"Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper Wo. 89 Series J, Water Storage, 9

DEPAETMENT OF THE INTEEIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR

WATER RESOURCES

OF THE

SALINAS YALLEY, CALIFORNIA

BY

HOMER HAMLIN

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1904
PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY.

The publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) Annual Reports; (2) 

Monographs; (3) Professional Papers; (4) Bulletins; (5) Mineral Resources; (6) "Water-Supply 

and Irrigation Papers; (7) Topographic Atlas of United States, folios and separate sheets thereof; 

(8) Geologic Atlas of United States, folios thereof. The classes numbered 2. 7, and 8 are sold at 

cost of publication; the others are distributed free. A circular giving complete lists may be 

had on application.

The Bulletins, Professional Papers, and "Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety of subjects, 

and the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified into the following 

series: A, Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, Systematic geology and paleontology; 

D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; 

H, Forestry; I, Irrigation; J, Water storage; K, Pumping water; L. Quality of water; M, 

General hydrographic investigations; N, Water power; O, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic progress reports.

The following Water-Supply Papers are out of stock, and can no longer be supplied: Nos. 

1-16,19-20, 22, 29-34, 36, 39-40, 43, 46, 57-65, 75. Complete lists of papers relating to water supply 

and allied subjects follow. (PP=Professional Paper; B=Bulletin; WS=Water-Supply Paper.)

SERIES I IRRIGATION.

WS 2. Irrigation near Phrenix, Ariz., by A. P. Davis. 1897. 98 pp., 31 pis. and maps.

WS 5. Irrigation practice on the Great Plains, by B. B. Cowgill. 1897. 39 pp., 11 pis.

WS 9. Irrigation near Greeley, Colo., by David Boyd. 1897. 90 pp., 21 pis.

WS 10. Irrigation in Mesilla Valley, New Mexico, by F. C. Barker. 1898. 51 pp., 11 pis.

WS 13. Irrigation systems in Texas, by W. F. Hutson. 1808. 68 pp., 10 pis.

WS 17. Irrigation near Bakersfield, Cal., by C. E. Grunsky. 1898. 96 pp., 16 pis.

WS 18. Irrigation near Fresno, Cal., by C. E. Grunsky. 1898. 94 pp., 14 pis.

WS 19. Irrigation near Merced, Cal., by C. E. Grunsky. 1899. 59 pp., 11 pis.

WS 23. Water-right problems of Bighorn Mountains, by Elwood Mead. 1899. 62 pp., 7 pis.

WS 32. Water resources of Porto Rico, by H. M. Wilson. 1899. 48 pp., 17 pis. and maps.

WS 43. Conveyance of water in irrigation canals, flumes, and pipes, by Samuel Fortier. 1901.

86 pp., 15 pis. 

WS 70. Geology and water resources of the Patrick and Goshen Hole quadrangles, Wyoming,

byG. I. Adams. 1902. 50pp., 11 pis.

WS 71. Irrigation systems of Texas, by T. U. Taylor. 1902. 137 pp., 9 pis. 

WS 74. Water resources of the State of Colorado, by A. L. Fellows. 1903. 151 pp., 14 pis. 

WS 87. Irrigation in India, by H. M. Wilson. 1903. 238 pp., 27 pis.

The following papers also relate especially to irrigation: Irrigation in India, by H. M. Wilson, 

in Twelfth Annual, Pt. II; two papers on irrigation engineering, by H. M. Wilson, in Thirteenth 

Annual, Part III.

SERIES J WATER STORAGE.

WS 33. Storage of water on Gila River, Arizona, by J. B. Lippincott. 1900. 98 pp., 33 pis.

WS 40. The Austin dam, by Thomas U. Taylor. 1900. 51 pp., 16 pis.

WS 45. Water storage on Cache Creek, California, by A. E. Chandler. 1901. 48 pp., 10 pis.

WS 46. Physical characteristics of Kern River, California, by F. H. Olmsted, and Reconnaissance of Yuba River, California, by Marsden Manson. 1901. 57 pp., 8 pis.

WS 58. Storage of water on Kings River, California, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902. 100 pp., 32 pis.

WS 68. Water storage in Truckee Basin, California-Nevada, by L. H. Taylor. 1902. 90 pp. 

8 pis.

WS 73. Water storage on Salt River, Arizona, by A. P. Davis. 1902. 54 pp., 23 pis.

WS 86. Storage reservoirs on Stony Creek, California, by Burt Cole. 1903. 62 pp. 16 pis.

WS 89. Water resources of the Salinas Valley, California, by Homer Hamlin. 1903. pp.,

12 pis. 

The following paper also should be noted under this heading: Reservoirs for irrigation, by J.

D. Schuyler, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV.

[Continued on third page of cover.] 

IRK 89 2
Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 89 Series J, Water Storage, 9 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CHAKLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR

WATER RESOURCES

OF THE

SALINAS YALLEY, CALIFORNIA

BY

HOMER HAMLIN

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1904

CONTENTS.

Jfaga,

Letter of transmittaL...--,....-'_....-.-.-----....-.-.-...-....-----.----. 7

Introduction......_.. .........................-.._...^ ____________.._.._-- 9

Geography ____.____..___-___-____.__ __._..__-_-.____.____-__________-___ 10

Topography __.--_______-_.,_-_-__________....____-_____-__-.._____-_.____-_ 11

Geology ...............,......._........_.,.................^,....--....- 13

General geology ---._-..--...-...................--...--..-..-..--.-- 13

Structure.......-...._................._-."..--.._..-..--..,--..-. 13

Stratigraphy .............--..-.........-...._......... _.,______ 13

Basement complex. _____________ _____________________________ 13

San Luis formation _______-____._____--___-.__-__.,_-_______-_ 13

Vaquero sandstone......_...__....__....--..__............... 14

Monterey shale .._-..--._.---...---..--._-_-_.-__.--_..-._.-- 14

Santa Margarita formation.____-.___.-.__-____--___-_______.- 15

Paso Bobles formation -____-____-__.--____-__-____________._- 15

Later sandstones.- ....-......................^............... 16

Stream deposits.. --________.--_-.__-____--_.---___.._____-__-_ 16

Economic geology .....................................L.........^... 16

Oil and bituminous rock deposits .-___-__-.__---_.-_..-_-___ ____.. 16

CoaL...-........_.....-........-...................-.-.......... 20

Underground water_,....-..._-................._...__........... 21

Climate ................................................................. 33

Climatic factors .---.---...--...--..-..---.--.-.---..--...-.-..---_.. 33

Winds.-....--_--_.--..---..-._-_.....----.......--.-....-.,.--...... 35

Bainfall....--..-.-.-.-..--..--.._...-..-..---.-.-.-..-...---...-_-.. 39

Hydrography............_._....._-...-............._........._......._.. 46

Salinas River ._..__.-...._..___._._...___._.-____._._____._._.._._ __. 46

Estrella Creak. ....................................................... 49

Nacimiento River....,........-...-....-....-....-_...-.._-.......... 49

San Antonio River. ______..-_-__-_.__.__--._-__________.._.__.__...___ 50

Pinkerton reservoir ..__.._______..___.____._ _._______._.________ 51

Arroyo Seco ....--..--._. ._-..._-_...---..--.--..-....-_......._.._._ 52

The Pools reservoir -_____.--__,_-___-_____-__-_______...____,_._. 55

Pettitt reservoir --___.__-_--.-,---_-_.__-__________-__.________ _ 56

Leigh reservoir .................................................. 57

Foster reservoir ...... .---.---..-..----.---..---..._-..._.,....._ 59

Proposed Foster dam_ ---__-_-___-.______-____________._________._ 62

Currier reservoir ........................ ...... .................. 65

Proposed Currier dam...... __.,............._...........___.._... 67

San Lorenzo Creek ...................................... ..........._ 69

Mathews reservoir........................._........__..._....... 72

Proposed Mathews dam__________________________________________ 74

Chalone Creek. ...................... r ....................r ....^..... 77

Mesa streams _.....-._...........__.._..._ .-..._......._..._...___.. 77

Cajrmel River --...-..--...-......_.-_..-........_._............_..... 77

3
4 CONTENTS.

Page.

Irrigation __.____________._______________,._.______..__.___.._.__.____.._ 77

Crops irrigated ...................................................... 77

Canals...................................... .... .................... 78

Pumping plants.----._-......_________.__.___._-___-.._._._.________. 80

Extension of irrigation. _.........-..-..._-.--..-__--.. ..---_--...-... 82

Extension of irrigation from Salinas River.____.___-.__..__.._____ 82

Extension of irrigation from San Antonio Creek .................. 83

Extension of irrigation from San Lorenzo Creek ...-.........._..- 83

Extension of irrigation from Arroyo Seco.. --_--,.--_---_---.---.. 85

Extension of irrigation by pumping water ........................ 86

Summary. --...-....._-...,.............-..--.--.'.--.__.---.--.-.-..-.... 87

Index ............................................1.............^.......... 89
ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. 

PLATE I. Map of the drainage basin of Salinas River _...--.-.__---'--- --- 10

II. Map of the Salinas Valley, showing irrigated lands, canals, proposed reservoirs, and location of wells .......-.._--.--.---.--. 23

III. A, Salinas River above gaging station at Monterey road bridge, - 

near Salinas, showing quicksand in bed of stream; B, Salinas 

.River near Kings City, showing drifted sand blown upstream 

by the prevailing northwest wind -._--.-.--.-.-.--.._.--.--._ 48

IV. A, Salinas River at Bradley, showing a broad stream terrace, on 

which the town is built, and the flat-topped hills of the mesa 

beyond; B, Nacimiento River at gaging station near Bryson 

post-office.---________.__._____________....___--_-______._______ 50

V. A, Oak groves in San Antonio River Valley north of Jolon; B, San

Antonio River Valley southeast of Jolon______________________ 50

VI. A, Canyon of Arroyo Seco at Foster dam site, showing stream 

terrace; B, Canyon of Arroyo Seco, 16 miles southwest of Soledad, showing stream terraces, also Santa Lucia Mountains _... 52

VII. A, Channel of Arroyo Seco at Abbott's ranch, 16 miles southwest 

of Soledad, showing granitic detritus in bed of stream; B, Leigh 

dam site on Los Vaqueros Creek, looking downstream.. --.-..- 58

VIII. A, North abutment at Foster dam site; B, South abutment at

Foster dam site.............. ...__..........-.-.............. 62

IX. A, Currier dam site on Arroyo Seco, looking upstream from below

the dam; B, South abutment at Currier dam site.____________ 66

X. A, North abutment at Currier dam site; B, Summit region of 

Mount Diablo Range at head of Gaviota Creek, showing scattering growth of timber and brush .........-.-.-----_--.._... 68

XI. A, Mathews dam site, looking downstream, showing granite bed 

rock below soft shales of mesa region; B, Spreckels Sugar Company's pumping plant on So-edad rancho at ranch No. 2....... 70

XII. Spreckels Sugar Company's pumping plant near Kings City, at

ranchNo. 3,.................................... ............ 80

FIG. 1. Diagram showing unequal distribution of rainfall, the result of

topography,in California and Nevada............----.--_._.-... 41

2. Diagram showing unequal distribution of rainfall, the result of

topography,in the Coast Range of California--------..-.--_.---. 42

3. Diagram showing monthly distribution of rainfall in the Salinas

Valley............._........................................... 45

4. Reconnaissance map of Pinkerton reservoir site.-...----.------... 52

5. Cross section of canyon of San Antonio Creek at Pinkerton dam site. 52

6. Discharge of Arroyo Seco at Pettitt ranch from September 1, 1901,

to August 30, 1902....._......--....--............_..----.--.... 53

7. Reconnaissance map of The Pools reservoir site ..____-_-.--...-_-. 55

8. Cross section of canyon of Arroyo Seco at The Pools dam site.---.. 56

5
6 ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. 

FIG. 9. Reconnaissance map of Pettitt reservoir site ...................... 56

10. Cross section of Los Vaqueros Creek at Pettitt dam site ----------- 57

11. Reconnaissance map of Leigh reservoir site .__----..--._._--.-_.__ 58

12. Cross section of Los Vaqueros Creek at Leigh dam site .--_..._...__ 58

13. Foster reservoir site on Arroyo Seco --..---.--.-._-------_-.__--_. 60

14. Capacity curve of Foster reservoir, showing capacity, in thousands

of acre-feet, with the water surface at various levels. -...-..----- 61

15. Foster dam site and spillway on Arroyo Seco..-._-__-_.-.._......_ 62

16. Maximum cross section of proposed Foster dam..-.__.__.__.__-___ 63

17. Profile of outlet tower and tunnel of proposed Foster reservoir -... 64

18. Currier reservoir site on Arroyo Seco-------------------- .----... 65

19. Capacity curve of proposed Currier reservoir, showing capacity, in

thousands of acre-feet, with the water surface at various levels... _ 66

20. Currier dam site and spillway on Arroyo Seco -.-_,.-.----.----_-. 67

21. Maximum cross section of Currier dam ___________._............'__ 68

22. Profile of outlet tower and tunnel of Currier reservoir _........... 68

23. Discharge of San Lorenzo Creek at Mathews ranch from September

1, 1901, to August 30, 1902..--.-..--------.-----.-.-------.----- 71

24. Mathews reservoir site on San Lorenzo Creek_.__.___._____-__.___ 72

25. Capacity curve of proposed Mathews reservoir, showing capacity, in

thousands of acre-feet, with the water surface at various levels.... 73

26. Mathews dam site and spillway on San Lorenzo Creek,_..__.---.-. 74

27. Maximum cross section of Mathews dam--.----.-----.--,--------- 74

28. Profile of outlet tunnel and shaft of Mathews reservoir............ 75

29. Plan of outlet gates of Mathews reservoir.._..---_---------.--..-- 76

30. Vertical section on line A B through outlet gates of proposed

Mathews reservoir -...._.........----.-.----.-_..--.-.----.---. 76
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

HYDRO GRAPHIC BRANCH, 

Washington, D. C., July 22, 1903.

SIR : I have the honor to transmit herewith, for publication in the 

Water-Supply and Irrigation series, a report ou the water resources 

of the Salinas Valley, California, by Mr. Homer Hanilin.

The report relates particularly to that portion of the Salinas Valley 

which lies within the boundaries of Monterey County. It describes 

the topography, hydrography, and economic geology of a portion of 

the region and discusses the methods of iirigation and the irrigation 

systems, the extent of underground waters, ond the possibility of 

extending irrigation by the utilization of surface streams and the 

impounding of flood waters.

Very respectfully, F. H. NEWELL,

Chief Engineer 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT,

Director United States Geological Survey.

7

WATER RESOURCES OF THE SALINAS VALLEY, 

CALIFORNIA.

By HOMER HAMLIN.

INTRODUCTION.

This report is based on investigations made by the United States 

Geological Survey, cooperating with the board of supervisors of 

Monterey County and the California Water and Forest Association, 

in Monterey County, CaL, during 1900, 1901, and 1902. The work 

was done under the supervision of Mr. J. B. Lippincott, resident 

hydrographer of the United States Geological Survey.

The report relates particularly to that portion of the Salinas Valley 

that lies within the boundaries of Monterey County, and describes 

the topography, hydrography, and economic geology of a portion of 

the region. It also discusses the extent of the underground water, the 

methods of irrigation, the irrigation systems, and the possibility of 

extending irrigation by the utilization of surface streams and by 

impounding flood waters.

The first investigation made in this region was a reconnaissance 

conducted under the direction of Prof. Charles D. Marx in the summer of 1900. During this reconnaissance, which was made for the 

purpose of locating and examining the reservoir sites in the drainage 

basin of Salinas River, Professor Marx's party explored the drainage 

basins of the Arroyo Seco, of San Antonio and Isfacimiento rivers, 

and a portion of the drainage basin of San Lorenzo Creek. Six reservoir sites were discovered, and preliminary surveys and estimates 

were made to determine the capacity of each and the cost of storing 

water. Five of these reservoir sites are in the drainage basin of the 

Arroyo Seco, viz, the Pettitt, Leigh, Currier, Foster, and The Pools 

sites. One reservoir site, the Pinkerton,1 was discovered on the San 

Antonio, and one, the Mathews, on San Lorenzo Creek

In October, 1900, Mr. W. W. Cockins, jr., was put in charge of the 

study of underground waters in the vicinity of Salinas, and during 

the winter of 1900-1901 was also in charge of stream measurements on 

Salinas River and its tributaries. In December, 1900, he established

9
10 WATEE RESOURCES OF SALlNAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

a gaging station on San Antonio Creek near Jolon, one on San Lorenzo 

Creek at the Hollenbeck ranch, and one on Arroyo Seco at Pettitt's 

ranch. A gaging station had been established on Salinas River prior 

to 1900.

In March, 1901, the writer was detailed to study the hydrography 

and geology of a portion of this region. The field work extended over 

a period of six months.

In the Salinas Valley, as in many parts of California, pumping 

water for irrigation is expensive on account of the high price of fuel. 

The object of the geologic investigation was to discover, if possible, 

cheap fuel in the form of coal or oil. A reconnaissance was made of 

the region and detailed examinations were made of certain localities. 

The result was disappointing, as no territory that will yield oil in 

commercial quantities was found, and the one coal field is of small 

extent and almost inaccessible.

In presenting the report on the economic geology of the region the 

writer wishes to disclaim any idea of its being more than a preliminary description of the conditions observed during the reconnaissance. 

At no place were the investigations exhaustive, and facts relating to 

the oil-producing rocks, coal beds, and water supply only were noted. 

Much yet remains to be done in the study of the general geology of 

the region and the correlation of the various formations with equivalent strata in other regions.

In October, 1901, Mr. H. E. Green was detailed to make topographic surveys of the Mathews reservoir and dam site. He also 

designed the dam and made estimates of the cost of construction and 

of the capacity of the reservoir. In August and September, 1902, the 

writer made a topographic survey of the Currier and Foster reservoir 

and dam sites, and later designed the dams and made estimates of the 

cost of construction and of the capacity of the reservoirs.

General acknowledgment is due a large number of persons who 

have rendered assistance. Thanks are particularly due Dr. William 

H. Dall for the identification of fossils; to the United States Department of Agriculture for well records and maps of a portion of the 

Salinas Valley; to the Spreckels Sugar Company for statistics on irrigation; to Mr. Lou G. Hare, county surveyor, for use of county maps, 

and to Messrs. T. T. Tidball, J. W. Leigh, A. J. Meyers, A. Hubbard, 

J. M. Krenkel, C. H. Royse, and Mrs. M. Griffin, who have furnished 

rainfall records.

GEOGRAPHY.

The total area of the Salinas Valley is 4,780 square miles. Its 

length is 150 miles and its maximum width about 45 miles. (See PI. I.) 

It extends from the high mountain region in southeastern San Luis 

Obispo County to the Bay of Monterey, 80 miles south of San Francisco. The Salinas Valley, in common with the other Coast Range
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. |

EXPLANATION 

......Boundaries of drainage basins

Rainfall stations 

Gaging stations 

i'oir sites 

'%, Oil fields

1 Mathews site

2 Pettitt site

3 Currier site

4 Foster site

5 TheP

6 Leigh site

7 Pinkerton site

8 SanArdo oil wells

9 Mathews bituminous rock quarry

10 Mylar bituminous rock quarry

11 Nonpareil oil wells

12 Peachtree oil springs

13 Cholame oil "wells

14 Thompson Canyon "bituminous rock

15 San Antonio bituminous rock quarry

16 Stone Canyon coalmine

17 Drabble coal mine

MAP OF THE DRAINAGE BASIN OF THE SALINAS RIVER

SHOWTNG HYDROGHAPHTC FEATITRES

JULIUS BIEN&CO.LITH.N.Y.

HAMLIN.] GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGEAPHY. 11

valleys, has a northwest-southeast trend. On the southwest it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Santa Lucia Range and from 

Carmel River by the Sierra de Salinas. On the northeast it is 

separated from the San Joaquin Valley by the Mount Diablo Range 

and from the San Benito Valley by the Gabilan Range.

This region is entirely included in the rectangle bounded by parallels 35° 10' and 36° 50' north latitude, and meridian 119° 30' and 121° 

50' west longitude. The Salinas Valley lies entirely within the boundaries of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The Coast Range of California southeast of San Francisco consists 

of a series of parallel mountain ridges extending in a general northwest-southeast direction.

This system of ranges has received the general and comprehensive 

name of Coast Range, but the subordinate ranges have also been designated by local names, some of which are not yet well established. 

Of these ranges the most northeasterly is the Mount Diablo Range 

(PL I), which as a system of parallel mountain ridges extends 

from Mount Diablo, in Contra Costa County, to Mount Pinos, in 

Ventura County, where it merges into the complex mountain region 

west of Tejon Pass. The length of this range is 270 miles, and for 

this entire distance it is the barrier between the San Joaquin Valley 

on the northeast and the Cuyama Valley, the Salinas Valley, and 

San Francisco Bay, with its adjacent valleys, on the southwest. The 

highest peaks in the central portion of this range are Santa Ana Peak, 

altitude, 3,578 feet, and Castle Peak, altitude, 4,347 feet. The average altitude of the crest of the range is not known definitely, but it 

must be at least 3,000 feet.

The Santa Cruz-Gabilan Range (PL I) extends, with one break, from 

the Golden Gate southeastward 120 miles to Chalone Peak, beyond 

which it ceases to be a prominent topographic feature. Pajaro 

River breaks through this range, dividing it into the two portions 

known locally as the Santa Cruz and the Gabilan ranges. In the 

southern range the highest peaks are Gabilan Peak, altitude 3,100 feet, 

and Chalone Peak, altitude about 3,000 feet. This portion of the 

range has an average altitude of about 2,500 feet, and a length of 40 

miles. It is the barrier between the lower Salinas Valley on the 

southwest and the San Benito Valley on the northeast.

The Santa Lucia Range rises abruptly from the ocean south of 

Carmel Bay and extends southeastward along the coast as an unbroken chain to Cuesta Pass, in San Luis Obispo County, a distance 

of 100 miles. The seaward slope of this range is exceedingly precipitous, and is scored by deep rugged canyons, down which small torrential streams find their way to the ocean. The average width of 

this slope in Monterey'County is about 5 miles. At one place it is but
12 WATER RESOURCES OB1 SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

3 miles from the crest of the range to the ocean, and the greatest width 

is but 9 miles. The highest peaks in this range are Santa Lucia, 

altitude 5,967 feet; Boulder Peak, altitude 4,417 feet; Pico Blanco, 

altitude 3,680 feet; Roundtree Hill, altitude 4,300 feet, and Pine 

Mountain, altitude 3,600 feet. The average altitude of the crest can 

not be less than 3,500 feet, and is probably nearer 4,000 feet.

Between the Salinas Valley and the high Santa Lucia Range are 

other mountain ranges, the most northern of which is known as the 

Sierra de Salinas (PI. I). This is a long mountain ridge extending 

from the mouth of the canyon of Arroyo Seco, in Monterey County, 

northwestward about 25 miles to the mesa lands lying southwest of 

Salinas. It presents steep slopes toward the Salinas Valley, shutting 

out from view the higher and more rugged ranges nearer the coast. 

The highest point, Mount Toro, altitude 3,553 feet, is a broad, rounded 

ridge. This range probably has an average altitude of nearly 2,500 

feet throughout its entire length.

The mountain range known as the San Antonio Hills (PI. I) is a 

divergent ridge sent off from the most elevated portion of the Santa 

Lucia Range. It terminates rather suddenly near Bradley, where 

San Antonio River turns northeastward and joins the Salinas. 

Although not conspicuous as a topographic feature it can be traced 

for several miles beyond this point in the low rolling ridge northeast of 

San Miguel, in San Luis Obispo County. The range has been deeply 

eroded and many canyons extend far back toward the rounded crest, 

the average altitude of which is from 2,000 to 2,500 feet.

Between the San Antonio Hills and the main Santa Lucia Range 

is the range known as the Sierra de las Piedras (see PI. I). It lies 

between San Antonio and Nacimiento rivers and, like the San Antonio 

Hills to the northeast, is a divergent ridge from the main range. 

It extends southeastward to the point where the Nacimiento turns 

northeastward to join Salinas River, but can be traced geologically 

to the San Jose Mountains east of the Santa Margarita Valley, in San 

Luis Obispo County. Its average altitude is 2,000 to 2,500 feet, and 

it is an inconspicuous feature in the general topography of the region, 

lying as it does just northeast of the main mountain ridge. In the 

past there has been much confusion regarding the names of these 

different ranges.

