IRRIGATION REPORTS. 

The following list contains titles and brief descriptions of the principal reports 

relating to water supply and irrigation, prepared by the United States Geological 

Survey since 1890: 

1S90. 

First Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1890; octavo, 123 pp. 

Printed as Part II, Irrigation, of the Tenth Aimual Report of the United States Geolog- ical Survey, 1888-89. Contains a statement of the origin of the Irrigation Survey, a pre- liminary report on the organization and prosecution of the survey of the arid lands for 

purposes of irrigation, and report of work done during 1890. 

1S91. 

Second Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891; octavo, 395 pp. 

Published as Part II, Irrigation, of the Eleventh Annual Report of the United States 

Geological Survey, 1889-90. Contains a description of the hydrography of the arid region and of the engineering operations carried on by the Irrigation Survey during 1890; also 

the statement of the Director of the Survey to the House Committee on Irrigation, and 

other papers, including a bibliography of irrigation literature. Illustrated by29platesand 4 figures. 

Third Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891; octavo, 576 pp. 

Printed as Part II of the Twelfth An:Jtual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1890-91. Contains" Report upon the location and survey of reservoir sites dnrjng the 

fiscal year ended June 30, 1891," by A. H. Thompson; "Hydrography of the arid regions," by F. H. Newell; "Irrigation in India," by Herbert M. Wilson. Illustrated by 93 plates and 190 figures. 

Bulletins of the Eleventh Census of the United States upon irrigation, prepared by F. H. Newell; quarto. 

No. 35, Irrigation in Arizona; No. 60, Irrigation in New Mexico; No. 85, 

Irrigation in Utah; No. 107, Irrigation in Wyoming; No. 153, Irrigation in 

Montana; No. 157, Irrigation in Idaho; No. 163, Irrigation in Neyada; No. 

178, Irrigation in Oregon; No. 193, Artesian wells for irrigation; No. 198, 

Irrigation in Washington. 1S9~. 

Irrigation of western United States, by F. H. Newell; extra census bulletin No. 

23, September 9, 1892; quarto, 22 pp. 

Contains tabulations showing the total number, average size, etc., of irrigated holdings, the total area and average size of irrigated farms in the subhumid regions, the percentage of number of farms irrigated, character of crops, value of irrigated landd, the average cost of irrigation, the inveetment and profits, together with a resume of the water supply and a description of irrigation by artesian wells. Illustrated by colored maps showing the 

location and relative extent of the irrigated areas. 

1S93. 

Thirteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1891-92, Part 

III, Irrigation, 1893; octavo, 486 pp. 

Consists of three papers: "Water supply for irrigation," by F. H. Newell; "American 

irrigation engineering" and "Engineering results of the Irrigation Survey," by Herbert 

M. Wilson; "Construction of topographic maps and selection and survey of reservoir sites," 

by A. H. '.rhompson. Illustrated by 77 plates and 119 figures. 

A geological reconnaissance in central Washington, by Israel Cook Russell, 1893; 

octavo, lOS pp., 15 plates. Bulletin No. 108 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 15 cents. 

Contains a description of the examination of the geologic structure in and adjacent to the drainage basin of Yakima River and the great plains of the Columbia to the east of 

this area, with special reference to the occurrence of artesian waters. 

1S94. 

Report on agriculture by irrigation in the western part of the United States at the 

Eleventh Census, 1890, by F. H. Newell, 1894; quarto, 283 pp. 

Consists of a general description of the condition of irrigation in the United States, the area irrigated, cost of works, their value and profits; also describes the water supply, the 

value of water, of artesian wells, reservoirs, and other details; then takes up each State 

ani'! Territory in order, giving a general description of the condition of agriculture by irrigation, and discusses the physical conditions and local peculiarities in each county. · 

Fourteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1892-93, Part 

II, Accompanying papers, 1894; octavo, 597 pp. 

Contains papers on "Potable waters of the eastern United States," by W J :McGee; 

"Natural mineral waters of the United States," by A. C. Peale; "Results of stream measurements," by F. H. Newell. illustrated by maps ~nd diagrams. 

IRR 19 (Continued on third page of cove1·.) 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

WATER-SUPPLY 

AND 

IRRIGATION PAPERS 

OF THE 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

No. i9 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT. PRINTING OFFIOE 

1899 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 

IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA 

BY 

CARL EWALD GRUNSKY 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIOE 

L899 

CONTENTS. 

. Page. 

Letter of transmittal ........................ ~ .. _.. . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

San Joaquin River.......................................................... 9 

Hydrography . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Canals and ditches.... . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Upper San Joaquin River CanaL................................ 13 

Madera irrigation district. . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14: 

Chowchilla CanaL . • • • • • . • • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

San Joaquin & Kings River CanaL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Posey Slough or Dos Palos Canal. ........................... ~... · 24: 

Temple Slough.. . . . . . . . . . • . . • • • • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24: 

Sanjon de Santa Rita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Blyth Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

East Side or Stevenson-Mitchell Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Fresno River.... . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Hydrography ........•••.................... , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Canals and ditches.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

Madera Canal (Fresno River Dam and Canal Company's Canal)... 27 

Adobe Ranch Ditch............................................. 31 

Chowchilla River . . • . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

Hydrography........................................................... 31 

Canals... • . . . • • . • • • • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

Kohler, West & Minturn canal system........................... 31 

Buchanan Reservoir project..................................... 32 

Merced River . . . • • • . . • . • • • • • • . . . • • . • . . • . • • • • . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Hydrography . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . • • . . • • • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Canals and ditches...................................................... 34 

Merced or Crocker-Huffman CanaL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Merced River Bottom canals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Merced Falls mills . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Merced Falls Ditch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Murray Mill Ditch • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Snelling Ditch. . . . . . • • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Montgomery & Anderson Ditch ...... c.......................... 38 

In gals be Slough . . • . • . . . • . • . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Scott Ditch. • • . . . . . . • • • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Dean Ditch ..•......................................• ~. . . . • . . . . . . 38 

Old River. . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . 38 

Feldhaus & Reed Ditch......................................... 39 

Hamlin or Millrace Ditch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Griffith & Shaver Ditch ............••........... ----............ 39 

Methods of water diversion and use..................................... 39 

Tuolumne River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:0 

Hydrography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

Canals and ditches...................................................... 43 

Lagrange Ditch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . • . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • . . . . . . . . . 43 

Wheaton Ditch................................................. 44 

Lagrange Dam. . . . • • . . • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . • • • . . • • • • • . 45 

5 
6 CON'l'ENTS. 

Tuolumne River-Continued. Page. 

Canals and ditches-Continued. 

Turlock irrigation district. . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • . • • • • • . . • • • . . . . • . . . 4 7 

Modesto irrigation district . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . . .. • • . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. . . . . 49 

Stanislaus River.................... .... ... . . ... . . . . . . .•..... .. . .•. . . ... . . . . 50 

Hydrography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

Canals and ditches...................................................... 52 

Stanislaus & San Joaquin Canal ..................... :. . . . . . . . . . 52 

Knights Ferry & Table Mountain Ditch (Pentland Ditch)...... . . f>5 

Oakdale Canal ......................•...•...•.•••.. -. • • . . . . . . . . . 56 

Mokelumne River........................................................... 56 

Hydrography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . • • • • • • • • • . . . • . . . . . . . . . . 56 

Canals and projects .......•.•............ ~. . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 

West-side creeks and other streams of San Joaquin Valley.... . . . . . . . . • . . . .. . 58 

Index...... . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PLATE I. Steamboat chute, San Joaquin River, at head of San Joaquin & 

Kings River Canal: A, As seen from below; B, As seen from 

above ...••••....................... , . . • . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

II. Regulator in San Joaquin & Kings River Canal: .A, As seen from 

above; B, As seen from below...... . . . . . • . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . 22 

III. Blyth Canal: A, Head at San Joaquin River; B, Nine-foot cut...... 24 

IV. East side of San Joaquin Valley from Chowchilla River to Merced 

River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

V. Dam across Merced River for Crocker-Huffman Canal.... . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

VI. Regulator in Crocker-Huffman Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

VII. Tunnel No.2 on Crocker-Huffman Canal........................... 36 

VIII. Crocker-Huffman Canal near head, looking down. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 

IX. Inlet to Merced Reservoir, Crocker-Huffman Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

X. Lagrange Dam during construction: A, As seen from front; B, Abutment............................................................ 44 

XI. Lagrange Dam: A, Nearing completion; B, At time of high water.. 46 

FIG. 1. Discharge of San Joaquin River at Herndon, California, 1895-96 .... 12 

2. Head of Upper San Joaquin River Canal, on San Joaquin River, 1883. 13 

3. Plan and section of Chowchilla Canal regulator.................... 16 

4. Head of San Joaquin & Kings River Canal......................... 18 

5. Details of head works of San Joaquin & Kings River Canal........ 19 

· 6. Brush dam across San Joaquin River at head of San Joaquin & Kings 

River Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

7. Head of Fresno River Canal....................................... 27 

8. Head of Adobe Slough ..................................... ~.. . . . . . 30 

9. Water dive1·sion by Kohler, West & Minturn Canal................. 32 

10. Discharge of 'fuolnmne River at Modesto, California, 1895-96. .. .... 42 

11. Discharge of Tuolumne River at Lagrange, California, 1895-96. ... . 43 

12. Plan of Lagrange Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . • • . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 45 

13. Section of Lagrange Dam ............... _ .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. 46 

14. Discharge of Stanislaus River at Oakdale, California, 1895-96..... .. 52 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

DEP ARTMENl' OF THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY, . 

Wa.shington, July 15, 1898. 

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript entitled 

Irrigation near Merced, California, by Mr. C. E. Grunsky, and to recommend that it be published as one of the series of pamphlets on Water 

Supply and Irrigation. This is the third of three papers relating to 

irrigation in San Joaquin Valley, the other two being Nos.17 and 18 of 

the series. This paper describes the irrigation systems deriving their 

water supply from San Joaquin, Chowchilla, Merced, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, and Mokelumne rivers. 

Ver;y respectfully, F. H. NEWELL, 

Hydrographer in Charge. 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 

Director United States Geological Survey. 

7 

IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA/ 

By c. E. GRUNSKY. 

SAN JOAQUIN RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

San Joaquin River enters San Joaquin Valley from the east at a 

point about 20 miles northeast of Fresno, flows southwesterly 55 miles 

to the valley trough, and, entering the lowlands of the Fresno Slough 

country, turns at Las Juntas abruptly to the northwest and becomes 

the main drainage channel of the valley. For 40 miles below Hamptonville, the point at which the river enters the main valley, its cour~e 

lies through narrow strips of bottom land hemmed in by bluffs rising 

to the plains above. These bluffs are generally one-half mile to a mile 

apart and descend abruptly toward the river from a very smoothsurfaced plain. They gradually decrease in height toward the west, 

their height being about 60 feet near the eastern edge of the valley and 

40 feet near Herndon. Before the river reaches Las Juntas, 20 miles 

by river below Herndon, the bluffs have disappeared entirely, and the 

flood waters of the river sweep across country to the southwest into 

Fresno Swamp a.nd to the northwest in a direction down the valley 

parallel with the river. 

Bottom lands of small extent flank the river between its bluffs, but 

have remained unirrigated. The upland of the main valley plain is so 

high above the river near the eastern border of the valley that canals 

to command the upland would be very costly, and none have been constructed, though several have at various times been projected. The 

diversion of water for irrigation is confined to that portion of the river 

lying in or near the main valley trough. 

The area of the river drainage basin above the point where it breaks 

from the Sierra Nevada is 1,637 square miles. This entire area is 

mountainous. It extends eastward to the summit of the SierraN evada, 

70 miles of this summit, measured in a direct line, being the eastern 

limit of the river's drainage basin. 

The river is ordinarily at its highest stage in the spring months, generally in May and June; but winter freshets are not uncommon, and 

extreme floods, such as those Qf 1861-62 and 1867-68, have occurred in 

winter. The flow of the ri-ver at Hamptonville, near the eastern border 

of San Joaquin Valley, was approximately determined by the State 

I See introductory remarks in Water-Supply Paper No. 17, p. 13. 

9 
10 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

engineer of California for the years 1878 to 1884.1 .A mean monthly 

flow for November of 378 second-feet and a mean monthly flow for 

June of 10,150 second-feet were the extremes indicated by these 

measurements. 

The river is ordinarily at a low stage from September to the end of 

December. It is at a medium stage, with a flow in excess of 1,000 

second-feet, from January to March and in July and .August. It is 

high from April to July. These periods are, however, to be taken only 

as a general guide, because the flow of this stream varies within wide 

limits, according to the varying conditions of rainfall and temperature 

of each season. 

The Southern Pacific Company have maintained daily readings of 

gage height on this river since 1879 at their bridge half a mile north 

of Herndon and 12 miles north of Fresno. Since 1895 the United States 

Geological Survey has been taking measurements of discharge from the 

wagon bridge near by. The results of these measurements are published in various reports of the Survey.2 

The following facts in regard to the flow of the river are brought out: 

1895. Maximum discharge,May, 19,960 second-feet; minimum, September, October, November, and December, 260 second-feet; average for the year, 3,791 secondfeet. 

1896. Maximum discharge, May, 18,800 second-feet; minimum, September and 

October, 80 second-feet; average for the year, 2,756 second-feet. 

1897. Maximum discharge, May 24, 18,600 second-feet; minimum, December 23, 

60 second-feet; average, 3,105 second-feet. 

Estimated »wnthly dis"ltm·ge of San Joaquin Ri1Jet• at Het·ndon, California.3 

[Drainage area, 1,637 square miles.] 

Month. 

1895. 

Jannary •.•.....•........•........ 

fu:~~a~!.: :::::::::::::::::::::::: 

April ............................ . May •••........................... June .•••.................••..••... July .••...................•....... August .......................... . September .....................•.. October .......................... . November ....................... . December ........................ . 

The year ..•••••••••••..••••. 

Discharge in second-feet. 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. 

11,225 1,260 2,881 

8, 500 909 2, 568 

9,318 1,554 2, 779 

9,863 3,354 5,834 

19,960 5,100 13,124 

14,565 7,250 10,674 

8,00'0. 2,148 4,528 

2, 301 793 1, 417 

8, 500 260 1,085 

1,260 260 420 

426 260 362 677 260 373 

------------ 19,960 260 3,791 

Run-off. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. Depth feet per 

ininches. square 

mile. 

177,102 2.029 1. 760 

142,590 1.634 1.569 

170,840 1.957 1.697 

316,600 3.626 3.564 

807,000 9.243 8. 017 

599,404 6.866 6.520 

278,410 3.189 2. 766 87, 10<1 .997 .866 

64,,567 .740 .663 

25,846 .296 .257 

25,562 .247 .221 

22,905 . 262 .228 

---------- 2, 717,930 31.086 2.334 

=== ---====== I See Physical Data and Statistics, Wm. Ham. Hall, State engineer of California, 1886, pp. 449, 476. 

2 Twelfth Ann. Rept., Part II, 1891, p. 321, Pl. LXXXIV; Bull. No. 131, 1895, p. 81; Bull. No. 140, 

1896, p. 290; Eighteenth Ann. Rept., Part IV, 1897, p. 385; W ater-Snpply and Irrigation Paper No. 11, 

1897, p. 91; Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 16, 1898,..p. 190. 

3Jn using results shown in these tables of discharge, some allo)Vance must be made for uncertainty 

as to the permanency of stream cross sections on which rating tables were based. A slight change 

in absolute elevation of river bed at the rating station, if known, would modify tbe rating table, particularly for low-water stages. Lack of inforniation on this point may lead to erroneous conclusions. 

The flow of San Joaquin River at Herndon has probably never dropped to 60 cubic feet-per second. 
GRUNSK.Y.] DISCHARGE OF SAN JOAQUIN RIVER. 11 

Estiniated monthly discharge of San Joaquin River at Herndon, Calijm·nia-Continued. 

Discharge in sec~nd-feet. 

:Month. 

:Maximum. :Minimum. :Mean. 

1896. 

t~~~~:::::::::::::::: ::::::::: 12,800 250 2,119 

1, 750 950 1,177 

12,176 1,180 2, 612 April ............................. 5,648 1,920 2,675 

:May ........•..................... 18,800 2,560 5,394 

June ..............••••••.......... 16,920 6, 544 11,799 

July ...•.......................... 8, 080 1, 600 4,177 

te~~:;b~r:::: :::::::::::::::::::: 1, 300 700 1,048 

1,180 80 534 October ..•.......•...•............ 700 80 167 November ..•..................... 2, 390 430 697 December .•....•...........•...... 1, 750 430 666 

The year ...............•.... 18,800 80 2, 756 

1897. 

Run-off. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. Depth feet per 

in inches. square 

mile. 

