
        Non-Federal Responsibilities.............................    79
    Non-Federal Partner's Support................................    82
        Non-Federal Partner's Views..............................    82
        Non-Federal Partner's Financing..........................    82
Local Cooperation and Agency Coordination........................    83
Conclusions and Recommendations..................................    84
Environmental Assessment.........................................    86

                              ----------                              

                             List of Tables

No.
 1. Existing Project Dimensions..................................    23
 2. Size of Upland Disposal Sites................................    25
 3. Steamship Service Profile....................................    35
 4. Ship Simulation Test Design Vessels..........................    53
 5. Dredging Quantities..........................................    56
 6. Estimated Increase in Annual Maintenance Dredging............    59
 7. Net Benefits for Complete Harbor Deepening Components........    63
 8. Net Benefits for Total Harbor Project........................    66
 9. Cost Allocation..............................................    78

                              ----------                              

                            List of Figures

No.
 1. Vicinity Map.................................................    19
 2. Evergreen Container Vessel...................................    21
 3. Castle Pinckney..............................................    31
 4. Port Facilities..............................................    32
 5. North Charleston Terminal....................................    33
 6. Columbus Street Terminal.....................................    33
 7. Wando Welch Terminal.........................................    34
 8. Container Terminal Crane.....................................    36
 9. Shipyard River Coal Terminal.................................    37
10. Grain Terminal...............................................    37
11. Graph--Projected Traffic Levels..............................    38
12. Typical Tanker...............................................    39
13. Typical Container............................................    40
14. Passing Vessels in Daniel Island Reach.......................    44
15. Realignment of Shutes/Folly Reach............................    48
16. Wando River Widener..........................................    48
17. Entrance Channel Alternatives................................    49
18. Daniel Island Reach Improvements.............................    50
19. Alternate Channel Dimensions.................................    51
20. Entrance Channel Design......................................    54
21. Recommended Entrance Channel Plan............................    67
22. Channel Improvements.........................................    68
23. Channel Realignment Plan.....................................    69
24. Recommended Channel Design for Daniel Island Reach...........    70
25. Existing Contraction Dike....................................    71
26. Contraction Dike Cross Section...............................    71
27. Channel Modification.........................................    72
                              ----------                              

                                Exhibits

Exhibit A--List of Prior Studies and Reports.....................   185
                              ----------                              

                                 Plates

No.
 1. Historical Shoaling Areas....................................   189
 2. Dredged Material Disposal Sites..............................   190





                                
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