The Salinas Valley is the largest of the intermontane valleys of the 

Coast Range region. Along the coast it is a broad, fertile valley 

ranging from 6 to 10 miles wide, gradually narrowing to about 5 miles at 

Soledad, 30 miles inland. For 25 miles of this distance the valley is 

walled in by the steep slopes of the Sierra de Salinas and the Gabilan 

Range, but both drop down near Soledad and the valley widens on the 

northeast side into a broad mesa, or elevated plain, lying between the 

Santa Lucia and Mount Diablo ranges. This mesa extends far to 

the southeast and ends in the arid Carriso Plain, lying east of San
HAMLTN.] TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY. 13

Juan River. The mesa has an average width of about 20 miles and 

rises gently from Salinas River far up the slopes of the Mount Diablo 

Range. It has been greatly dissected by numerous canyons, which 

traverse it in a general southwesterly direction. This mesa was 

traced to the east and northeast of Chalone Peak, where it appears 

to extend across the ridge between San Benita and Salinas rivers.

GEOLOGY.

GENERAL GEOLOGY.

STRUCTURE.

The upper Salinas Valley is a synclinal fold which extends in a 

northwest-southeast direction between the Mount Diablo and Santa 

Lucia ranges. The characteristic structure of this fold may be seen by 

one crossing the valley in a northeasterly direction from the Sierra de 

las Piedras to the Mount Diablo Range along a line passing through 

the town of Bradley. The different formations are seen to dip from 

both sides toward the axis of the fold, in the valley below. In both 

of the above-mentioned ranges sedimentary rocks fill the troughs of 

subordinate folds parallel with the main syncline. In general, in and 

near the mountains, the formations have been compressed into sharp 

folds, while in the broad Salinas Valley they are practically undisturbed.

STRATIGRAPHY.

Basement complex. The Basement complex on which all the unaltered sedimentary rocks of the region rest'consists of (1) a series of 

metamorphic rocks gneiss, schist, marble, etc.; (2) granitic rocks, 

chiefly granite, often coarsely porphyritic. The granite has been 

described by Prof. A. C. Lawson as the Santa Lucia granite.a

The rocks of the Basement complex form the axes or cores of the 

Santa Lucia, Gabilan, and Mount Diablo ranges, and evidently extend 

to a great depth. The-age of the metamorphic series is not definitely 

known, but it is probably as old as the Carboniferous. d

San Luis formation. The name San Luis formation has been 

 applied by Dr. H. W. Fairbanks 0 to a group of sedimentary and 

associated rocks in the San Luis quadrangle. The formation consists 

of conglomerates, sandstones, shales, jasper, and altered eruptives. 

These rocks outcrop along the southwestern slope of the Mount 

Diablo Range in a long, narrow belt, extending the entire length of 

Monterey County. They here probably rest unconformably on the 

Basement complex. Dr. Fairbanks has also described rocks belonging 

to this formation in the Santa Lucia Range, extending along the coast

a Bull. Dept. Geology, Univ. California, vol. 1,1893, p. 9.

& Twenty-second Ann. Eept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 1,1901, p. 369.

o Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 101, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1903.
14 WATEE KESOUKCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

from Sur River southeastward to San Luis Obispo County.* The San 

-Luis formation is considered to be the equivalent of the Franciscan 

series and is probably of Jurassic age.

Vaquero sandstone. In the Salinas Valley the Vaquero sandstone 

is a well-defined formation. So far as observed in this region it rests 

unconformably on the Basement complex and on stratified terranes 

older than the Neocene, being thus in this locality the oldest known 

member of the Neocene; in other localities Neocene formations are 

found below the Vaquero sandstone, indicating that it is not the basal 

member of the Neocene.

The Vaquero formation is a rather coarse, uniformly gray, white or 

light-yellow quartzose sandstone, with an occasional stratum of granitic 

pebbles. It is of great thickness along the eastern slope of the Santa 

Lucia Range, especially in Los Vaqueros Valley; hence the designation proposed by the writer for this series of sandstones. In the Mount 

Diablo Range it appears at a few points beneath later formations. 

On the summit of the Mount Diablo Range, around the headwaters 

of Stone Canyon, there is a series of beds beneath the Monterey 

shale which may be a portion of the Vaquero or may be older. The 

Stone Canyon coal beds are in this series. The following fossils have 

been found in the Vaquero sandstone: Balanus sp.?; Mytilus sp., 

probably matheivsonii Gabb; Ostrea tayloriana Gabb (Young)?; 

Ostrea titan Conrad?; Pecten magnolia Conrad; TurriteUa hoffmanni 

Gabb?; Chione mathewsonii Gabb; Chione'n: sp. (large, characteristic 

of this horizon); Mactra aff. catilliformis Conrad; Pecten estrellanus 

Conrad; Pecten (Clilamys) n. sp., S.; Pecten (Plagioctenium) n. sp., A.

Monterey shale. Above the Vaquero sandstone is found the Monterey shale, which, by reason of its peculiar lithologic characteristics, 

is conspicuous among the rocks of the Coast Range. In Monterey 

County it is found in a broad belt along the northeastern slope of the 

Santa Lucia Range and at frequent intervals along the southwestern 

slope of the Mount Diablo Range. In both ranges it extends southward far beyond Monterey County. It is usually found resting on 

the Vaquero sandstone, but is also in contact with older formations 

at several points.

This formation consists of an enormous thickness of thin-bedded 

siliceous shales, with a small amount of limestone and cherts, especially 

near the base. The shale beds vary in thickness from a fraction of an 

inch up to 2 feet, and in color from white, through brown and chosolate color, to black. The more porous shales tend to weather white, 

while the cherts remain brown or black, and the limestone weathers 

a rusty brown.

When first exposed these shales and limestones are dark, often 

black, with disseminated bituminous and carbonaceous matter. If 

closely examined under a microscope or with a magnifying glass, they

a Jour. Geol., vol. 3,1805, pp. 416-425.
HAMLIN.] GENERAL GEOLOGY. 15

are seen to contain vast numbers of minute fossil shells and fish 

scales. These fossils are the remains of marine animals, and show 

that the shales were deposited in the ocean. It appears probable that 

the organic remains buried in the Monterey shale are in part, at least, 

the primary source of the oil and bitumen found in Neocene rocks in 

California.

At the base of the Mount Diablo Range, in Cholame Valley, is 

found a thick series of sandstones and shales, resting on the Monterey 

shale. Conspicuous in this series are beds of bluish-gray sandstone 

and shale much resembling the Monterey shale below. There are 

many alternations of the sandstone and shale beds, both of which 

contain certain well-marked fossil forms. In Priest Valley there is a 

thick series of sandstone and shale very similar in appearance to the 

series in Cholame Valley, but it contains, in addition to the sandstone 

and shale beds noted above, two thin beds of impure lignite. Some 

of the fossils in the Priest Valley region are identical with those-in 

Cholame Valley. The field work was not done in enough detail to 

determine the stratigraphic relations of these beds. Our present 

knowledge only warrants us in saying that both belong to the Neocene 

and are probably a portion of what is known as the Miocene.

Santa Margarita formation. Above the Monterey shale on the 

southwest side of the Salinas Valley is found a series of rocks to 

which Mr. H. W. Fairbanks a has given the name Santa Margarita 

formation. It has a most characteristic fauna, and is probably the 

equivalent of the San Pablo formation, described by Dr. J. C. Merriam. 6 In the Santa Lucia Range, where it outcrops at frequent 

intervals northeast of the Monterey shale belt, it consists of soft gray 

sandstone. On the northeast side of the Salinas Valley the formation 

is sandstone at the base, grading upward into soft chalk-like shale 

and clay shale. It outcrops over a large area in the Salinas Valley 

near Kings City, where the most characteristic fossil is the large barnacle Tamiosomia gregaria Conr. The sandstone beds of this formation, in many localities in California, are saturated with bitumen 

and asphaltum. The occurrence of such beds in Monterey County 

is described on page 18. From the incomplete data at hand it seems 

probable that the Santa Margarita formation is more recent than the 

sandstones and shales noted in Cholame Valley and in Priest Valley.

Paso .Robles formation. In the upper Salinas Valley is found a 

series of rocks known as the Paso Robles formation, which has been 

described by Mr. H. W. Fairbanks/ The basal beds of this formation are conglomerates, above which lie alternating beds of reddish 

clay and conglomerates composed of pebbles of shale, jasper, and 

granitic rocks. The conglomerates sesrn to be of local origin and

"Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 101, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1903. 

&Bull. Dept. Geology, Univ. California, vol. 2,1898, pp. 113-116. 

c Jour. Geol., vol. 6,1898, p. 565.
16 WATER RESOURCES OP SAUNAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

contain a large percentage of Monterey shale pebbles. In the Salinas 

Valley the rocks of this formation are practically undisturbed, but 

they are sharply folded in both the Mount Diablo and Santa Lucia 

ranges. ,The marked unconformity in bedding between the Paso 

Robles and all the formations below serves as one of the most satisfactory datum planes in the stratigraphy of the Coast Range. The 

formation was traced from the upper Salinas into Monterey County, 

where it covers a large area in the vicinity of Bradley. It is greatly 

developed in the mesa region on the east side of Salinas River and is 

found between Monterey and Toro Creek, southwest of Salinas.

Later sandstones. East of Monterey Bay is found a soft, quartzose 

sandstone of considerable thickness, yellow or reddish brown in color, 

and on weathered surfaces often containing small nodules of sand 

cemented by iron oxide. It disintegrates into the soft sand beds 

which form, the sand hills north and west of Salinas. It appears to 

have once extended up the Salinas Valley as far as San Lucas, probably as a stream deposit, but most of it has been removed by erosion. 

This formation is more recent than those that have been described, 

and rests unconf ormably on the older rocks.

Stream deposits. The stream deposits in the lower Salinas Valley 

consist -of unconsolidated beds of clay, sand, gravel, and shale pebbles. In the vicinity of Salinas these river deposits yield large quantities of ground water. The wells penetrate alluvial sands and clays, 

reaching the water supply in beds of gravel 150 to 200 feet below the 

surface. A further description of these underground waters is given 

on page 21.

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 

OIL AND BITUMINOUS ROCK DEPOSITS.

In Monterey County bituminous sandstone and shale are found at 

several points. Near San Ardo (PI. I) the Monterey shale has a total 

thickness of about 2,200 feet. Both the Monterey shale and the 

Vaquero sandstone below have been sharply flexed into a secondary 

anticlinal fold on the northeast limb of the San Antonio Hills anticline. The shale is here very different from the typical Monterey 

shale in the Santa Lucia Range. Some beds are soft and chalk-like; 

others contain an unusual percentage of fine sand and mica flakes, 

interstratified with beds of quartzose sandstone. The whole series is 

bituminous, but the sand beds are much richer in bitumen than the 

others. The soft shales weather white, but when broken are seen to 

be colored black or brown with bitumen. The upper 770 feet of this 

formation consists of alternating beds of chalk-like shale and sandstone. Between these beds and the basal sandstones of the Santa 

Margarita formation is from 3 to 5 feet of cherty shale, characteristic 

of the Monterey. Small tar springs are found in this series at several 

points, and also in the typical Monterey shale to the southwest.
OIL AND BITUMINOUS ROCK. 17

Above this series to the northeast are found beds of sandstone with 

shale inclusions and fossils characteristic of the Santa Margarita 

formation.

The amount of liquid bitumen at this locality is exceedingly small. 

Both the shales and sandstones are close-textured rocks and would 

yield oil very slowly even if it should be present in large quantities. 

The strata are steeply inclined, dipping northeastward at an angle of 

from 65° to 90°. Oil wells drilled here simply pass down into one or 

two beds of sand instead of piercing several, the chance of reaching 

any productive oil sand being proportionately reduced. The rocks 

bituminized are also without an impervious cover, the crest of the 

anticline having been removed by erosion.

Several prospect wells have been drilled here, but all have thus far 

proved unproductive. The Tomboy Oil and Improvement Company 

drilled one well in sec. 19, T. 22 S., R. 10 E., Mount Diablo meridian. 

The San Antonio Oil Company drilled on their property in sees. 20, 

29, and 30, T. 22 S., R. 10 E., M. D. M., about 2 miles west of San 

Ardo, and the San Antonio Consolidated Oil Company drilled one 

well on its property in sec. 12, T. 22 S., R. 9 E., and sec. 7, T. 22 S., 

R. 10 E., M. D. M.

The Mathews bituminous rock quarry is situated in sec. 29, T. 17 S., 

R. 8 E., M. D. M., in San Benito County, about 7 miles northeast of 

Metz. (See PL I.) The bituminous rock 'consists of a bed of coarse 

sand and bowlders, resting directly upon the eroded surface of the 

granitic axis of the Gabilan Range, and above this are finer sands, the 

whole having a considerable but variable thickness. Three prospect 

holes have been opened and a considerable quantity of bituminous 

sand rock, which seems to be of excellent quality, has been hauled 

away. The bituminous sand is covered by thick beds of soft, chalky 

shale, probably a part of the Monterey shale, resembling that at San 

Ardo. The shale has a low dip, 3° to 5°, toward the east.

The Mylar bituminous rock quarry is situated in sees. 14 and 15, 

T. 19 S., R. 9 E., M. D. M., 10 miles northeast of Kings City. The 

i quarry is owned by the City Street Improvement Company, of San 

Francisco. The bituminous rock is here of considerable thickness 

and consists of coarse granitic gravels which rest directly upon the 

worn surface of the granitic axis of the Gabilan Range, followed 

upward by beds of coarse granitic sand, the whole evidently derived 

from the wear of the adjacent granite rocks. The gravels and sandstones are bituminous throughout their entire thickness. Resting on 

the bituminous sandstone are beds of soft chalky shale, probably a 

portion of the Monterey shale series. The sandstone dips westerly at 

a low angle, 3° to 5°. Considerable rock has been quarried here and 

shipped to various localities.

No oil wells have been drille'd either at this point or at the Matltews 

quarry, and it is not probable that wells would .be successful, as the 

IRE 89 04 2
18 WATEE RESOURCES OF SAUNAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

bituminous rock which rests on the eroded surface of the granite is 

of uncertain thickness and small extent at either locality. There are 

also beds of similar sandstone, not bituminous, however, at other 

points along the buried granitic axis of the Gabjlan Range. The 

exact relation of these sands to the shales above is not clearty understood, and they may be beds older than the Monterey shale, which 

have been impregnated with bitumen by downward infiltration.

About 6 miles northeast of the Mylar quarry the Nonpareil Consolidated Oil Company has drilled several prospect wells in sec. 32, T. 

18 S., R. 10 E., M. D. M. These wells were drilled in the Monterey 

shale east of a great fault which has brought that formation up into 

contact with the Paso Robles formation. The shales here have a dip 

of 50° to the northeast and are succeeded above by beds of sandstone. 

There is a small amount of brea and bituminous sand in the Paso 

Robles formation along the line of the fault. These wells were not 

successful and have been abandoned. At several points between this 

locality and the Peachtree ranch there are indications of oil, but 

none to justify exploitation. Near the eastern corner of the Peach 

Tree ranch there is another outcrop of bituminous sandstone and 

conglomerate, apparently a part of the Paso Robles formation. These 

bituminous beds rest on crumpled strata of the Monterey shales which 

are also impregnated with bitumen. The deposit is of 110 value as 

bituminous ro3k, being d^y and friable, and there is no probability 

that a productive oil sand will be reached at this place.

In the East For,k of Little Cholame Creek, northwest of Parkfield 

(PL I), there are many seepages of heavy brea or maltha. These are 

from the Monterey shale, from the sandstone directly above, and at 

one point from the Paso Robles formation. The seepages are from 

thin beds of bituminous sandstone and sandy shale. All of the formations examined here, except the Paso Robles, are close-textured 

rocks; no open porous sandstones were seen. The strata are greatly 

disturbed and are in close proximity to the granitic rocks below. 

The amount of bitumen is small and the conditions are not favorable 

for its storage.

Several oil wells have been drilled in this region, none of which was 

successful. The Qholame Valley Oil and Development Company 

drilled in sec. 31, T. 22 S., R. 14 E. j the Parkfield Oil Company in sec. 

16, T. 23 S., R. 14 E., and the Waverly Oil Company in sec. 32, T. 22 S., 

R. 14 E., M. D. M.

At several points in Moiiterey and San Luis Obispo counties the 

basal sandstones of the Santa Margarita formation are bituminous. 

This sandstone is impregnated with bitumen at the mouth of Thompson Canyon, 4 miles west of Kings City (PI. I), where it outcrops for 

some distance in a northwest-southeast direction along the northeast 

side of the Monterey shale area. Both the sandstone and shale are 

tilted at a high angle, dipping about 50° NE. This sandstone is now
HAMLIN.] OIL AND BITUUnrOUS BOOK. 19

dry and friable on the surface and there are no oil springs in this 

vicinity.

There are bituminous sandstones on San Antonio River, 8 miles 

southwest of Bradley, near the Monterey-San Luis Obispo County line 

(PL I). They are the basal beds of the Santa Margarita formation 

and outcrop at intervals along the northeast side of the Monterey shale 

area for several miles. The Monterey shale here contains beds of 

hard chert, typical of the shale in the Santa Lucia Range, and just 

below the base of the Santa Margarita formation it contains thin beds 

of bituminous sandstone. The Santa Margarita formation here consists of a considerable thickness of soft quartzose sandstone, containing many pebbles of Monterey shale, granitic and metamorphic rocks. 

Both the shale and sandstone are sharply tilted on the south side of 

San Antonio River, where the dip is northeastward at an angle of 40° 

to 85°. Toward the northeast the dip is less and the bituminous 

sandstone is covered by the basal conglomerates of the Paso Robles 

formation.

Two oil wells have been drilled at this locality, both near the southwest corner of sec. 35, T. 24 S., R. 10 E., M. I). M. One was drilled 

by the White Oaks Oil Company and another by the Great American 

Oil Company, which drilled entirely through the bituminous rock 

into the Monterey shale below without reaching productive oil sand. 

An oil well was drilled by the Monterey Oil Company in sec. 27, T. 

24 S., R. 10 E., M. D. M. It was drilled in the Monterey shale, 

and was a. failure.

Erroneous theories are entertained by some oil men and investors 

regarding the oil-producing formations in California. It is supposed 

that because the Monterey shales are bituminous they must of necessity contain commercially valuable quantities of oil, and on this supposition hundreds of thousands of dollars have been wasted in useless exploitation of barren territory throughout the State. At a few 

localities in California the Monterey shale contains interstratified 

beds of sand. 'When these beds of sand are thick enough, of considerable horizontal extent, of porous texture, and have been folded into 

favorable attitudes, they may contain valuable deposits of petroleum, 

provided, of course, that the adjacent shale is bituminous.

In the Salinas Valley the Monterey shale, although containing a 

great amount of bitumen, is far less bituminized than it is in other 

parts of the State where oil is found. It is here practically without 

interstratifled beds of sand which might be oil producing, and when, 

in prospecting for oil in this region, the drill enters into a considerable thickness of hard, flinty shale, containing a little oil, gas, and sulphurous water, it is very probable that the drill has reached the Monterey shale, and further exploitation will doubtless result in disappointment.
20 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, [NO. 89.

COAL.

There are two localities in Monterey County where coal beds have 

been exploited, Stone Canyon and Priest Valley. (See PI. I.) At the 

Stone Canyon mine (formerly known as Slack Canyon coal mine) the 

thickness of the eoal bed is from 12 to 14 feet. The entire thickness 

is clean coal without shale partings. This coal bed has been traced, 

by means of tunnels, pits, and borings, for 4,300 feet along the strike, 

and to a depth of 526 feet at the incline of the Stone Canyon mine. a 

The analyses made (see table on p. 21) indicate that the coal is a 

lignite and that it contains a large percentage of volatile matter. 

The roof of this mine is a hard, yellowish sandstone, which outcrops 

above the coal bed in massive strata several hundred feet thick. 

The floor is of soft, friable clay shale, much crushed and full of 

slickensides. It is of considerable thickness, and west of the mine 

appears to rest directly upon the San Luis formation, but to the east 

it rests on sandstone similar to that above the coal bed. The whole 

series of sandstone, shale, and coal is tilted up at high angles, with 

northward dips ranging from 80° to 90° along the outcrop. A very 

large amount of sulphureted hydrogen escapes from the coal bed below 

the water plane, making it difficult for men to work in the incline.5

This mine is in an isolated region on the summit of Mount Diablo 

Range, 2,600 feet above sea level, and 20 miles from a railroad. The 

construction of "a branch railroad will be expensive and difficult, 

although a line could be built to within 3 or 4 miles of the mine at a 

reasonable cost, and the coal delivered to this point by a cable incline 

operated by gravity.

In Priest Valley and on Wartham Creek there are coal beds which 

have been prospected at various times (see PL I), especially those 

at the Drabble mine, on Wartham Creek. c These mines are now idle, 

and it is evident from an examination of the mine and region that 

the coal is of poor quality and too far from market to be of value at 

present (see table of analyses on next page). The coal beds exposed in 

the Drabble mine extend northwestward under Priest Valley, where 

they are folded into a synclinal trough. The same series of beds 

appears on the southwest side of the valley, dipping northeastward, 

and also on the northeast side of the valley, dipping south west ward. 

The coal here is not so good as that at the Drabble mine.

Coal beds are also reported to occur at intervals northwest of Priest 

Valley, in the Mount Diablo Range/ but from reports none of these 

deposits seemed to be of any economic value and they were not 

visited.

«Information given by F. J. Horawell, Superintendent. 

& Eighth Ann. Kept. California State Mining Bureau, 1888, p. 404. 

"Twelfth Ann. Eept. California State Mining Bureau, 1894, p. 51. 

dlbid., p. 61.
HAMLIN.] COAL AND UNDERGROUND WATER.

Table of analyses of coal from Drabble and Stone Canyon mines.

Locality.

Drabble mine:

Upper tunnel 

Upper vein.....

Lower tunnel 

Upper vein.

Lower vein.-..,

Stone Canyon mine:

Prom dump .... ...

Heading tunnel No. 1

Coking 

qualities.

...do ..

...do..

...do ..

Slight.

...do._

Witter.

11.25

13.25

13.25

13.00

5.25

4.15

Volatile 

matter.

38.25

37.65

33.90

37.25

39.75

50.55

Fixed 

carbon.

38.50

36.60

38.60

31.50

49.25

41.04

Ash.

12.0

12.5

14.25

13.25

5.75

4.26

Authority.

Mathyas.«

Do.«

Do.« .

Do.«

Do.«

Hillebrand. &

a Twelfth Ann. Eept. California State Mining Bureau, 1894, p. 64. 

&U. S. Geological Survey.

UNDERGROUND WATER.

In October, 1901, Mr. W. W. Cockins, jr., was detailed to study the 

ground water of the lower Salinas Valley. Data were collected regarding the depth of wells, amount of water, cost, etc. From his observations, supplemented by the work of the Bureau of Soils of the United 

States Department of Agriculture, the table on pages 22-30 has been 

compiled.

The location of the wells is shown on PL II. In a small bow-shaped 

area west of Salinas the wells formerly flowed slightly; the boundaries 

of this artesian tract are indicated on the map. Some of these wells 

flow at present when not drawn down by pumping. The artesian water 

is struck in a bed of coarse gravel that lies about 150 feet below the 

surface. In passing northeastward up the valley this stratum is 

found at a greater depth and the artesian water rises, but fails to reach 

the surface. The distance from the surface to the water from the 

artesian stratum is shown on the map by heavy lines, the line numbered 10 indicating that the ground water will rise to within 10 feet 

of the surface, but in order to reach the gravel bed it will be necessary to sink 150 to 160 feet plus 10 feet, or 160 to 170 feet, etc. 

There are .not enough deep wells to trace* the entire outline of this 

basin, but the direction taken by the various curves of depth indicate 

that the gravel bed may thin out in passing up the valley and that 

they probably extend northwestward beyond Castroville to the Bay 

of Monterey.
22 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

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U. . GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. PL.

LEGEND

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[ijijiiijijijiji]! Irrigated from canals 

IjJSJS Irrigated from wells

MAP OF THE SAL IN AS VALLEY. SHOWING IRRIGATED LANDS, CANALS, PROPOSED RESERVOIRS, AND LOCATION OF WELLS.

Contour lines indicate distance from surfac* to water. Small numbers indicate location of wells listed on pages 22-30.
HAMLIN.J UNDERGROUND WATER 23

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Wind.........

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Jt 

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Wells in Salinas Valley Continued.

No. 

of 

well.

58

59

60

61

63

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

ro

71

79

73

74

75

76

77

78

80

81

82

Owner of well.

Mr. Dedinni. .........

A.Abbott ............

J.Dill ................

Mr. Garside ..........

.....do................

Salinas City W. Co. _

.....do.......- ....

.....do..............

.....do........- ....

H.Mayn. .............

.....do.. ..............

.....do. ...............

Location.