130,335 1.,9 1.29 67,696 • 77 .72 160,649 1.84 1.60 159,192 1.83 1.64 331,700 3.81 3.30 702,106 8.00 7.21 256,865 3.04 2.55 64,463 .74 .64 

31,817 .37 .33 10,275 .12 .10 41,492 .48 .43 40,957 .47 .41 

1, 997,547 22.96 1. 69 

-------- Jarutary ........ ...•.. •. • .•....•.. 1,180 535 655 40,275 • 46 • 40 February......................... 15,660 1,180 2, 698 144,286 1. 66 1. 59 :March............................ 4, 600 1, 675 2, 325 142,960 1. 64 1. 42 ApriL ..............•..•........•. 11,708 2,305 6,541 389,216 ,,46 4.00 

:May . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 600 9, 565 13, 545 832, 855 9. 5' 8. 27 June ......•......•................ 12,332 2,390 5,862 348,812 3.98 3.57 July •... "......................... 4, 300 1, 300 2,493 153,290 1. 75 1. 52 August ........................... 1,300 590 898 55,216 .63 .55 September........................ 535 105 227 13,507 .16 .14 October........................... 820 105 279 17,155 .20 .17 November........................ 4, 300 120 872 51,887 • 59 . 53 December ................... :. . .. . 4, 000 60 968 59, 520 . 68 • 59 

The year .................... --18,600\--60--3, i05 2."248.979[~:75 ~ 

For several miles below the western base of the Sierra Nevada foothills ledges of rotten granite appear in the becl of the river; these are 

often covered to considerable depth by sand and gravel bars. The 

river channel is here generally 300 to 500 feet wide. From Hamptonville_to Herndon it falls 89 feet in 20 miles; thence to Las Juntas about 

36 feet in a distance of about 36 miles. Below Herndon the low-water 

flow is between sandbars. .After passing Las Juntas, where the river 

is joined by Fresno Slough, it becomes the main drainage line of San 

Joaquin Valley. It has not, however, been a rapid land builder, and 

the elevation of river banks is but slightly greater than that of the 

general surface of the submersible area which flanks the stream. 

From Las Juntas to the head of Old River, where the river bifurcates, 

the distance in an air line is 87 miles. The river between these points 

has a length of 146 miles. Its average width is 400 feet, and the depth 

of its channel, from top of natural banks to river bed, is 12 to 18 feet. 

There is a s1ight slope of bank lands away from the river, except at a 

few points, where the river impinges upon spurs of upland that extend 

eastward from the Coast Range foothills, notably at Grayson and near 

San Joaquin. The river bottom is generally clean sand, but a firm 

clay is here and there exposed. River banks are of quite firm alluvial 

material, showing but little tendency to cave. They are lightly fringed 

with willows and cottonwoods and occasionally oaks. 

The land upon either side of the river subject to periodical flooding 
• 

12 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No,19. 

is generally open country, throughout which clumps of willows mark 

the alignment of sloughs, as the overflow channels from the river are 

called. Tule grows in spots wherehigh bank lands along the sloughs 

or river have penned in water or sufficiently retarded drainage to keep 

the surface moist throughout the year. Oaks are dotted over some 

portions of this region, but rarely appear in dense groves. Thf1 main 

east-side and west-side plains have been described in Water-Supply 

Paper No. 17, on page 15. 

Sec.-fl ~A.~ 26,000 

24,000 

22,000 

20,000 

18,000 

16,000 

14,000 

12,000 

10,000 I 

8,000 

6,000 

22,000 t--+-+-+-+-+-· - f-f-· ·-f-1-· -I-I-· ·-+-l-+-~-+-1-+-+-1-+-1-+-l-1-+--l-+-l-+-l 

lt<~S~ 20,000 1--+--t--1--+-+-· - t-f-· - t--1-· -1-t-· ·-t-1--t-t-t-+-+--t-t---j-+-f-+-+-f-+-1-+--1-+-1 

18,000t--t-+-+-+-+-· -f-t-~·-1-1-· -t-t- ·-+--l--+-~-+-l--l-+-l-+-l--l--1---1-l--l--1-1-+-1 

16,000 1-t-+-+-+-+-· - f- f-' - 1-1-· - f-1-·1 ·+--l-ll-+-l-+-+-11--1--l--i-+-11-1--l--l-+--l--l--1-1 

14,000 1--t-+-+-+-+- - t-,_J·-t-1--· - t-1-· 

12,000 1--+-t--1--+-+- ·-I-f-·.' -t-1-· - t--1-· 

10,000 1-t-tt-+-+-+- ·-f-1- -I-I-· ·-f-1-J 

8,000 1--t--lt-+--t-+- -f-...... -I-t-· -I- . 

6,0001--t---+--t--1- ·-t- . -!-,.-·-f-. 

I 

4,000 ·-t- ; -~. ~ ,. 

2,000 f-tlt-1- ,_~-,-) ·~ . t 

~· o-. 

u 

FIG. 1.-Discharge of San Joaquin River at Herndon, California, 1895-96. 

. '" 
GRUNSKY.) SAN JOAQUIN RIVER CANAL. 13 

CANALS AND. DITCHES. 

Upper San Joaquin River Oanal.-This work has not been a success. 

The construction of the canal commenced in 1879. It was pushed for 

some time, until about $85,000 had been expended on it; several years 

then passed, during which little or no work was done. A new company finally took hold of the enterprise, expending about $300,000 on a 

dam at the head of the canal and on the main canal above Herndon. 

Their dam was completed in the fall of 1883 and was maintained 

FIG. 2. -Head of Upper San Joaq·uin River Canal, on San Joaquin River, 1883. 

with difficulty for several years, during which time a little water was 

forced through the canal and out upon the . upland near Herndon. 

About 1887 the work was abandoned. 

The head of the canal is about one-half mile below Hamptonville, at a 

point where the river is nearly 900 feet wide. The river bottom is sand, 

about20feetdeep,restingupon a rotten granite formation. A loose-rock 

diverting dam was constructed at this point to a height of about 8 

feet above low water. It was proposed to allow the river to :How over 

this from bank to bank. The material used for the dam w~s rock as 

quarried from a spur of granite, cobbles, and gravel. All material was 
14 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

dumped into place from small cars. No attempt seems to have been 

made to secure large blocks of stone, and all rock fragments ordinarily 

classed as quarry waste went into the structure. The largest stone 

(maximum size about ll cubic yards) was dumped downstream to form 

a face that should resist the force of overfalling water. As the lower 

face rock dropped into place the river cut out the sand in its bed, thus 

permitting at least the toe of the structure to find a solid formation. 

The upstream face was formed of fine quarry waste, cobbles, and gravel. 

Trestle piles which carried the car track were allowed to remain in 

place and the downstream crest edge of the structure was protected by 

three layers of planking. . Other expedients, such as extending an iron 

plate over the upper portion of the downstream slope for its protection, 

were tried, but experience soon demonstrated the difficulty of maintaining a loose-stone dam in a river of considerable flow. Even the later 

reconstruction of the downstream face of the dam with large blocks of 

stone, hand laid, and its partial protection with fascines could not make 

the structure permanently secure and the river's freshets repeatedly 

cut out sections of it. 

Experience with the canal itself was equally unfortunate. Its course 

for several miles is along and across the river bottoms, thence for 9 miles 

it hangs on the steep descent or bluff, from south-side upland to river, 

and finally cuts out to the higher level of the upland a few miles above 

Herndon. Near its head the canal has a becl width of 75 feet. Its 

total fall in the first 4 miles does not exceed 1 foot. Along the bluff it 

received somewhat irregular dimensions. It was intended to carry 

water 5 feet deep. Its bed width was generally 24 feet, side slopes 3 to 

1, and its gradient one-quarter to 1 foot fall to the mile. It was 

endeavored to make sidehill cutting supply material for an outer levee, 

whose slope away from the canal was the natural slope of the material 

used in its construction, generally between 1~ to 1 and 2 to 1. Some of 

the excavated material was removed by blasting, being in firm layers 

of very hard clay or ashy sandstone. These firm materials, alternated 

with soft ashy deposits or a reddish loant material, did not make a safe 

levee, and great trouble was experienced in making this levee bold 

water. 

Water was furnished through the canal long enough to encourage 

some tree planting and diversified farming, but not much progress had 

been made when the canal fell into disuse. 

Made'ra irrigation district.-This irrigation district is located on the 

east-side plain of San Joaquin Valley, to the north of San Joaquin 

River. The district was organized in 1888 and was to be supplied with 

water from San ,Joaquin River. Notwithstanding active opposition, 

the necessary bonds were voted and the legality of the district organization was affirmed by the courts. It was proposed to take water from 

the north side of San .Joaquin River near the point where it leaves the 

hills, but no construction work was done. Operations were blocked 
ftRUNSKY.] CHOWCHILLA CANAL. 15 

by legal proceedings, and after many long delays it was decided to dis-. 

organize, which has been done. The district bad an area of 305,000 

acres, and the amount of bonds voted for construction of works was 

$850,000. ~ 

Chowchilla Oanal.-This canal, which was constructed in 1872, has its 

head on the north side of San Joaquin River about 8 miles by river 

above Las Juntas. Its course is slightly west of north, almost parallel 

with the main drainage of the valley, and for a distance of over 20 miles 

it commands a strip of land averaging5 miles in width, which is bordered 

on the west by San Joaquin River. 

The river at the head of the canal lies in several channels, one of which 

sends off a branch toward the north, known as Lone Willow Slough. 

The river banks at the head of this slough rise about 15 feet above the 

low-water plane. By deepening the slough and constructing a gate in 

it, near its head, it was converted into a section of the canal, and from it, 

about 2 miles below, water was turned into the artificial canal. The 

canal was made 30 feet wide on the bottom and 2-k feet deep near the 

point where it leaves Lone Willow Slough. But these dimensions are 

maintained for 3 to 4 miles only. The width is then gradually reduced 

to 25, to 20, and finally to 15 feet. In its northerly course of nearly 30 

miles the canal follows a grade line having a fall of 6 inches to the mile. 

Mr. J. D. Schuyler, as assistant State engineer in 1879, describes the 

difficulties of canal construction and the canal head gate as follows: 1 

The total cost of the canal was, in round numbers, $100,000.2 The tough character of 

the excavation, the greater portion of the distance rendering the free use of blasting 

powder necessary, greatly increased the cost over that of ordinary earthen channels 

of like dimensions. 

The treacherous character of the quicksand bed at the head'of the canalhasmade 

it an exceedingly difficult task to construct a head gate that would withstand the 

action of floods. For four successive seasons after the building of the canal the 

. head gate was washed out, and as often replaced by a new structure on a (lifferent 

plan. 

In the fall of 1877 the present structure, which has withstood severe tests, and 

gives every evidence of permanence, was built. As this structure has some novel 

features, and its plan is indorsed by its success, it deserves a brief description. 'l'he 

use of sheet piling, generally considered indispensable to the safety of structures of 

this kind, was in this instance abandoned. The foundation was prepared by 

spreading a layer of loose sandstone, one or two feet thick, evenly laid on the 

quicksand. Upon this a floor of 2-inch plank, without sills, was laid across the 

axis of the canal, to which was spiked another layer of plank laid lengthways. 

This floor was placed 6 feet below the level of the bed of the river, and upon it was 

built the structure of 10 by 10 timbers, having a length of 60 feet, a width of '3 

feet, and a height of 10 feet of clear waterway. The whole was weighted with an 

embankment of earth, 10 feet high, placed on top of the structure, the weight 

exceeding 500 tons. The sluiceways or regulating gates were placed 5 feet from th~ 

upper end of the floor, the space of 5 feet in front being occupied by a box of heavy 

timbers filled with rock and_floored over, the top being 1 foot below the bed of the 

I See Report of State Engineer, 1880, Wm. Ham. Hall, Part IV, Appendix, p.176. 

2 This is believed to be an over estimate. The original total ~ost of the main canal was probably 

Jiearer $50,000 than $100,000. 
16 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. (NO. ]9. 

river. The water comes into the canal therefore with a free overfall of 5 feet. In 

"lieu of heavy solid regulating gates which are difficult to raise and lower, loose 

planks 5 feet long placed in grooves in the vertical posts are used. They are 

removed by a double hook which engages on an iron pin passing through the planks 

and projecting two or three inches on each side. A rope and windlass assists in 

raising the planks to the ~op. The cost of this structure was $3,200, of which 

$2,000 was expended in laying the foundation. 

There is no ~eir or dam in the river to aid in accomplishing diversion of water into the canal, but the canal bed is below the low-water 

plane of the river (reported to be 6 feet below), affording a fall from 

river to canal which insures it a full supply of water. 

FRONT VlEW 

LONGITUDINAL. SE:CTION 

PlAN. SMOWINS GATE POSTS 

FIG. 3.-Plan and section of Chowchilla Canal regulator. 

The head gate above described is located in Lone Willow Slough, 

about 100 feet from the river bank. A second regulator is maintained 

in the head of the artificial canal, and the lower portion of Lone Willow 

Slough is used as a channel for waste water. 

The canal crosses the natural drainage of the east-side plain, a location which has at times made maintenance and repair expensive, owing 

to the frequent destruction of canal banks by the water reaching the 

canal from the east. A-t the crossings of Cottonwood Creek, Fresno 

River, Berenda Slough, and Ash Slough the canal is left open toward 
GRUNSKY.] CHOWCHILLA CANAL. 17 

the east, and anMoutlet gate in its·west or lower bank permits the passage of the creek waters when they are swollen by freshets. 

The canal is owned jointly by the Miller & Lux Company and the 

California Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The interests of the 

two concerns are equal to the point where the canal leaves the lands 

owned by the former; below that point the latter is sole owner. 

-4·~,..,·eanal capacity near its head '.is from 100 to 200 second-feet. Its 

water is now used largely for the irrigation of alfalfa, although when 

first undertaken the work was intended principally for stock purposes. 

The place of use is on the Riverside and Columbia ranches of the 

Miller & Lux Company and on the Chowchilla Ranch of the California 

Pastoral and Agricultural Association. No water is sold from this 

canal, it being· all required for use on the three tracts named. 

The total area of alfalfa land now under irrigation is about 7,000 

acres, nearly equally distributed to the three tracts named. On the 

Chowchilla Ranch works hav~ recently been constructed for extensive 

irrigation of grass lands. These consist of high well-built levees 

extending from the high bank land of San Joaquin River eastward far 

out upon the plain. These levees, six in all, are about a mile apart, 

and each is equipped with a large so-called "stop gate." These gates 

are similar to the check weirs in ordinary use on large canals. The 

largest are 40 feet wide, and some of these are reported to have cost 

$1,500 each. Each of these gate structures supports a bridge. They 

are used to restrain water until the submersible area above each is 

covered with water, which then flows through the gate to the next tract 

to be inundated. For this grass-land irrigation the flow of the canal 

and the natural flow of the streams intercepted by it supplement the 

flow of the Blyth Canal, hereinafter referred to. 

The method of irrigating alfalfa lands is by flooding in contour checks. 

The check levees on the Chowchilla Ranch were originally made high . 

and had exceptionally steep side slopes. The areas of the compartments 

or checks ranged from 20 to 100 acres. They were altogether too large 

for the available water supply. It was at first attempted to make the 

gates through the check levees serve as road ways for teams and farming 

implements, but this idea soon proved impracticable. The advantage 

of reducing check areas and of making low flat levees has long been 

recognized by the managers of the property, and the original defects 

in the irrigation system have in a measure been remedied.1 The Riverside Ranch receives its water through a branch canal which was constructed in 1884. This branch is taken out of Lone Tree Slough about 

1~ miles below its head and closely follows the river. It has a length 

of about 8 miles. The soil on the Riverside and Columbia ranches is a 

heavy black loam. The original practice was to subdivide into irregular 

checks of 10 to 50 acres by means of high, steep levees. It was found 

necessary to make use of natural sloughs and waterways to carry off 

1 See Report of Stat.e Engineer, Wm. Ham. Hall, 1880, Part IV, Appendix, p. 177. 

IRR 19--2 
18 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [N0.19. 

surplus waters from the many low spots, which, on account of the light 

slope of this section of the valley, could not otherwise readily be 

relieved of standing water. The gates in use in the irrigatimg ditches 

and to control the flow of water from one check into anothe:r are somewhat peculiar. They are built without the use of sheet piling or its 

equivalent and without wings, but seem to stand well in the firm_ s9il"' 

After a number of years of experience the management of the River-~ 

side and Columbia ranches has learned its lesson and the large checks 

are being subdivided. A few acres in each compartment are preferred, 

and levees are made low and broad, generally 18 inches high on a 

12-foot base. 

FIG. 4.-HeadofSan.Toaquin & Kings River Canal. 

The lands adjacent to this canal for about 15 miles of its length, 

intermediate between the Columbia and the Chowchilla properties, are 

practically worthless for agricultural purposes. The soil is shallow; it 

lies on a sandstone-like hardpan and can produce but a scant growth 

of grass. 

San Joaquin &i Kings River Oanal.-This is one of the most important of the canals in San Joaquin Valley. It commands a large portion 

of the west-side plain. Its head is just below Las Juntas, the point 

where Fresno Slough unites with San Joaquin River, about 9-k miles 

above Firebaugh. At that point a small island divides the river into 
GRUNSKY.) SAN JOAQUIN & KINGS RIVER CANAL. 19 

two channels, of which the lesser one, about 50 feet wide, lies at the 

west. Into this lesser channel a structure with falling dam, 47 feet 

between side walls, has been built to facilitate the passage of steamboats. 

