River and Harbors Act of 1916
Encyclopedia
The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1916 provided Federal money for the maintenance and improvements of specified rivers and harbors across the USA. This act in particular aided the Cape Fear River
in North Carolina and the Mississippi River
in Arkansas. Most importantly, however, it authorized the scraping of a 21 feet (6.4 m) shipping channel in the St. Clair River
on the border of Michigan
and Ontario, Canada, as well as including a provision to build a speed bump protruding several feet above the river bottom to slow the river’s overall outflow. Since the St. Clair River formed the major northern part of the Great Lakes Waterway
with Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River
in the south, with its mouth forming the largest river delta in North America, the project was intended to be of great importance, both in terms of prestige and in improving overall trade with Canada. The Welland Canal
between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, which allowed shipping traffic to bypass Niagara Falls
, had been under construction since 1913, and the St. Clair project was seen as complementary to better connect Lake Erie
with Lake Huron
. While the foundation was laid, the project itself was never completed.
Cape Fear River
The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the...
in North Carolina and the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in Arkansas. Most importantly, however, it authorized the scraping of a 21 feet (6.4 m) shipping channel in the St. Clair River
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
on the border of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and Ontario, Canada, as well as including a provision to build a speed bump protruding several feet above the river bottom to slow the river’s overall outflow. Since the St. Clair River formed the major northern part of the Great Lakes Waterway
Great Lakes Waterway
The Great Lakes Waterway is a system of channels and canals that makes all of the Great Lakes accessible to oceangoing vessels. Its principal civil engineering components are the Welland Canal, bypassing Niagara Falls between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and the Soo Locks, bypassing the rapids of...
with Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
in the south, with its mouth forming the largest river delta in North America, the project was intended to be of great importance, both in terms of prestige and in improving overall trade with Canada. The Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, which allowed shipping traffic to bypass Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, had been under construction since 1913, and the St. Clair project was seen as complementary to better connect Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
with Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
. While the foundation was laid, the project itself was never completed.