.....do....................

.----do--.-.--............

..... do. ...................

..... do.. ..................

.....do....................

.....do....................

..-..do........-.----- .

-...do-.. . . ...

.....do--- ..-. ..

... ..do.. .............. ....

.... .do... .................

. ....do. ................ ....

 .do.... ................

.... .do.... ................

.... .do. ....... ............

. do ......

Class of well.

Bored, 4-inch. ........

.....do................

.....do..... ....... ....

... ..do .... ... ....

Dug,3 by 3. ..........

Bored, 6-inch. ........

Depth, 

of 

well.

Feet. 

86

135

91

125

180

150

25

( 200

\ 165 

10

10

12

525

8

165

180

180

26

10

40.

( 135

\ 164 

152

163

( 187

\ 198

Strata.

1 ............

r

-

}...._......_....,....

Dep

to 

wate

Fee

18

20

22

26

25

10

2

2

6

10

45

6

46

50

50

23

6

36

8

 7

6

20

20
83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

Q1

M

93

94 

95

Oft

07

no

QQ

100

101

10?

103

104

W>

lOfi

107

108

109

110

111

119

113

114

M.T.Martin. ....... .

 ..do ...... .......

M.Winn.- ......

F

TT-inwug

Southern Pacific R. 

R.Co.

O.Olsen. .............

-...do....................

---.do.-----..--. ...... ...

.....do---- -----...

.'....do--. ......... .. .--

.. ...do...... ..............

 do . -- 

El Tueho Rancho. -.--...

..... do ._. - :.- 

T.14S.,R.2E.,sec.22 .

Soledad ........ .......

T.18S.,R.6E.,see.29 

T.18S.,R.6E.,see.21-. r .

.....do....--.... -- -....

.....do.--... .. . .

.....do-... .............

.....do... ..... ....... .... .

.-..do.. ...............

T. 14 S., R. 2 E., sec. 27 ..

. .do 

 ..do. ...... . .-----..

... ..do.. .......... ....

.....do- ...... 

Bored, 10-inch -.. ... .

Bored, 10-inch........

Bored, 2-inch ---------

Bored, 10-inch - ... ...

Bored, two 10-inch. . .

Dug, 4 by 4.-- -... 

Dug...... ............

Bored, 7-inch. .- -. 

.... .do... ...... 

Bored. -.--.----... ...

Dug..... ....... ......

Dug.... ------- .... .

Dug.... _-_ - .

Dug. ............ .....

Bored ............ .-..

....-do--...... ....

.... .do.-....-. --

.....do---...-. .---

.....do .. ..... ......

..-.do-... . 

106

1^9

149

165

154

150

149

178

165

3?,

f>,30

141

90

10B

?00

?40

15?,

fl?

71

80

160

70

ia5

4?,

51

180

138

150

flO

m>

125

Clay......... .........

sand, sand.

.....do.- ..........

.....do.--........- .

.. ...do ............ ....

... ..do.... ...... ......

-...do.--. .........

.....do... .............

.....do. .... .... 

.... .do............ .

-....do... ...... ... -

 do................

.... .do. .............. .

.... .do. ...............

2

2

1

1

1

x 

2

3

13

6

3

8

5

2

1

2

3

4

2

2

1

1

1

3
Wells in Salinas Valley Continued. 

No. 

of 

well.

115

116

117

118

11Q

120

131

133

123

124

125

126

127

128

19Q

130

131

132

1QQ

134

135

136

137

138

i '-30

140

141

142

Owner of well. Location.

.....do....................

 do-- . _________

.....do....................

.....do....................

.....do....................

.....do. ......... ..........

.....do....................

.....do....................

..... do.. .._...............

.....do....................

. ....do ................ ....

.....do.... ................

.....do....................

Class of well.

Dug. .................

.... .do. .......... .....

...... do.... ............

DTIS-... ..............

. ....do.... ...... ......

.....do................

..--.do-..---.---.....

do

. ....do... ......... ....

.-...do ................

. ....do ............ ....

.....do. ...............

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do. ...............

.....do.... ............

_.__. do. .............. .

.... .do.. .......... ....

. ....do.... ............

. ....do.... ............

Depth 

of 

well.

Feet. 

180

12

18

18

80

. 107

15

127

112

100

101

130

90

100

140

187

180

184

135

158

190

105

107

130

134

160

134

134

Strata.

... ..do. .............. .

.....do................

-..-do- . .-....

.....do.... ............

.....do........ .--

.....do -- - .

--.--do.. .._.- ......

.....do. ..... ..........

.....do................

... ..do.. ........... ...

. ....do. ............ ...

.... .do. ........... ....

.....do. ........... ....

Gravel.. .............

De

t

wat

Fe

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

1

1

1
HAML1N.] UNDERGROUND WATER. 27

IN i-H «d O e<s co e<s oo o» 10

s s

ncho. .Ranchc

'8 ^

Sa N

1* 

5

^
Wells in Salinas Valley Continued. 

No. 

of 

well.

178

179

180

181

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

300

201

302

203

204

205

Owner of well. Location. 

i

 do ................

.....do.... ................

... .;do. ...................

.....do....................

.... .do... ............. ....

.....do....................

.... .do .. .. .... .....

. do.........!..-......

... ..do..... .... ........ ...

.... .do. . ..-_. _ ....

.....do....................

... ..do... ... 

-... do..... ... ............

... ..do........... .........

. do... . ................

..... do.... ......

Sec.30,T.18S.,B.6E.....

Class of well.

. ...do. ...... .........

.... .do... ..... ... .

.... .do......-.... ..

.... -do.... ............

 .-do...... .......

.... .do ............. ...

 .do ... ..... __..

Dug..................

.--..do... ..........

 -do... . ...

... ..do ...... . 

.....do.

.... .do. .. -.. ..

..... do ............

-..-.do......... -..

Dug ._ _.- 

. do. ..... 

... ..do ... .......

.... .do.... ............

... ..do... . ...-. ...

Springs ..............

Depth 

of 

well.

Feet. 

110

160

158

140

120

70

150

150

36

30

178

130

65

180

200

120

138

100

106

23

22

130

136

90

100

180

778

Strata.

. do................

......do... ...... 

.....do.......... ......

.....do...............

... ..do. .... ......

.....do. -- .

 ..do--.-. ..... .

.... .do...... .... ......

..... do-... ..... ......

.....do...............

.....do. ...............

bowlders.

De

t

wa

Fe
206

207

208

009

310

211

312

213

214

315

216

217

218

219

224

231

232

233

234

235

236

337

240

-

 do -- ----

-. ...do. ............ .......

___-.do-- _- -----

.....do. . ---------

.....do... ..............

.....do..'..... ...... .......

.....do............ .... ....

... ..do.. .............. ....

... ..do...... ........... ...

 ..do-. ---------

... ..do-. ...... .... -.-

.....do.. ...............

.....do. ................

.. ...do ....... .............

..... do ................

.....do............ ........

.....do.- ..............

.....do--. .......... .....

.... .do .......... -:....

.....do. ....... . .......

.... .do.... .. ... 

.....do -.. -- 

- -do...... ------------

Dug........ ......

.....do .......... ..

.....do...... ... .......

Bored ---------------

Dug...... ............

Bored ____... .._. _..

Dug. .............. ...

.....Ao. ...............

.....do..:.. ...........

.....Ao.... ............

 .do. ..........

Dug...... .._ .

 do .... . 

-. do

.... .do. .... .......

.... .do .. ..... .

.... .do- ....... --

.....do.. .. . .

Bored . -..-. 

-...jto ................

Dug...... .... ..-.. 

.. do...... 

Dug...... ............

Dug..... .............

..... do. ............. 

Dug. .... _____

.....do. ........ ....

.....do. ...........

-----do--.. ......... ...

.....do- ...... ......

.....do ............

50

35

35

25

125

30

30

20

47

187

160

50

20

10

/ 20

26

60

72

125

163

40

130

246

62

265

35

30

47

187'

65

60

100

100

182

... ..do.... . --------

.... .do-.. --------

... ..do.... .. ....... ...

 do 

 -do..- ..-. .

... ..do ... .....

 .do ....

... ..do ... ....

----do. - --------

.--.do. -------

 -.do. ----------

.....do. ..... ------

..--do-.--. -------

.....do.. ...: .

.....do.-..-----.- .

- do-. .........

..... do .... ......

Gravel ... _ ........
Wells in Salinas Valley Continued.

No. 

of 

well.

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

261

262

263

264

265

263

237

268

269

270

Owner of well. Location.

.....do...... .......... ....

-....do....... . ........ ....

.....do...................

Sec.2,T.16S.,K.5E 

.....do. ................

.... .do. ........... -... 

-....do........... ._--....

_.-.do...... ........ ......

 do..... .- -

.....do . ...... . ....

.....do. --. ............

. ....do. .....--.. --------

..... do...... ..............

.....do ..... ......... ...

... do... .-.-.-----.-

.... .do.... ... ...--... ....

T.19S.,R.6E.,sec.l3____

.....do.... ...... .......

.....do. - ;... ......

....-do . _ .-- 

 ..do...... ..............

Class of well.

Dug-.-.-----------...

. .do. ...........

. .do--.. ......

.....do-.- .. ...:

 .do... ...... .....::

 ..do.... ........ . ...

..... do.--. ........... .

Dug.... ............ ..

Bored. ... -----------

.....do................

Dug..... .... ......

Bored -.

Depth 

of 

well.

Feet. 

178

32

38

60

20

40

120

80

66

67

131

30

250

50

44

80

25

100

59

70

200

40

Strata.

-..-do ..... ... 

. do.... ............

Gravel ..............

.....do... ..........

Clay....... .......

Sand. ..--.. -----.___-

De

to 

wat

Fe

. NOTE. "Well records Nos. 1 to 99, inclusive, "obtained by W. W. Cockins, jr.; well records Nos. 100 to 270, 

Department.
HAMLIN.] UNDEEGEOUND WATEE. 31

The character of the strata filling the lower portion of the valley is 

shown by a well (No. 204 in table) drilled near the court-house at 

Salinas, at an altitude of about 33 feet above sea level.

Record of Salinas well.

Character of strata.

Alluvium - - .

Yellow sand . . . ......_... __-___.._-__._..- _.-..-...-.

Yellow clay - . ._..-.

Blue sand .. ._._......._..._.._ __..-___-__. ...... ...

Yellow clay (small flow of gas) _ _ . . _._ . . . . . . . . _ __- _

Brown vegetable mold (strong flow of gas, but well soon

Blue clay..-- _. ..._ _. -..__ . --.--._. ..... _-....-.

Quicksand _..---.. ........ ___._____.._ ......._..... ._._. _

Black sand and mud.. .__....-... ..... ... . ...........

Rotten gravel . _ _. ...... -._... . ---------

Bluish sand

Blue clay. . _ . . . _.___-...___ . .........I.. . . . _ . . . . . .

Yellow sand and coarse gravel ...... ._...-.-._-... ------

Tough yellow clay ...... _.....__ _ _ . . _ . . . . . . . _ _ . . . .

Yellow sand

Gray sand and gravel. . . . _-_ . ._-..-..._. ....._

Tough yellow clay-__. - .............. ....'... .... .-___-

Mnd.. .............................. ...'...'.!.".. .........

Sand and gravel __-_-___--__-__. . . . . _-._._.. ......

Yellow clay . ........ ...-...-..--.-.-... ._._-_ _ _ _ _

Sand and coarse gravel ___.:_: ..1... '..:.................

Thickness.

Ft, In.

4 0

6 0

8 0

5 0

18 0

16 0

5 0

10 0

10 0

3 0

10 0

5 0

25 0

57 0

10 0

10 0

2 0

28 0

3 0

2 0

10 0

17 0

43 0

1 0

50 0

10 0

9 0

95 0

7 0

15 0

0 4

51 0

0 8

156 0

5 0

15 0

Depth of 

bottom of 

formation.

Ft. In. 

4 0

10 0

18 0

23 0

41 0

57 0

62 0

72 0

82 0

85 0

95 0

100 0

125 0

182 0

192 0

202 0

204 0

232 0

235 0

237 0

247 0

264 0

307 0

308 0

358 0

368 0

377 0

472 0

479 0

494 0

494 4

545 4

546 0

702 0

707 0

722 0
32 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO.; 

Record of Salinas well Continued.

Character of strata.

Gravel and bowlders . . ........................------...-

Tough clay and limestone. . .....^.. ................ .-..-.

Cement sand -_____--__.._____.________-______._-._..__..

Dry yellow sand- ..._..._....... . __..--_.._..-._-----__--

Gray clay with limestone ....... . . .......-......---.--.

Thickness.

Ft. In. 

6 0

15. 0

10 0

8 0

4 0

10 0

2 0

1 0

Depth of 

bottom of 

formation.

Ft. In.

728 0

743 0

753 0

761 0

765 0

775 0

777 0

778 0

The gravel brought to the surface consists of small waterworn pebbles from half an inch to 2 or 3 inches in diameter; many of the 

coarser pebbles were broken in the well."

It is probable that the abundant supply of ground water is struck 

in the beds of sand and gravel from 125 to 202 feet in depth. The 

well appears to have pierced the clays and limestone of the older formation at a depth of 472 feet, or about 440 feet below sea level. This is 

then an approximate measure of the depth of the detritus filling this 

portion of the valley.

In 1880 a well was drilled at Castroville to a depth of 178 feet, producing a volume of fresh water, which at high tide flowed in large 

quantity over the casing and at low tide ceased flowing. This well is 

near the mouth of Salinas River, and the surface of the ground is 20 

feet above the river. a

The gathering ground for this body of underground water is 

unknown, but the close agreement of the basin with the outcrops of 

the sand hills on both sides of the valley suggests that this formation may be the source from which the water is indirectly derived 

by seepage. This idea is strengthened by the fact that the water from 

the deep wells is of about the same purity as that found in the sand 

hills, being far purer than the river water, the surface water in this 

portion of the valley, or the water derived from the older formations. 

This water may possibly be derived by percolation through deeply 

buried gravel beds, from the Arroyo Seco or the upper Salinas, but 

deep borings have not proved that conditions are favorable to this 

origin.

Southeast of Salinas, as far as Kings-City, there are a few pumping 

plants used for irrigation, some of which draw water from the river. 

They are described on page 80. The wells in this portion of the 

valley do not furnish sufficient data on which to base an opinion as to

a Tenth Ann. Eept. California State Mining Bureau, 1890, p.
HAMLIN.] - CLIMATE. 33

the underground conditions other than that the supply of ground 

water is limited except along the river.

The only artesian well noted in Monterey County, except in the 

vicinity of Salinas, is on the Pleyto ranch (PI. I), at Mr. Pinkerton's 

place, one-half mile southeast of Pleyto. The total depth of this well 

is 145 fpet. At depths between 70 and 100 feet the drill was in hard, 

black rock, and at 100 feet water rose 9 feet. At 145 feet a bed of 

hard rock was penetrated and the water then flowed over the top of a 

7-inch casing. a This well is situated in the lower end of a synclinal 

basin, at a point where one would expect to secure an artesian flow if 

there is one in that locality. This basin extends northwestward about 

20 miles, and there is a possibility that a small artesian flow may be 

struck in the southeast part of it, between Jolon and Pleyto. At no 

other point in Monterey County were conditions favorable for artesian 

wells observed.

It seems probable to the writer that deep wells in the mesa region 

on the east side of the valley, southeast of Kings City, may yield 

sufficient water for stock-raising purppses if pumped. This can be 

proved only by experiment, however.

CLIMATE.

CLIMATIC FACTORS.

In an appendix to a report on the climatology of the arid regions of 

the United States with reference to irrigation Mr. A. W. Glassford 

makes the following statements: 6

Two influences dominate the climate of California, radically dissimilar in every 

particular, combining in ever-varying forces to produce the resultant which is 

recorded by observers of the weather. One is the sea, tending always to charge 

the air with moisture, the other the mountain mass, tending always to discharge 

the moisture from the air. The combination of these two activities in varying 

proportions is responsible for the variation in the amount of precipitation, including months of drought. It is necessary to consider these two active and determining forces not merely in their resultant, but, so far as is possible, by resolution 

into their component forces as well. In the present state of knowledge the resolution can not be complete, yet the extent to which it can be made affords interesting results.

The mountain factor. The States of California and Nevada abut upon the 

maximum extension in latitude of the Cordilleran system, by which designation 

is inclusively implied all those ranges, basins, and valleys which in a looser description are often spoken of as the backbone of the continent and considered to include 

everything from the eastern ranges of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. 

Between the parallels of 35° and 40° this system attains not only its greatest 

breadth, but its greatest general elevation. It extends from eastern Colorado 

across four States and into the ocean, where but a few miles from the California 

coast it breaks short off from the continental shelf and plunges to abysmal depths.

a Information f umished by W. Pinkerton.

6 Irrigation and water storage in the arid region: House Ex. Doc. 287, Fifty-first Congress, second session, pp. 334-337.

1KB 89 04 3
34 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

Not only is its width greatest between these parallels, and therefore productive of 

its maximum influence upon the general circulation of the atmosphere, but also 

by the massing of many of its extreme heights within these same limits it exerts 

such violent influence of perturbation as is due to sudden uplifting of air bodies 

to great altitudes. Thus in Colorado there is a chain of peaks all rising to a 

height of more than 14.000 feet, of,which Pikes Peak is the eastern outpost; Utah 

and Nevada form the Great Basin, on a general level of 5,000 feet; in California 

the Sierra Nevada has its peaks of 14,000 feet, as well as Colorado, and at the 

very edge of the sea is another range of mountains lower than the Sierras, yet of 

marked influence upon the climate and the rainfall in particular. These systems 

within the limits of the two States now under examination may properly claim 

more detailed investigation.

The characteristic orographic feature of this region is the Sierra Nevada, and 

it is as well the predominant climatic instrument both for California, to which it 

gives the rain, and for Nevada, from which it withholds it. The geographer and 

the geologist unite in considering this the most interesting and important link in 

the Cordilleran system, and the climatologist must unhesitatingly and without 

reserve give adhesion to their judgment. In brief description it is a long and elevated mountain chain, on the whole the most conspicuous on the continent. It 

displays its greatest prominence when viewed from the west, because on this side 

it falls almost to sea level, while upon its eastern slope it merges into the general 

high altitudes of the interior plateau. But it does not, however, border immediately on the ocean, since for all its course there lies between its foothills and the 

sea beach a chain of lower mountains, known as the Coast Ranges. * * *

These, the Coast Ranges, are sufficiently important in. their relations to precipitation to merit more close consideration. The most important part of the Coast 

Ranges is that which fences off the great valley of the Sacramento and San Joaquin 

rivers from the sea. In this portion of their length, where they may be clearly 

distinguished from all series of inosculating elevation, they have a length of fully 

400 miles, and in width vary from 40 to 70 miles; in this particular it is to be 

noted that their eastern limit is fixed with considerable precision of definition at 

a practically constant distance from the western limit of the Sierras; the expansions 

are \miformly made by encroachments upon the sea. The system comprises a 

multitude of subordinate ranges, some large, some small, but almost all distinguished by names bestowed upon them during the former Spanish occupation of the 

country, with a few Indian names yet preserved for characteristic peaks. The 

general trend of the subranges, as of the system at large, is with a tendency toward 

parallelism with the coast. In proportion to distance from San Francisco, where 

the system is broken through at sea level by a gap but a mile in width, the summits and the general elevation are found to be higher, and this is true both north 

and south. * * * From Mount Hamilton the ridge of 3,000 feet elevation continues without interruption and almost in a right line to the Tehachapi country 

and its coalescence with the same level of the Sierra system. * * *

Having thus indicated the orographic skeleton of the country, it comes next in 

order to examine the valleys infolded between these mountains.

As it is the greatest, so is the Great Valley of California the most important; 

it frequently takes the names of the rivers which traverse it and is known in its 

northern portion as the Sacramento Valley, and in its southern half as the San 

Joaquin Valley. It is fenced on the east by the Sierra Nevada, on the west by the 

Coast Ranges, and at north and south by the coalescence of its side walls. 

Between these walls it has a length of about 450 miles and maintains the average 

breadth of 40 miles. * * *

In the Coast Ranges are many fertile valleys, which vary greatly in size and 

conditions, according to position. * * * North of the [San Francisco] bay the
HAMLTN.] CLIMATE. 35

valleys uniformly open into the Sacramento Valley, and each has a name which has 

nearly the value of a trade-mark in the markets for farm, orchard, and vineyard 

produce. * * * South of the bay, on the dry eastern slope of the Coast Ranges, 

not a valley is to be found of any moment. West of the summits are to be found 

several fertile valleys. Of these the valley of Santa Clara and Alameda open on 

the Bay of San Francisco, and the valleys of the San Benito and the Salinas open 

on the Pacific at the Bay of Monterey. * * *

The oceanic factor. This presentation of the mountain masses of the region 

under study has been made for the purpose of showing what influences may be 

counted on as constantly exerted to discharge the moisture from the atmosphere. 

Another influence is constantly exerted to charge the atmosphere with moisture, 

and this influence should be examined in turn. It is found in the Pacific Ocean, 

which washes the entire coast of California. * * *

The largest of all the oceans, the Pacific, is least subject to perturbing influences 

of a local character. Its conditions are constant over large areas; its currents, 

both of wind and water, are drawn in broad, sweeping curves, in which extent of 

space and time of passage serve to override all mere local or temporary modifications. Thus it is enabled to present almost the ideal problem of oceanic circulation and to array upon the climate of California, and in a modified degree that of 

Nevada, a few masses of simple influence which become involved and difficult of 

study only'through the continental disturbances.

Without interruption that part of the North Pacific Ocean which may be considered as modifying the climate of California stretches away over nearly 100 

degrees of longitude. To the west it is bounded by the extreme Orient. * * * 

The northern limit is drawn by the Aleutian Islands, and the eastern border is the 

shore of North America. To the south no consistent mass of land appears to hem 

this ocean in, yet the barrier is none the less strong because it may be measured 

only with the instruments of the meteorologist. It exists at the thirtieth parallel 

of north latitude. Below this bounding line is the region of northeast trade 

winds and the westward drift of the equatorial current, and these two serve 

sufficiently to bound in wind and water the great basin above. * * *

The winds upon this basin are of the system of the passage winds which are 

developed upon the surface of the earth by the descent from high altitudes of 

upper currents. In general these winds vary with the latitude from southwest, 

westerly, to northwest. * * *

The Calif ornian parallels lie entirely within the northern zone of the passage or 

antitrade winds, and are therefore under an atmosphere with a uniformly eastern 

progression as a part of the general system of atmospheric circulation of the 

globe. * * *

The wind drawn in from sea by the general circulation of the atmosphere may 

be taken to have in suspension the maximum amount of moisture, and, other 

things being equal, to approximate the saturation amount theoretically to be 

expected in air of a given pressure and at a given temperature.

WINDS.

Throughout California the general drift or movement of the atmosphere is to the southeast. Over the land, however, the direction and 

velocity of the wind are much modified by the trend of the mountain 

ranges and intervening valleys, as well as by diurnal and seasonal 

changes in temperature. Along the coast the northwest passage 

winds blow with remarkable regularity during the summer, and more 

or less constantly during the entire year. The diurnal changes in
36 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

temperature over the land cause the daily fluctuation in these winds. 

Ordinarily the wind from the ocean begins to blow inland during the 

forenoon and increases in force until late in the afternoon, when it 

gradually subsides. This is known as the sea breeze. During the 

night there is often a light breeze seaward, known as the land breeze. 

The sea and land breezes are but local modifications of the general 

drift of the atmosphere, and depend principally upon the difference in 

temperature .between the land and the sea. In valleys that open 

toward the northwest and extend far inland between high mountain 

ranges, as the Salinas Valley, the sea winds are usualty strong, aind 

during the summer season often violent.

In the accompanying tables are given anemometer records of the 

total wind movement in miles per day at Salinas from January 1,1902, 

to March 13,1903, and at Kings City from January 1, 1902, to March 14, 

1903. The greater part of this wind movement is up the Salinas 

Valley and takes place during the afternoon.

Total daily wind movement, in miles, at Salinas.

Date.

1902.

March .........

April . . .. ___

TWd v

June - _ . _ _ _ _ _

July _. ..-. -_

September _____ 

October _

November ______ 

December

1903.

February _____

March _..____.

1.

115

206

207

247

192

142 

202

125 

134

97

150

221

2.

Ill

183

174

281

242

169

185

131 

115

125

161

163

3.

113

159

201

174

213

197

171 

161

163

148

109

131

152

4.

107

127

160

156

203

186

236 

172

120 

167

158

220

166

5.

114

161

122

125

184

166

132 

92

133 

96

200

148

193

6.