(See Pl. 1.) In the other channel a brush diverting dam about 350 feet 

long is maintained, which holds water at all stages about 6 to 8 feet 

above the river's natural low-water plane. The inflow into the canal is 

controlled by means of a gate 47! feet between walls, which is bridged 

over. The space between walls is subdivided by gate and bridge posts 

into six divisions, each of which can be closed by means of drop timbers. (See Pl. II.) 

This regulating gate and the steamboat chute required much pile 

work and sheet piling to afford them support and protection. The 

FIG. 5.-Detailsof head works of San Joaquin & Kings River Canal. 

brush dam, as is the case with all structures of its type, must be 

repaired and raised annually after the spring high waters. It will thus 

appear that, notwithstanding the apparent simplicity of arrangement of 

head works, their construction and maintenance have been expensive. 

The const:Puction of this irrigation work commenced in 1871, and in 

that year the canal was excavated to Los Banos Creek, a distance of 

38 miles. It was extended in 1877 and 1878 to Orestimba <Jreek, and 

its present terminus is but a few miles farther south. Canal construction was undertaken by a corporation which proposed not only to 

supply water to irrigators, bu.t also to make a practical demonstration 

of the advantages of irrigation by operating a farm of its own. The 

land selected for farming purposes was -very carefully prepared for 

irrigation, and the water was to be brought to the soil from irrigating 
20 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [NO.l9. 

ditches in a system of cross furrows. The experiment, involving the 

introduction of methods that may be successful in India, where labor 

is abundant and cheap, proved a complete failure, and seems to have 

brought the entire canal project into temporary bad repute. While 

the affairs of the canal company were thus in a deplorable condition it 

was easy for the firm of Miller & Lux to acquire a controlling interest 

in the canal stock, and to become in time practically the sole owners 

of ~he canal. This firm had already made special contracts for water 

for their extensive holdings at rates below those to be established for 

other water takers, granted in return for right-of-way concessions, and 

it was soon apparent that the successful operation -of the canal would 

depend upon them alone. 

Although the general demand for water did not increase rapidly, and 

although comparatively few of the renters of land from Messrs. Miller & 

FIG. 6.-Brush dam across San Joaquin River at head of San Joaquin & Kings River Canal. 

Lux succeeded in making sufficient profit to purchase the lands farmed, 

the consumption of water from the canal gradually increased, the 

increase being notably due to its extensive use on alfalta and pasture 

lands of the big cattle firm, and reached about 34,000 acres in 1882 and 

1883. The area to which water is actually applied varies, according to 

the character of the season, within wide limits. It was only 14,000 acres 

in 1886 and 12,300 acres in 1890, because the preceding winters were 

wet. It reached 38,600 acres in 1894, and may be rated at about 27,000 

acres on an average. 

The system of water distributed to irrigatm·s has not been calculated 

to increase the duty of water, and will account in large measure for the 

relatively small area actually irrigated by a work of such great extent 

as this canal. 

It has been the practice not to limit irrigators in the amount of water 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER -SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL. I 

A. 

B. 

STEAMBOAT CHUTE, SAN JOAQUIN RIVER, AT HEAD OF SAN JOAQUIN & KINGS RIVER 

CANAL. 

A , As seen from below ; B, As seen from above. 
GRUNSKY.) SAN JOAQUIN & KINGS RIVER CANAL. 21 

to be used. They pay for water by the acre irrigated. The canal company reserves the right to charge for water wasted, when such waste can 

be ascertained. When there is a shortage of supply, the canal superintendent distributes water to the irrigators in proportion to the acreage 

for which water is required. If an insufficient quantity of water is 

delivered to effect the proposed irrigation, a corresponding reduction in 

the water bill is made. Charges for water are made by the acre, according to character of crop irrigated. The rates in force preceding 1880 

were about as follows: 1 

For cereals during any part of the season from July 1 of one year to 

the same date the following year, $2.50 per acre. 

For alfalfa, $3 per acre per year. 

For market gardens, $5 pAr acre per year. 

For wild-grass lands, 75 cents per acre per year. 

For the irrigation of a second crop during the season, $1. 

For the fall irrigation of lands, from July 1 to January 1, the charge 

for a single application is $1.50 per acre. After January 1, any number 

of waterings necesE"ary to mature a crop of cereals is given for $1. 

These rates have at various times been modified somewhat. The rate 

for alfalfa has recently been $2.50 1:>er acre per year, and, under agreement to take water for the season, application being made before October 

1, $2 per acre. No charge is made for the irrigation of small gardens of 

those irrigating large tracts of grain or alfalfa. The special contract 

made with Messrs. Miller & Lux gave them water at about one-half of 

the above rates. 

The distribution of water from the canal to irrigators is in charge of 

a canal superintendent. Those requiring water must give ten days' 

notice and must specify the number of acres for which water is wanted, 

as well as the particular tract of land to be irrigated. 

The soils to which water is applied from this canal are thus described 

by Mr. James D. Schuyler: 2 

The lands irrigated by the San Joaquin and Kings River Canal vary so greatly in 

character that the practice of irrigation is not uniform. From the point where irrigation first begins, near Firebaugh's, 8 miles below the head of the canal, to its 

terminus at Orestimba Creek, there is a gradual change in the quality, depth, and 

texture of the soil, from the minimum of absorbtiveness and the consequent maximum number of irrigations required to produce crops, to the maximum of absorbtiveness and the minimum of applications necessary. The soils which retain 

moisture longest are those which absorb most water and are consequently best 

adapted for irrigation. In no irrigated section of the State are the extremes in 

quality of soil more marked. The adobe soils do not extend the entire distance 

from the canal to the river, but seem to be principally limited to a strip 2 to 5 miles 

wide from Firebaugh's to Los Banos Creek. They are shallow-from 1 to 2 feet 

deep-and underlaid with yellow clay hardpan. East of this strip to the river the 

soil is generally of an alluvial charaeter, highly susceptible of profitable irrigation, 

but not heretofore provided with facilit.ies for irrigation, the land being devoted 

exclusively to grazing purposes. On either side of Los Banos Creek the soil is a 

I Report of State Engineer, 1880, Part IV, Appendix, J.D. Schuyler. 2 Idem, p.l66. 
22 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

compact sandy loam for a mile or two in width, very fertile, and well adapted to 

irrigation. With the exception of 3 or 4 miles along the canal where San Luis Creek 

spreads out upon the plains, the soil for the remaining distance to the terminus is a 

light-brown argillaceous loam, with an occasional admixture of sand. It is 30 to 40 

feet in depth, compact, fertile, and highly retentive of moisture. 

The shallow soils referred to in this description are those at, or but 

slightly elevated above, the western limit of the submersible portion of 

the valley. The soils to the east of this strip of inferior land are within 

the flood limits, and those traversed by the lower sections of the canal 

are of the general type of the high west-side plain. 

The method of irrigation generally practiced from this canal is that 

of flooding in contour checks of large area. The irrigation of grain 

lands has been found profitable, but opinions of irrigators differ as to 

the best time of applying water. Near the upper end of the canal the 

practice of applying water to the growing crop is preferred, each crop 

receiving two to five waterings, according to character of soil. .Along 

its lower portion the method of wetting the ground in the fall before 

plowing seems to be the mo~t satisfactory. In this case the rainfall, 

generally 8 to 12 inches, is relied on to mature the crop. Orchards and 

vineyards are irrigated by the furrow method. 

The surface of the lands irrigated is remarkably smooth, and its slope 

toward the trough of the valley is generally 5 to 10 feet to the mile, 

thus adapting it admirably for irrigation. The system of check-levee 

building does not, however, conform with the most advanced practice. 

These check levees are usually made too steep to permit of their being 

crossed at random by farming implements. .A little is thus saved in 

first cost, but often at considerable sacrifice in convenience of tillage. 

The cost of preparing the ground with ditches and check levees is 

stated by Mr. Schuyler at $1.50 per acre for the large farms owned by 

Messrs. Miller & Lux. He gives the cost of the check levees at $12 

per mile. They are built with a V scraper. 

The main canal was originally constructed with a bed width of 28 

feet, a depth of 4 feet, and side slopes of 2 to 1. Its gradient was fixed 

at 1 foot to the mile. It was soon found that these dimensions gave 

the water greater velocity than the light soil of' the banks could stand, 

and to prevent erosion their slopes were reduced to 5 to 1. The disadvantage of this very fiat slope manifested itself some years later, 

when reeds, weeds, and mosses took root in the shallow water at the 

edge of the water surface and gradually encroached upon the deeper 

water, rendering it necessary to keep men at work during the summer 

cutting out the rank plant growth, and making it very difficult to force 

a full supply of water to the lower canal sections. Among the appliances used to cut the weeds, particularly one trailing species, the most 

successful was a long chain dragged upstream by means of horses, 

generally one on each bank. . 

.About ten years ago it was finally decided to clean out the canal 

thoroughly and at the same time to cut its banks as nearly vertical as 
U. S. CEOL.OGICAL SURVEY WA TER·SUPPL Y PAPER NO. 19 PL.. II 

A. 

B. 

REGULATOR IN SAN JOAQUIN & KINGS RIVER CANAL. 

A, As seen from above; /3, As seen from belo"":'· 
GRUNSKY.] SAN JOAQUIN & KINQS RIVER CANAL. 23 

possible. This was done with excellent success. The canal bed was 

made 45 feet wide, with its sides practically vertical, and the water 

depth was increased to 6 feet. The soil of the banks, impregnated 

with the mud deposits from the canal water and rendered resistant by 

the roots of plants which had penetrated it in all directions, showed 

no further tendency to erosion, and the great inshore depth of water, as 

well as its velocity, retarded the growth of plants. 

Below Los Banos Creek the fall of the canal was made only 6 inches 

to the mile. This 6-inch fall practically commences 2 miles above Los 

Banos Creek, as for some reason the grade line of the canal. bed was 

raised! foot at that point. Experience on this canal seems to justify 

the conclusion that for a canal of its size a slope as light as 6 inches to 

the mile may safely be adopted. 

This canal crosses the natural drainage lines of the west-side plain 

at right angles. The water courses are torrential in character. They 

have no flow in years of scant rainfall, and in the occasional wet winters 

they respond quickly to the local storms, but do not maintain their flow 

long. Where crossed by the canal the arrangement of the crossing is 

extremely simple. A check weir is put into the canal just above and 

just below the creek channel, and an embankment, usually of gravel, 

is carried across the creek channel just below the canal and connected 

with the canal levee. When the creek rises and overtops this barrier, 

it is quickly cut out by the water, in whole or in part, and upon subsidence of the freshet is replaced. The flow of the creek, if there be 

any after the freshet, is received into the canal. 

The San Joaquin & Kings River Canal was intended to be used for 

navigation as well as irrigation purposes, and in accordance with that 

idea the structures originally planned for it included arrangements for 

passing canal boats. They were all timber structures of unnecessarily 

heavy and cumbersome design and correspondingly expensive. The 

more modern structures on the canal are of ~he usual light inexpensive 

type so common on the canals of the West. 

The distributing ditches, which usually lead off from the main canal 

nearly at right angles, are generally 8 to 12 feet wide on the bottom 

and carry water 2 to 3 feet deep. Their aggregate lerigth is estimated 

at about 200 miles. 

. The cost of the canal and works connected therewith has been about 

$1,000,000, not including about $300,000 expended in maintenance and 

repairs. The dividends paid have probably not exceeded $250,000. At 

the time of this writing there is a supplementary high-line canal being 

constructed which will greatly increase the capacity and efficiency of 

this canal system. This new canal leaves the original canal about? 

miles below its head and gradually separates from it, being carried on 

a grade of only 6 inches to the mile. It has a bed width of about 45 

feet and is generally about 1 mile distant from the main canal, with 

which it is connected by means of a number of short branch ditches. 
24 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [N0.19. 

Posey Slough or Dos Pa,lo8 Oa.nal.-This is a work which hardly 

deserves enumeration among irrigation canals, as it amounts to but 

little more than a control of the inflow into a natural high-water channel which breaks out of San Joaquin River about 8 miles below 

Firebaugh's. It was necessary in protecting west-side lands against 

overflow to either close the slough with an embankment connected 

with the west side or to put a gate into it. The latter arrangement 

was preferred, and the water now admitted to the slough under 

control is utilized in flooding considerable areas of grazing lands. The 

gate has a clear opening of 24 feet, divided by means of gate and 

bridge posts into four spaces, each of which can be closed by means of 

light drop timbers. The top of the gate is provided with a bridge 

floor, aff9rding a crossing for the river road. 

The slough continues inland for some distance as a well-defined 

channel through which water is led into a series of broad swales or 

gentle depressions. Across these depressions embankments of earth 

have been erected to a maximum height of 4 or 5 feet, by means of which 

the water is checked and made to inundate considerable areas. One 

embankment after another is cut for the passage of the water to the 

next, or the water breaks a passage of its own, and by this crude system of irrigation considerable areas of grazing land are wet during 

the spring rise of San Joaquin River. 

It is hardly necessary to say that this method of wetting lands can 

be practiced only on large holdings, such as those of the Miller & Lux 

Company. 

Temple Slough.-This is a slough of the same type as Posey Slough, 

though somewhat smaller. It has been similarly treated. It breaks 

out of the west side of the river about 3 miles below Posey Slough. Its 

head gate is also in use as a bridge, but the head gate is of the culvert 

type and is loaded on top with an earth fill. It is 16 feet wide, being 

divided by posts into four spaces. The bottom of the gate is at or 

slightly above the low-water plane of the river. The water admitted 

to the slough is used for irrigation in the same crude way as that of 

Posey Slough. 

Sanjon de Santa Rita.-This is a third slough which breaks out 

through the west river bank, but, unlike Posey and Temple sloughs, it 

has a comparatively direct northwesterly course to a reunion with the 

main channel of San Joaquin River, about 12 miles below its head. 

There is no gate at its head for the control of inflowing water, but by 

means of temporary spur dikes or dams of sand and brush built into 

the main stream its period of flow is prolonged somewhat beyond what 

it would otherwise be. Water is diverted from the slough into a short 

ditch for the irrigation of several hundred acres of land at the Miller 

& Lux home place, the Santa Rita Ranch. The head of this ditch is 

about 3! miles below the head of the slough, on its west bank. The 

flow of the water into the ditch, which has a width of 10 to 12 feet, is 

controlled by means of a light gate. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER- SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL.. Ill 

A. 

JJ. 

BLYTH CANAL. 

A , Head at San Joaquin River; B, Nine-foot cut. 
GRUNSKY.) BLYTH AND EAST SIDE CANALS. 25 

Blyth Oanal.-The main supply of water for the grassland irrigation 

on the Chowchilla Ranch-already referred to in describing the Chowchilla Canal-is obtained from the San Joaquin River through the 

Blyth Canal. (See Pl. III.) This is an east-side canal from San Joaquin River, the head of which is some miles below Las Juntas. The 

canal is cut boldly into the river bank, with a bottom width of 20 feet. 

It receives water from the river only at high stages. Its flow is controlled by a well-constructed regulator or head gate of the culvert type. 

It supports a 5-foot fill of earth, which serves as a roadway across the 

canal. The entrance to the culvert is divided into five 4-foot spaces by 

vertical posts, which afford support to vertically sliding :tlashboards, 3 

by 12 inches, raised by means of two double hooks engaging on iron 

pins, to which power is applied by a winch. The canal discharges into 

the east-side fiat valley trough, where its flow is intercepted by a series 

of cross levees, each extending from comparatively high ground at the 

river eastward across the depression. These cross levees, five or six in 

all, are about a mile apart and are all equipped with stop gates, for 

the discharge of surplus water to lower levels. The basin above the 

UJlpermost one is first filled, then water is allowed to flow through its 

stop gate to the second, and so on to the last, thus effecting wholesale 

and very economical grass-land irrigation. 

East Side or Stevenson-Mitchell Oanal.-This canal, as its name implies, 

is an east-side diversion. The head of the canal is at a point on San 

Joaquin River about 14 miles southwest of Merced. It has a northwesterly course from this point for a distance of 20 miles, to near Merced 

River, and commands a strip of land intermediate between the canal 

and San Joaquin River, 2 to 4 miles in width. (See Pl. IV.) The first 

few miles of its course are over heavy clayey soils within the limits of 

the river's flood plain; the rest of its course is out upon the sandy 

plain which skirts the southern bank of Merced River. It commands 

about 50,000 acres of land. , 

The canal was constructed in 1887 by Messrs. J. J. Stevenson and 

the late John Mitchell, who were the principal owners of the lands commanded. It is 42 feet wide on the bottom and has side slopes of 1 to 1 

to the natural surface of the ground, generally at 4 feet above the bottom. The fall is 6 inches to the mile. The canal levees rise about 3 

feet above natural ground and are set back 10 feet from the edge of the 

excavation. The proposed maximum water depth is 6 feet and width 

on water surface 7 4 feet. The steep sides of the eanal excavation were 

adopted as a result of the experience on the San Joaquin and Kings 

River Canal-to prevent the growth of weeds and aquatic plants, which 

take root readily on fiat slopes. 

