This section and the second paragraph of section 556 of this title are from section 3 of act Mar. 4, 1913, popularly known as the “Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1913”. That section superseded similar provisions of act June 25, 1910, ch. 382, § 3, 36 Stat. 668, for reports, investigations on review by the board of Engineers and for the printing of reports.

Provision for report of examinations of river and harbor improvements appeared in R.S. § 231, repealed by act Mar. 3, 1933, ch. 202, § 1, 47 Stat. 1428, and read as follows: “The Secretary of War shall cause to be prepared and submitted to Congress, in connection with the reports of examinations and surveys of rivers and harbors hereafter made by order of Congress, full statements of all existing facts tending to show to what extent the general commerce of the country will be promoted by the several works of improvements contemplated by such examinations and surveys, to the end that public moneys shall not be applied excepting where such improvements shall tend to subserve the general commercial and navigation interests of the United States.”

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. Section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. Section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

For termination of Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors 180 days after Oct. 31, 1992, and reassignment of duties and responsibilities by Secretary of Army, see section 223 of Pub. L. 102–580, set out as a note under section 541 of this title.

Provisions prohibiting supplemental reports or estimates, prohibiting the making of examination or survey for new works not designated, and providing that projects were not to be deemed entered upon until appropriations were made, appeared in various rivers and harbors appropriation acts. They are omitted from the Code as superseded or temporary.

The Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy were authorized and directed to report to Congress at the earliest practicable date, such specific plans for improvement of harbors, canals and connecting channels as would best provide adequate facilities for operations of the fleet for defense of the harbors on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts; also the feasible extensions requisite to make existing approved projects for improvement of such harbors, canals, and channels available for such purposes, and the cost of each such several improvements, calculated upon the basis of completion under contract within five years, by act Aug. 29, 1916, ch. 417, 39 Stat. 556, omitted from the Code as special and temporary.

The Secretary of War was directed to cause preliminary examinations and surveys to be made of the harbors and connecting waters of the Great Lakes with a view to determining what additional improvements would be necessary to permit those waterways to accommodate vessels to pass through the Welland Canal when enlarged by the Dominion of Canada, including report as to the character and draft of vessels which might be expected to use the canal when so enlarged, by a provision of the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1916, act July 27, 1916, ch. 260, § 2, 39 Stat. 411, omitted from the Code as special and temporary.