128

217

104

242

180

186

173 

139

112 

109

214

130

129

1.

59

199

161

308

172

180

176

151

181

133 

66

145

140

133

8.

134

215

228

131

157

174

195

172

120

225 

149

94

230

170

9.

91

139

197

151

169

170

104

191

157 

130

462 

131

98

119

325

10.

130

103

201

147

124

204

145

191

143 

167

355 

214

132

96

101

11.

140

181

144

180

211

133

190

146 

162

104 

146

107

197

180
HAMLTN.] WINDS.

Total daily wind movement, in miles, at Salinas Continued.

37

Date.

1902.

February ......

March. .........

April

May . . _____ .

July ...........

August ........

September _____

1903.

February . _ _

March , ......

Date.

1902.

January.. . ....

March . _______

May ._ . . .__

July ...........

December ...... 

1903.

12.

182

-156

131

153

135

289

165

157

145

105

97

194

"100

141

22.

96

280

210

226

188

173

177

163

286

139

235

122

107

13.

112

124

180

129

197

200

170

153

114

115

52

187

160

241

23.

174

303

88

137

161

183

181

212

144

128 

106

113

14.

90

255

243

138

141

168

184

125 

223

94

100

149

159

257

24.

181

181

188

150

177

205

179

179

121

199 

125

121

15.

59

349

180

127

154

206

163

165 

115

89

156

145

139

25.

240

164

128

179

236

162

171

125

111

129 

105

98

16.

103

212

149

168

162

188

198

128 

159

127

257

178

133

26.

255

107

157

243

271

165

171

116

131

130

174

129

ir.

123

177

53

161

210

204

203

146 

129

135

107

106

142

27.

80

100

164

138

203

149

151

99

94

95

222

122

18.

132

115

240

160

257

185

148

140 

157

90

112

129

167

 28.

96

120

163

209

174

143

205

85

91

65 

206

143

19.

123

.150

149

175

304

169

191

164 

131

175

128

85

164

29.

102

120

223

152

135

179

158

126

101

135 

93

20.

99

162

137

223

187

185

222

236 

123

84

90

106

183

30.

239

146

50

227

211

152

180

119

131

150 

109

21.

100

218

149

147

175

199

140

165 

41

132

140

91

160

31.

48

148

384

209

150

131

106 

221
38 WATER RESOURCES OF S4LINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89. 

Total daily wind movement, in miles, at Kings City.

Date.

1902. 

January _ .

February _____

March ___. __

April . _ _ _

May ______

June _ _ _ _ _____

July___________

August --__ ___

September

October ________

November .____.

December . . . . _

1903. 

January

February --..._ 

March .... _ _

Date.

1902. 

January

February _

March

July ._____- -__.

August __.._. .

September

October .

December

1903. 

January

February .

1.

126

160

271

228

302

300

306

189

490

178 

147

134

128 

151

12.

214

192

337

247

306

210

287

216

156

76

95

193

180

2.

110

312

181

299

331

243

289

210

482

63 

162

136

124 

150

13.

162

292

0Q7

184

330

270

175

246

100

123

103

111

198

307

3.

122

180

109

264

348

240

234

257

86

228 

22°

128

236 

299

14.

224

240

208

225

396

259

167

255

118

107

140

107

127

266

4.

136

151

166

197

344

417

271

216

222

86

177

79 

123

15.

299

282

169

240

359

381

235

243

204

165

132

186

91

5.

159

137

60

98

267

244

245

255

169 

123

158

118 

167

16.

200

208

219

291

284

279

321

203

115

112

194

135

123

6.

153

295

220

197

301

296

262

229

140 

145

140

91 

121

IT.

3R

9

 28

43

28

35

24

1 ^

22

18(

6

15

11'

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1

f

f

1

1

1

1

0

1

i

7

1

3

}

7.

70

90

504

83

$12

U3

HP44

31

94

49

80 

99

If

9

9f

9:

3<

9-

V

91

1<

1

11

I

11

1^

8

1f

3F

1f

3?

9f

Of

9F

9f

2e

14

1(1

26

95

50

W

13

15

6

31

6

19

9

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>3

',8

>,2

0

5

9

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9

9

9

8

4

7

9

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9.

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wr

35?

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9.3.

994

W

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90f

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163

941

19.

330

194

194

164

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84

61

46

99

79

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10.

125

207

263

578

238

308

326

237

370 

441

109

141 

121

20.

154

162

313

289

258

307

206

264

131

127

64

243

145

11.

124

221

262

00

324

214

367

206

136

187

140

162 

192

21.

213

322

128

234

267

253

212

169

227

162

. 77

132

124
HAMI.IN.] WIND AND RAINFALL.

Total daily wind movement, in miles, at Kings City Continr.ed.

Date.

1902. 

January

February

March _-__-_._

April .... .....

May _--.-...___

June .... . . _ _ _

July..........

August .......

September .....

October _ _

December _..___

1903. 

January .......

March .._____

22.

323

257

213

173

243

228

239

140

210

88

99

147

124

23.

143

311

157

207

250

210

163

376

115

98

109

106

24.

397

163

198

254

360

236

268

276

280

91

98

130

236

25.

240

215

217

262

273

283

214

314

132

78

150

162

214

26.

374

320

152

322

200

253

210

231

270

112

110

195

187

149

27.

118

192

173

160

243

405

305

204

142

103

126

111

312

109

28.

101

146

156

204

323

338

323

213

289

171

153

209

320

153

29.

105

197

156

367

238

304

225

189

203

204

113

175

30.

157

128

214

349

288

286

237

148

175

198

100

197

31.

124

190

335

337

219

270

135

56

RAINFALL.

When the passage winds reach the coast they sometimes, under 

proper conditions, precipitate a portion of their moisture. One of 

these conditions is cooling of the air by contact with a cool land area 

or by being forced to a great altitude in passing over mountain ranges, 

for the cold summits of mountains are effective condensers of moisture. Such conditions do not, however, occur along the coast of 

Monterey County, for the general movement of the air currents there 

is from the northwest to the southeast, parallel with aitd not across 

the mountain ranges. In addition to this the air currents in their 

southeastward drift are continually passing into a warmer region, 

where the temperature of the air is raised and its capacity for 

absorbing moisture increased. Thus the passage winds, although 

moist and cool on the coast, become dry in the interior and abstract 

moisture by evaporation from every stream and lake, from the soil, 

and from all vegetation. These northwest winds bring no moisture 

to the land along the coast south of San Francisco.

The above-described climatic conditions are practically constant, 

recurring from day to day throughout the year unless modified by 

general atmospheric disturbances accompanying regional storms. 

As is well known, in cyclonic storms of vast extent the storm center 

is an area of low barometer toward which the winds blow from every
40 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89

direction. The path of these storms shifts with the seasons, moving 

southward during the autumn and reaching the coast of Washington and Oregon in October or November. Many pass eastward 

without bringing rain to central or southern California; others, however, are deflected southward by atmospheric conditions east of 

the Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada and pass over California, Nevada, and Arizona. These storms are preceded by southeast, south, or southwest winds along the coast regions of California, 

or toward the storm center in the northern part of the State. The 

general direction of these storin winds is nearly at right angles to the 

general drift of the passage winds and across the trend of the mountain ranges of the State. This marked change in the direction of the 

wind is an important factor in the rainfall on the Pacific coast. 

These moist southerly winds pass from a warm to a cooler region and 

are cooled sufficiently to cause precipitation, thus giving rain over 

sea and land.

These moisture-laden storm winds from the Pacific, on encountering the mountain ranges along the coast and in the interior, are 

forced to rise to a considerable altitude, where they are still further 

cooled and precipitate a large part of their moisture, leaving the 

regions to the east of the mountain ranges dry and barren.

Aridity, or rather the unequal distribution of moisture, is largely the result of 

topography or inequalities of land surface. If the land were perfectly flat, it 

is probable that the winds, meeting with no obstructions, would distribute the 

rains with considerable uniformity in broad bands approximately parallel to the 

equator; but the relatively thin layer of dense atmosphere surrounding the globe 

is disturbed in its uniform flow by the lofty mountain masses which traverse the 

continents. The atmosphere surrounding the earth extends outward many miles, 

but it is the layer, a mile or two in thickness, resting immediately upon the surface, and relatively dense, within which occur the changes or disturbances that 

make up what we know as "weather." The movements of the air above this 

thin layer concern us little, but the behavior of the clouds and winds near the 

surface of the ground brings success or failure to the farmer, and affects more or 

less directly other industries, and even health.«

The marked influence of topography on the distribution of rainfall 

is strikingly shown in flg. 1. This diagram shows graphically the 

increase in rainfall due to difference in altitude on the west side of 

the Sierra Nevada and the no less pronounced decrease on the east 

side, indicating how completely the moisture-laden winds have been 

robbed of their moisture by the cold mountain range. This diagram 

consists of a profile or section drawn along a line from Farallon 

Islands through San Francisco, across the Sacramento Valley and 

Sierra Nevada, and out on the Great Basin as far as Wadsworth. The 

various stations along this profile and their altitude above sea level 

are shown. The height of the small black columns represents the 

average annual rainfall in inches at each station.

« Newell, F. H., Irrigation, p. 16.
HAMLIN.] BAINFALL. 41

At the Farallon light-house on Farallon Island, 30 miles west of 

San Francisco, the average rainfall is 18.44 inches. This may be taken 

as the probable average along the coast at this latitude, where the precipitation is not influenced by adjacent mountain masses. At San 

Francisco the annual rainfall is 22.77 inches, the increase being due 

to the influence of the Coast Range. Toward the east, in the Sacramento Valley, the annual rainfall is about the same as over the 

ocean, being 19.78 inches at Fairfield and 19.60 inches at Sacramento. 

Folsom is at the fuot. of the Sierra Nevada, at an altitude of 180 

feet, and has an annual rainfall of 23.81 inches. On the western 

slope the rainfall increases with increase in altitude, but not uniformly. The rainfall at Auburn is 33.06 inches, at Coif ax, 47.02 

inches, and at Cisco, a short distance west of the summit, 51.18 

inches. The increase from Folsom to Colfax is at the rate of soineSI ERRA NEVADA 

mttn.

PACIFIC 

OCEAN

FIG. 1. Diagram showing unequal distribution of rainfaD in California and Nevada, the result

of topographic features.

what more than 1 inch per 100 feet rise in elevation, while from Colfax to Cisco the increase is at the rate of but a little more than 0.1 

inch per 100 feet rise in elevation, or about one-tenth of the increase 

below. At Summit, on the crest of the range, the rainfall is 47.74 

inches, or 3.44 inches less than at Cisco, although Summit is 1,028 

feet higher. The sudden decrease in rainfall on the lee side of the 

range is strikingly shown in this diagram. At Summit the rainfall is 

47.74 inches ftnd at Truckee 26.35 inches. The difference in altitude 

of these two points is 1,197 feet and the actual decrease in rainfall is 

21.39 inches, a trifle over If inches decrease per 100 feet drop in altitude. This rate of decrease is many times greater than the rate of 

increase on the opposite side of the range at the same altitude.

It is believed that the following general conclusions can be justly 

drawn from a study of this section:

(1) The average rainfall over the sea in the latitude of San Francisco is about 18.50 inches.
42 WATER RESOURCES OE SALIVAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, [NO.89.

(2) On the southwest slopes of mountain ranges exposed to the 

storm winds the increase in rainfall is at the rate of approximately 1 

inch per 100 feet rise up to an altitude of 2,500 feet.

(3) Between about 2,500 and 6,000 feet there is still an increase in 

the amount of rainfall, but at a much lower rate.

(4) Above 6,000 feet there is a slight decrease in the rainfall.

(5) The first high cold land passed over by the winds cools the 

atmosphere and condenses a large part of the moisture, leaving less 

or little for the land beyond.

The available rainfall records in the Salinas Valley and adjacent 

regions are given in the accompanying table. When these records 

are examined it is seen that there is a great difference in the amount 

of rainfall at different points as at Mansfield and at San Ardo, for 

example. Fig. 2 is a graphic illustration of these variations. The 

section is similar to the one in fig. 1, and extends from the Pacific 

Ocean across the Santa Lucia Range, the Salinas Valley, and the

PACIFIC 

OCEAN

SANTA MT. DIABLO RANGE

RANGE SALINAS VALLEY ,/«//«. SAN JOAQUIH VALLEV

FIG. 2. Diagram showing unequal distribution of rainfall in the Coast Range of California, the

result of topography.

Mount Diablo Range to Fresno, on the east side of the San Joaquin 

Valley. The Santa Lucia Range, the most elevated land mass on the 

coast of central California, fronts the Pacific Ocean for more than 

100 miles, exposing a bold, rugged system of peaks and ridges to the 

full force of the storm winds that sweep up from the southwest. 

Over this range these moisture-laden winds, in their passage inland, 

are forced to rise in altitude from 3,500 to 6,000 feet. This range, 

from its position and altitude, should be one of the dominant factors 

in the distribution of rainfall in this region, and an examination of 

the rainfall diagram given in fig. 2 shows that this is thp case.

At Piedras Blancas light-house, near sea level, the average annual 

rainfall is 19.10 inches. At Point Sur light-house it is 18.11 inches. 

The rainfall at sea level here is apparently about the same as at Farallon light-house. In passing eastward along the line of this profile 

the next station is Mansfield, at an altitude of about 2,500 feet, and 

but 3 or 4 miles from the ocean. The average rainfall here is 49.31 

inches, or more than two and one-half times greater than at sea level. 

The rate of increase with rise in elevation is somewhat greater here
Seasonal rainfall, in inches, in the Salinas Valley and the adja

[This table shows the total rainfall for twelve months, beginning September 

Elevationin feet

Season 

1868-69. 

1869-70. 

1870-71. ......

1871-72

1872-73- 

1873-74. 

1874-75.......

1875-76.. 

1876-77. ..... .

1877-78. 

1878-79 

1879-80 

1880-81. ......

1881-82.......

1882-83. 

1883-84 

1884-85. 

Stations.

Santa Cruz,a

25

36.41 

22.06 

18.23 

39.34 

22.83 

19.62 

30.74 

16.40

Pajaro.a

23

18.49 

12.41 

26.17 

5.53 

28.01 

17.37 

16.54 

19.91 

18.89 

16.88 

23.37 

12.91

Salinas.a

44

13.45

13.61 

8.05 

19.16 

3.90 

23.75 

9.33 

13.33 

12.43 

13.86 

11.21 

19.44 

9.30

Soledad.«

183

6.35 

5.01 

15.34 

2.65 

13.22 

4.15 

7.38 

6.78 

9.74 

8.64 

16.36 

5.79

San Ardo.«

452

San Miguel.a

616

Paso Robles.a

723

Santa Margarita.a

996

Jolon.&

960

15.90

28.65

11.75

Los Vaqueros.c

950

e

1 

o

0

J18.15

13.59

.HO. 45

J21.56

32.03

11.89

J16.78

13.91

15.16

16.64

21.38

11.11

Point Sur light- house, rf

0

« U 

&T

e A

. S. Weather Bureau and Southern Pacific Railway Company.

T. Tidball.

W. Leigh. 

. g. Weather Bureau.

J. Meyers and Mrs. M. Griffin.

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Marga- Santa 

rita.

light- Sur. Point 

house.

Blan- Piedras 

light-house. cas 

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Good-win.

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saoaaosaa 50 sv-ttnvs 'ASITEVA 'ON] 68 
HAMLIN.] RAINFALL. 45

than in the Sierra Nevada. There are no records at a greater elevation in this range, but the precipitation undoubtedly increases with 

the altitude.

The next station on this section is at Jolon, 960 feet above sea level, 

where the average rainfall is 18.16 inches. To the northeast, in the 

broad, low Salinas Valley at San Ardo, the rainfall is still less, being 

but 10.39 inches. On the northeast side of the Salinas Valley the 

Mount Diablo Range rises to an average altitude of 3,500 to 4,000 

feet, and there is a noticeable increase i i the rainfall over this region. 

At Priest Valley, altitude 2,300 feet, the annual rainfall is 19.17 inches. 

This is, however, but a four years' record. In passing northeastward 

to the San Joaquin Valley, the rainfall diminishes, being 7.83 inches 

at Los Banos and 8.79 inches at Fresno. If similar sections should 

be drawn either to the north or south of this the same distribution 

of rainfall would be noted.

At Salinas the average annual rainfall is 13.70 inches, and there is 

a material increase to the northwest, there being 19.61 inches at 

Pajaro and 26.31 inches at Santa Cruz, these two stations being 

beyond the influence of the Santa Lucia Range. At Monterey the 

average rainfall is 15.53 inches.

cfsl^^^S-wsBg §* toO|ZiQi-5&iH<iSi-si-s<i O2

 _-®§'§«s p.sS'Ss 

ooO!z;O^Sg^gi?^^

San Ardo Priest Valley SaHrtaa 

FIG. 3. Diagram showing monthly distribution of rainfall in the Salinas Valley.

In passing up the Salinas Valley the rainfall is found to decrease 

as far as Soledad, where it is but 8.94 inches. To the southeast there 

is a steady increase, the records showing 10.39 inches at San Ardo, 

10.54 inches at San Miguel, 15.25 inches at Paso Robles, and 27.78 

inches at Santa Margarita.
46 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

In the southeast corner of Monterey County, at Parkfield, the 

rainfall is 11.29 inches. . Over the Carriso Plain, probably the most 

arid region in the Coast Range, the rainfall is light, being but 8.01 

inches at Simmler and about 5 inches at Goodwin.

The average monthly precipitation at six stations in the Salinas 

Valley is shown in fig. 3. The height of each of the small black columns represents the average amount of rain for the corresponding 

month. This diagram shows graphically the contrast between the 

distribution of the rainfall in summer and winter.

To summarize, it may be said that the distribution of rainfall in 

Monterey County depends upon the topography. The region may be 

divided into three topographic zones or belts in which rainfall conditions are similar. The most western belt is the Santa Lucia Range, 

the central is the Salinas Valley, with the mesa lands on the northeast side, and the eastern is the Mount Diablo Range.

In the Santa Lucia Range the rainfall varies from about 18 inches 

at sea level to 50 inches along the summit of the range, decreasing on 

the northeastern slope to about 18 inches at an altitude of 1,000 feet. 

In the upper Salinas Valley the rainfall is about 10 inches, decreasing gradually toward the southeast. From the incomplete records in 

the Mount Diablo Range it seems probable that the average rainfall 

is from 20 to 25 inches in Monterey County.

HYDROGRAPHY,

SALINAS RIVER.

The main trunk stream of the Salinas Valley is Salinas River, which, 

with its tributaries, drains an area of 4,780 square miles. (See PL I.) 

The drainage basin is 150 miles long, extending from southern San 

Luis Obispo County to the Bay of Monterey, in Monterey County. 

The western tributaries of the Salinas have their sources in the 

elevated, well-watered Santa Lucia Range, while its eastern tributaries drain the low mesa lands and the western slopes of the Mount 

Diablo Range. The river drains all the area lying between the Santa 

Lucia Range on the southwest and the Gabilan and Mount Diablo 

ranges on the northeast except the inclosed basin east of San Juan 

Creek known as the Carriso Plain.

The following table shows the areas of the drainage basins of the 

river and its tributaries:
HAMLIN] HYDEOGEAPHY. 47

Areas of drainage basins of Salinas River and its tributaries.

Sq. miles.

Total drainage of the Saliiias River, ...............'...^,..................... 4,780

Drainage of Salinas River above gaging station near Salinas _.-.----.-.-.. 4,084

Drainage of Salinas River above Estrella Creek _..........___-._...-....._ 591

Total drainage of Nacimiento River ..__...__.___.___.._................... 380

Drainage of Nacimiento River above gaging station near Bryson __________ 171

Total drainage of San Antonio River _____________________________________ 342

Drainage of San Antonio River above Pinkerton dam site ------- .-_--__--_ 322

Drainage of San Antonio River above gaging station near Jolon.__________ 161

Total drainage area of Arroyo Seco above Arroyo Seco canal No. 3........ 218

Drainage area of Arroyo Seco above gaging station at Pettitt ranch _______ 215

Drainage area of Arroyo Seco above Currier dam site --------------------- 184

Drainage area of Arroyo Seco above Foster dam site _________-_-_-__-_-..-- 161

Total drainage area of Los Vaqueros Creek above Pettitt dam site. _-___-.. 28

Drainage area of Los Vaqueros Creek above Leigh dam site --------------- 22

Drainage area of Estrella Creek ---_-_______________________-_._-__-___--_ 924

Drainage area of Carriso Plain ___________________________ . _. _ _ __________ 470

Total drainage area of San Lorenzo Creek above Mathews dam site_ _______ * 235

Drainage area of Chalone Creek .......................................... 128

These areas were determined by planimeter' measurements from 

the Monterey and San Luis Obispo atlas sheets.

From San Miguel, in San Luis Obispo County, northwest to Wunpost, in Monterey County, the Salinas flows in a deep, wide canyon, 

which it has eroded several hundred feet below the level of the surrounding mesas. At Wunpost the mesa recedes on the northeast 

side and the river valley widens out somewhat into a long, narrow, 

terraced alluvial plain, with a width ranging from 1 mile at the upper 

end to 4 or 5 miles at Soledad. From Soledad to the Bay of Monterey 

the alluvial plain and bordering detritus slopes are from 6 to _ 0 miles 

wide, with terraces far less pronounced than those in the upper portions of the valley. Each of the terraces is an ancient flood plain of 

the stream. For this distance the stream flows in a broad, sandy 

channel from 500 to 1,500 feet wide, into which the waters sink in 

summer to reappear again at some point below. From Soledad to 

the ocean the stream is perennial, being fed by these underground 

waters. When wet the fine sand in the river bed becomes quicksand, 

making the stream dangerous to ford, especially in winter. The 

photographic views reproduced in PL III, and PI. IV, A, show the 

general character of the stream during the dry season.

The large volume of water discharged by this stream during the 

rainy season has enabled it to trench its channel to a depth considerably below the alluyial plains on both sides of the river. For the 

same reason the grade of the stream is very slight, being but 1.33 feet 

per mile from the ocean to the gaging station at the Monterey road 

bridge; 5.5 feet per mile from the Monterey road bridge to Soledad 

and 6.5 feet per mile from Soledad to Bradley, where the bed of the 

stream, is at an altitude of about 500 feet. These grades are approxi-
48 WATEK RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

mate and are given merely to show the low gradient of this, the main 

drainage line of the region.

This stream is torrential in character, having very large flood discharge during the rainy season and being practically dry during the 

summer except in its lower portion. The winter flow is probably at 

all times sufficient for the needs of winter and spring irrigation.

That portion of the drainage basin of the Salinas that lies south of 

San Miguel, comprising 591 square miles, is on the northeast slope of 

the Santa Lucia Range, in the region of heaviest rainfall, and the 

run-off here is undoubtedly large.

A record of the discharge of the main stream was kept at the Monterey road bridge from January 8, 1900, to July 31, 1901. From 

these observations the following table has been prepared.

Estimated monthly discharge of Salinas River 4 miles south of Salinas. 

[Drainage area, 4,084 square miles.]

Month.

1900. 

January 8-31 ... . _ _

February .........

March .. ___ ..

April ___________

May ________ .

June -----__-.

July _________________

August _________

September _

November ...

December . .,________

1901. 

January . . _ .

February .

March _._-._____..._.

April . . _ . _....._.__

May -..._..-. . _

June .

July ..___....__.._...

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

2,700 

223 

223 

32 

19 

17 

10 

8 

8 

4 

33, 600 

1,050

35, 162 

20, 927 

1,772 

405 

2,012 

160 

30

Minimum.

223 

40 

25 

19 

17 

15 

6 

6 

2 

1 

0 

82

380 

540 

430 

160 

160 

30 

25

Mean.

848 

105 

73 

22 

17 

16 

8 

7 

6 

2 

2,413 

295

4,921 

4,131 

1,063 

270 

533 

56 

27

Total in 

acre-feet.

40, 368 

5,831 

4,489 

1,309 

1,045 

952 

492 

430 

357 

123 

143, 583 

18, 139

302, 580 

231, 701 

65, 361 

.16,066 

32, 773 

3,332 

1,660

Run-off.

Secondfeet peisquare 

mile.

0.21 

.03 

.02 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.59 

- .07

1.21 

1.02 

.26 

.07 

.13 

.01 

.01

Depth in 

inches.

0.19 

.03 

.02 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.66 

.08

1.39 

1.06 

'.30 

.07 

.15 

.01 

.01

NOTE. Gage heights and discharge measurements for 1901 are given in WaterSupply Paper No. 66, page 154.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. Ill

A. SAUNAS RIVER ABOVE GAGING STATION AT MONTEREY ROAD BRIDGE, 

NEAR SAUNAS.