All structures on the canal are of a simple flash board type. There is 

provided a regulator or head gate, and the flow of water in the canal is 

further controlled by means of six check weirs, locally called stop 

gates. The canal crosses the natural drainage of the country. At 

each water course thus crossed an inlet gate is put into the upper or 
26 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIF1

0RNIA. [No.l9. 

east-side canal levee and an outlet gate into the lower levee. These 

gates, 36 in all, range in width from 12 to 64 feet. All of them, as well 

as the check weirs in the canal, are bridged over. During winter the 

canal is out of service, and all of the gates are left open, to admit of the 

free passage of drainage waters across the line of the canal. The first 

cost of the canal work was about $80,000, which has been increased by 

subsequent expenditures, principally on the construction of branches, 

to about $125,000. 

Water is sold from this canal by the acre irrigated, the charge being 

$2 per acre if application be made for water before the 1st of January, 

and $2.50 per acre if applied for later. This difference in the rate per 

acre is intended to induce irrigators to make application before it is 

known whether rainfall alone will prove sufficient to produce a grain 

crop. 

The water distributed is under control of a canal superintendent. 

The canal company furnishes the gates for water delivery to irrigators. 

All lateral or branch canals are constructed by the irrigators and at 

their expense. 

FRESNO RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

Fresno River is a small torrential stream which drains tbe western 

slope of outlying spurs of the Sierra Nevada and which debouches upon 

the plains of San Joaquin Valley about 15 miles to the north of San 

Joaquin River. The river is dry in summer, but ordinarily has a 

considerable winter and spring flow. Its drainage basin above the 

point where it leaves the hills has an area of 272 square miles. Its 

flow usually commences in December and gradually increases till 

March. It ceases to flow in June, July, or August. During the rainy 

season it is subject to sudden rises of short duration. The maximum 

monthly ~verage for the period 1878 to 1884, as approximated by the 

State engineer, is given as 568 second-feet for the month of March. 

This stream soon after leaving the foothills proper bifurcates, sending off several lesser southerly branches, among which are Adobe and 

Cotton wood sloughs. A branch of the former reunites with the main 

stream some miles above Madera. 

The bed of the river is a. broad sandy depression, having comparatively high banks, near the eastern edge of San Joaquin Valley, where 

it is here and there flanked by small tracts of bottom land. At Madera 

the river banks are quite low, and a few miles farther west the freshet 

waters of the stream spread and are carried on toward San Joaquin 

River in several small channels. 
GRUNSKY.] MADERA CANAL. -27 

CANALS AND DITCHES. 

The water brought down to Madera. in the flume of the Madera Lumber Company is used for irrigation at and to the west of Madera. This 

water is in large part a diversion from a tributary of San Joaquin 

River. It was necessary to make this divert"~ion high up in the mountains and to carry the water from the one watershed across the dividing 

ridge into the· other stream, on account of the small summer flow of 

Fresno River. 

The lumber flume is of the ordinary V -shaped type, serving to float 

lumber a distance of about 35 miles, from the sawmill to Madera. The 

waste water from the flume flows into branches of the Madera Canal. 

Madera Oanal (Fresno Ri'Ver Dam and Canal Company's Canal).-This 

is a work of some magnitude which is interesting, in part, at least, on 

FIG. 7.-Head of Fresno River Canal. 

account of the failures in which the fir8t effort to secure water resulted. 

At great expense a dam was constructed across Fresno River about 2 

miles above Madera, and from it a deep cut was excavated through the 

river bank, which there rises about 15 feet above the river bed. The 

dam consisted in the main of three rows of double sheet piling, reenforced by numerous ordinary piles, and a timber top work, forming a 

substantial sill across the stream that was intended to raise water 4 

or 5 feet above the ordinary low-water plane. It was 311 feet long, and 

raised the water surface of the river 6 feet. It was intended also to 

intercept a subsurface flow supposed to exist in the sands of the river 

bed, but failed to develop any water from this source. .A head gate 

and waste. gate at the south end of this structure afforded control of 

the inflow into the canal, which was made 20 feet wide on the bottom, 
28 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

with side slopes of 1 on 2. The depth of the cut through the river 

bank became less as distance from the river increased, and within a 

mile the canal was at the general surface level of the valley plain. 

From this point special effort was made to hold the main canal on the 

top of fiat sand ridges, which position it was thought would afford the 

best possible command of the lands to be irrigated. Not only was the 

canal located on the highest available ground, but it was endeavored 

to hold the water surface in the canal and distributing ditches well 

above the natural surface of the ground. Material for canal banks 

was taken largely from the outside. After the expenditure of about 

$60,000 on the dam and canal it was found that breaks in the canal 

banks were of so frequent occurrence, and loss of water was so great, 

that it would be unwise to perfect or further extend the system. It was 

found, too, that the dam was a failure, particularly owing to the loss 

of water in the porous creek channel for miles above it. It was then 

found that by turning a portion of the river's flow into Adobe Slough, 

some miles farther upstream, and putting an inexpensive regulator in 

its head, water could be brought into tl1e head of the canal and thence 

into a water course passing directly through the lands already prepared to receive it. This was done, and a few dams in the slough lower 

down, with regulating gates in each, completed a main canal system 

that has been comparatively inexpensive and has served its purpose 

well. About $20,000 was the first cost of this supplemental work. 

It is understood that the water supply of the canal is further reenforced by the Adobe Ranch Ditch, which diverts water from the river 

at a point known as "Chinee Store," located in the foothills about 19 

miles above Madera. This ditch is 10 feet wide on the bottom, carries 

water 4 feet deep, and at the Adobe Ranch, about 7 miles above Madera, 

is connected with, and adds in a measure to the supply of, the lower 

works. The canal company proposes soon to construct storage works 

in the mountains in order to secure a continuous flow of water for its 

canal system. 

The lands prepared for irrigation with water from this canal have an 

area of about 16,000 acres. They lie in a compact body to the southward, beyond Cottonwood Slough. The surface of the lands irrigated 

is very smooth and has an almost imperceptible slope of 7 to 8 feet per 

mile toward the southwest, adapting them admirably for irrigation. 

The soil is a sandy loam, rather heavy in the eastern portion of the 

irrigated region, and very sandy near its western limit. The heavier 

soils are underlain by a shaly hardpan a few feet below the surface. 

This is deeper below the surface of the sands or is entirely wanting. 

Water is ordinarily available for irrigation from some time in December to May. Occasionally there is a good flow in the canal. during 

June. It is diverted from the slough above referred to into branch 

ditches, which leave the slough just above the dams that .have been 

built into it. 
GRUNSKY.] MADERA CANAL. 29 

The method of irrigation is that of flooding in contour checks. The 

check levees are almost invariably constructed on contour lines, each 

being 1 foot lower than the next one above. The space between levees 

is divided by cross levees into compartments or checks whose area 

varies between wide limits, reaching as high as 40 acres. The ordinary 

check has an area of about 4 to 12 acres. 

A good head of water for irrigation in this section is from 20 to 25 

second-feet, but irrigators are frequently compelled to be content with 

only 10 to 15 second-feet. Irrigation is always commenced on the 

highest ground; the upper check is filled, and when full, the water is 

turned into the next lower check, while at the same time the smplus 

water of the upper check is also turned into the second check through 

a cut or gate in the contour levee between the two checks. Irrigation 

progresses night and day, and two men are constantly on duty for each 

irrigating head of water. 

Both.alfalfa and grain are generally irrigated but once each season. 

Grain as a rule is irrigated only when long-continued drought makes 

irrigation necessary to save the crop. Alfalfa receives more than 

one irrigation when water is available long enough. 

The main canal of this system was until February of this year (1897) 

owned by a company or association of farmers which made no agreements for the delivery of water to irrigators for longer periods than one 

season. The distribution of water from the canal was in charge of a 

superintendent, to whom application for water had to be made before 

the irrigating season commenced. To these parties, who were required 

to specify the acreage which they purposed to irrigate and the time 

when water was required, the water was apportioned. When there 

was more water in the canal than was required by them, this was available for those parties who neglected to put in application for water 

before the date :fixed as the commencement of the irrigating season. 

All parties applying for water were required to pay for it whether they 

used it or not. If water was insufficient to meet the demands of all 

applicants, it was apportioned by the superintendent according to 

his judgment, and was paid for by the acre of land actually irrigated. 

The charge for water was originally $1 per acre for grain and $2 for 

alfalfa. Subsequently the rate was raised to $1.50 for grain, and since 

1885 it has been made $2, which is the charge per acre regardless of 

the nature of the crop. This rate remained the same no matter how 

often water was applied. 

· Of the 16,000 acres of land prepared for irrigation, it is reported that 

as much as 12,000 acres have been irrigated in one season. Ordinarily, 

however, the area irrigated is 5,000 to 6,000 acres. 

The cost of land preparation for irrigation, covering the construction 

of small irrigating ditches and check levees, is estimated at $2 per 

acre, and the cost of each application of water at about 25 cents per 

acre. 
30 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. (N0.19. 

The canal property has recently passed into the hands of a new corporation and will be managed on lines similar to those of the Fresno 

Canal from Kings River, except that in addition to selling water to 

lands covered by water rights water will also be furnished at an 

increased annual rate to lands not so covered. The new company is 

known as the "Madera Canal and Irrigating Company." It is capitalized at $400,000, in shares of $10 each. 

The water rights are at present sold at $5 per acre. The annual 

water rate to be paid for each acre covered by the right is $1. The 

canal company places the gate in the canal bank for the delivery of the 

water; it reserves the right to convert the irrigator's private ditch into 

a branch ditch under the company's control, provided such use shall 

not interfere with the delivery of water to the owner of the water 

FIG. 8.-Head of Adobe Slough. 

right; it makes the 

water right an appurtenance .of the 

land on which it is 

located; it reserves 

the right to shut off 

water for repairs, 

and does not bold 

itself responsible 

for deficiency of 

water caused by 

drought, ins u fficient water in river, 

hostile diversion or 

obstruction, forcible entry, or temporary damage by 

flood or other accidents, but agrees to 

use at all times due 

diligence in restoring and protecting the flow of water in the canals. 

The canal company also reserves the right to sell 2.30 water rights of 1 

second-foot of water each (1 second-foot to each 160 acres), and it is 

to be understood that each water right sold shall, whenever the canals 

flow less than 250 second-feet, represent the two hundred and fiftieth 

part of the available supply. The purchaser of the water right makes 

the water rights a lien upon the land covered; he agrees not to use water 

wastefully, and he grants to the canal company the right of way for 

canals and ditches over all land owned by him and located in the same 

township as the specific tract covered by the so-called water right. 

Water is delivered for $2 per acre per year to parties whose lands 

are not covered with water rights. The charge for grain land is $1 per 

acre for one wetting. The charge for garden irrigation is $5 per acre 

per year. 
GRUNSKY.] CHOWCHILLA RIVER. 31 

Adobe RancJ, Ditch.-About 12 miles above Madera, on Fresno River, 

between low outlying foothills, lies the .Adobe Ranch, on which between 

300 and 400 acres of bottom lands are cultivated in alfalfa. Water for 

use on this land was made available by means of a small ditch constructed about fifteen years ago, the bead of which is about 7 miles 

farther upstream, on the south side of the river. The water of this 

ditch was originally delivered into a small reservoir lying between low 

bills on the south side of Fresno River close by the tract to be irrigated, and water was drawn from the reservoir as req nired. The method 

of irrigation is by flooding in checks, each several acres in area. The 

cost of applying water is given at 65 cents per acre per irrigation. 

The ditch is now said to be a feeder of the Madera Canal and is 

reported to have a bed width of 10 feet and to carry water 4 feet deep. 

CHOWCHILLA RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

The same description given for Fresno River will answer for the 

Chowchilla, except that its bank lands are even lower and the separation of its water into several channels soon after its debouchment 

on the valley plain is still more pronounced. The river's drainage basin 

is 268 square miles. Its flow and period of flow are about the same as 

noted for Fresno River. 

Two channels break out from the south side of the river near the 

eastern margin of tlu,. valley plain. These are Berenda _ and Ash 

sloughs, both of which have a very direct southwesterly course, being 

respectively 4 and 2 miles from the main stream at Minturn. All of 

these channels across the east-side plain of San Joaquin Valley have 

shallow beds of sand and banks rather low, but still somewhat higher 

than the general surface of the plain. Their flow spreads over large 

areas near San Joaquin River, and there is no pronounced junction of 

Chowchilla River with the main drainage way of the valley. 

CANALS. 

Kohler, West & Mintur.n canalsystem.-Tbe use of water from Chowchilla River for irrigation has been confined to several thousand acres of 

land at and near Minturn. (See map, PI. IV.) The main river channel 

has been converted into a supply canal by the constructio:a of several 

dams. The uppermost of these dams is just below the head of Ash 

Slough. It is in the nature of an earth or sand embankment carried 

across the river channel and equipped with a large regulating gate in 

its center. The gate is of the ordinary flashboard type, with a light 

bridge over its top. It is yrotected against undermining by sheet piling, and the water required for irrigation below is allowed to pass 

through it. Any excess flow of the river is turned down Ash and 

Berenda sloughs. About a mile north of Minturn and about 10 miles 

below the dam just referred to, a second dam of similar character is 
32 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

maintained. This structure converts a section of the river into a reservoir which overflows through a gate in the dam to the lower portion of 

the river, and through gates in river-bank levees sends water toward 

the north and south. 

The water diverted at this point is used principally on the vineyard 

lands of Messrs. Kohler, West & Minturn. Some of it is passed on 

to other irrigators. The irrigation ditches are small, 8 to 13 feet wide, 

carrying water about 2 feet deep, and terminate within a few miles of 

the river. 

A third clam is maintained in the river about 2 miles below the 

second, and water is taken from above it for the irrigation of the 

Minturn farm. 

These dams are 8 to 14 feet high, built of such material as the river 

bed affords, and have stood remarkably well. The success of this 

system of handling the water of thf' rivPr. "-ldch is 200 to 300 feet 

~'l\ttt\tt't.t\.. 

\t.'i l.t'tt.'l"lt.\.1 ,_ 

~tt.t"lt lttt1.'lt. 

FIG. 9.-Water diversion by Kohler, West & Mipturn Uanal. 

wide, depends, of course, upon the possibility of forcing practically the 

entire freshet flow into the other channels. 

The method of vineyard irrigation practiced ·at Minturn js that of 

flooding in small checks, some of which have been laid out rectilinearly, 

while others are fitted to the contours of the ground. The soils 

irrigated are sandy loams, very retentive of moisture, which with water 

have proved very productive and well adapted to the culture of the 

&rape. 

Surplus waters-that is, water in excess of that required for the 

irrigation of the lands belonging to the firm owning the canal-have 

been held for sale. The rate which prevailed several years ago was 

$1.50 per acre of land actually irrigated. 

Buchanan Reservoir project.-A work of considerable magnitude proposed for Chowchilla River is the construction of a reservoir of great 

capacity several miles above Buchanan. This work is to be carried 

out to secure an adequate water supply for the 30,000 acres of land of 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL. SURVEY 

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WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL. IV 

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GRUNSKY.) MEASUREMENTS OF MERCED RIVER. 33 

the Berenda-Ohowchilla tract owned by the Sharon estate. The dam 

as proposed is to be built of uncoursed rubble. It is to have a height 

of 100 feet and will store 42,400 acre-feet of water.1 

MERCED RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

Merced River is to be classed among the principal streams which flow 

down the western slope of the Sierra Nevada into San Joaquin Valley. 

It has a perennial :flow, its low-water discharge being about the same 

as that of Tuolumne, Stanislaus, and Mokelumne rivers, nearly 200 

second-feet. The river has a high mountain and foothill watershed of 

1,076 square miles. Its bed where it enters the valley is considerably 

depressed below the general surface of the plain. It is flanked by low 

bottom lands, which extend with irregular width to the base of the 

bluffs rising to the higher land of the main valley. The bottom lands 

near Snelling expand to a width of several miles, forming a secondary 

valley of no small importance. Westward from Livingston the main 

plain gradually drops to the level of the river lands, and long before a 

junction with San Joaquin River is effected the Merced is flanked by 

large areas subject to periodical inundation. 

The flow of the river approximated by the State engineer for the 

years 1878 to 1884 indicates an average monthly rate of 1,500 secondfeet for February, over 1, 700 second-feet for March, 3,000 to 5,000 • second-feet from .April to June, 1,900 second-feet in July, 400 to 600 

second-feet in .August, December, and January, and a low-water flow of 

about 200 second-feet during the months of September, October, and 

November.2 

These figures, indicating as they do a very considerable flow in the 

spring and early summer, show the importance of this stream as a possible source of water supply for large irrigation canals. .Although the 

value of this stream for irrigation has long been recognized, as well as 

that of the other rivers of the same class-the Tuolumne, Stanisla~s, 

and Mokelumne-the construction of irdgation works on a large scale 

has progressed but slowly. This is due, first, to the fact that the position of these streams, depressed as they are from 40 to 80 feet below 

the general surface of the east-side plain, makes a diversion of water 

upon the higher surface of this plain very expensive; and, secondly, to 

the fact that the lands commanded are sufficiently favored with natural advantages to render them available, in a measure at least, for 

farming without rrigation. 

