Any person or persons, corporations, municipal or private, who desire to improve any navigable river, or any part thereof, at their or its own expense and risk may do so upon the approval of the plans and specifications of said proposed improvement by the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Engineers of the Army. The plan of said improvement must conform with the general plan of the Government improvements, must not impede navigation, and no toll shall be imposed on account thereof, and said improvement shall at all times be under the control and supervision of the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Engineers.
(June 13, 1902, ch. 1079, §1,
Section is from act June 13, 1902, popularly known as the "Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act for 1902". The provisions of this section followed an appropriation for emergencies.
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,
The consent of Congress was given to the construction of a ship canal along the Government right of way connecting the waters of Puget Sound with Lake Washington, said canal, when completed, to be turned over to the United States, by act June 11, 1906, ch. 3072,