Shows quicksand in bed of stream.

B. SALINAS RIVER NEAR KINGS CITY. 

Shows drifted sand blown upstream by the prevailing northwest wind.

HAMLIN.] HYDROGEAPHY. 49

ESTRELLA CREEK.

The most eastern branch of SaJinas River is Estrella Creek (see PI. I). 

At a point 20 miles southeast of its junction with the Salinas the two 

branches of the Estrolla are known as San Juan River and Cholame 

Creek. The San Juan drains the northeastern slopes of the San Jose 

Range and Cholame Creek drains the southwestern slope of the Mount 

Diablo Range. Between these two mountain ranges lie the elevated 

inesa lands of the upper Salinas Valley. This mesa region passes over 

into the Carriso Plain, the waters of which, however, do not flow to 

the sea, but toward a salt flat or salt lake which fills the lower portion 

of the plain. Nothing very definite is known regarding the average 

rainfall in this region (see table on p. 43), but it is certain that it is 

very light, probably less than 10 inches, over the mesa regions, which 

are cut off from the storm winds by the intervening Santa Lucia and 

San Jose ranges. It is probable that the greater portion of the water 

in this stream is derived from rainfall in the surrounding mountains. 

The area of the drainage basin of Estrella Creek is 924 square miles, 

and the area of the Carriso Plain is 470 square miles.

NACIMIENTO RIVER/

The Nacimiento is one of the large western tributaries of the Salinas, entering that stream between San Miguel and Bradley (see PI. I). 

It has its sources among the highest peaks of the Santa Lucia Range, 

only 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It flows southeastward about 

35 miles, receiving many small tributaries from the southwest, and 

emerges from the mountains after rounding the declining ridge of the 

Sierra de las Piedras. From this point to the Salinas it flows in a 

broad, sandy channel eroded in the mesa. This stream flows for 25 

miles parallel with and but a few miles northeast of the crest of the 

range, in the belt of maximum precipitation (see fig. 2), where the average rainfall must be from 30 to 50 inches per annum. The fact that 

the precipitation here is great is shown by the character -of the stream 

and the vegetation over this portion of the range. The total area of 

this watershed is 380 square miles, of which 300 square miles are 

mountainous, the remainder being rolling hills and river valley.

The Nacimiento watershed decreases in width from 7 miles near its head to 2 

at its lower end. It is 40 miles long. The upper 7 miles is mountainous, as is all 

that portion lying between the river and the coast divide. The valley floor averages 1 mile in width, and extends downstream 10 miles from a point 7 miles below 

the head. The eastern wall of the valley is the western wall of the San Antonio. 

The lower 25 miles of the river lies in a narrow V-shaped canyon whose sides rise 

800 to 1,500 feet. The mountain slopes are covered with brush and trees. The 

valley floor is shaded with white oaks of great size. For the most part the bed 

of the river is sandy and crosswise flat, and varies in width from 50 to 400 feet. 

In the open valley the banks range from 15 to 40 feet in height. There are good 

IRR 89 04 4
50 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

dam sites at the mouth of Gabilan Creek, Piedras Altas, and Pebblestone Gorge, 

7 miles below the Monterey County line, but there are no corresponding storage 

sites of value.«

The following table of discharge of Nacimiento River in March and 

April, 1901, has been prepared:

Estimated monthly discharge of Nacimiento River at Bryson post-office. 

[Drainage area, 171 square miles.]

Month.

1901. 

February 17 to 28. ____

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

3,300 

365 

670

Minimum.

295 

110

87

Mean.

855 

184 

99

Total in 

acre-feet.

20, 350

11,314 

5,891

Run-off.

Secondfeet par 

square 

mile.

5.00

1.08 

.58

Depth in 

_ inches.

5.21

1.24 

.65

NOTE. Gage heights and discharge measurements for 1901 are given in WaterSupply Paper No. 66, page 154.

This stream is torrential, with a great run-off during the rainy season, but it dwindles to a small creek by early summer. The character 

of the stream in June, 1902,' is shown in PI. IV, B.

SAN ANTONIO RIVER.

The drainage basin of San Antonio River joins that of the Nacimiento on the northeast, and the upper 120 square miles is in a 

similar mountain region (PI. I). The area of the watershed above 

the Pinkerton reservoir site is 322 square miles. Of this area the 

mountain portion, 120 square miles, probably receives an average 

annual rainfall of 30 to 50 inches and the elevated valleys near Jolon 

as much as 18 inches. This stream leaves the mountains about 6 

miles above Jolou, and from there to the Salinas flows in a broad, 

sandy channel through wide valleys. These valleys have an altitude 

of from 800 to 1,200 feet and are covered with scattering oak timber 

(see PI. V).

The San Antonio drainage basin is 6 miles wide from the head for a distance of 

24 miles, then for 5 miles it widens to 10 miles; in the next 5 miles it narrows t:> 

3 miles, and this width continues for 15 miles to its mouth. The valley floDr 

averages l£ to 2 miles wide. The southwestern wall of the valley is 5,000 feet 

high at the upper end, and this height falls to a few hundred feet toward the 

mouth. The north wall of the valley, the Santa Lucia Range, is 3,000 to 6,000' 

feet high. The eastern wall decreases from north to south from 2,500 feet to a 

few hundred feet in elevation.

The valley floor extends to the San Antonio-Arroyo Seco divide, and the main 

stream has a comparatively light slope. The tributaries are short, and each for

« MS. report of Prof. Charles D. Marx.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. IV

A. SALINAS RIVER AT BRADLEY. 

Shows broad-topped terrace on which the town is built, and the flat-topped hills of the mesa beyond.

B. NACIMIENTO RIVER AT GAGING STATION NEAR BRYSON POST-OFFICE.

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. V

A OAK GROVE IN SAN ANTONIO RIVER VALLEY, NORTH OF JOLON.

J5. SAN ANTONIO RIVER VALLEY SOUTHEAST OF JOLON.

HAMLIN.] SAN ANTONIO EIVEE. 51

the greater part of its cotirse has a rapid fall. The npper part of the drainage 

basin is brush covered, on steep slopes, and the valley floor is shaded by oaks. The 

slopes are bare on the east wall of the lower half of the basin. The valley 

furnishes no combination of large storage basin followed just downstream by a 

good dam site. a

A gaging station was established on this stream 1 mile south of 

Jolon, and a record of the discharge was kept from December 15, 

1900, to April 30, 1901. From these observations the following table 

of discharge of San Antonio River has been prepared:

Estimated monthly discharge of San Antonio River at Jolon. 

[Drainage area, 161 square miles.]

r

Month.

1900. 

December 15 to 28 ....

1901. 

January. ......._....-

February-.. _ -------

March .-. _.

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

200

3,700 

1,700 

400 

740.

Minimum.

170

64 

110 

84 

39

Mean.

184

523 

509 

171 

83

Total in 

acre-feet.

5,109

32, 158 

28, 268 

10, 514 

4,939

Run-off.

Secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

1.14

3.25 

3.17 

1.06 

.52

Depth in, 

inches.

0.59

3.75 

3.31

1.22 

.58

NOTE. Gage heights and discharge measurements for 1901 are given in WaterSupply Paper No. 66, page 154. Rating table on page 178 of same paper.

During the summer of 1900 this drainage basin was explored, under 

the direction of Prof. Charles D. Marx to discover and survey any 

possible reservoirs. The only one discovered on this stream is on the 

Pleyto ranch, 6 miles southeast of Pleyto post-office, the dam site 

being in sec. 30, T. 24 S., R. 10 E. (see PL I), and about 12 miles 

above the junction of San Antonio River with Salinas River.

PINKERTON RESERVOIR.

A reconnaissance survey was made of this reservoir, known as the 

Pinkerton site, by Prof. Charles D. Marx. The contour map of the 

reservoir is shown in fig. 4, and a cross section of the canyon of San 

Antonio River at the dam site is shown in fig. 5. The highest contour 

of the reservoir is at an altitude of 950 feet, as determined by aneroid 

observations. The area of the drainage basin tributary to the reservoir in 322 square miles. The dam as designed was to be of sandstone rubble 50 feet high, 900 feet long* on top, and 500 feet long at

a MS. report of Prof. Charles D. Marx,
52 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

the surface of the stream. The bed rock is sandstone and it is estimated to be 25 feet below the bed of the stream. Rock suitable for the 

.construction of the dam can be quarried within 1,000 feet of the dam.

FIG. 4. Reconnaissance map of Pinkerton reservoir site.

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

FIG. 5. Cross section of canyon of San Antonio River at the Pinkerton dam site.

The following table shows the estimated storage capacity and the 

cost of storage at this location:

Estimated storage capacity and cost of storage at Pinkerton reservoir. a

Height of dam.

25 feet... .......................................

50 feet... --..-.-.-.....-......-............._...

Total storage acrefeet.

2,300

8,200

Total cost 

of storage.

$92, 000

210, 500

Cost per 

acre-foot.

$40.00

26.00

ARROYO SECO.

The most northern tributary of Salinas River is the Arroyo Seco, 

which rises on the slopes of the highest portion of the Santa Lucia 

Range (PI. I). The upper valleys of this stream are far back in the 

range, surrounded by high mountains. This portion of the range 

undoubtedly receives as great a rainfall as any other locality in this 

region. It does not seem unreasonable to suppose that the average 

annual rainfall is from 30 to 50 inches.

The drainage basin of the Arroyo Seco is almost entirely made up of sharp 

ridges and V-shaped canyons. The western portion is well covered with brush 

and trees of medium size. Toward the east this growth decreases, until at the

« MS. report of Prof. Charles D, Marx,
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. VI

A. CANYON OF ARROYO SECO AT FOSTER DAM SITE, SHOWING STREAM

TERRACE.

B. CANYON OF ARROYO SECO, 20 MILES WEST OF SOLEDAD, SHOWING 

STREAM TERRACES AND SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS.

HAMLIN.] AREOYO SECO. 53

Salinas the country is bare. The stream beds of this area fall, rapidly, the Arroyo 

Seco rising at nearly 6,000 feet and emptying into the Salinas at an elevation of 

170feet.«

For 10 miles above its junction with the Salinas the channel of this 

stream is a broad wash of gravel and sand across the flat plain, into 

which the stream sinks in the dry season and from which it receives 

its name "Arroyo Seco." For the next 11 miles the stream flows in a 

deep terraced valley eroded into-bituminous shales. The terraces 

form a most conspicuous feature (see PL VI and PI. IX, A) and mark 

successive periods of uplift. They were cut into the bituminous shale 

or sandstone by the stream.

Sept. Oct. Nov. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug.

 Discharge of Arroyo Seco, Pettitt ranch, from September 1, J.901, to August 30,1903.

The present channel of Arroyo Seco in this 11-mile section is a deep 

trench or canyon, from 100 to 200 feet deep and 250 to 1,000 feet 

wide, sunk below the floor of the valley. The bottom of this canyon 

is covered with great washes of granite bowlders and sand. (See PI. 

VII, A.) This debris conjoins with the floods of water that rush 

down from the mountains above to form the agencies that are now 

actively eroding the channel of this stream.

A re6ord of the discharge of this stream was kept at Pettitt ranch 

during 1902 and a portion of 1901. From these observations the table 

on page 54 has been prepared. Fig. 6 is a graphic illustration of the 

discharge during the season of 1901-2.

a MS. report of Prof. Charles D. Marx.
54 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

Estimated monthly discharge of Arr-oyo Seco at Pettitt ranch. 

[Drainage area, 215 square miles.]

Month.

1901.

March ______ _____

April _________ . .

May ... _____ _______

July - _ . _-_-__.__. _

September ________

October . __ __________

November _ __ .

December _____________

1902. 

January .. __ ._ _.

February ___ _ __

March ' _

April _ _ _____________

May _ _ _ _

June _ _ _ _ _ _

July---___. ___________

August _-_-_-_-__....

September

October _ _ _______

November _______ _

December ________

1903. 

January . ______

February j _______ u 

March _

April ______..._

May ._____.____. _

June

July _____-.____.. __..

August _ _ _ _ _ _ __.___.

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

4,500 

2,860 

610 

2,500

50 

40

40 

2,860 

2,320 

1,650 

105 

55 

15 

7 

3 

55 

750 

145

1,790 

970 

3,080 

8, 210 

120 

56 

32 

22

Minimum.

105 

160 

105 

95

9 

23

25 

25 

185 

145 

55 

15 

7 

3 

0 

0 

11 

25

22 

120 

92 

120 

56 

32 

13 

6

Mean.

888 

931 

246 

195 

95 

58 

22 

15 

8 

10 

 22 

26

28 

605 

620

270 

74 

32 

12 

4 

0 

9 

57 

54

188 

313

471 

483 

85 

46 

25 

10

Total in 

acre-feet.

54,601 

51,705 

15, 126 

11,603 

5,841 

3,451 

1,353 

922 

476 

615 

1,309 

1,599

1,722 

33, 600 

38, 122 

16, 066 

4,550 

1,904 

738 

246 

0 

553 

3,392 

3,320

11, 560

17, 383 

" 28, 961 

28, 740 

5,226 

2,737 

1,537 

615

Run-off.

Secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

4.13 

4.33 

1.14 

.91 

.44 

.27 

.10 

.07 

.04 

.05 

.10 

.12

.13 

2.81 

2.88 

1.26 

.34 

.15 

.06 

.02 

0.00 

.04 

.27 

.25

.87 

1.46 

2.19 

2.25 

.40 

.21 

.12 

.05

Depth in 

inches.

4.76 

4.51 

1.32 

1.01 

.51 

.30 

.12 

.08 

.04 

.05 

.11 

.14

.15 

2.93 

2.32 

1.41 

.39 

.17 

.07 

.02 

0.00 

.05 

.30 

.29

1.00 

1.52 

2.52 

2.51 

.46 

.23 

.14 

.06

NOTE. Grage heights and discharge measurements for 1901 are given in WaterSupply Paper No. 66, page 156. Rating table on page 178, same paper.
HAMLIN.] AKROYO SECO. 55

During the summer of 1900 the drainage area of Arroyo Seco was 

explored by Prof. Charles D. Marx. Three reservoir sites were discovered on Arroyo Seco The Pools site, the Foster site, and the Currier site (PI. I). Two sites were also discovered on Los Vaqueros 

Creek, a tributary of Arroyo Seco the Pettitt site and the Leigh site. 

The Foster and Currier reservoir sites were resurveyed by the writer 

in the summer of 1902. These reservoir sites will be described in 

detail.

THE POOLS RESERVOIR.

The Pools reservoir site is far back in the Santa Lucia Mountains, 

just below the junction of Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Creek (PL I).

soq feef

FIG. 7. Reconnaissance map of The Pools reservoir site.

It is about 20 miles west of Soledad. A reconnaissance survey was 

made of this reservoir site by Prof. Charles D. Marx in the summer 

of 1900. A contour map of the reservoir forms tig. 7, and a cross section of the canyon of Arroyo Seco at the dam site is given in fig. 8. 

The highest contour of the reservoir is at an altitude of 1,000 feet, as 

determined by aneroid observations. The drainage area tributary to 

the reservoir is 74 square miles of steep mountain slopes covered with 

thick brush and trees. 

The dam as designed was to be of granite rubble, with a maximum
56 WATER RESOURCES OF SALIKAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

height of 100 feet and 250 feet long on top. The bed rock is granite 

and the estimated depth to solid rock is 5 feet. The following table 

shows the storage capacity and cost of storage at this location.

0 CO 100 150 200 2iO

FIG. 8. Cross section of canyon of Arroyo Seco at The Pools dam site. 

Estimated storage capacity and cost of storage at The Pools reservoir.®

Height of dam.

25 feet ____________ _.... ._.........

50feet ....._. _____ _______ _

75 feet>_ ________________________________________

100 feet _ _ _ ,

Total storage in 

acre-feet.

30

130

310

660

Total cost.

$10, 200

28, 800

61, 800

115, 800

Cost per 

acre-foot.

$340

222

195

175

The reservoir is merely a steep, V-shaped canyon. The cost of storage, $175 per acre-foot, is prohibitive, and with the great distance, 20 

miles from irrigable land, serves to condemn this location.

PETTITT RESERVOIR.

The Pettitt reservoir is in sec. 20, T. 19 S., R. 6 E., M. D. M., at 

the mouth of Los Vaqueros Creek. It is about 11 miles south of SoleScale

.feet

FIG. 9. Beconnaissance map of Pettitt reservoir site.

dad. (See PI. I.) A reconnaissance survey was made of this reservoir site by Prof. Charles D. Marx in the summer of 1900. A contour

«MS. report of Prof. Charles D. Marx.
HAMLIN.] AKROYO SECO. 57

map of the reservoir forms fig. 9, and a cross section of the canyon 

of Los Vaqueros Creek at the dam site is given in fig 10.

The highest contour of the reservoir has an altitude of 450 feet, as 

determined by aneroid observations. The area of the drainage basin 

tributary to the reservoir is 28 square miles. The dam as designed

0 50 100 150 

PIG. 10. Cross section of Los Vaqueros Creek at Pettitt dam site.

was to be a concrete masonry structure 115 feet high and 175 feet 

long on top. The bed rock is shale, and, the estimated depth to solid 

rock is 5 feet.

The following table shows the estimated storage capacity and cost 

of storage at this location.

Estimated storage capacity and cost of storage at Pettitt reservoir. «

Height of dam.

25 feet.. _._______________ ___________________ .....

50 feet.. ........................................

75 feet__... ._..._.-..__.______ ...................

100 feet.. .......................................

115 feet. ............. ..........I.. ...... .......

Total storage inacre-feet.

15

110

420

1,040

1,650

Total cost.

$9, 000

27, 000

54, 000

99, 000

139, 000

Cos.t per 

acre-foot.

245

130

95

84

«MS. report of Prof. Charles D. Marx. 

LEIGH EESEEVOIE.

The Leigh reservoir site is in sec. 9, T. 20 S., R. 6 E., M. D. M., in 

Los Vaqueros Valley, 4 miles south of the Pettitt site (PL I).

A reconnaissance survey was made of this reservoir site by Prof. 

Charles D. Marx in the summer of 1900. A contour map of the reservoir forms fig. 11, and a cross section of the canyon of Los Vaqueros 

Creek at the dam site is given in fig. 12.
58 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

The highest contour of the reservoir is at an altitude of 975 feet, as 

determined by aneroid observations. The drainage area tributary to 

the reservoir is 22 square miles of steep mountain slopes covered with 

brush. The altitude of the area ranges from 900 feet at the dam site 

to almost 6,000 feet on the slopes of Santa Lucia Peak.

! FIG. 11. Reconnaissance map of Leigh reservoir site.

The dam as designed was to be of sandstone rubble, with a maximum height of 175 feet and a length of 400 feet on top. The bed 

rock is hard sandstone, and the estimated depth below the bed of the 

stream to solid rock is 15 feet. Sandstone suitable for the eonstruc975

950

925

900

875

850

M.

J

0 50 100 150 ,200 250 300 350 400

FIG. 12. Cross section of Los Vaqueros Creek at Leigh dam site.

tion of the dam is available in the cliffs above, at both ends of the 

darn. The character of the canyon at the dam site is shown in 

PL VII, B. The irrigable lands are in the Salinas Valley, 10 miles 

below. The following table shows the estimated storage capacity 

and cost of storage at this location.
U. S. GEOLOG'C\L SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. VII

A. CHANNEL OF ARROYO SECO AT ABBOTTS, 20 MILES WEST OF SOLEDAD, 

SHOWING GRANITIC DETRITUS IN BED OF STREAM.

B. LEIGH DAM SITE ON LOS VAQUEROS CREEK, LOOKING uOWNSPREAM.

HAMLIN.] AKKOYO SEOO. 59 

Estimated storage capacity and cost of storage at Leigh reservoir. a

Height of dam.

^teet. ...................................... ..

50 feet .^.... ....................................

75 feet

100 feet _________________________________________

125 feet ._....._.......... ....... ................

150 feet ......... ._...._. .__.L.. .......... ------

175 feet ...__........_..._.._.._................

Total storage in 

acre-feet.

70

600

2,000

4,600

8,800

14, 800

23, 000

Total cost.

$8,600

21,600

43,200

77,000

127,000

194, 000

292, 000

Cost per 

acre-foot.

$122. 00

36.00

21.60

16.60

14.40

13.00

12.70

No measurements of the run-off from this drainage basin have been 

made. An examination of the discharge of Arroyo Seco, of which 

this stream is a tributary, shows that in 1901-2, a season of about 

average rainfall, the run-off was 0.78 second-foot per square mile (see 

table on p. 54). When this factor is used for computing the run-off 

of Los Vaqueros Creek a total run-off of approximately 10,000 acrefeet is given. As the rainfall at Los Vaqueros Valley is somewhat 

below the supposed average for this altitude, it is assumed that the 

run-off will be but 75 per cent of the amount computed as above, or 

approximately 7,500 acre-feet.

This will fill the reservoir to about the 925-foot contour. It seems 

probable that the drainage basin will supply this amount in a season 

of average rainfall, much more in a wet season, and but little in a 

dry season. It is believed that this will eventually be a valuable 

adjunct to the irrigation systems taking water from Arroyo Seco.

The dam should be built high enough to impound all the flood 

waters, the excess over 7,500 acre-feet being held over, if desirable, for 

the next year. The impounded water can be dropped into the channel of the creek and picked up again in Arroyo Seco at the head 

works of the canals without serious loss of water, so the only expense 

will be that of storage.

A cheaper dam, of the rock-fill type, could be constructed here, which 

would reduce the cost to probably one-third of the above estimate.

FOSTER RESERVOIR.

The proposed Foster reservoir is on Arroyo Seco, 12 miles southwest of Soledad in an air line and about 17 miles by the wagon road 

(PI. II). The dam site is in the NW. i sec. 23, T. 19 S., R. 5 E., M. D. M., 

and the reservoir site.extends south west ward about 2-J- miles. A survey of this location was made by the writer ini the summer of 1902. 

A topographic map of the reservoir is given as fig. 13. The altitude 

of the stream at the dam site is 490 feet by aneroid observations.

« MS. report of Prof. Charles D. Marx.
60 WATEE EESOUECES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFOENTA. [NO. 89.

The survey was made for a dam which would raise the water 110 feet 

above the bed of the stream, or to the 600-foot contour. Such a dam 

will impound 16,710 acre-feet of water. The table below shows the 

area and capacity of this reservoir at the various contours. Fig. 14

TI9S. R.5E

FIG. 13. Foster reservoir site on Arroyo Seco. 

Area and capacity of proposed Foster reservoir, Arroyo Seco.

Contour.

500

510

520

530

540

550

560

570

580

590

600

Area.

Acres.

2.3

22.2

50.6

80.1

117. 8

149.6

192.8

252.1

292.5

339.0

366.6

.

Capacity.

Acre-feet.

122.6

486.6

1,140.1

2, 129. 1

3, 466. 1

5, 178. 1

7,402.1

10, 125. 1

13, 232. 1

16,710.1
HAMLIN.] ARROYO SECO. 61

shows the capacity curve of the reservoir, by means of which the 

amount of water stored can be ascertained for any depth. The drainage a»ea tributary to this reservoir is 161 square miles. The table 

on pago 54 shows the estimated monthly discharge of Arroyo Seco at 

the Pettitt ranch, 4 miles below. The discharge here will be prac- * 

tically-the same as at the gaging station.

6 8 10 

Acre-feet In thousands.

if

FIG. 14. Capacity curve of Foster reservoir site, showing capacity, in thousands of acre-feet, 

with the water surface at various levels.

The reservoir site is situated in the terraced valley of Arroyo Seco, 

and is a long, narrow, steep-sided stream channel, the bottom of 

which is covered with washes of granitic bowlders and sand.. PI. VI, 

A, shows the general character of this channel looking upstream from 

below the dam site.

At the dam site the canyon has a width of 250 feet at the level of 

the stream and about 900 feet at the 615-foot contour, the top of the
62 WATEE EESOUEOES OF SAUNAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

dam. The rock at the dam site is the Monterey shale. The specific 

gravity of an ordinary specimen of the shale is 2 and the weight per 

cubic foot is about 125 pounds. These shales are hard and close 

textured where not weathered. In weathering they do not crumble 

into dust or sand as do ordinary rocks, but simply break into smaller 

fragments. At this point the shales are evenly stratified in thin beds 

which strike N". 75° W. and dip 40° SW. Rock is exposed in the bed 

of the stream at several places at the dam site, and it is probable 

that it is but a few feet to bed rock at any point. No borings have 

been made to bed rock, however. PI. VIII, A, is a view of the north 

side of the canyon at the dam site, and PI. VIII, B, is a view of the 

south side.

PROPOSED FOSTER DAM.