The only canal from Merced River which carries water out upon the 

east-side plain of San Joaquin Valley is the Merced or Orocker-Huffinan 

Oanal. All other irrigation works are comparatively small ditches in 

us._e for the irrigation of the limited bottom lands. 

• 1 See American irrigation engineering, by H. M.Wilson: Thirteenth Ann. Rept. U.S. 6-tlol, Survey, 

Part III, 1893, p. 314. 1 Physical Data and Statistics, W. H. Hall. State engineer of California, 1886, pp. 434., 4'16. 

IRR19-3 
34 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CA.LIFORNIA. (NO.l9. • 

CANALS AND DITCHES. 

Merced or Orocker-Huffman Oanal.-This work is the extension and 

enlargement of an older ditch known as the Farmers Canal. It has its 

head on the south side of Merced River, about 2 miles below Merced 

Falls. (See map, Pl. IV.) Skirting the base of the bluffs to the south 

of -the bottom lands, it reaches the upland and, penetrating several 

foQthill spurs, attains a position which commands the east-side plain of 

San Joaquin Valley to and beyond Bear Creek. (See Pl. VIII.) 

The enterprise was conceived by the late William G. Collier, a surveyor and civil engineer, who had already had some experience in 

constructing irrigation ditches from Bear Creek. An organization of 

farmers was formed, which incorporated in 1873 under the name of the 

Farmers Canal Company, and work on the canal was pushed forward 

as rapidly as the available means would permit. Unforeseen difficulties, 

notably due to lack of funds occasioned by excessive cost of excavation, 

prevented the plans from being fully carried out as originally proposed. 

However, by March, 1876, the canal reached Canal Creek, and water 

was, through it, made available for irrigation. The length of the 

canal to this point was about 8 miles. For most of the way it had been 

cut into a hard gravelly soil, which cost to excavate about 20 cents per 

cubic yard, instead of 10 cents, as had been estimated. It penetrated 

a ridge by a tunnel1,600 feet long, 11~ f~et wide by 9 feet high, which 

cost about $20,000. This tunnel is in soft sandstone and firm cemented 

gravel, and did not require lining. The canal as constructed had a bed 

width of 20 feet, and was 4 feet deep. It followed, in a southwesterly 

direction, a grade line having a fall of 1 foot to the mile, except at the 

tunnel approaches and in the tunnel itself, where the fall was increased 

to 10 feet to the mile. 

The Farmers Canal Company could not succeed in making arrangements for the extension of the canal beyond Canal Creek, and finally 

sold out to Messrs. Charles Crocker and C. H. Huffman in 1882. The 

enlargement of the canal was commenced at once. Except one change 

of location near the head of the canal, the original alignment of the 

old ditch was all too carefully adhered to. In making the enlargement 

to a bed width of 60 feet, the material handled, including original 

levees and spoil banks, was fully as great as it would have been on a 

new route adapted to the increased canal dimensions, and it is questionable whether a complete change of alignment for some of the canal ' 

sections would not have been advisable. The tunnel, too, was enlarged 

to a width of 22 feet, while it might well have served for many years 

without enlargement. 

Near its head the new canal was made 80 feet wide on the bottom. 

It was pJanned to have a depth of 10 feet throughout. Its extension 

beyond Canal Creek was rapidly pushed. The creek channel was 

enlarged, and for about a mile became a section of the canal. From 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL. V 

DAM ACROSS MERCED RIVER FOR CROCKER-HUFFMAN CANAL. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL. VI 

REGULATOR IN CROCKER-HUFFMAN CANAL. 
GRUNSKY.] MERCED CANAL. 85 

that point the main canal was given a more southerly course, skirting the western base of a number of foothill spurs and finally penetrating one at a point about 8 miles north of Merced, in a timber-lined 

tunnel 20 feet wide, 13 feet high, and 2,100 feet long, with a total fall 

of about 5 feet. Tunnel frames are constructed of timbers, 12 by 14 

inches, 4 feet apart. Lagging and flooring are 3 inches thick, all 

redwood. Tunnel lining required over 1,000,000 feet of timber, and it 

alone is said to have cost about $30,000. It is extremely doubtful 

• whether the reduction of a few miles in the length of the canal could 

justify its construction, even if it had been found to require no lining. 

The total cost of the tunnel was about $70,000. Work on it progressed 

night and day, and it was completed in about six months. (See Pl. VII.) 

About 6 miles below the tunnel just described, and about 12 miles 

by canal from Canal Creek, the canal delivers its water into a reservoir, the llrimary purpose of which is to afford a reliable supply of 

water to the city of Merced, lying about 6 miles farther to the southwest. This reservoir has a surface area of about 600 acres. It lies 

between two low foothill spurs, the gap between which was closed by 

means of an earth dam having a crest length of 2,200 feet and a maximum height of 50 feet. The dam rests on a very firm foundation of 

cemented gravel, into which a wide, deep puddle trench was oo.t. Much 

of the material of which it is constructed had to be loosened by blasting. All material was wet when put into place, and was firmly trampled by horses. There was e!lough clay in the material used throughout 

the structure to make it a very compact bank. 

A masonry conduit, brick laid in cement mortar, has been carried 

through the natural foundation under the dam, and in this the delivery 

pipe and the sluice pipe have been placed. (See Pl. IX.) The main canal 

is continued southward, or rather southeastward, from the reservoir on 

a continuation of the grade line entering the reservoir from the north. 

This arrangement cuts the canal extension out of a supply when the 

reservoir is not full. Water was turned into the reservoir through the 

completed main canal on February 1, 1888. 

The diversion from the river is made at a point where Metced River 

leaves the base of a vertical cliff which rises to the south. The canal 

head gate or regulator is constructed between two rock-filled timber 

piers or bulkheads, of which the southernmost rests against the foot 

of this cliff. The regulator has a width of 80 feet, divided into a number of small spaces between vertical posts, all of wliich are controlled 

by means of vertically sliding gates. (See Pl. VI.) From this gate a 

timber dam, raising the water surface about 8 feet, extends, wi-th a 

broad downstream sweep, across the river to a connection with the bottom land on the north side of the river. (See Pl. V.) The dam proper 

rests on a timber platform or sill, which, extending dowm~tream 10 or 12 

feet below the lower face of the dam, forms an apron, on which the overfalling water is received. Considerable trouble has been experienced in 

repairing cuts which the river has made through the bottom lands around 
36 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. (NO.l9. 

the north end of the dam. The cost of this entire work, including the 

distributing system of pipes in Merced, is given at about $1,500,000. 

In April, 1888, the owners of the canal incorporated under the name 

of the Crocker-Huffman Land ancl Water Company and declared themselves ready to furnish water for irrigation. The canal company sells 

so-called water rights, which are very similar to those issued by the 

Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company. The purchaser of a right pays 

for it at the rate of $10 per acre. He designates the particular tract of 

land for which the right is purchased, and the rights acquired by the 

purchase become appurtenances of the land. He agrees to construct 

the necessary ditch or ditches for the conveyance of the water to his 

land, and grants to the water company the right to assume control of 

such branch ditches at any time and to use them for the delivery of 

water to other purchasers, provided that such use and control shall 

not interfere with the delivery of water to him. He agrees not to use 

the water on any land other than that described, and not to permit it 

to run to waste. He grants to the canal company the right of way for 

canals, flumes, and pipes across land belonging to him, or that may 

hereafter come into his possession, in the same township as that in 

which the specified tract is located. He also binds himself to pay a 

fixed sum annually, generally $1 per acre, on the first Monday of September, and in case of a violation on his part of the water-right agreement the contract, except in so far as it relates to a right-of-way grant 

and to the making of the water right an appurtenance of the land, may, 

at the option of the water company, be declared forfeited. On the 

other hand, the water company grants a water right in perpetuity, 

agreeing to furnish water at the rate of 1 second-foot for each tract of 

160 acres; it agrees to construct the necessary gate in the canal bank 

for the delivery of the water and to use reasonable diligence in maintaining its works, reserving the right to sell water on similar terms "to 

the full capacity of its canal," which is not otherwise defined. When 

the supply is insufficient to afford to each taker the full amount of 

water to which he is entitled, a delivery of a proportional amount shall 

fully satisfy the covenants entered into. AI\ of the work done in connection with this irrigation system was carried out on a broad scale. 

The entire system is of magnificent proportions, and can not fail to 

become in time one of the most reliable and important in San Joaquin 

Valley. 

It is unfortunate that the :first projects for the establishment of colonies dependent on this canal for water resulted disastrously, because 

the district which the canal commands is, as a whole, well adapted for 

irrigation, and a successful colony enterprise would have gone far 

toward demonstrating possibilities of development with irrigation. 

Among the first lands sold in small subdivisions was a tract of about 

4,000 acres, located in the bad-land strip on the base of the hills about 
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W.ATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 Pl. VII 

TUNN EL NO. 2 ON CROCKER-HUFFMAN CANAL. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPE.R NO. 19 PL. VIII 

CROCKER-HUFFMAN CANAL NEAR HEAD, LOOKING DOWN. 
Gll.UNSKY.} CANALS FROM M·ERCED RIVER. 37 

6 miles north of Merced. These lands were sold to a colony of Hoi. 

landers, who failed to achieve the results anticipated. They experienced 

great difficulty in preparing and cultivating the shallow, coarse, 

gravelly, hogwallow soil, which, unlike the black soil of the Bear 

Creek country nearer Merced, or the sandy loams of Atwater and 

Livingston, had before canal construction been considered worthless, 

except for grazing purposes. The efforts of the colonists proved 

unavailing, and ~fter a time it was realized that the cultivation of the 

selected tract in small areas of fruits, truck gardens, and the like, 

could not be made profitable, and the colony project was abandoned. 

This unsatisfactory experience, together with the general business 

depression of the last few years, will account in large measure for the 

comparatively small demand that bas been made for water from the 

Merced Canal. The area aetually irrigated in a season has probably 

not exceedetl12,000 acres. 

MERCED RIVER BOTTOM CANALS. 

The bottom lands flanking Merced River, extending downstream 

from Merced Falls to near Livingston, are in large part irrigated by a 

number of small ditches, chiefly interesting from the fact that some of 

them are among the oldest irrigation works in San Joaquin Valley. 

Merced Falls mills.-Power is supplied to a flour mill and to a woolen 

mill at Merced Falls by water from Merced River, which there crosses 

a ledge of slate. The natural fall of the rapids at that point is 

increased by means of a light dam, about 800 feet long, which follows 

the crest line of the slate reef from bank to bank. This dam is of the 

lightest possible type, being constructed of a series of inclined timbers, 

usually 4 by 6 inches, loosely resting upon the rock and supported 

from below by means of shores, irregularly spaced according to facility 

of support afforded by the uneven surface of the rock. The spaces 

between timbers are closed with l-inch boards. The maximum height 

of the structure is about 8 feet. Power has been developed at the falls 

since about 1856. 

Merced Falls Ditch.-The water from this ditch is taken from the 

north side of Merced River above the dam at Merced Falls, but the 

rights of this ditch are subject to the prior rights of the mills. The 

ditch was constructed in 1857 and has been in use to some extent ever 

since. It is about 2 miles long, 4~ feet wide on the bottom, 1~ feet 

deep, and has a fall of about 2 feet to the mile. The area irrigated by 

it is 300 to 400 acres. Like all the ditches in Merced Bottoms, it is a 

private ditch, supplying water only to lands of its owners. 

Murray 1J.fill.Ditch.-Th1s is another small north-side ditch, which has 

its head about 1~ miles below Merced Falls. A low dam of cobbles and 

brush is annually thrown across the river to force water into the ditch, 

which is about 3 miles long. The ditch bas a width of abo"Q.t 10 feet, 

carrying water 1 to l~ feet deep, and supplies water to about 100 acres 
38 . IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [NO.l9. 

of land. It also furnishes power for a small gristmill located about a. 

mile below its head. The ditch was constructed about 1858, in which 

year rights of way for it were secured, but it fell into disuse and was 

reconstructed or enlarged in 1862. The dimensions originally intended, 

and which were probably given the earlier ditch, were described as follows: 5 feet wide on bottom, 7 feet on top, and deep enough to carry 2 

feet of water. 

Snelling D-itch.-The Snelling Ditch was constructed in 1860, or about 

that time, for the irrigation of lands near Snelling. A company was 

formed composed of interested landowners, and ownership in the ditch 

was represented by Fhares of stock. The head of the ditch is on the 

north side of the river, about 2 miles above Snelling, which was at the 

time of the ditch construction a prosperous town and the first county 

seat of Merced County. A temporary dam of cobbles and brush is 

annually constructed at the head of the ditch. The ditch is about 4 

miles long, 6 feet wide on the bottom, and carries water from 1 to 2 feet 

in depth on a grade of about 2 feet to the mile. The irrigation is confined principally to orchards, vegetables, and alfalfa, Chinese being the 

renters of most of the land irrigated. 

Montgomery & Anderson Ditch.-This is another old-time ditch of 

small capacity. Its head is on the north side of Merced River, at the 

ford, about a mile above Sne1ling. It is about 1-2- miles long, and supplies water to a few acres of alfalfa, orchard, and gardens near Snelling. 

Its bed width is only about 4 feet, and the depth of water carried is 

about 1 foot. 

Ingalsbe Slough.-This is a natural high-water channel, which breaks 

out through the north bank of Merced River just above Snelling. It 

has a westerly course along or near the northern margin of the bottom 

lands for about 8 miles, and supplies water to several small ditches, notably the Rudelle ditches, besides wetting considerable areas by infiltration of water from the slough into the porous subsoils. A barrier has 

been erected across the head of the slough, and in this a regulating gate 

is maintained. 

Scott Ditch.-The head of this ditch is on the north side of Merced 

River, about a mile below Snelling. It was constructed in 1857, has a 

bottom width of about 3 feet, and is about 2 miles long. 

Dean Ditch.-This is still another small ditch, on the north side of the 

river. It takes water about li miles below Snelling, is about 3 miles 

long, 5 feet wide on the bottom, and 1 to 2 feet deep. Some of its water 

is dropped into Hopeton Slough. 

Old Rit,er.-This is an old channel about 3 miles below Snelling. 

During the freshets of 1861-62 Merced Riv~r cut a new channel near 

the southern margin of its bottom lands, abandoning about 3 to 4 miles 

of its old channel. This is now known as Old River, and a cut has 

been made at its head to increase its flow and to make it serve as a 

source of supply for the irrigation of a number of farms. A little over 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL. IX 

INLET TO MERCED RESERVOIR. CROCKER-HUFFMAN CANAL. 
GRUNSKY.] DITCHES FROM MERCED RIVER. 39 

2 miles below its head water is diverted from it into the Sillman & 

Ruddle Ditch, in which it is carried westerly about 3 miles. This ditch 

has a bed width of 7 feet, and carries water 1 to 2 feet deep. It has a 

fall of about 7 feet to the mile. Half a mile below the head of the Sillman & Ruddle Ditch is the Means or Montgomery Ditch, which irrigates 

a few acres of land lying between Old River and the present channel of 

Merced River. 

Feldhaus&; Reed Ditch~-This is a south-side ditch, having its head 

about 2 miles above Snelling,just below the head of the Snelling Ditch. 

It is between 2 and 3 miles long, and supplies water for the irrigation 

of several hundred acres of bottom land on the south side of the river, 

opposite Snelling. The ditch penetrates the point of a hill in a tunnel 

about 400 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 5~ feet high.· The ditch was constructed in 1865, and was made 6 feet wide on the bottom, 1! feet deep, 

and has a fall of nearly 5 feet to the mile. All parties interested in this 

ditch contributed toward the construction of that part of it located above 

the point where it leaves the laud of each, in proportion to individual 

interests. The expense of maintenance is apportioned in tpe same way. 

No water is sold. 

Hamlin or Millrace Ditch.-Water is diverted from the south side of 

Merced River into this ditch about a mile above Snelling. It has a 

course parallel with the lower portion of the Feldhaus & Reed Ditch, 

-but extends beyond it, being about 2~ miles long. It is 7 feet wide on 

the bottom, carries nearly 2 feet of water, and has a fall of between 4 

and 5 feet to the mile. The ditch was constructed for irrigation purposes. Its owners were subsequently interested in the erection of the 

Merced flour mill, and the ditch became a part of the mill property. 

Some concessions to the use of its water were made for right-of-way 

privileges. Irrigators use the waters of the ditch on Sundays, at night, 

and at other times when the mill is not running. Several hundred 

acres of alfalfa and orchard are dependent on it for a water supply. 

Griffith & Sha;ver Ditch.-This is a ditch on the south side of Merced 

River, about 10 miles by river below Snelling. It is a small ditch, 

about 2! miles long and 3 to 4 feet wide. It has been poorly maintained, 

and has been out of service at various times. 

Other small ditches, besides those enumerated, have been in service in 

Merced Bottoms; but it is impossible to obtain full and accurate data 

relating to them or to many of those mentioned, for the reason that 

official records disclose nothing more, as a rule, than a claim to water 

antedating ditch construction or possibly a right-of-way grant, and all 

other facts relating to the history of irrigation must be compiled from 

the recollections of the oldest inhabitants. 

METHODS OF WATER DIVERSION AND USE. 

Except in the case of the Crocker-Huffman Canal and the Merced 

Falls Ditch, the diversion of water from Merced River is accomplished 

by means of temporary dams constructed of brush and cobbles. These 
40 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

are, as a rule, renewed after the high waters of each season, though 

occasionally they serve through· several years. The inflow of water 

into the ditches is generally regulated by means of primitive wooden 

gates. In some cases overfalls or escape ways near the heads of the 

ditches reduce the amount of water to ditch capacity. 

Before the flood year of 1861-62 Merced River had a well-defined 

channel, with high banks, from Merced Falls to near Livingston. The 

high water of that year, however, washed away large tracts of the 

alluvial soil of the bottoms, leaving in their stead great cobble beds; it 

caused a general silting up and widening of the river channel and a 

consequent rise of the plane of the water surface, as well in the river 

as in the adjacent soils of the bottom lands. Since that time it has 

been an easy matter to accomplish a diversion of water for use on the 

bottom lands of the river. 

On these lands the crops generally irrigated are fruits, grapes, hops, 

alfalfa, and vegetables. Many of the orchards are not well cared for, 

being leased to Chinese from year to year. .A.lfalfa is irrigated by flooding in small checks; orchards and vineyards in furrows. Irrigations 

are frequent. They commence wijih the cessation of rains and continue 

at intervals of three or four weeks for orchards, vineyards, etc., until 

their product is matured. Each new growth of alfalfa receives at least 

one wetting. Ground in which grain is to be planted is sometimes wet 

before plowing. To some extent lands are moistened by the rise of 

water in the porous subsoils, caused by infiltration from the irrigation 

ditches and water courses. The ditches are owned by the landowners, 

and the cost of water from each is a proportional part of the cost of 

maintaining the works. Water is generally used in turn by those 

irrigators dependent upon the same ditch for their water. 

TUOLUMNE RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

The description written for Merced River applies also to this stream. 

Its mountain drainage basin is, however, somewhat larger, covering 

1,635 square miles, and the extent of its bottom lands is considerably 

less than those of Merced River. 

Its low-water flow at the mouth of its canyon above Lagrange 

ordinarily covers the period August to December. The winter rise 

of the stream, due to rainfall in the foothills and low mountain spurs 

within its watershed area, is immediately followed by the spring rise,. 

due to the melting of snow in the higher mountains. The flow of the 

stream gradually increases till May or June, and falls rapidly in the 

latter part of June and in July. The maximum average monthly flow 

based upon the approximations of the State engineer department, fo; 

the six years 1878 to 1884, has been noted at 4,500 second-feet for May.1 

1 Physical Data and Statistics, W. H. Hall, State engineer of California.,l886, pp. 431,476. 
GRUNSKY.} DISCHARGE OF TUOLUMNE RIVER • 41 

• 

The extensive freshet flow, which occurs in winter, when warm rains 

fall upon snow, may reach 120,000 second-feet. 

There has been but little u~e made of water from this stream for irrigation, but works on a large scale have been commenced which are 

quite in keeping with its importance as a source of supply. 

Two gaging stations have been maintained on this river by the 

United States Geological Survey, one at Lagrange, near where the 

river issues from the foothills, and the other at Modesto, farther down 

the valley.1 Gage readings at the lower station have been maintained 

by the Southern Pacific Company for a number of years, and an 

attempt was made to rate the station, but owing to its proximity to 

San Joaquin River, whose back flow in times of high water affected the 

height at Modesto, the work was not so satisfactory as it might be. 

For this reason the other station at Lagrange was established August 

30, 1895. Its location is at the highway bridge in the town. The following facts in regard to the discharge of the river are brought out: 

At Modesto: 

1895. Maximum discharge, February, 19,650 second-feet; minimum, October, 120 

second-feet; average for the year, 3, 719 second-feet. 

1896. Maximum discharge, April, 14,873 second-feet; minimum, October, 180secondfeet; average for the year, 2,927 second-feet. 

Estim,ated mo1tthly discharge of Tuolu'ntne River at Modesto, Cal'ifornia. 

[Drainage area, 1,501 square miles.] 

Di:!!Charge in second-feet. 

Month. 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. 

1895. 

January .......................... 16, 130 1, 398 4,828 

~e;~':ta_r:_::::·::.:::::::: :::::::::: 19,650 1, 322 3,915 

10,785 1, 710 3,165 

.A.pril.---.. ----.. ------.... ------- 10,012 a,~55 5,824 

May .............................. 16,000 6,097 11,798 June ............................ -- 12,530 5, 616 9,163 

July .............................. 6,692 1,550 3,831 

t~t:!\~;:::::::::::::::::::::::: 1, 550 285 848 

5, 616 200 615 

October ........................... 200 120 152 

November ........................ 500 210 255 

December ........................ 730 180 283 

Run-oft'. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. Depth in feet per 

inches. square 

mile. 

296,900 3.700 3.220 

217,430 2.720 2.610 

194,610 2.430 2.110 

346,570 4.330 3.880 

725,400 9.065 7.870 

545,110 6.815 6.110 

235,540 2.944 2.554 

52,125 0.652 0.565 

36,600 0.457 0.410 

9,346 0.117 0.101 

14,985 0.187 0.170 

17,405 0.217 0.189 

The year.................... 19, 650 - 120 -3-, 719 "2,692,021J33."634 -2. 45 

1896. 

January.......................... 13,686 246 3, 080 189,370 2. 37 2. 05 

~~~~ha:?. :~~~:~::::~:~:::::::::::: 1~; ~gg 1, ~gg ~: ~~~ 1~~; g~~ gj~ ~: ~ 

*!1:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: i!:~i! !J~g 1~:!:~ !igJ~~ ~:i~ i:~i July ..... :........................ 8, 735 1, 306 4, 121 253, 408 3. 17 2. 75 

te~~~!\;~;:::::::::::::::::::::::: ~:~~~ ~gg ~+~ ~:r:i g:!~ g::~ October........................... 474 180 224 13,797 0.17 0.15 

November........................ 7, 802 273 1, 210 72,012 0. 90 0. 81 

December ......................... 3,560 516 1,028 63,247 0.79 0.69 

- The year .................... --14,873--180-2,927 "2,121,434 -25.74~-1.00 

I Twelfth Ann~ Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Part II, 1891, p. 322; Bull. No. 131, 1895, p. 83; Bul. No. 140, 

1896, pp. 298-304; Eighteenth Ann. Rept., Part IV, 1897, pp. 378-385; Water-Supply and irrigation 

Paper No.l1,1897, p. 90; Water-Supply aud Irrigation Paper No.16, 1898, pp.188-189. 
42 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. 

• 

[N0.19 • 

18,000~~--~~-+-+-+-+,+~~~~~~4-4-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-r-r-~~_,-T-+-+-i 

16,000hH~--~~-+-+-+-+~~~~~~~4-4-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-r-~~_,-T-+-+-i 

14,000H4~-+~4-~-+-+~4-+-~~-+~4-+-~r+-+-r~+-T,r+-+-r4-~~-1 

14, UUUI~I-+--f- -···- --··-·- -··-·--' -···-·-' ,....._-1-+-1--1--f-+-+--t--l-+-1--1-+-+--l--t-l--f-l--l 

12, UUUI--+--rt.--tt-··-· -· ·-·-·- --·-·__1 -- - ·· 

10,Uutli-~~H-- --- ___ J ---·-·· 

---J·· 

---~-- .. 

~ j. 

4, J 

2, 

FIG. 10-Discharge of Tuolumne River at Modesto, California, 1895-96. 

EBtimated monthly diBcharge of Tuol·wmne Rivm· at Lagrange, Califm-nia. 

[Drainage area, 1,501 square miles.] 

Discharge in second-feet. 

Month. 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. 

1895. September .••................•.... 2,182 78 263 October ........................... 299 78 134 November ........................ 129 112 113 December ..•..................... 1, 004 129 270 

1896, 

Run-off. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. Depth in feet per 

inches. square 

mile. 

15,635 0.195 0.175 8,231 0.103 O.OH9 6,698 0.084 0.075 16,614 0.208 0.180 

t~~~~~::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1t~gg };ggg ~:~~~ :i~J~~ g:~~ ~:~~ tt~~~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1~:~~g i:~~g !:~~~ ~~~::~t ~::g ~:~: June.............................. 9, 320 5, 140 7, 692 457, 705 5. 74 5.13 July.............................. 5, 330 960 3, 003 184,677 2. 31 2. 00 August........................... 3, 050 227 485 29, 828 0. 37 0. 32 September........................ 1, 620 132

1 

432 25,742 0. 32 0. 29 October...... .. .. . . .. . • . . . . . . . . . . . 350 75 19 7, 366 0. 09 0. 08 November........................ 5, 710 227 1,135 67,543 0. 83 0. 75 December • .. .. . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . • . 3, 620 670 1, 083 66, 603 0. 83 o. 72 

The _Year ................... - 11, 798 -- 75 ~~ 1,698,100 ~-~.56 
GBUNSXY.) LAGRANGE DITCH. 48 

E11timated monthly discharge of Tuolumne Rivet· at Lagrange, California-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. 

:Month. 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. 

1897. 

Run-oft'. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. Depth in feet per 

inches. square 

mile. 

t~~F~::::::::::::::::::::::::: i~J~ ~:~g t~i~ ~HJ~g iJi ~:~ ~~~~:::::::::::::::::::::::::~::: ~::~gg ~:~gg ~r:~~~ ~~g:i~~ g:rg ~:~ June ..•........................... 9,300 2,500 5,673 337,566 ~.22 3.78 July .............................. 4,840 480 2,181 134,105 1.67 1.45 August ... "........................ 570 76 237 14,573 0.18 0.16 September........................ 140 28 86 5,117 0.07 0.06 

October........................... 750 I 76 222 13,650 0.171 0.15 November........................ 3,540 260 768 45,699 0.57 0.51 December......................... 4, 060 570 1, 104 67,883 0. 85 0. 74 1----:----1---------------- Theyear...... ... . . . . . . . . . . . 14,700 I 28 3, 364 2, 422,827 30.26 1 2. 24 

0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*9=F~~~~~~~~ 

10, 000 H-+-+-+--t-+-t-t-+-t--t--t-t-t-111-+-l--t-+-t-t--t-t-t-t--t-+-t--t-t--t--t-"""t-t-1:-1 

3,000 

2,000 

1,000 

0 

FIG. H.-Discharge of Tuolumne River at Lagrange, California, 1895-96. 

At Lagrange: 

1896. Maximum discharge, March, 11,798 second-feet; minimum, October, 75 second-feet; average for the year, 2,342 second-feet. 

1897. Maximum discharge, May 25, 14,700 second-feet; minimum, September 21, 28 

second-feet; average for the year, 3,364 second-feet. 

CANALS AND DITCHES. 

Lagrange Ditch.-In 1871 this ditch was constructed by the Lagrange 

Ditch and Hydraulic Mining Company, from the upper end of Indian 

Bar to French Hill, at Lagrange, for mining purposes, and has been in 

constant use, supplying water to the gravel mines near Lagrange and 

to those at Patricksville, about 4 miles southwest from Lagrange. Very 
44 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.19. 

little of its water has been used for any other purpose. The ditch may 

ultimately, however, come into service as an irrigation ditch as the 

demand for water for hydraulic mining decreases. The ditch is carried 

under the gravel deposit of Indian Bar i.n a box culvert; thence follows 

the south side canyon wall for 14 miles, being always within one-half mile 

of the river, and reaching the vicinity of Lagrange at an elevation of 

250 to 300 feet above the water surface of the river. There are many 

and long flumes in use where the canyon walls are too steep and rocky 

to permit of open-ditch construetion. The ditch has an average bottom 

width of about 6 feet and carries water 3 to 3~ feet deep. Its grade is 

7 to 8 feet to the mile and its capacity 50 to 60 secoud-feet. The cost of 

this ditch was about $300,000. The total expenditure on the ditch 

property is, however, reported to have been $800,000. The annual cost 

of repair and maintenance is $3,000 to $4,000. The ditch drops its 

water into the Patricksville Reservoir about 3 miles south of Lagrange. 

The reservoir is formed by means of two earth dams. It has a surface 

area of 132 acres and a capacity of abo-ut 07,500,000 cubic feet, or 1,320 

acre-feet, its average depth being about 10 feet. 

Wheaton Ditoh.-This ditch has gone out of service. It was a small 

ditch on the south side of the river, having its head at the Wheaton 

Dam, which was maintained in the mouth of the Tuolumne River Canyon, about 1i miles above Lagrange, until replaced in 1891-1893 by the 

massive masonry structure of the Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts. Several water companies were early interested in diverting 

water for mining purposes from the river at or near the Wheaton Dam 

site,just above French Bar. Of these, the Franklin Water Company 

was incorporated in1854. It and the FrenclP Bar Mining Company 

both sold out to the Stanislaus County Water Company in 1855. The 

purpose of the new company was to supply water to Lagrange and 

vicinity by means of ditches on each side of the river. Water was 

diverted from the river on the south side at a point about 500 feet above 

the falls or rapids, the latter being the point subsequently selected as 

the site for the dam. This water company sold out to the Tuolumne 

Water Company in 1871. The latter company at once constructed a 

dam, a substantial cribwork structure of sawed lumber. Its height 

ranged from 16 to 30 feet. Its lower face was nearly vertical. Its 

upstream face was covered with a timber skin, which was renewed but 

once during the entire life of the structure. The upstream face was but 

little flatter than 1 to 1. The crest length of the dam, not including 

the overfall wall forming the outer ditch bank at its head, was 125 feet. 

About 250,000 feet oflumber were used in its construction. It is reported 

to have cost about $24,000. Several years after the construction of this 

dam the entire property of the water company was sold to Mr. M . .A. 

Wheaton, one of the stockholders, and a small ditch about 2 miles long 

was kept in service. Its duty gradually dwindled to the irrigation of 

a few acres of orchard and vegetable land (not exceeding 50 acres) in 

the river bottoms just below Lagrange. 
IJ. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER·SUPPLY PAPE'R NO. 19 PL. X 

A. 

}:J. 

LAGRANGE DAM DURING CONSTRUCTION. 

A, As s<>en from front; R, Abutment. 
GRUNSKY.) LAGRANGE DAM. 45 

Lagrange Dam.-The structure which replaced the Wheaton Dam is 

generally known as the Lagrange Dam. It was built by the Turlock 

and Modesto irrigation districts. It is noteworthy as the highest overfall dam ever built on a large river. For the irrigation of the Turlock 

irrigation district, on the south side of Tuolumne River, which was 

organized in 1887, it was necessary to construct a high-line canal. A 

high dam at or near the Wheaton Dam site was decided upon. After 

long deliberation the Modesto irrigation district, on the north side of 

the river, determined to join in the construction of the dam, as it 

appeared desirable to have joint control of the diverting works with 

. the other district and because it afforded the best command of canal 

routes westward to the district lands. (See Pis. X and XI and fig. 12.) 

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FIG. 12.-Plan of Lagrange Dam. 

The engineers of the two districts were required to prepare plans for 

the structure, from which those submitted by Mr. Luther Wagoner 

were adopted; but as Mr. Wagoner soon afterwards resigned his position as engineer for the Modesto district, Mr. E. H. Barton, the Turlock 

district engineer, was placed in charge of construction. The dam from 

lowest point of its foundation surface to its crest line has a height of 

125 feet. It raises the surface of the river 100 feet. It is arched 

upstream, its upstream face being curved to a radius of 301 feet. Its 

crest length from the retaining wall built for the outside bank of the 

Modesto canal to the cliff on the south side of the riv~r is 310 feet. 

The upstream face of the dam is vertical from its top downward for 70 

feet, thence to the foundation surface it has a batter of 1 in 20. The 
46 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. (NO.l9. 

top edges of the dam are rounded off toward the upstream face on a 

radius of 3 feet; toward the inclined downstream face on a radius of 

1 ~ feet. The level portion of the top has a width of 6 feet. At 6 feet 

below its crest line the dam is 24.13 feet thick; at 69 feet below its top 

it is 52 feet thick; at 89 feet it is 66.25 feet; and at 97 feet, the top of 

the foundation masonry, it is 84 feet thick. The extreme bottom width 

at the highest point of the dam is 90 feet. The downstream face has 

a pitch of 1 on ~(about 25°) down to 70 feet below the crest height 

of the structure, where a compound curve 64 and 23 feet radii commences, which carries the face to its intersection with the downstream face of the foundation masonry, about 3 feet above low water . 

.Pro&.E~reme.H:W. 

.HW. 

FIG.l3.-Section of Lagrange Dam. 

From this line down to bed rock the masonry has a batter of 1 in 7. The 

dam thus affords a smooth support for the overfalling waters, which 

shoot off from the almost horizontal surface at the termination of the 

downstream face with great force against the river below. The original 

design contemplated the use of a second or subsidiary dam below the 

first, to create a pool of dead water, or water cushion, against which 

the force of the overfalling stream might be expended, but this has not 

been carried out. As the low-water width of the river-or rather its 

width at the height of top of the foundation-is only 80 feet, to 

be compared with 310, the crest length of the dam, it is apparent that during high stages of the river there must be a considerable crowding of the water from both sides toward the center of 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WAT ER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 19 PL. XI 

A . 

B. 

LAGRANGE DAM. 

A, Nearing compietion; B, At time of high wate r. 
GBUNSKY.] TURLOCK IRRIGATION DISTRICT. 47 

the stream. What effect this will have upon the solid rock walls of 

the canyon is not yet known; but if these show any tendency to break 

away on crevice and cleavage lines recourse will be had to a reenforcement with cement mortar and concrete. The dam is constructed 

throughout of uncoursed rubble laid in cement concrete. The cement 

used in the structure was furnished by the irrigation districts. The 

work of stripping and cleaning the foundation and putting masonry in 

place was all covered by the price of $10.39 per cubic yard of masonry, 

at which construction was contracted for. The amount of masonry in 

the dam is about 39,500 cubic yards. Nearly 30,000 barrels of Portland cement were used in its construction. The total cost of the dam, 

not including canal head works, was about $550,000. This great cost 

of work executed under comparatively favorable .conditions must be 

ascribed largely to the lack of active competition among bidders for 

the work. There was doubt concerning the ability of the two districts 

to meet their obligations in coin at the time of the letting, because 

bonds were not selling readily at the prescribed limit of 90 per cent, 

and the contractors were compelled to make arangements to receive at 

least a portion of their pay in district bonds. During construction of 

the foundation masonry in 1891 the river \vas carried past the work in 

a flume. Two openings or culverts were left through the masonry at 

the elevation of low water and one about 10 feet above low water. 

These were 4 feet wide and 6 feet high, and easily passed the low-water 

flow of the river in the following seasons. The two lower ones were 

closed when the masonry had reached sufficient heigth to force the full 

low-water flow through the upper culvert. The upper culvert remained 

open long after the completion of the dam. It was closed in 1896. 

Water went over the top of the finisl;ted dam for the first time on the 

morning of December 23, 1893. 

TURLOOK IRRIGATION DISTRIOT. 

This irrigation district was organized in April, 1887, under favorable· 

auspices. There was but little opposition. Mr. George Manuel was 

made district engineer and estimated the cost of the necessary works 

at $467,545. Bonds were issued in the amount of $600,000, and when 

it became apparent that this sum would not cover the cost of the works 

an additional issue of $600,000 was made. Pending protracted litigation and the negotiations with the Modesto irrigation district relating 

to its participation in the construction of a high dam above Lagrange, 

the work on the main canal was pushed as rapidly as possible; but it is 

not even yet completed. 

This district lies on the south side of Tuolumne River, extending 

southward to near Merced River and from the western edge of the Sierra 

Nevada foothills westward to near San Joaquin River. It has an area 

of 176,310 acres, of which about 30,000 are in Merced County, and the 

remainder in Stanislaus County. The land in the district is generally 
48 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [NO.l9. 

held in tracts of less than 1,000 acres, practically all of which are grain 

farms. The soil is generally a sandy loam, fertile with moisture, producing fair crops of cereals when the rainfall reaches 10 inches, 

favorably distributed through the season; but on the whole there has 

been little profit in wheat farming. 

Water is to be taken from above the Lagrange Dam by a tunnel 560 

feet long, 12 feet wide, and 11 feet high, with vertical sides, and a 

radius of arch of 6 feet. It was originally proposed to place the regulator and a waste gate at the lower end of this tunnel, but this idea 

was abandoned and a regulating gate bas been constructed at its inlet. 

For over a mile below the head-works tunnel the canal winds along a 

slaty hillside. The canal has there been constructed with a bed width 

of 20 feet and a proposed water depth of 10 feet. The outside canal 

bank is constructed of dry-laid rock retaining walls with clay puddle 

core. At the lower end of this hillside work the canal crosses Snake 

Ravine, which was closed by a dam and up which the canal water is to 

be turned for about 1,000 feet. The earth dam has been washed out, and 

the pond which it was to form is to be replaced by a flume. Thence 

the course of the canal leads through a cut about 800 feet long, made 

by the hydraulic process, anu its water is dropped into old mining pits, 

in which it is held for a distance of about 2,000 feet. This canal section 

is followed by a rock cut 860 feet long, leading into Dry Creek. The 

channel of Dry Creek is utilized for 1! miles, and this creek section of 

the canal is followed by a flume. In its course farther westward the 

canal Ilierces three foothill spurs in tunnels, none of which are lined. 

Below the last of these tunnels the canal crosses a gulch, which is to 

be closed with a concrete dam 40 feet high, and the canal then enters 

another cut 3,300 feet long. It will cross Peasley·Oreek in a flume 20 

feet wide and 7 feet deep. 

The canal below Peasley Creek is generally 45 feet wide on the bottom 

and 7! feet deep, and has a fall of 1 foot to the mile; but dimensions 

are not uniform, being varied to suit the character of material into 

which the canal is cut. The canal capacity as reported by the district 

engineer is 1,500 second-feet. Great care has been taken to keep canal 

dimensions uniform and to bring the canal bed to grade, often necessitating the taking of material from borrow pits at the outer levee base, 

thereby increasing the apparent height of canal levees and greatly 

incre3t8ing the danger of breaks in these embankments. There would 

have been no objection, so far as simple inspection discloses, to deepening the canal below grade where necessary to secure material, and the 

cause for adopting the above type of cross section has not been made 

apparent. Drops or check gates have been constructed where material 

is liable to erosion and the natural fall exceeds that llrescribed for the 

canal. The canal approaches some of these between high levees and 

leaves them in moderate cut-a questionable arrangement. It might 

even be better to bring the canal into service without the use of drops 
GRUNSXY.) MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRICT. 49 

and to place these later where required. The main canal is 18 miles 

long and will supply water to five principal laterals, which are to have an 

aggregate length of 80 miles. These are to be 30 feet wide on the bottom 

and 5 feet deep, and are to have an effective fall of 2 feet to the mile. 

Other branch ditches of smaller dimensions, to the extent of 180 miles 

in aggregate length, are also to be constructed by the district. As the 

surface of the district is very smooth and the fall quite uniform from 

northeast to southwest, most of the branch canals will be constructed 

on land lines from north to south and from east to west. It is understood that a contract for. the completion of this entire system of ditches, 

including the main canal, has been let, and that work is to be actively 

pushed under this contract. 1 

MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRIOT. 

Soon after the project of organizing the Turlock district had taken 

definite shape, the farmers on the north side of Tuolumne River 

resolved upon the formation of a second district to be dependent on 

that stream for its water. Although considerable opposition was 

encountered, the res.ult of their action was the formation of the Modesto irrigation district, which was consummated in July, 1887. The 

district extended northward from Tuolumne River to Stanislaus River, 

and from the foothills westward into the trough of the valley to near 

San Joaquin River. It had an area of about 108,000 acres. The preliminary study indicated conclusively that the expense of constructing 

a canal from Tuolumne River to command the entire distri.ct would be 

prohibitory, and that either the high southeastern portion of the 

original district must be excluded or that water must be taken from 

Stanislaus River at an estimated cost of over $700,000. Before further 

steps were taken bonds to the amount of $800,000 were voted, and a 

reduction of"the area of the district to 81,500 acres soon followed. The 

project for the irrigation of the district lands did not assume its final 

definite shape until an arrangement was entered into with the Turlock 

irrigation district, according to which the two districts were to unite 

in constructing a great diverting dam in Tuolumne River about 1i 

miles above Lagrange, and agreed to contribute equally toward its 

construction. 

The canal has an inlet capacity of about 750 second-feet. Now hanging on h"illsides, now foi.lowing table-lands or mesas, or penetrating low 

SJlUrs of the foothills in tunnels, it reaches a point near Waterford, 

with a total length of 23 miles. The canal regulator or head gate is 

in place and main canal excavation is reported finished, but other 

structures are incomplete or wanting, such as check weirs, flumes along 

steep hillsides and over creeks and gulches, and road bridges. This, 

including one-half the cost of the Lagrange Dam, has been accomlFor further description of this canal, see American irrigation engineering, by H. M. Wileou; 

Thirteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Part III, 1893, pp. 203, 232. 

IRR 19--4 
50 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. [No.l9. 

plished, under district management, with an expenditure, expressed in 

bonds sold, of the entire first issue of $800,000. The result is hardly 

more satisfactory than in many other of the irrigation districts. The 

district is not yet in position to furnish water to any of its lands ; the 

cost of the work has been excessive, owing largely to the uncertainty 

of pay on completion, which deterred contractors in the case of nearly 

all district work in this and other irrigation districts from making low 

bids. Several years ag-o additional bonds to the amount of $350,000 

were voted by the district, but these are to be withheld from sale 

pending final settlement of matters that have involved the district in 

litigation. 

The surface of the district is admirably adapted for cultivation by 

irrigation. The soils are sands and sandy loams, and the ground has a 

slope from east to west of 5 to 10 feet to the mile. The entire area of 

this district, as well as of the Turlock district, was originally a treeless plain. For many years past it has been a vast wheat field. 

ST.ANISLA. US RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

Stanislaus River is of the same type as the Merced and the Tuolumne, and of equal rank as a source of supply for large irrigation 

canals. Its mountain watershed has an area of 1,051 square miles, the 

run-off from which is ordinarily greatest in May, when snows are melting. The stream is at a low stage from August to December. During 

the winter months its flow is variable, being greatly influenced by rainfall and temperature. Its mean monthly discharge increases rapidly 

from January to April. From April to June is the period of its spring 

rise. The low-water flow is ordinarily from 100 to ~00 second-feet, and 

the mean flow during the spring rise is 3,000 to 5,000 second-feet. 1 At 

Oakdale, where the river enters San ,Joaquin Valley, its bed is depressed 

about 80 feet below the general surface of the main valley plain. The 

river's low banks are flanked on either side by narrow strips of bottom 

land, which extend from river to base of the slope rising to the higher 

level of the upland. For over 40 miles below Oakdale the river surface 

is thus de. pressed below the level of the valley lands, but the difference 

in level gradually decreases, and near the trough of the valley the bottom lands of the river are merged into the submersible portion of the 

east-side plain. 

Irrigation from this river has been confined to the foothill region 

until the enlargement and extension of an old ditch within the last two 

years has made water available on the north-side upland. 

The United States Geological Survey has maintained a gaging station on this river since June, 1895. It is located at the highway bridge 

1 See Physical Data and Statistics, W. H. Hall, State engineer of California, 1886, pp. 428, 476. 
GRuNsKY.) DISCHARGE OF STANISLAUS RIVER. 51 

just above the bridge of the Southern Pacific Company at the town of 

Oakdale.1 

The following facts are brought out from this record: 

The low-water :flow for 1895, occurring in August, September, and October, was 145 

second-feet. 

1896. Maximum discharge, May, 13,050 second-feet; minimum, January, 150 secondfeet; average for the year, 1,935 second-feet. 

1897. Maximum discharge, February 4,10,580 second-feet; minimum, September ·· 

and October, 140 second-feet; a,verage for the year, 1,835 second-feet. 

Estimated nwnthly discharge of Stan·isla·us River at Oakdale, California. 

[Drainage area, 1, 051 square miles.] 

Discharge in second-feet. Run-o:ff. 

Month. Total in SecondMaximum. Minimum. Mean. acre-feet. Depth in feet per inches. square 

mile. 

1895. 

June .............................. 8,510 3,842 5,686 338,340 6.038 5,410 

i»~~~i: :::::::::::::::::::::::::: 3,842 550 1, 778 109,330 1. 950 1. 692 

550 1(5 330 20,304 .362 0.31( 

September ........................ 3,161 145 638 37,970 .677 0.607 

October ........................... 246 145 176 10,802 .193 0.16':' 

November ........................ 179 179 179 10,651 .190 0.170 

December ........................ 414 145 198 12,208 .218 0.189 

==-== ------- 1896. 

January .......................... 6,956 150 1,806 111,058 1. 98 1.72 