The dam at this point, as designed, is to be of the rock-fill type. 

Three different classes of material are available for the construction

FIG. 15. Foster dam site and spillway on Arroyo.Seco.

of a dam here (1) the Monterey shale on the south side of canyon; 

(2) the granitic bowlders and sand in the bed of the stream both 

above and below the dam site; (3) gravel, sand, and soil on the north 

side of tne canyon. It was not considered safe to build an earthen 

or sand and gravel dam in the main channel of a torrential stream of 

this character, so the loose rock-fill type was chosen. It will be 

necessary to excavate a spillway in any case, and as located the 

excavation for the spillway will about make the fill for the dam. 

The relative position of the dam and spillway is shown in fig. 15.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. VIII

A. NORTH ABUTMENT AT FOSTER DAM SITE.

£. SOUTH ABUTMENT AT FOSTER DAM SITE.

HAMLIN.] AKEOYO SECO. 63

The dam will have a maximum height of 125 feet above the stream 

at the lower toe of the dam, as showo in fig. 16. The .upstream slope 

is to be 1| horizontal to 1 vertical and the downstream slope li horizontal to 1 vertical. The top width is to be 20 feet and the extreme 

length about 900 feet. The crest of the dam is to be 15 feet above 

the level of the spillway. This may seem excessive, but so little is 

known of the floods on this stream that it was not considered wise to 

make it less. In the future, if observations show that it is advisable, 

the level of the spillway can be easily raised.

The dam is to be made water-tight by a 1^-foot layer of asphaltic 

concrete laid on the upstream slope of the dam. This concrete is to 

be covered with 3^ feet of hand-laid rubble to protect it from the 

heat of the sun and weathering. The asphaltic concrete is to be made 

of sharp, angular broken rock and sharp sand, cemented with refined 

asphalt, properly tempered. The amount of asphalt should be reduced 

to the smallest amount that is required to secure a water-tight layer.

PIG. 16. Maximum cross section of proposed Foster dam.

Concrete of this character, if laid on a 1£ horizontal to 1 vertical slope 

and protected, will certainly be permanent.

A cut-off wall of concrete is to be carried down to bed rock at the 

upstream toe of the dam. The asphaltic concrete is to join this wall, 

making the*entire upstream slope of the dam water-tight.

The spillway channel is to be excavated in the Monterey shale at 

the south end of the dam. It is to be 200 feet wide on the bottom and 

will discharge approximately 29,000 second-feet with the water .12^ feet 

above the level of the crest. It is believed that this spillway will be 

permanent without a protective pavement. It should be deepened 

somewhat on the convex side to throw the current away from the 

south end of the dam.

The outlet from the reservoir is to be through a tower and tunnel 

near the south end of the dam, as shown in fig. 17. The tower is to 

be of concrete, is circular in plan, and will contain the valves for 

controlling the flow of the water from the reservoir. Four intake pipes 

3 feet in diameter will be placed in this tower. The valves will be
64 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

the ordinary disks or covers, which will be lifted by a rod and geared

wheelr;. The outlet gates from the 

tower are to be ordinary slide gates on 

steel rollers, with a clear opening of 

2 by 4 feet. They will be operated by 

means of a rod and geared wheels, like 

the inlet valves. These outlet gates 

will normally remain open, but may 

be closed or partly closed in case the 

inlet valves should fail to close or 

break. They will also serve to regulate the pressure in the tower in case 

it is difficult to operate the inlet 

valves. As the water will be used 

solely for irrigation, all the inlet valves 

were placed near the bottom of the 

tower. If desirable, however, others 

can be placed at different levels at any 

time. The outlet tunnel is to be driven 

through the shale rock and lined with 

concrete to prevent erosion.

The location of the spillway and 

dam is favorable for cheap and rapid 

handling of rock by means of two 

overhead cableways. The rock when 

blasted will doubtless shatter into 

sizes easily handled, probably small 

enough to be loaded into skips with a 

steam shovel.

The following is a summary of the 

estimated cost of the Foster dam and 

reservoir:

2 Estimated cost of Foster dam and reservoir.

Loose rock fill in dam_ -..-_._._.._ $141,930 

Asphaltic concrete__-.-..-.__..___ 51,240 

Hand-laid rabble................. '!4,738

Cut-offwall ...................... 7,173

Outlet tunnel----.----- .......... 10,918

Outlet tower ....--..--.-..------. 9,630

Inletvalves-.---------------. .-.. 3,640

Outlet valves-.....--..-..-..---.. 3,900

Tower house and footbridge. ------ 500

Engineering and contingencies, 5 

per cent --....--.------..--_-.-. 12,182

Reservoir and dam site............ 5,000

Total.-.-.--.--------------- 260,841
HAMLIN.] ARROYO SECO. 65

The estimated cost of storage at this locality is $15.61 per acre-foot 

if the reservoir is filled once during the winter, or *7.80 per acre-foot 

if filled twice.

CURRIER RESERVOIR.

The proposed Currier reservoir is on Arroyo Seco, 11 miles south of 

Soledad in an air line and about 12 miles by the wagon road (PL II). 

The dam site lies in the NE. |- of sec. 19 and the NW. | of sec. 20, T. 

19 S., B. 6 E., M. D. M., and the reservoir site extends westward 

about 3 miles to the Foster dam site. A survey was made of this locaFIG. 18. Currier reservoir site on Arroyo Seco.

tion by the writer in the summer of 1902. The topographic map of 

the reservoir is shown in fig. 18. The altitude of the stream at the 

dam site is 380 feet by aneroid observations. The survey was made 

for a dam which would raise the water 120 feet above the bed of the 

stream, or to the 500-foot contour. Such a dam will impound 24,657 

acre-feet of water. The accompanying table shows the area and 

capacity of this reservoir at the various contours.

Area and capacity of proposed Currier reservoir, Arroyo Seco,,California.

Contour.

380

390

400

410

420

430

440

450

460

470

480

490

500

Area.

Acres.

0

7.8

30.2

79.5

112.8

139

186

231

282

329

375

441

505

Capacity.

Acre-feet.

0

39

229

777

1,738

2,997

4,622

6, 707

9,272

12, 327

15, 847

19,927

24, 657

IRE 89 04-
66 WATER RESOUKCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

Fig. 19 shows the capacity curve of the reservoir, by means of 

which the amount of water stored can be ascertained for any depth. 

The drainage area tributary to this reservoir is 189 square miles. 

The table on page 54 shows the estimated monthly discharge of Arroyo 

Seco at the Pettitt ranch, 1 mile below. The discharge here will be 

practically the same as at the gaging station. The reservoir is a 

portion of the terraced valley of Arroyo Seco. PI. IX, A, shows 

the character of this valley looking upstream from below the dam 

site. The canyon has a width of about 340 feet at the bottom and

24 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 HO 23 21 26 

Acre-feet in thousands.

FIG. 19. Capacity curve of proposed Currier reservoir, showing capacity in thousands of acrefeet, with the water surface at various levels.

of about 550 feet at the level of the first terrace, 125 feet above 

the stream. The rock at the dam site is the Monterey shale. This 

formation has been described on page 62. At this point the shales 

are evenly stratified in thin beds, which are sharply folded and 

somewhat faulted just below the axis of the dam. PL IX, B, shows 

this fold on the south side of the canyon and PL X, A, shows the 

nearly horizontal beds of shale in the north side of the dam site. The 

shale east of the axis of the fold strikes 1ST. 70° W., and dips southwestward at an angle of from 40° to 45°. Bock is exposed in the sides
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. IX

CURRIER DAM SITE ON ARROYO SECO, LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM 

BELOW THE DAM.

B. SOUTH ABUTMENT AT CURRIER DAM SITE.

HAMLIN.] ABBOYO SECO. 67

of the canyon, but the bottom is covered with bowlders and sand. 

It seems probable that it is at least 20 to 25 feet to solid rock, but 

no borings have been made to test this locality.

PROPOSED CUBBIEB DAM.

The dam at this point as designed is to be of the rock-fill type. 

The location of the dam and spillway are shown in fig. 20. It is 

necessary either to excavate a spillway or to build a long wing wall to 

prevent the flood water from flowing around the end of the dam and 

over the cliff onto the lower slope. It was decided to excavate a spillway and use the rock in the dam. The dam will have a maximum 

height of 135 feet above the surface of the stream and will probably 

extend 20 to 25 feet below to bed rock, as shown in fig. 21. The 

upstream slope is to be 1£ horizontal to 1 vertical, and the downstream

FIG. 20. Currier dam site and spillway on Arroyo Seao.

slope li horizontal to 1 vertical. The top width is to be 20 feet. The 

extreme length of the dam will be 1,460 feet, but only the upper 20 

feet of the dam will have this length, the balance being less than 500 

feet long. The crest of the dam is to be 15 feet above the level of 

the spillway. In the future, if observations show that it is advisable, 

the level of the spillway can be easily raised. If raised 5 feet it would 

increase the capacity of the reservoir about 3,000 acre-feet. The dam 

is to be made water-tight by a 1^-foot layer of asphaltic concrete, laid 

on the upstream slope of the dam. This concrete is to be covered 

with 3| feet of hand-laid rubble to protect it from the heat of the sun 

and weathering, and is to be of the same composition as that described 

on page 63 for use at the Foster dam. A cut-off wall of Portlandcement concrete is to be carried down to bed rock at the upstream toe 

of the dam. The asphaltic concrete is to join this wall, making the 

entire upstream slope of the dam water-tight.
68 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINA8 VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

The proposed spillway will have a breadth of 250 feet and ample 

capacity to handle any flood. It will discharge on a broad terrace 

several hundred feet from the edge, of the cliff, and even if the shale 

does wear somewhat it is believed that the spillway will be permanent over the terrace. It is proposed to pave the spillway with asphalFIG. 21. Maximum cross section of Currier dam.

tic concrete for 300 feet below the crest on account of the folded and 

fractured condition of the shale.

The outlet from the reservoir is to be through a tower and tunnel 

near the north end of the dam, as shown in fig. 22. The tower is to 

be of concrete, is circular in plan, and will contain the valves for controlling the flow from the reservoirs. Five intake pipes 3 feet in diameter will be placed in this tower. The valves will be the ordinary disks

PIG 32. Profile of outlet tower and tunnel of Currier reservoir.

or covers, which will be lifted by a rod and geared wheels. The outlet 

gates from the tower are to be ordinary slide gates on rollers, with a 

clear opening of 2 by 4 feet. They will be operated by means of 

a rod and geared wheels, like the inlet valves. These outlet valves 

will normally remain open, but may be closed or partly closed in case 

the inlet valves should fail to close or break. They will also serve to 

regulate the pressure in the tower in case it is difficult to operate the 

inlet valves. As the water will be used solely for irrigation, the
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. X

A. NORTH ABUTMENT AT CURRIER DAM SITE.

B. SUMMIT REGION OF MOUNT DIABLO RANGE AT HEAD OF GAVIOTA CREEK. 

Shows scattered growth of timber and brush.

HAMLIN.] ARROYO SEOO AND SAW LORENZO CREEK. 69

valves were placed near the bottom of the tower. If desirable, however, others can be placed at different levels at any time. The outlet tunnel is to be driven through shale rock and lined with concrete. 

As at the Foster site, the location of the spillway and dam is favorable for cheap and rapid handling of rock by means of two overhead 

cableways. The rock when blasted will doubtless shatter into sizes 

easily handled, probably into sizes small enough to be loaded into 

skips with a steam shovel.

The following is & summary of the estimated cost of the dam and 

reservoir:

Estimated cost of Currier dam and reservoir.

Loose rock fill in dam._ .--__-_______--_ ________.-,----.__-------_-. $184,130

Asphaltic concrete.__________.______._____________-.____-_______-----_ 69,491

Hand-laid rabble ....... ___.._____... ..___.______._.___.______.---.-. 19,936

Cut-off wall .........____________________.___.____-_-_..__.__.__--...-- 36,016

Wing wall north of spillway ______ _....__________..__.._____.-........ 7,704

Pavement on spillway -_-----_--__-._--_____-..___--_-_-________-. ... 6,445

Outlet tunnel.-_-.--. .....__....... -..:................-_..-.-..--. 11,895

Outlet tower ................^........................................ 11,610

Inlet valves .-_-_-_---_-.--_------__.-_-----.--.__ -.--.-..-..---.-_-- 4,550

Outlet valves--......--.-.....-..-.. ..-.-----_---...-----..-.-..---.-.- 3,900

Tower house and footbridge .._____._._.....--_. __---.-........-..---. 500

Engineering and contingencies, 5 per cent ........... ..^.......... _ _ _ _ 17,809

Reservoir and dam site _.--.----_.....-. ____-...__-------------------. 7,500

Total-....-........--..--.... .....--..---...----------..-.-_--- 381,486

The estimated cost of storage at this locality is $15.47 per acre-foot 

if the reservoir is filled once during the winter, or $7.74 per acre-foot 

if filled twice, as described on page 85.

As the discharge of this stream is always sufficient to fill both the 

Foster and Currier reservoirs at least twice during the wet season, 

the outlet gates and tunnels were designed to discharge the contents 

of the reservoirs in thirty days. This amount of water can easily be 

handled in the valley below for winter irrigation. The impounded 

water can be released in the stream channel below the Currier dam 

and picked up by the existing and proposed canals at the month of 

the canyon, as shown on PI. II.

SAN LORENZO CREEK.

The only stream of any importance entering the Salinas from the 

east, except Estrella Creek, is San Lorenzo Creek. (See Pis. I and II.) 

This stream leaves the Mount Diablo Range about 15 miles above its 

junction with the Salinas. Its easterly tributary, Lewis Creek, rises 

in the most elevated portion of the Mount Diablo Range, in Priest 

Valley, and flows northwestward in a deep valley in this range to 

within about 5 miles of its junction with Peach tree Creek, a stream 

that drains the southwestern slope- of the long, narrow ridge between 

Priest Valley and the low-lying mesa lands to the southwest. This
70 WATEE EESOUKCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

ridge has an altitude ranging from 3,300 to 3,800 feet, and runs in a 

general northwest-southeast direction for many miles, being one of 

the main ridges of the Mount Diablo Range. These elevated ridges 

of this portion of the Mount Diablo Range are generally without forest covering, and often without even brush, bearing only scattered 

pine and oak trees. (See PI. X, B.) Many large areas are covered 

only with a growth of grass or wild oats. In some of the valleys, as 

Priest Valley, there are large scattered oak trees. These ridges and 

elevated valleys, which embrace an area of 150 square miles, are in 

the region of greatest precipitation in the Mount Diablo Range, and 

the greater part of the run-off from San Lorenzo Creek in ordinary 

years is from this portion of the drainage basin, the mesa to the west 

yielding little or no run-off.

All of the streams that rise along the southwest slope of the Mount 

Diablo Range in Monterey County have eroded deep channels into 

the -soft, sedimentary rocks of the mesa, the erosion being favored 

by the folded and broken condition of the strata in a narrow zone 

along the southwest slope of the Mount Diablo Range. The tendency 

of these streams Peachtree, Gaviota, and Chalone creeks to follow 

this folded zone is apparent oil inspection of the drainage lines shown 

on PL I. The contour of the country is such that these streams 

receive but little drainage from the mesa which slopes southwestward 

to Salinas River. Peachtree Creek has recently been robbed of a 

portion of its drainage basin by Gaviota Creek, formerly one of the 

small mesa streams. This change of drainage was accomplished by 

the progressive erosion upstream of the canyon of Gaviota Creek 

until it finally cut through the dividing ridge and diverted the water 

from 40 square miles of the upper drainage area of Peachtree Creek. 

The comparative recency of this change is shown by the fact that 

Gaviota Creek is now rapidly cutting a deep gorge through the upper 

part of its course in the mesa, having already sunk its bed several 

hundred feet below the former bed of Peachtree Creek, and by the 

additional fact that the valley of Peachtree Creek below the diversion 

is fast filling with debris brought down by small lateral streams.

Below Lonoak San Lorenzo Creek has eroded a valley 500 to 800 

feet deep, and has reached granite bed rock below the soft sedimentary rocks of the mesa (see PI. XI, A).

From the scant information at hand it seems probable that the 

upper portion of this drainage area in the Mount Diablo Range 

receives an average annual precipitation of at least 20 inches, with a 

probable maximum for wet years of 40 inches, and a minimum of 10 

inches for very dry years (see table on p. 43). During December, 

1900, and from January 1 to April 30, 1901, and during 1902, a record 

was kept of the discharge of this stream at the Mathews ranch. From 

these observations the table below of discharge of San Lorenzo Creek 

has been prepared. The diagram shown in fig. 23 is a graphic illustration of the discharge of this stream during the season of 1901-2.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLV PAPER NO. 89 PL. Xi

A. MATHEWS DAM SITE, LOOKING DOWNSTREAM, SHOWING GRANITE BED 

ROCK BELOW SOFT SHALES OF MESA REGION.

E. SPRECKELS SUGAR COMPANY'S PUMPING PLANT ON SOLEDAD RANCHO 

AT RANCH NO. 2.

HAMT.IN.] SAN LORENZO CREEK. 71

Sept. Oct. NOT. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. 

Acre-feet.

1,000

3,000

2.000

1,000

FIG. 23. Discharge of San Lorenzo Creek at Mathews ranch from September 1,1901, to August

30,1902.

Estimated monthly discharge of San Lorenzo Creek at Mathews dam site, 5 'miles

east of Kings City.

[Drainage area, 235 square miles.]

Month.

1900. 

December 16 to 31 . _ _ _ 

1901. 

January _ . _____

February ...... ______

March _ ___________

April . _______ .....

November. _ __________

December ___--.._.-_

1902. 

January ____._._.____

February _ _ _ _ _ _ _

March _ _ _

April _ _ _ .. _____ .

November-. ... . ._ _

December _ _ _ _ _

1608. 

January _____ . _

April . _._.._..

May . . . _ _ .---.-.---.

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

13

2,540 

9,200

27 

27 

720 

50

15 

795 

875 

5 

200 

15

274 

200 

470 

. 470 

5

Minimum.

9

9 

9 

9 

6

If 

5

5 

5 

5 

5 

15 

5

5 

5 

5 

5 

3

Mean.

9

171 

725 

17 

8 

65 

16

6 

69

81 

4

85

7

34 

52 

89 

69 

4

Total in acrefeet.

286

10, 514 

40, 264 

1,045

476 

3,868 

984

369 

3,832 

4,980 

238 

5,057 

430

2,091

2,888 

5,472 

4,106 

246

Run-off.

Secondfeet per 

square 

'mile.

0.04

.73 

3.09

.07 

.03

.28 

.07

.03 

,,29 

.34 

.02 

.36 

.03

.14 

.22 

.38 

.29 

.02

Depth in 

inches.

0.02

.84 

3.21 

.08 

.03 

.31 

.08

.03 

.30 

.39 

.02 

.40 

.03

.16 

.23 

.44 

.32 

.02

NOTE. Gage heights and discharge measurement for 1901 are given in WaterSupply Paper No. 66, page 155; rating table on page 178, same paper.
72 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

During the summer of 1900 the lower part of this drainage basin 

was explored by Prof. Charles D. Marx. The Mathews site was discovered and a reconnaissance survey was made. During the summer 

of 1901 Mr. H. E. Green resurveyed the reservoir and dam site, 

designed the dam, and made estimates of the cost.

MATHEWS RESERVOIR.

The Mathews reservoir site is in the canyon of San Lorenzo Creek, 

about 6 miles northeast of Kings City. The dam site is in the NW. i 

sec. 24, T. 19 S., R. 8 E., M. D. M., and the reservoir site extends 

eastward about 2 miles. The topographic map of the reservoir is 

shown in fig. 24. The altitude of the stream at the dam site is 440 

feet. The survey was made for a dam that would raise the water 100 

feet, to the 540-foot contour. Such a dam will impound 16,131 acrefeet of water.

FIG. 24. Mathews reservoir site on San Lorenzo Creek. 

Area and capacity of proposed Mathews reservoir on San Lorenzo Creek.

Contour.

440

450

460

470

480

490

500

510

520

530

540

Area.

Acres.

0.5

5.6

35.2

59.5

113

153.9

219

354. 5

286.8

326

364

Capacity.

Acre-feet.

0

30.5

234.5

708

1,570.5

2, 905

4, 769. 5

7,137

9, 843. 5

12,911.5

16,365.5

The accompanying table shows the area and capacity of this reservoir at the various contours. Fig. 25 shows the capacity curve of the
HAMLIN.] SAN LORENZO GREEK. 73

reservoir, by means of which the amount of water stored for any 

height can be ascertained. The area of the watershed tributary to 

this reservoir is 235 square miles. The table on page 71 shows the 

estimated monthly discharge frpm this stream-at the dam site, and 

the table on page 43 shows the rainfall in the upper portion of the

a

8 490

Leret of outlet

6 8 10 

Acre-feet In thousands.

PIG. 25. Capacity curve of proposed Mathews reservoir, showing capacity in thousands of 

acre:feet with the water surface at various levels.

drainage basin in Priest Valley. The reservoir is a portion of the 

canyon of San Lorenzo Creek, where it has cut down through the soft 

sedimentary formation of the mesa into the granite below. PI. XI, A, 

shows the character of this canyon at the dam site. At the dam 

site the canyon has a width of 120 feet at the level of the stream and 

590 feet at the top of the dam.
74 WATER RESOURCES OF SALTNAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

PROPOSED MATHEWS DAM.

The dam at this point as designed is to be an earth fill. The positions of the dam and spillway are shown in fig. 26. The dam will 

have a maximum height of 110 feet above the bed of the stream on

FIG. 26. Mathews dam site and spillway on San Lorenzo Creek.-

the axis of the dam, as shown in fig. 27. The upstream slope is to 

be 2| horizontal to 1 vertical, and the downstream slope is to be 2 

horizontal to I vertical. The top width will be 20 feet and the extreme 

length about 590 feet/ The crest of the dam is to be 10 feet above the

FIG. 27. Maximum cross section of Mathews dam.

level of the spillway. The dam will be made water-tight by a layer of 

natural bituminous sandstone embedded in the dam, as shown in fig. 

27. This bituminous rock can be obtained at the Mylar mine, 6| 

miles upstream. It is of excellent quality and can be had in large
HAMLIN.] BAN LORENZO CEEEK. 75

¥

quantities. A cut-off wall of concrete 

is to be carried down to bed rock at 

the upstream toe of the bituminous 

layer. The depth to bed rock was estimated at 20 feet, but no test borings 

have been made here. The upstream 

slope of the dam will be protected 

from wave action by a 2-foot thick 

pavement of bowlders and coarse 

gravel.

The spillway will be excavated 

through a low saddle northeast of the 

dam site, as shown in fig. 26. It is 

to be 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep, 

lined with concrete for a short distance below the crest, if necessary. 

This spillway will discharge into a 

lateral canyon which reaches the main 

stream 500 feet below the dam site.

The outlet from the reservoir is to 

be through a tunnel in the granite bed 

rock and two 36-inch cast-iron pipes, 

as shown in fig. 28. The flow from the 

reservoir will be controlled by ordinary straight waygates or valves in 

this pipe, as shown in figs. 29 and 30. 

The flow will ordinarily be controlled 

by the lower gate; the other will be 

normally open, but can be closed in 

case of accident to the lower gates, or 

for repairs. The shaft is to give easy 

access to the gates. As the water will 

be used solely for irrigation, the outlet 

pipe was placed near the bottom of the 

reservoir, and no provision has been 

made for drawing off water at different levels.

Earth for the construction of a dam 

lies above the granite bed rock to the 

west of the dam. It can be delivered 

at the dam site either by a tramway 

or by overhead cableways.

The following is a summary of 

the estimated cost of the dam and 

reservoir:
76 WATER RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

Estimated cost of Mathews dam and reservoir.

Earth embankment.........._..^..........-..........___........... $72,750.00

Bituminous rock core wall ......................._-.-..--_.-..-.-.--.. 44,240.00

Cut-off wall .......r ................................................ 12,112.00

Riprap ...... ...................................................... 3,750.00

Outlet tunnel, shaft, and pipes ... .....................--..._...._.. 16,235.00

Overflow weir ...._.................................................. 4,800.00

Plant and material. .-...-...--_____........._........_.__ ______.__ 25,000.00

Reservoir site and right of way. _ ___.___.___..._-----_.__-__________. 4,000.00

Engineering and contingencies .._........_._.........-.-.----..--... 18,288.70

Total-.... ..... ...... ... .._..._

Cost of storage per acre-foot, $12.29+.

201,175.70

FIG. 39. Plan of outlet gates of Mathews reservoir.

OUTLET TUNNEL

a

FIG. 30. Vertical section on line A-B through outlet gates of proposed Mathews reservoir.
HAMLIN.] HYDEOGEAPHY AND IEEIGATION. 77

CHALONE CREEK.