~~~r;ba~ ::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1,208 632 782 45,038 0.80 0. 75 

12,000 694 2,464 151,505 2.70 2.35 

April ............................. 9,050 1,966 3, 274 194,870 3.48 3.11 

rua!e:::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::: 13,050 2,290 4, 717 290,092 5.17 4.57 

11,000 2,656 6,541 389,247 6.97 6.22 

~E;.: :~ ~ ~ ::: ~::: ~:::: ~ ~; ~ ~ ~: 3,156 470 1,293 79,503 1.4,2 1. 23 

2,412 218 385 23,703 0.42 0.37 

962 252 332 19,761 0.35 0.32 

370 218 239 14,695 0.26 0. 22 November ........................ 4,514 252 705 41,968 0. 75 0.67 

December ........................ I, 750 470 681 41,904 0. 75 0.65 

------ The year .................... 13,050 150 1,935 1,403, 344 25.05 1.85 

1897. 

January .......................... 2,251 410 609 37,446 0.67 0.58 

I..~%~::::::::::::::::::::::::: 10,580 1,264 3,252 180,607 3.23 3.10 

5,062 1, 264 1,915 117,750 2.10 1.82 

April ............................. 9, 234 1,880 5,064 301,328 5.37 4.81 

~~lTEHiiitHmii. 9,980 5,480 7,324 450,338 8.04 6.97 

3, 974 860 2, 077 123,590 2.21 1.98 

1,180 250 582 35,786 0.63 0.55 

230 170 198 12,175 0.22 0.19 

190 140 152 9,045 0.16 0.14 

October ........................... 250 ~~ 176 10,822 0.20 0.17 

November ........................ 780 255 15,174 0.27 0.24 

December ......................... 1,516 210 411 25,272 0.45 0.39 

------------------------ Theyear .................... 10,580 140 1,835 1,319,333 23.55 1. 74 

1 Bull. U.S. Geol. Survey No.140, 1896, p. 305; Eighteenth Ann. Rept., Part IV, 1897, p. 371; WaterSupply and Irrigation Paper No.ll, 1897, p. 90; Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 16,1898, p.187. 
52 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. 

:s, 0011 

·~,ooo g 

•6,nnn 

5,onoll 

4,000 

3 nnn 

2 1\1\1\ 

' 

1\1\1\ I A~O[ I [""''""', 

1, UWI-f--t--t-+--f-t-+-il-+-f-+-1-+-l-· 

12,000 

u,nno 

10, nl\1\ 

9, 000 1-+--+--+-1---+-f-1---+--..!-+-l-t-1--f-+-· 

I 

• .... 

! 

[N0.19. 

8, 000 1-i--1--t---'l-+-1-t-+-1-t---1-l+t--+-t-· I-IU."·H-f-1--1--t-+-+-+-+-+-+-+--t-1--+-1-+-l-+-1 

7. 000 1-+---lr--f--1---+-f-1---+-a-1-+-l ........ -f-+-· 

6, 000 1-1---t-,r+--1-+-t-+-+-11-+-1~-+-+-· 

5, 000 1-f--1--1-1--l--+-l--+--lf-1-1--l-+-1--.!1-1--~ 

IJ 

FIG.14.-Discharge of Stanislaus River at Oakdale, California, 1895-96. 

CANALS AND DITCHES. 

Stanislaus&; San Joaq'uin Oanal.-Among the ditches constructed as 

aids to placer and river-bed mining over forty years ago was one on 

the north side of Stanislaus River, constructed by the San Joaquin 

County Water Company. Water was diverted from the river about 7 

miles above Knights Ferry and was carried in ditch and :flumes along 

the broken northern wall of the river canyon to points at and near 

Knights Ferry, where the ditch water had attained an elevation of 150 

feet above the river surface. The ditch constructed by this company 

in 1854 to 1856 has remained in service ever since. As the demand for 

water from miners decreased, the demand from irrigators increased. 

Many projects for the diversion of a greater quantity of water than 

that represented by the old ditch capacity were proposed, but none 
GRUNSKl'.] STANISLAUS & SAN JOAQUIN CANAL. 53 

were pushed to completion, until finally, under new management, an 

enlargement and extension of the old work was successfully accomplished within the last few years, and is now known as the Stanislaus 

& San Joaquin Canal. 

The old ditch before enlargement had somewhat irregular dimensions. It was generally 4 feet wide on the bottom, about 5 feet at the' 

top, and carried water 2 feet deep. Its fall was not uniform, generally about 5 feet to the mile. Its capacity was about 15 second-feet. 

A dam was constructed across Stanislaus River at its head in several 

sections, closing the spaces between high projecting points of bed rock. 

The spaces into which these divided the river bed were closed by means 

of timber crib work having a crest length of about 300 feet and an 

average height of about 16 feet. It raises the water surface of the 

river 12 to 14 feet. A portion of this dam was renewed in the years 

1877 to 1880. 

The north-bank end of the dam rests against a high timber crib filled 

with rock, which is perforated for the ditch. The inflow into the ditch 

is controlled by means of a gate operated with a winch. When it was 

decided to increase the capacity of the original ditch, about 1888, work 

was commenced by a new organization, known as the San Joaquin 

Land and Water Company, on a masonry dam 4,300 feet below the 

present head of the ditch, but the structure has not been completed. 