Chalone Creek, which enters Salinas River near Metz (PI. I), is a 

torrential stream flowing from the southeastern slopes of the Gabilan 

Range and Chalone Peak, draining an area of 128 square miles. It 

also has cut a deep canyon across the mesa lands. The discharge of 

this stream is large at times, as shown by the character of the channel. 

There are no reservoir sites in this watershed, and it is of small importance for irrigation purposes.

MESA STREAMS.

All the streams along the east side of Salinas River which rise in 

the mesa region, being without mountain drainage areas, are dry 

gulches during the dry season and flow but a few hours after storms 

in the wet season.

CARMEL RIVER.

Carmel River, although not a tributary of the Salinas, is one of 

the important streams of the region and merits a short description. 

It rises in a very rough mountain country on the northeastern 

slopes of the Santa Lucia Range and on the northwestern slopes of 

the Sierra $e Salinas and flows northwestward, reaching Carmel Bay 

at the norithwest extremity of the Santa Lucia Range (PL I). The 

valley is wide between the bounding hills and mountains for 10 miles 

from the coast, above which the stream flows in a canyon similar to 

that on the middle section of Arroyo Seco. Above Tularcitos Creek 

the stream flows in a canyon that reaches far back into the mountain region. Nothing very definite is known about the altitudes in 

this drainage area, but the average must be between 3,000 and 3,500 

feet. The divide between Carmel River and Arroyo Seco is at an 

altitude of 2,500 feet where it is crossed by the trail. This portion of 

the Santa Lucia Range is covered with a very thick growth of brush 

and stome areas are well forested by pines.

The Pacific Improvement Company diverts water from this stream 

by pipe system to reservoirs near Pacific Grove. The diversion dam 

is 15 miles from the mouth of the stream, at an elevation of 428 feet 

above sea level. The water is used for domestic supply at Pacific 

Grove and Monterey, and also for a small amount of irrigation.

The total area of the drainage basin of Carmel River is 275 square 

miles.

IRRIGATION.

CROPS IRRIGATED.

Only a comparatively small portion of the fertile lands ot the 

Salinas Valley is now irrigated. The residents of this region have 

apparently not until lately realized the need of irrigation, but have 

placed entire dependence on the rainfall, while vast floods annually
78 WATER EESOUKCES OF 8ALINA& VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

run to waste. The cycle of dry years just past and the introduction 

of new crops have called public attention to the urgent need of supplementing the scant rainfall by irrigation. The present report is based 

on investigations undertaken to aid in the development of the water 

supply of this region. In early days all the upper Salinas Valley was 

given over to stock raising, the upper valley and mesa lands supporting vast herds. In the early seventies, when the railroad was built 

south to Soled ad, a gradual change took place and wheat farming 

was begun in the valley. At the present time practically all the high 

valley land is used for raising wheat and barley, while the uplands or 

mesas, with the mountain slopes and small valleys, are still given 

over to stock raising. Grazing is and always will be an important 

industry. PL II shows the location of the irrigated and irrigable 

lands and the proposed storage reservoirs and canals in the Salinas 

Valley. It is estimated that there are 65,000 acres of irrigable land 

lying between the headworks of the Salinas canal and the ocean. Of 

this amount about 20,300 acres are irrigated by various ditches and 

pumping plants, leaving a balance of 44,700 acres of irrigable land to 

be provided for.

The principal crops irrigated are sugar beets, alfalfa, vegetables, 

and grain. Land on which sugar beets are raised is irrigated during 

the winter or early spring, usually but once, about 1^ acre-feet being 

run over the field. The amount of water used of course varies with 

difference in the porosity of soil, but 1J acre-feet is a close average. 

This is in addition to the rainfall. Sugar beets are not irrigated after 

planting, but depend entirely upon one irrigation and the rainfall. 

Alfalfa is usually irrigated twice during the summer, about 1^ acrefeet being used for each irrigation, or a total of 3 acre-feet a year. 

Alfalfa is ordinarily cut four and sometimes five times a year. Land 

on which potatoes are raised is irrigated once, in early spring, before 

planting, about 1| acre-feet being used. Grain is irrigated once, in 

April or May, about 1| acre-feet being used.

The cost of irrigation from canals is about $1.50 per acre-foot, 

including profits to the canal companies. Irrigation by pumping is 

necessarily more expensive, the average cost, not including profits, 

being about $2.50 per irrigation, or $1.67 per acre-foot.

CANALS.

The following is a brief description of the irrigation works now in 

operation in the Salinas Valley.

The Salinas canal was constructed in 1896 and 1897. Water is 

diverted from Salinas River to this canal by means of a temporary 

dam near the north line of San Benito rancho, south of Kings City 

(PI. II). The canal is 30 feet wide on the bottom, 40 feet wide on top, 

and was constructed to carry 5 feet of water. The grade is very 

light, 6 inches per mile, and the total length of the canal is about
HAMLIN.] CANALS. 79

9 miles. This canal was designed to divert water for winter and 

spring irrigation only, and now irrigates about 3,500 acres of land 

near Kings City, the principal crop being sugar beets and barley.

The San Lorenzo canal was constructed in 1896. Water is diverted 

from San Lorenzo Creek by means of a temporary dam of gravel at 

the mouth of the canyon, one-half mile below the Mathews dam 

site. (PL II). The canal is 20 feet wide on the bottom, 30 feet 

wide on top, and was designed to carry 5 feet of water. The grade 

is 5 feet per mile, and the total length of the canal about 8£ miles. 

This canal was designed for winter use only, and takes the flood 

water and winter flow from San Lorenzo Creek, which is practically a 

dry stream in the summer. The l?md irrigated is what is termed the 

San Lorenzo Creek bottom, and the amount irrigated eacli year has 

varied greatly, for since the construction of the canal there have been 

years of very scant rainfall. Perhaps 800 acres a year would cover 

the service of this canal.

Arroyo Seco canal No. 1 diverts flood water from the Arroyo Seco 

at the south line of lot 1 of the Arroyo Seco raiicho (PL II). It 

was constructed in 1897. The canal is 25 feet wide on the bottom, 

35 feet wide on top, and was designed to carry 5 feet of water. The 

grade is 5 feet per mile and the length is about £ miles. This canal 

irrigates about 300 acres of land a year on the north half of the 

Arroyo Seoo raiicho.

Arroyo Seco canal No. 2 is owned by the Arroyo Seco Improvement 

Company. It was constructed in 1898. Water is diverted to this 

canal by a temporary dam of gravel at the mouth of the canyon of the 

Arroyo Seco, at the south line of the Arroyo Seco rancho (PL II). The 

canal is 17 feet wide on the bottom, 27 feet wide on top, and was constructed to carry 5 feet of water. The grade is 1 foot per mile and 

the total length about 4 miles. This canal irrigates about 4,000 acres 

of land each year on the south half of the Arroyo Seco rancho and on 

the Espinosa tract.

Arroyo Seco canal No. 3 was constructed by the Spreckels Sugar 

Company in 1901 and 1902. Water is diverted to this canal from the 

Arroyo Seco by a temporary dam about one-half mile below the head 

of canal No. 2 (PL II). The canal is 20 feet wide on the bottom, 

38 feet wide on top, and was constructed to carry 4 feet of water. 

The grade is 5 feet per mile, and the length is 14 miles. It irrigates 

2,000 acres of land on the Soledad rancho. 05

The Gonzales Water Company's canal was constructed in 1899 

at a cost of $18,375 for construction of canal and right of way. 

The main canal is 7| miles long and diverts water from Salinas 

River by a wing dam of sand and brush about 4 miles south of the 

town of Gonzales (PL II). The river at this point flows throughout the 

year. The canal is 16 feet wide on the bottom, 32 feet wide on top,

a Information furnished by the Spreckels Sugar Company.
80 WATEK RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

and has a grade of 1 foot per mile. About 2,700 acres of land are 

irrigated from this canal, principally grain land, but during the last 

summer somewhat over 500 acres have been irrigrated for alfalfa, 

beets, and beans. The land has proved to be well adapted to irrigation, being well drained and fertile. Good crops have been obtained 

when all else around was a failure. a

The Brandenstein ditch (now abandoned) diverted water from 

Salinas River in sec. 10, T. 23 S., R. 10 E., M. D. M., and irrigated 

land on the San Bernardino rancho, southeast of San Ardo. The survey was made for a canal 50 feet wide with a depth of 3 feet of water, 

and with a grade of 2 feet per mile. The main canal is about 6 miles 

long, and from S to 10 miles of lateral ditches have been constructed^ 

No information is available as to the amount of water actually used 

or the exact location of the canals, so no attempt has been made to 

delineate them on the maps. 6

PUMPING PLANTS.

Considerable water is pumped for irrigation at several points in the 

Salinas Valley. At the Spreckels Sugar Company's ranch No. 1, at the 

sugar factory, 4 miles south of Salinas (PI. II), about 3,000 acres are 

irrigated, the waste water from the factory being utilized. The pump is 

an 18-inch Byron-Jackson centrifugal, directly connected with a General Electric 400-horsepower motor, driven from the factory generator. 

The average lift is 25 feet; the total average lift, including friction 

in pipe, 50 feet. The length of pipe is 4 miles; the diameters, 30, 32, 

and 34 inches. The general requirements of irrigation demand 20 

inches in depth of water per annum. The pump can also take water 

directly from Salinas River for irrigation at any time. Water is 

spread by a system of permanent checks. The average size of the 

ditches is 3 feet on bottom, 12 feet on top, and 3| feet deep.

The Spreckels Sugar Company also has a pumping plant on the 

Willoughby tract, near Spence station, on the right bank of Salinas 

River (PL II). The plant consists of one 20-inch Krugh centrifugal 

pump, belted to an Atlas compound engine. The pump takes water 

from Salinas River to irrigate 500 acres. The capacity of pump is 

6,000 to 10,000 gallons per minute, with an average lift of 23 feet. 

The average area irrigated is 350 acres on alternate years. The 

average cost of pumping water is $2 per acre, or $1.20 per acre-foot, 

running daytime only. The consumption of fuel is one-third cord of 

wood per acre irrigated.

At the Spreckels Sugar Company's ranch No. 2 the Soledad rancho 

(PI. II), opposite Soledad about 500 acres are irrigated by water 

pumped from Salinas River. The pumping plant consists of one 

20-inch Krugh centrifugal pump, belted to an 18 by 24 inch Atlas

a Information furnished by Dr. A. Gonzales, president Gonzales Water Company. 

& Information furnished by Mr. Meyer Brandenstein.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 89 PL. XII

SPRECKELS SUGAR COMPANY'S PUMPING PLANT NEAR KINGS CITY, AT RANCH NO. 3.

HAMLIN.] PUMPING PLANTS. 81

simple engine. The average lift is 22 feet, and the capacity of the 

pump is 6,000 to 10,000 gallons per minute. The consumption of fuel 

is at the rate of one-half cord of wood per acre irrigated. The cost 

of irrigation is $2.50 per acre, or $1.36 per acre-foot, running daytime only. The general requirements of irrigation demand 22 inches 

in depth in winter and spring. A general view of this pumping plant 

is shown in PI. XI, B.

At the Spreckels Sugar Company's ranch No. 3 there is a pumping 

plant on Salinas River, near Kings City (PI/ II). It consists of three 

20-inch Krugh centrifugal pumps, each belted to an 18 by 24 inch 

Atlas simple engine. Originally all the pumps took water from a 

sump fed from Salinas River and discharged into a 60-inch wood-stave 

pipe, 3,300 feet in length. Lately one pump has been connected with 

six wells, 20 inches in diameter and 70 feet deep, furnishing 6,000 

gallons of water per minute. The capacity of each pump, when 

pumping from sump, is 8,000 to 10,000 gallons per minute. The lift 

is from 20 to 35 feet. The fuel used consists of willow and cottonwood. The total area susceptible of irrigation is 2,000 acres, partly 

controlled by the Salinas canal. About 400 acres of alfalfa are irrigated 

from the deep wells. PI. XII is a general view of this plant, showing 

discharge pipes and 60-inch wood-stave pipe. *

The Salvation Army Colony tract on the Soledad rancho plant 

pumps water to a tract of land on the south side of Salinas River near 

Soledad (PI. II). The source of supply is Salinas River, from which 

the water is diverted by an open cut.

The Soledad Land and Water Company has a pumping plant on the 

Soledad rancho, on the south side of Salinas River, where water is 

pumped for irrigating 800 acres of land near the old Soledad Mission. 

The soil is sandy loam, without hardpan, and requires about 1 acrefoot during the irrigating season, which extends from April 1 to 

November 1.

The pump is a centrifugal pump of 10,000 gallons' capacity per 

minute, with a lift of 20 feet. The plant is so arranged that water 

may be pumped to a height of 14, 20, 22, 27, or 31 feet, as required. 

The power is furnished by an 85-horsepower tandem, compound, Corliss engine, belted to the centrifugal pump. This plant cost $10,000 

exclusive 1 of the ditches. The actual running expense per hour, 

without taking into account the depreciation of the plant, is about 

as follows: 

Engineer ...........................................................^.... $0.30

Superintendent ....................^..................................... .25

Fuel.............................................._...................... .25

Oil.......................................... ............................ .10

Incidentals -.---,.----.-...----.-..........._-............................. .10

Total............................_................_................ 1.00

a Information furnished by the Spreckels Sugar Company. 

IKK 89 04 6
82 WATEK KESOUKCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

The fuel used is willow and cottonwood, of rather poor quality, 

which is burned at the rate of about 1 cord every six hours. The cost of 

 cutting and delivering wood on the company's land is $1.50 per cord. 

This plant is operated very economically and gives satisf action. a

In the lower Salinas Valley there are many small pumping plants 

that pump from deep wells. The pumps are usually of the centrifugal type, operated by gasoline engines or occasionally by threshing 

engines, which are moved, from place to place. Many of these wells 

will yield a second-foot, and it seems certain that there is a large supply of underground water in the vicinity of Salinas. These wells are 

used to irrigate fields of alfalfa, potatoes, and vegetables. The aggregate area thus irrigated was estimated to be approximately 2,600 

acres. The underground water is discussed on pages 21-33.

EXTENSION OF IRRIGATION.

There are four sources of water supply available in this region for 

the extension of irrigation, viz: (1) Salinas River, (2) San Antonio 

River, (3) San Lorenzo Creek, and (4) Arroyo Seco. The location of 

these streams is shown on PI. I, and the location of the most important 

reservoirs on PL II.

EXTENSION OF IRRIGATION FROM SALINAS RIVER. '

The waters of Salinas River sink into the broad, sandy channel 

described on page 47, leaving but little surface flow in the dry season, 

when water is most needed. The winter floods are large, sweeping 

everything before them and converting the broad, sandy channel into 

a bed of shifting quicksand and silt. The estimated discharge of this 

stream from January 1 to July 31, 1901, is shown in the tables on 

page 48. The grade of this stream is Arery light, as noted on page 47, 

and the channel lies far below the general level of the valley. Any 

canals diverting water from this stream to the irrigable lands would 

of necessity have a very flat gradient and large cross section to deliver 

a sufficient amount of water. This adds greatly to the cost of construction. These features and the shifting channel of quicksand make 

it very difficult to divert the winter flow from the river. So serious 

are these obstacles that no large canals have been constructed to 

utilize the winter flow of the stream. Future investigation will, without doubt, show that it will be possible to divert Salinas River for 

winter irrigation, so as to conserve a portion of the water stored on 

the tributaries for summer use. There is an abundance of flood water 

for all the valley land that can be reached. Diversion from this 

stream will probably be most easily made by means of low, light 

weirs, such as are used on Kern River. They are inexpensive and in 

such a stream are very effective.

«Infor jnation by Mr. Ben Gould, Solecl&d, Cal,
IRRIGATION. 83

Although the grade of Salinas River is very flat, the grades of its 

principal tributaries are much steeper, and a point is soon reached in 

ascending these streams where the flow may be divert'ed to the valley

lands below.

i

EXTENSION OF IRRIGATION FROM SAN ANTONIO RIVER.

The most southern tributary of Salinas River from which it is practicable to divert water for the Salinas Valley is San Antonio River. 

The Pinkerton reservoir on this stream has been described on page 51.

By reference to the table on page 52 the cost of storage is seen to 

be excessive, but if a dam could be constructed to a height of 75 or 

100 feet the storage capacity of the reservoir would be enormousty 

increased. There is no probability of a shortage of water, as the 

run-off from San Antonio River is certainly large. There is not 

enough irrigable land along this stream for many miles below to 

justify the expense of a dam here. The only other land'within reach 

of this reservoir is the Salinas Valley between Wunpost and Kings 

City. It is approximately 22 miles from the reservoir to Wunpost. 

The canal would be on steep sidehills for a large part of the way 

unless it could be run through Hames Valley, in which case the distance would be considerably shortened. It would be necessary to 

cross Salinas River with an expensive flume to reach the northeast 

side of the valley.

For these reasons no further investigations were made of this project. It is possible, however, that in the future this site may become 

a valuable adjunct to the irrigation systems in the Salinas Valley. A 

cheaper dam, of the rock-fill type, could be substituted for the 

masonry structure, and this would greatly reduce the cost of storage.

EXTENSION OF IRRIGATION FROM SAN LORENZO CREEK.

The proposed Mathews reservoir and dam have been described on 

page 72. From December 16, 1900, to April 30, 1901, inclusive, the 

estimated discharge of this stream was 52,585 acre-feet (see table 

on p. 71), or nearly three and one-fourth times the capacity of the 

reservoir. From November 1, 1901, to April 30, 1902, inclusive, the 

estimated discharge of this stream was but 14,271 acre-feet (see table 

on p. 71), or but nine-tenths the capacity of the reservoir. As the 

rainfall this season was undoubtedly somewhat below the normal, it 

is probable that the reservoir will be filled in a season of average 

rainfall, while much water would go to waste in a wet season. From 

November 1, 1902, to May 30, 1903, inclusive, the estimated discharge 

of this stream was 20,290 acre-feet (see table on p. 71), or one and 

one-fourth times the capacity of the reservoir. Residents along the 

stream are authority for the statement that in some very dry seasons 

the stream flows little or none in the lower portion. During the 

summer the water is very alkaline. A sample collected one-fourth
84 WATEE RESOURCES OF SALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

mile above the head-gate of the San Loreuzo canal in the summer 

of 1901 and analyzed shows that when the stream is at the summer 

stage, discharging about 1 second-foot, the water may be expected 

to contain about 480 parts of solids in 100,000 parts of water. The 

complete analysis is shown below, expressed in parts per 100,000, 

the elements being calculated as compounds.

Analysis of water from San Lorenzo Creek during summer flow.®

Parts in 

100,000.

Calcium sulphate (CaSO4 ) -.___-________- ___________-___--_.--____-__- 80.15

Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4 ) _ ^ _^________^_-_-_-___.--__----_-. _-._-._. 57.40

Sodium sulphate (Na2SO4 ) ...................................... ........ 175.22

Potassium chloride (KC1) .________._.___________________ _______.._-__. 10.68

Sodium chloride (NaCl)_ ................. .............._-..-...-......- 119.35

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCOg )---__-_--_ _._- .._... .__._____.___-____ 34.11

Sodium carbonate (Na2COg ). _ _ ________ ____________ _______ .......... 4.19

Total..............._....... ........ ............................. 481.10

Samples of water were also collected from the first rises at the beginning of the wet season, No. 1 when the stream had risen 1 foot and 

No. 2,when it had risen approximately 2 feet. The proportion of 

solids is still seen to be very large.

Analyses of water from San Lorenzo Creek at beginning of wet season. &

Calcium sulphate (CaSO4 ) _.. _ ... .. _ ... ._ .

Potassium chloride (KC1) ___. .__ __.__.__ __._..__ ...... .

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCOg ) ____-_-__.____ ___-.__-.__.

Total.. ...... .-..__-..._-.._.._-- ..-_-.---_-.- .---

No. 1.

Parts in 

100,000,

53.3

74 1

37.9

15.6

40.1

43.7

264.7

No. 2.

Parts in 

100,000.

114.9

85.8

40.4

22.5

17.1

74.9

355.6

No samples have been collected from this stream after prolonged 

floods, but no doubt the amount of alkali is much less in time of flood. 

Provision should be made for drawing off the summer flow and the 

first flood waters before filling the reservoir. The total mineral content of the low-water flow and first floods is so large as to produce an 

appreciable and ultimately deleterious deposit in irrigated soil. The 

stream carries a large amount of silt in floods, but no determinations 

have been made of the percentages or the time it will take to fill the 

reservoir.

As no run-off records were kept on this stream prior to 1900, there 

are few data on which to base a reliable estimate of the discharge. It

«U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils. Atherton Seidell, analyst. 

& U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils. Bailey B. Brown, analyst.
HAMLIN.] IRRIGATION. 85

seems probable, however, that dry seasons may occur once in from six 

to ten years, when little water will be stored, and a supply must be held 

over from the preceding season. It is estimated that 4,000 acre-feet 

should be held over to maintain crops thaj; require a continuous supply of water, as alfalfa, etc. By this estimate the effective capacity 

of the reservoir is reduced from about 16,000 acre-feet to about 12,000 

acre-feet in ordinary seasons. Assuming the duty of water at 2 acrefeet per season, this reservoir should provide water for 6,000 acres in 

ordinary seasons with a hold-over supply of 4,000 acre-feet.

During seasons of more than average rainfall if the water for winter 

irrigation is drawn from the reservoir it will serve as a regulator of 

the flood discharge, and more land can be irrigated if crops requiring 

winter irrigation only are raised.

Canals are already constructed from the mouth of the canyon to 

and beyond Kings City, but it will be necessary to extend the system 

if the reservoir is built; however, no expensive works will be necessary.

EXTENSION OF IRRIGATION FROM ARROYO SECO.

The proposed Foster and Currier reservoirs have been described on 

pages 59 and 65. The table on page 54 shows that the total estimated 

discharge of Arroyo Seco from January 1 to August 31, 1901, was 

144,602 acre-feet, approximately 3.5 times the combined capacity of 

both reservoirs. One large flood occurred in November, 1900, of which 

there is no record, as the gaging station had not yet been established, 

but it is certain that a great amount of water was discharged.

The table on page 54 shows that from September 1, 1901, to August 

31, 1902, the total estimated discharge of this stream was 100,947 acrefeet, or approximately 2.4 times the capacity of both reservoirs. The 

rainfall throughout the Salinas Valley was somewhat below the average this season. The table on page 54 shows that from September 1, 

1902, to August 31, 1903, the total estimated discharge of the stream 

was 104,024 acre-feet, 2| times the combined capacity of both reservoirs. No other records of the discharge of this stream have been 

.kept, and no estimate can be made of the discharge for a very dry 

season, such as that of 1897-98, but from the testimony of residents 

in this region it seems probable that both reservoirs can be filled 

once even in seasons of very scant rainfall, and no hold-over storage 

will be necessary.

In seasons of ordinary rainfall the discharge of the stream is sufficient to fill both reservoirs twice and in wet years three or more times. 

As noted on page 78, it is desirable to irrigate for certain crops during 

the winter and *early spring, say from January 1 to March 31. This 

ordinarily is the season of greatest discharge from the Arroyo Seco.

It seems probable that by proper management both reservoirs can 

be filled and emptied and filled again in this period in seasons of ordinary rainfall and filled and emptied twice and filled again in wet sea-
86 WATER RESOURCES OF 8ALINAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 89.

sons. As noted above, they can probably be filled once even in the 

driest years. The combined capacity of the reservoirs is 41,367 acrefeet. By this estimate it is seen that it will be possible to start at the 

beginning of the dry season with full reservoirs, which, with the duty 

of water at 2 acre-feet, will provide irrigation for about 20,000 acres 

in very dry seasons. This is sufficient to carry through a dry year 

such crops as alfalfa, as well as orchards, etc. In seasons of ordinary 

rainfall the reservoirs should provide water for irrigating 40,000 acres, 

and in wet seasons 60,000 acres or more. It is believed that this 

estimate is conservative.

The reservoirs are thus seen to serve as regulators of the flood discharge as well as storage reservoirs.

To carry this water to the lands below it will be necessary to construct a canal approximately as located on PL II. This canal 

can be so located as to divert flood water from Salinas River between 

Kings City and Soledad, and the canals from the San Lorenzo and 

Arroyo Seco could discharge into it during the latter part of the season, supplementing the winter flow, if necessary. It is believed that 

such a canal, in connection with the reservoirs, will supply water to 

all the best irrigable land from Soledad to the Bay of Monterey. No 

surveys for such a canal and no estimates of its cost have been made 

by the United States Geological Survey.

The stream carries but a small percentage of silt, and the water is 

very pure, in every way suited for irrigation and domestic use.

The following table of analysis shows the character of this water 

at the gaging station the first of the season after a slight rise:

Analysis of water from Arroyo Seco. a

Parts in 

100,000.

Calcium sulphate (CaSO4 ) ______ __-___---._--_--_ ______.___.____-.____- 4.0

Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4 ) ______-___.... ____.___-__.___...____________ 2.9

Potassium chloride (KC1) _.___________________--_-._.--__--_-.-_--..__-- 1.0

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 ) _____._. ______ _____ . _ .__ _________......... 13.8

Potassium bicarbonate (KHCOS ) ___-___-__-__-- __________ ____________ .8

Total..............._. .........._ ________ _____________________ 32.5-

Other analyses show that the flood water contains slightly less mineral matter.

EXTENSION OF IRRIGATION BY PUMPING WATER.

If the above-described reservoirs and canals are constructed it is 

probable that pumping water for irrigation will decrease rather than 

increase in the lower Salinas Valley. The high price of fuel makes 

pumping expensive and in the future it will undoubtedly be limited 

to procuring water for domestic supplies and for the irrigation of 

small garden patches. The underground water conditions of the

«Calculated as compounds. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils. Bailey E. 

Brown, analyst.
HAMLIN.] SUMMARY. 87

lower Salinas Valley have been described on page 21. In the upper 

Salinas Valley and the mesa regions it is not improbable that sufficient water for stock-raising purposes could be reached by deep wells. 

Deep-well pumps driven by powerful windmills would raise the water 

to the surface and make available range lands now unused. For a 

detailed description of pumps and windmills used for such purposes 

the reader is referred to Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers IsTos. 1, 8, 

14, 29, 41, and 42 of the United States Geological Survey, and for a 

description of the methods of irrigation from wells to Water-Supply 

and Irrigation Paper No. 20.

SUMMARY.

The important results of the hydrographic investigations are summarized in the following table:

Summary of results of investigations.

* Improvement.

Foster reservoir, 135-foot dam:

Currier reservoir, 135-foot dam:

Mathews reservoir, 110-foot dam:

Capacity 

in acrefeet.

16,710 

33,430 

50,130

24,657 

49,300 

73,971

4,000 

]2,000 

16,131

Cost of installation.

Total.

$360,841.00 

360,841.00 

260,841.00

381,486.00 

381,486.00 

381,486.00

301, 175. 70 

301,175.70 

301,175.70

Per acrefoot 

stored.

$15.61 

7.80 

5.20

15.47 

7.74 

5.16

50.39 

16.V76 

12.29

Annual 

charge for 

interest, 

taxes, and maintenance.

$41,337.00 

41,237.00 

41,237.00

39,441.00 

29,441.00 

39,441.00

17,180.00 

17,180.00 

17,180.00

Annual 

charges per 

acre-foot 

stored.

|1.28 

.64 

.43

1.19 

.60 

.40

4.30 

1.43

i.or

In the above estimate interest was calculated at 6 per cent and 

taxes at 0.8 of 1 per cent on the total cost of the dams and reservoirs. 

In each case an additional charge of $3,500 per annum was made for 

maintenance and supervision.

The last column of the foregoing table gives the cost per acre-foot 

per annum of water stored at the above-mentioned reservoirs. Data 

are not available to estimate the loss by seepage in canals and by 

evaporation, but in estimating the amount of land that can be irrigated a liberal allowance has been made of the duty of water. It is 

assumed that for each 1.5 acre-feet of water put on the land 0.5 of an 

acre-foot will be lost in the canals. About 1.5 acre-feet per annum 

is the average amount of water actually used on the land. The Leigh 

reservoir and Pinkerton reservoir are not of special value at present, but may be valuable adjuncts to the water supply of the Salinas 

Valley in the future.

INDEX.

Page.

Agriculture, Department of, acknowledgments to .-.. .....--- 10 

Altitude, influence of, on rainfall ..-- 40-46 

Analysis, coal.._--._-._..._-------- 21

water, from Arroyo Seco............. 86

from San Lor enzo Creek.......... 84

Aridity, causes of....... ..........-.. . 40

Arroyo Seco, cross section of............. 56

hydrography of _.._..--....----------- 52-55

irrigation from......----....------.-- 79

extension of . .....--.....---.... 85-86

reservoir sites in basin of........-.. 55-69

views in....................... 53,58,63,66,68

Arroyo Seco canals, descriptions of...... 79

Arroyo Seco Improvement Company,

canal of ...------- - ----- 79

Auburn, rainfallat------...-.------------ 41

Basement complex, occurrence and characterof .........-........... 13

Bituminous rock and oil, occurrence of.. 16-19 

Boulder Peak, altitude of.. ----------- 13

Bradley, bituminous rock near...-... .. 19

Salinas Eiver at, view of------------ 50

Brandenstein, M., information furnished

by .. . _. . -- - 80 

Brandenstein ditch, description of ------- 80

Brown, B. E.,analyses by...-------------- 84,86

Bryson, Nacimiento Eiver at, discharge

of.. ....... -------------- 50

Nacimiento Eiver near, view of------ 50

Canals,description of..................... 78-80

Carmel River, hydrography of ----------- 77

Castle Peak, altitude of................... 11

Castroville, well at--------------------- 32

Chalone Creek, hydrography of ---------- 77

Chalone Peak,altitude of................. 11

Cisco, rainfallat.--_.._. __... 4L 

Climate, discussion of.-._-------------- 33-46

Coal, analyses of..._................._ 21

occurrence of--.------........... ...- 20

Coast Ranges, effect of, on climate ------- 34

extent and features of . _.......... 11

rainfall in, diagram showing distribution of - ---_ ............ .. 42

Cockins, W. W., jr., work of.............. 9,31

Colfax, rainfallat---.-------------------- 41

Crops, irrigated, discussion of............ 77-78

Currier dam, cross section of....... 68

description and estimated cost of _.-. 67,69

spillway at, diagram showing......... 67

Currier dam site, abutments at.. ...... 66,68

view of..----........................... 66

Page.

Currier reservoir, capacity curve of... 66 

description of.................... . - 65-67

map of----..--.-.---.------..---------- 65

outlet tower and tunnel of, profile of. 68 

Dall, W.H.,acknowledgments to.----_--_ 10

Department of Agriculture, acknowledgments to -.__---------------- 10

Drabble mine, coal in----------__- ____ 30

Estrella Creek, hydrography of...... _. 49

Fairbanks, H. W., cited on Paso Robles

formation-----------.-.-------- 15

cited on San Lui formation.. .... 13

cited on Santa Margarita formation . 15 

Fairfield, rainfallat-------_--......._ 41

Farallon Island, rainfall at...... ........ 41

Folsom, rainfall at. _ ..... .......... 41

Fo E ils of Vaquero sandstone. ------------ 14

Foster dam, cross section of .............. 63

description and co t of................ 62-65

figure showing ----------_---------- 63

Foster dam site, abutments at, views of . 63 

terrace at, view of_.:___ ---------------- 53

Foster reservoir, capacity curve of...... 61

description of.......................... 59-62

mapof -_.....-- ---_-- _-_-- 60

outlet tower and tunnel of, profile of. 64 

Fresno, rainfallat------------------------- 45

Gabilan Peak, altitude of.--------------- 11

Gabilan Range. See Santa Cruz Gabilan Range. 

Gaging stations, views of................. 48,50

Gaviota Creek, drainage changes on..... 70

view near.--.--. .__. _ .--...-_ 68 

Geography, discussion of--------_ _.-... 10-11

Geology, discussion of ................. 13-33

Glassford, A. W., quoted on climatic factors ............................ 33-35

Gonzales, A.,information furnished by.. 80 

Gonzales Water Company, canal of...... 79-80

Goodwin, rainfallat----------------. 43,44,46

Gould, B., information furnished by...-. 83 

Green, H. E., work of..................... 10,73

Griffin, M., acknowledgments to --------- 10

Hare, L. G., acknowledgments to ........ 10

Horswell, P.'J., information furnished by. 20 

Hubbard, A., acknowledgments to... . 10 

Hydrography, discussion of ------------- 46-77

Irrigation, cost of .- _.................. 78

discussion of.__.. ... .-......-.- 77-87

extension of, discussion of _..-.. 83-87 

Jolon, rainfallat....................... 43,44,45

San Antonio Eiver at, discharge of . _ 51

89
90 INDEX.

Page. 

Jo] on, San Antonio River Valley near,

views of........................ 50

Kings City, bituminous rock near. - -..-.- 17,18 

pumping plant near.-..-.............. 81

Salinas River near, view of........... 48

wind movement at.__............... 38-39

Krenkel, J. M , acknowledgments to..... 10

Lawson, A. C., cited on Santa Lucia granite.......................... . 13

Leigh, J. W., acknowledgments to._.... 10

Leigh dam sit 3, cross section at.......... 58

view of--------------..-.----...--.---.- 58

Leigh reservoir, description and estimated cost of ......---_...... 57-69

map of ------------------.-.___---_.--.- 58

Lippincott, J. B., work in charge of...... 9

Los Banos, rainfall at-..._ ---.------.-.- 45

Los Vaqueros, rainfall at-.-....------_--- 43,44

Los Vaqueros Creek, cross sections of ... .57,58

Leigh dam site on, view of..._ -._..- 58 

reservoir sites on...................... 56-S9

Mansfield, rainfall at................ 43,43,44,46

Marx, C. D., cited on Leigh reservoir-..- 59 

cited on Pettitt reservoir ------------- 57

cited on Pinkerton reservoir _________ 52

cited on Pools reservoir............... 56

quotedon A.rroyoSeco-_.-.----------- 52

quoted on Nacimiento watershed . _ 49-50 

quoted on San Antonio drainage basin...... .................--___.. 50-51

work of--..-------------------...---.-- 9

Mathews bituminous rock quarry, description of _....-....-........- 17

Mathews dam, cross section of .___ _.... 74

description and estimated cost of .... 74-76

spillway at, diagram showing ........ 74

Mathews dam site, view of ............... 70

Mathews ranch, San Lorenzo Creek at,

discharge of ................... 71

Mathews reservoir, capacity curve of. - - _ 73 

description of-................-______.. 71-72

map of ---------------.-...--..-.-.--.-. 72

outlet gates of, figure showing....... 76

outlet tunnel and shaft o?, figure

showing --..-............._..._ 75

Merriam. J. C., cited on San Pablo formation ._....--_---.----_...-_ 15

Mesa streams, character ot'_ .........._ ... 77

Metz, bituminous rock near .............. 17

Meyers, A. J., acknowledgments to ...... 10

Monterey,rainfall at..-..._......_.__ 43,44,45

Monterey road bridge, gaging station at,

view of---....----_.-....._.__ 48

Monterey shale, bituminous rock in. -._- 16-19 

occurrence and character of.......... 14-15

Mount. See next word of name.

Mount Diablo Range, coal in ............. 20

extent and features of ._.... ---------- 11

view of---...._-....__..........--_--..- 68

Mountains,effect on climate-.-___. ___- 33-35 

Mylar, bituminous rock quarry near, description of-_._____......--_--_ 17

Nacimiento River, hydrography of -...-. 49-50 

view of......_..--...--...---.-...-..- 50

Newell, P. H., letter of transmittal by. - - 7 

quoted on causes of aridity _...'__.... 40

Page.

Ocean, effect on climate __..._.___ 35 

Oil and bituminous rock, occurrence of.. 16-19 

Pacific Grove, diversion at.---------.--... 77

Pacific Improvement Company, diversion

by.............................. 77

Pacific Ocean, effect on climate ....-._ _ 35

Pajaro, rainfall at. ............... _... 43,44,45

Parkfield,brea seepages near............. 18

rainfall at ...... . ... ... .. 43,44,46

PasoRobles, rainfall at................ 43,44,45

Paso Robles formation, occurrence and

character of ................_ 15-16

Peachtree Creek, drainage changes on... 70 

Peachtree ranch, bituminous rock near. 18 

Pettitt dam site, cross section at. ___. 57 

Pettitt ranch, Arroyo Seco at, discharge

of __.-... ........______ 53,54

Pettitt reservoir, description and estimated cost of__-_...-.....__ 56-57

map of.....--.._--.-..---.---.---_. 56

PicoBlanco, altitude of...---......---._ 12

Piedras Blancas light-house, rainfall

at .__._ ____........ 42,43,44,45

Pine Mountain, altitude of .---------.--_- 12

Pinkerton, W., information furnished

by ......._. _... 33

Pinkerton dam site, cross section at .... _ 52

Pinkerton reservoir, description and capacity ot....................... 51-62

map of-_--------.-..-__-------------.-- 52

Pley to ranch, reservoir site on........... 51-62

well at. ..- . - - . 33 

Point Sur light-house, rainfall at . -. -. 43,43,44 

Pools dam site, cross section of.---------- 56

Pools reservoir, description and estimated cost of ----..-------.---- 55-56

map of---..-....-.--_____-_._______---- 55-56

Priest Valley, coal in...................... 20

rainfall at ....._._.......-..----... 43,44,45

Pumping plants, description of.----...-.. 80-82

views of................................ 70,80

Rainfall, discussion of-. ..___.......... 39-46

distribution of, diagram showing __ 41 

in Coast Range, distribution of, diagram showing................. 42

Roundtree Hill, altitude of ............... 12

Royse, C. H., acknowledgments to ------- 10

Sacramento, rainfall at._...__._______..-. 41

Salinas, pumping plant near -------------- 80

rainfall at....... ................ 43,44,45

Salinas River near, discharge of ------ 48

view of--..-.-.-....-..------.--.--- 48

underground water near.............. 21

well at, record of...................... 31-33

wind movement at ----------- --.... 36-37

Salinas canal, description of-..-.--------- 78-79

Salinas River, hydrography of ------- - 46-48

irrigation from-...-.__----_--_- 78-79,80-82

extension of ....................... 82

map of basin of.-.......------------.-- 10

viewson ............-----------_------- 48,50

Salinas Valley, geography of _....___..... 10-11

geology of.....---.--------------------- 13-33

irrigation in ........_____--_.-...-..... 77-87

map of..----.- --------------------- 22

topography of ._._..._...---...-....... 11-13
INDEX. 91

Page. 

Salvation Army Colony, pumping plant

at............................... 81

San Antonio Hills, extent and features

of............................... 12

San Antonio River, bituminous rock

near......-.....--.-.---.-..... 19

cross section of.._.................. 52

dam site on.__......._............ 51-52

hydrography of....................... 50-51

irrigation from, extension of...-....-- 83

viewsin valley of...................... 50

San Ardo, bituminous rock near...... _ 16-17

rainfall at........................... 43,44,45

San Francisco, rainfall at.- - - 41 

San Lorenzo canal, description of.... _ 79

San Lorenzo Creek, hydrography of.. 69-72 

irrigation from........................ 79

extension of....................... 83-85

reservoir site on...................---- 73-76

San Luis formation, occurrence and character of........................ 13

San Luis Obispo, rainfall at......_.... 43,44

SanMiguel, rainfall at................. 43,44,45

Santa Ana Peak, altitude of .--....--.---- 11

Santa Cruz, rainfall at...:............'. 43,44,45

Santa Cruz-G-abilan Range, extent and

features of----...------.---_ 11

Santa Lucia granite, occurrence and

character of...---------...... 13

Santa Lucia Peak, altitude of------ _.... 12

Santa Lucia Range, extent and features

of.......-.....-.....-.. ... 11-12

view of..----....-----.---.-..----...... 52

Santa Margarita, rainfall at -.-.....-.. 43,44,45

Santa Margarita formation, occurrence

and character of............... , 15

Seidell, Atherton, analysis by ------------ 84

Sierra de las Piedras, extent and features

of............................... 12

Sierra de Salinas, extent and features of. 12

Page. 

Simmler, rainfall at. ................ 43,44,46

Soledad, pumping plant near...--....-... 80-81

rainfall at. .....- .............. 43,44,45

terraces near, view of.--....-...-.._ 52-

Soledad Land and Water Company,

pumping plant of-.......--.... 81-82

Spence station, pumping plant n'ear...... 80

Spreckels Sugar Company, acknowledgmentsto ...____... .... 10

canal owned by.__.__.__.._ 79

information furnished by.----------- 79,81

pumping plants of.___............ 80-81

views of--.....-....--.....-.......- 70,80

Stone Canyon, coal at..........__...... 20

Storms, path and time of occurrence of. 39-40 

Stratigraphy, discussion of. ----.... _ 13-16

Stream robbery, example of ...1.......... 70

Structure, geologic, description of. - -.... 13

Summit, rainfall at......_._......._ 41

Terraces, occurrence of................... 47

plate showing .......__.._.__ .._ 52

Thompson Canyon, bituminous rock at.. 18 

Tidball, T. T., acknowledgments to...... 10

Topography, discussion of................ 11-13

influence of, on rainfall................ 40-46

Toro, Mount, altitude of..._ .._--.... 12

Truckee, rainfall at......._............. 41

Underground water, occurrence of ...... 21-33

See also Wells. 

Vaquero sandstone, occurrence and characterof .._.................. 14

Wartham Creek, coal on............... 20

Water, analysis of, from Arroyo Seco _ _ _ 86

analyses of, from San Lorenzo Creek- 84 

Water, underground, occurrence of ..... 21-33

See also Wells. 

Wells, list of......_.._ ..-_ . 22-30

See also Underground water. 

Willoughby tract,pumping plant on.._ 80 

Winds, movement of..................._ 35-39

o

LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS.

[Mount each slip upon a separate card, placing the subject at the top of the 

second slip. The name of the series should not be repeated on the series 

card, but the additional numbers should be added, as received, to the first 

entry.]

Hamlin, Homer

. . . Water resources of the Salinas Valley, California, by Homer Hamlin. Washington, Gov't print, 

off., 1904.

91 p., 1 1. illus., 12 pi. (incl. maps). 23£cm. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Water-supply and irrigation paper no. 89.) 

Subject series J, Water storage, 9.

Hamlin, Homer

. . . Water resources of the Salinas Valley, California, by Homer Hamlin. Washington, Gov't print, 

off., 1904.

91 p., 1 1. illus., 12 pi. (incl. maps). 23Jom. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Water-supply and irrigation paper no. 89.) 

Subject series J, Water storage, 9.

U. S. Geological survey.

Water-supply and irrigation papers, 

no. 89. Hamlin, Homer. Water resources of the Salinas 

Valley, Cal. 1904.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior.

see also 

U. S. Geological survey.



SERIES K PUMPING WATER.

WS 1. Pumping water for irrigation, by H. M. Wilson. 1896. 57 pp., 9 pis.

WS 8. Windmills for irrigation, by E. C. Murphy. 1897. 49 pp., 8 pis.

WS 14. New tests of certain pumps and water lifts used in irrigation, by O. P. Hood. 1898.

91 pp., 1 pi.

WS 20. Experiments with windmills, by T. O. Perry. 1899. 97 pp., 12 pis. 

WS 29. Wells and windmills in Nebraska, by E. H. Barbour. 1899. 85 pp., 27 pis. 

WS 41. The windmill; its efficiency and economic use, Pt. I, by E. C. Murphy. 1901. 72 pp.,

14 pis. 

WS 42. The windmill, Pt. II (continuation of No. 41). 1901. 73-147 pp., 15-16 pis.

SERIES L QUALITY ov WATER.

WS 3. Sewage irrigation, by G. W. Rafter. 1897. 100 pp., 4 pis.

WS 22. Sewage irrigation, Pt. II, by G. W. Rafter. 1899. 100 pp., 7 pis.

WS 72. Sewage pollution in metropolitan area near New York City, by M. O. Leighton. 1902.

75 pp., 8 pis. 

WS 76. Observations on the flow, of rivers in the vicinity of New York City, by H. A. Pressey.

1903. 108 pp., 13 pis. / 

WS 79. Normal and polluted waters in Northeastern United States, by M. O. Leighton. 1903.

192pp.

SERIES M GENERAL HYDROGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS.

WS 56. Methods of stream measurement. 1901. 51 pp., 12 pis.

WS 64. Accuracy of stream measurements, by E. C. Murphy. 1902. 99 pp., 4 pis.

WS 76. Observations on the flow of rivers in the vicinity of New York City, by H. A. Pressey.

1903. 108 pp., 13 pis.

WS 80. The relation of rainfall to run-off, by G. W. Rafter. 1903. 104 pp. 

WS 81. California hydrography, by J. B. Lippincott. 1903. 488 pp., 1 pi. 

WS 88. The Passaic flood of 1902, by G. B. Hollister and M. O. Leighton. 1903. 56 pp., 15 pis.

SERIES N WATER POWER.

WS 24. Water resources of the State of New York, Pt. I, by G. W. Rafter. 1899. 92 pp., 13 pis. 

WS 25. Water resources of the State of New York, Pt. II, by G. W. Rafter. 100-200 pp., 12 pis. 

WS 44. Profiles of rivers, by Henry Gannett. 1901. 100 pp., 11 pis. 

WS 62. Hydrography of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region, Pt. I, by H. A. Pressey.

1902. 95pp., 25 pis. 

WS 63. Hydrography of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region, Pt. II, by H. A. Pressey.

1902. 96-190 pp., 26-44 pis. 

WS 69. Water powers of the State of Maine, by H. A. Pressey. 1902. 124 pp., 14 pis.

[Continued on fourth page of cover.] 

IRR 89 3
O UNDERG BOUND WATERS.

WS 4. A reconnaissance in southeastern Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1897. 96 pp.. 7 pis.

WS 6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by Erasmus Eawort) l!»»7. C5pp., 12 pis.

WS 1. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 1897. 50 HJ., 3 pis.

WS 12. Underground waters of southeastern Nebraska, by N. H. Barton. 1898. 56 pp., 21 pis.

WS 21. Wells of northern Indiana, by Frank Leverett. 1899. 82 pp., 2 pis.

WS 26. Wells of southern Indiana (continuation of No. 21), by Frank Leverett. 1899. 64 pp.

WS 30. Water resources of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 7 pis.

WS 31. Lower Michigan mineral waters, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 4 pis.

WS 34. Geology and water resources of a portion of southeastern South Dakota, by J. E.

Todd. 1900. 34pp., 19 pis. 

WS53. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. I, by I. C. Russell. 1901.

86 pp., 10 pis. 

WS 54. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. II, by I. C. Russell. 1901.

87-141 pp. 

WS 55. Geology and water resources of a portion of Yakima County, Wash., by G. O. Smith.

1901. 68pp., 7 pis.

WS 57. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. I, by N. H. Barton. 1902. 60 pp. 

WS 59. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. I, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902. 95pp., 11 pis. 

WS 60. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. II, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902. 96-140 pp. 

WS61. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United Statw, Pt. II, by N. H. Darton. 1902.

67 pp.

WS 67. The motions of underground waters, by C. S. Slichter. 1902. 106 pp., 8 pis. 

B 199. Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by I. C. Russell. 1902.

192 pp., 25 pis. 

WS 77. Water resources of Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1903. 62 pp.,

4 pis. 

WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basins in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon,

by I. C. Russell. 1903. 53 pp., 2 pis. 

PP 17. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the one

hundredth and third meridian, by N. H. Darton. 1903. 69 pp., 43 pis.

The following papers also relate to this subject: Underground waters of Arkansas Valley in 

eastern Colorado, by G. K. Gilbert, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Preliminary report on artesian waters of a portion of the Dakotas, by N. H. Darton, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water 

resources of Illinois, by Frank Leverett, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water resources of 

Indiana and Ohio, by Frank Leverett, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; New developments in 

well boring and irrigation in eastern South Dakota, by N. H. Darton, in Eighteenth Annual, 

Pt. IV; Rock waters of Ohio, by Edward Orton, in Ninetp«.-nth Annual, Pt. IV; Artesian well 

prospects in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Darton, Bulletin No. 138.

SERIES P HYDBOGBAPHIC PBOGBES» REPORTS.

Progress reports may be found in the following publications: For 18oo-c'9, Tenth Annual, 

Pt. II; for 1889-90, Eleventh Annual, Pt. II; for 1890-91, Twelfth Annual Pt. II; for 1891-92, Thirteenth Annual, Pt. Ill; for 1893-94, B 131; for 1895, B 140; for 1896, Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV, 

WS 11; for 189',, Nineteenth Annual, Pt. IV, WS 15, 16; for 1898, Twentieth Annual, Pt. IV, 

WS27.28; for 1899, Twenty-first Annual, Pt. IV, WS a5-39; for 1901, Twenty-s. cond Annual, Pt.

IV, WS 47-52; for 1901, WS 65, 66, 75; for 1902, WS 82-85.

»

Correspondence should be addressed to 

The DIRECTOR,

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

IRR 89 4