The old ditch for nearly a mile below its bead had a position below 

the extreme limit of the river's flood plane. It has therefore frequently 

been cut out or filled with sand during the river's high stages, and its 

owners have been put to much trouble in keeping this upper section 

open. At 3 or 4 miles below its head the ditch was carried for over 

1,000 feet along a smooth-surfaced vertical cliff in a hanging flume, 

whose i_ron supports· were firmly anchored to the solid rock. The 

ditch at Knights Landing was at such elevation that but a short tunnel 

was necessary to carry a branch northward through the divide into 

Little Creek Valley. Its water was there used in one of the pioneer 

vineyards of the State, the pr4Jperty of Judge Schell. The original 

cost of the old ditch was $80,000. At the time it was superseded by 

the new work its waters were being used on 200 to 300 acres of orchard, 

vineyard, and garden land. 

As a matter of history, reference may be made in this connection to. 

the Farmington Water Company, whose works were intended to supplant those of the older ditch. This company, with Colonel Bulkley as 

chief engineer, proposed to construct a loose-rock dam across Stanislaus 

River one-quarter mile above the head of the San Joaquin County ditch 

and to turn the river through a rock cut past the south end of the dam. 

The location selected as a dam site was a favorable one, but the route 

from the dam for a large canal for 2 or 3 miles to the point where it 

was proposed to construct a tunnel through the ridge between the 

river and Little .John Creek was not favorable. The construction of the 
54 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. (NO.l9. 

tnnnei was, however, commenced, and it was driven into the mountain 

700 feet from its south end and 200 feet from its north end. The length 

of the finished tunnel would have been 1,940 feet. This work was done 

in 187 4 and 1875, but was not carried to completion, because the necessary financial arrangements could not be made. 

The successive failures to accomplish a diversion of Stanislaus River 

water in a large north-side ditch, including a number that did not 

progress far beyond the recording of a claim to water, did not deter 

the Stanislaus and San Joaquin Water Company from undertaking the 

work. 

The canal as it came into service in 1896 received water through an 

upper ditch extending from the diverting dam to the proposed new 

dam, 8 feet wide on the bottom, sides nearly vertical, water depth 5 

feet, and a fall of a little over 4 feet to the mile. Below the partially 

built new dam the ditch for a distance of 900 feet is 9 feet wide on the 

bottom and its water depth was increased to 6 feet. The canal then 

enters a flume 1,112 feet long, thence flows through a tunnel 1,04 7 feet 

long, thence for 1,520 feet in another flume, from which it is delivered 

into a second tunnel 1,037 feet in le11gth, and thence by ditch and 

flumes to a point to the north of Knights Ferry, where the Farmington 

Branch is sent off practically on the line of the old Schell Ditch to 

Little John Creek. 

The main ditch is carried from there in a flume half a mile long across 

the depression to the north of Knights Ferry, thence by short ditch 

into a natural channel, in w hicb it flows westward several miles, thence 

again in ditch and flumes alternately to a point about 11 miles west of 

Knights Ferry, where a distribution of its water is to be made to three 

branch ditches or laterals; of these one, the Escalon lateral, is to supply water to the uplands near Stanislaus River; a second, occupying 

the natural channel known as Lone Tree Slough and continued as 

Lathrop lateral, will command the main body of land intermediate 

between French Camp Creek and Stanislaus River; and the third, 

taking a northwesterly course, is to skirt the foothill base. From the 

main ditch a flume, in part supported by a bridge, has been carried 

across Stanislaus River for the delivery to Oakdale of 80 second-feet 

of water. 

The Farmington Branch flows in Little John Creek about 11 miles, 

thence in a ditch on the north side of the creek 12 miles, reaching and 

extending upon the valley plain to the northwest of Farmington. It is 

8 feet wide on the bottom, will carry water 2 feet deep, and has a fall of 

1i feet to the mi1e. The Escalon and Lathrop laterals are 14 and 24 

feet wide, respectively. They were not complete in 1896, neither had 

the proposed Clyde lateral been constructed. 

The upper two flumes on the main canal are 10 feet wide by 6 feet 

deep. These are followed by three flumes 8 feet wide by 8 feet deep. 

The gradient of maili flumes varies from 1.9 to- nearly 2.5 feet in 1,000. 
GRUNSXY.) KNiGHTS FERRY & TABLE MOUNTAIN DITCH. 55 

The flumes below Knights Ferry generally are 8 feet wide and 6 feet 

deep, on a grade of 1.6 feet in 1,000; but the long flume is an exception; 

it is 6 feet wide, 5 feet deep, and has a fall of 11.4 feet in 1,000. The 

upper tunnel is 12 feet wide, planned to carry water 6 feet deep, on a 

grade of 1.5 in 1,000. The second tunnel is 14 feet wide, but has a grade 

of only 1.1 in 1,000. Where the upper portion of the main ditch is in 

excavation it is an enlargement of the old ditch. The outer bank of 

the old ditch was not disturbed, the entire enlargement having been 

effected by deepening and by cutting into the hillside. The new ditch 

is 9 feet wide on the bottom; it is to carry a maximum depth of 6 feet 

of water, and its fall is 0.9 foot in 1,000. 

The great variability in capacity which the above dimensions indicate 

is to be accounted for in a measure by the fact that further enlargement 

is contemplated and that the new work was fitted to the old, as circumstances permitted. The total expense of canal enlargement, not including engineering nor rights of way, was about $150,000.1 

Water is being furnished to irrigators very nearly on the same plan 

as that adopted by the Fresno and Crocker-Huffman companies, and 

long before water was available for delivery contracts were entered into 

between farmers and the canal company according to which the landowner pledged himself to take water for a specified tract of land as soon 

as water was available, and to pay therefor a bonus of $10 per acre, in 

deferred payments, at the rate of 50 cents per acre 1)er annum, with interest at 6 per cent per annum on the amount remaining unpaid. The takers 

of water rights, in addition to the payment of this bonus, also obligate 

themselves to pay an annual water rental at the rate of $1.50 per acre. 

But the rate per acre is to become due during the first four years on only 

so much of the land as is actually irrigated; on not less, however, than 

one-fourth of the entire area the first year after water is available, on 

one-half the second year, on three-fourths tlie third year, and on the 

full acreage the fourth year and thereafter. The water rights issued~ 

at the beginning of 1896 covered about 14,000 acres. No information is 

available as to extent of irrigation during the first season. 

Knights Ferry &i Table ]}founta·in Ditoh (also known as Pentland 

Ditoh ).-This ditch, which has been out of service since 1881, is mentioned because before its final abandonment it'supplied water to a few 

acres of orchard, vineyard, and garden land on the south side of Stanislaus River, opposite Knights Ferry. This ditch was constructed for 

mining purposes in 1855, at a reported cost of $210,000. Its head 

was at Sixmile Bar, about a mile below the head of the San Joaquin 

County Ditch. At that point a log dam, 30 feet in maximum height, 

enabled diversion into the ditch, which was cut into the south canyon 

wall. The location was not favorable for a ditch; flumes had to be 

used at a number of points, and at others the ditch was supported by 

1 The above facts rel.a.tive to the work done by the new water company are largely from the published 

report on the work by Prof. ,George Davidson. 
56 IRRIGATION NEAR :MERCED, CALU.,ORN'IA. [:No.t9. 

a high outside wall of dry rubble. The flumes ,were 4! feet wide and 2 

feet deep. The ditch was about 8 miles long; it had a fall of about 

8 feet to the mile. Its capacity was about 20 second-feet. 

Oakdale Oanal.-From a point on the south side of Stanislaus River 

about a mile below Knights Ferry, a canal has been constructed to 

Oakdale. It has a total length of about 12 miles, and commands the low 

mesa, or second bottom, on which the town of Oakdale is situated. The 

construction of this canal was commenced about 1888, but much difficulty was experienced in making the diversion. At its head a looserock dam was to be maintained in the river. This was constructed of 

large blocks of rock, which were abundant near the dam site, and it was 

expected that, if piled into the river in sufficient quantity, they would 

form a riffle or sill above which water would be at sufficient elevation 

to be forced into the uanal. The low-water plane of the river was to 

be raised by the structure about- 8 feet. Seven years after the :first 

construction of this dam the river was still annually breaking through 

it, and arrangements were then made with the Stanislaus· and San 

Joaquin Water Company to take water to the extent of 80 second-feet 

from the canal of that company. This water is delivered to the Oakdale Canal at a point some distance above Oakdale, through a flume 

which spans the river. 

MOKELUMNE RIVER. 

HYDROGRAPHY. 

Mokelumne River is the most northerly of the Sierra Nevada streams 

which are directly tributary to San Joaquin River. Its mountain 

drainage basin has an area of 657 square miles. In character it does 

not differ materially from the Stanislaus, the Tuolumne, and the 

Merced. Its bottom larids are nearly as extensive as those of Merced 

River, but do not lie in so compact a body. They extend well into the 

foothill region and westward to near Woodbridge. At that point 

there is a gradual merging of the upland and river bottom, this point 

being at the eastern limit of lands naturally subject to inundation. 

The river is subject to the usual freshet flow of all Sierra Nevada 

rivers in winter, and has a pronounced high stage late in spring, due 

to the melting of snow. Its flow in April, May, and June is generally 

3,000 to 4,000 second-feet. At its lowest stage, in the fall of the year, 

it brings less than 100 second-feet of water into the main valley.1 The 

lesser drainage area of this river when compared with the others of 

its class is offset in a measure by greater rainfall throughout its 

watershed. 

The Southern Pacific Company commenced observations of ga,ge 

heights on this river in 1879 at their bridge at Lodi. The United 

States Geological Survey made a number of measurements of discharge 

1 See Physical Data and Statistics, W. H. Hall, State engineer of California, pp. '22, 476, 
GRUNSKY.] MOKELUMNE RIVER. 

at that -point, but, owing to the poor character of the section, results 

were not altogether satisfactory and the station was discontinued. For 

resul~s of the work at this point see various reports of the Survey.1 

CANALS AND PROJECTS. 

As most of the water of this river flows idly to the sea, it is not without interest to inquire why the water is not utilized, particularly as the 

upland on both sides of the stream is a friable sandy loam of excellent 

quality, well adapted for irrigation. 

The rainfall of this portion of San Joaquin Valley is about 15 to 20 

inches per annum, enough to permit cultivation of cereals by methods 

of dry farming, and even to make orchards and vineyards yiel(l a fair 

return. The demand for water has never, therefore, been very imperative. On the other band, many projects have been discussed or partially 

executed, but, on account of engineering and financial difficulties, have 

met with entire or partial failure. The most notable project was that 

of the ·Mokelumne Ditch ~nd Irrigation Company, which, under its 

original organization, commeneed but did not finish the construction of 

a high masonry overfall dam or weir at the Westmoreland bridge near 

Lancha Plana. After many years of inaction work was again undertaken in 1887. The dam was then raised and repaired and work on the 

canal was commenced. It was proposed to carry water in a large canal 

on the south side of the river along and through the bills into Bear 

Creek, and thence to the eastern bordeL' of the valley lands, where it 

was to be put into a system of branch ditches or canals. The project 

failed for lack of funds. 

A few years later the farmers living near the eastern margin of the 

flood limit of the valley, between Stockton and Mokelumne River, gave 

sufficient encouragement to the Woodbridge Canal Company to warrant 

the construction of their proposed canal. The river was brought under 

control and raised at Woodbridge by a series of gates, equivalent to a 

movable dam, from above which a canal was cut toward the south. 

The canal came into use in 1891, but the demand for water was not so 

great as had been anticipated. Financial difficulties increased from year 

to year, and accidents happened to the head works, so that this canal 

also is again out of service. The irrigation with water from the river, 

therefore, is practically confined to a few acres of bottom land served 

by small neighborhood ditches, such as the Bahmert Ditch, on the north 

side of the river some miles above Clement. The principal mountain 

ditches which are fed by the river and its tributaries are still in service 

for mining and domestic use rather than for irrigation. 

1Twelfth Ann. Rept. U.S. Geol. Survey, Part II, 1891, p. 323, Pl. LXXXVII; Bull. No.13l, 1895, p. 86> 

Bull. No. 140, 1896, p. 308. 
I 

58 IRRIGATION NEAR MERCED, CALIFORNIA. (NO.l9. 

WEST-SIDE CREEKS AND OTHER S'rRE.AMS OF SAN 

JOAQUIN VALLEY. 

From this account of irrigation in San Joaquin Valley it will appear 

that here, as well as in the State at large, irrigation is a local rather 

than a general aid to farming operations, and that ample opportunity 

remains for further development. This is particularly true of the most 

northerly portion of the valley, and applies with increasing force to 

Sacramento Valley, where irrigation has thus far barely secured a foothold. It remains to he said, however, that the foregoing chapters are 

not to be considered exhaustive, because neither time nor means at 

command permitted a revisit to the entire field, and little or no attention 

has been given to the lesser irrigation work from small creeks intermediate between the more important streams. 

On the west side of the valley are a number of small irrigation works 

which draw their supply from the creeks of the Coast Range. These 

streams are torrential in character. Their flow is occasionally considerable during severe storms, but it is of brief duration. Ordinarily the 

run-off is very slight, and in many winters the streams remain almost 

unaffected by the light fall of rain on the eastern slopes of the Coast 

Range. This uncertainty of supply interferes with attempts to bring 

them under control for irrigation purposes. Here and there, however, 

some success has been had, particularly on those creeks having the 

largest drainage basins. This has been the case on Los Gatos Creek 

just above Huron, which has a drainage area of 441 square miles. The 

bed of this creek some miles above Huron remains moist during e;ummer, and diverting works there constructed (in part at least of sheet piling, nearly equivalent to a submerged dam) have developed a flow of 6 

to 8 second-feet for the Pleasant Valley Ditch, which is a private ditch 

in use for the irrigation of a tract of alfalfa. 

The favorable indications near the head of this ditch for the development of a larger water supply encouraged the farmers to the east of 

Huron to form an irrigation district, which was organized in 1891. It 

is known as the Huron irrigation district, and has an area of about 

20,000 acres. A plan of works was adopted, but no bonds were sold 

and no construction work has been done. 

Notable among great works projected but not carried out was the 

west-side canal, which was to have been fed with water from Tulare 

Lake, it having been assumed at the time the project was under discussion, in 1876 and 1877, that the lake could be relied on to overflow 

annually. As there has been no such overflow for about twenty years, 

it appears fortunate that the project was not undertaken. 

The subject of irrigation- and water development from artesian wells 

should not be entirely neglected in treating of irrigation in San Joaquin 

Valley, but space will not permit of its consideration in this paper. 

For infolt"mation on the subject reference may be made to the special 

bulletin of the Eleventh Census, Report on Agriculture by Irrigation 

in the Western Part of the United States, by F. H. Newell, page 50. 
INDEX. 

Page. 

Adobe Ranch Ditch, description of....... 31 

Adobe Slough, figure showing head of... 30 

Blyth Canal, plate showing............... 24 

description of ____ .----------- ____ ------ 25 

Buchanan Reservoir project, description 

of ......•...•.......... ------------ .... 32-33 

Chowchilla Canal, description of......... 15-18 

plan and section of regulator of______ 16 

Chowchilla River, hydrography of....... 31 

irrigation from ________________________ 31-33 

Cost of irrigation._ .... _ .... __ .... 21, 2'Z, 29-32,36 

Crocker-Huffman Canal, description of .. 34-37 

plates showing features of. _____ ------ 34-36 

Dean Ditch, description of................ 68 

Dos Palos Canal, description of___________ 24 

East Side Canal, description of •.... _... .. 25 

Farmers Canal, description oL........... 34 

Feldhaus & Reed Ditch, description of . . 39 

Fresno River, hydrography of. ... -------- 26 

irrigation from.--------- ........ ------ 27-31 

Fresno River Dam and Canal Company, 

operations of ------------------------ 27~'l0 

figure showingcanalof_______________ 27 

Griffith & Shaver Ditch, description of.. 39 

Hall, W. H., cited ______________ 10,15,17,33,40,50 

Hamlin Ditch, description of.-----------· 39 

Herndon, stream measurements at ... 10-11, 1~ 

Ingalsbe Slough, description of___________ 38 

Irrigation, acreage under .............. 20, 29,37 

cost of.. __ .... ___ .... ----...... 21,2'Z,29-32,36 

methods of. ....• ----------- ...... 22,29,32,40 

Knights Ferry & Table Mountain Ditch, 

description of _____ ------------ .••.... 55-M 

Kohler, West & Minturn Canal, description of ________ ------------------------ 31~ 

figure showing water diversion by... 32 

Lagrange, stream measurements at ..... 42-43 

Lagrange Dam, plates showing ....... ---- 44,46 

description of. ... -----·.---........ ---- 45--47 

figures showing plan and section of . . 45, 4-6 

Lagrange Ditch, description of .•.•.••.... 43-44 

Madera Canal, description of •......••.... 27-30 

figure showing head of..______________ 27 

Madera Canal and Irrigating Company-, 

operationsof ---------·-------------- 30 

Madera irrigation district, work in------ 14-15 

Means Ditch, description of-------------- 39 

Merced Canal, description of .•.....••.... 34-37 

Merced Falls, water power utilized at... 37 

Merced Falls Ditch, description of . • • . . . . 37 

Merced Reservoir, description of •... ---- 35 

plate showing inlet to................. 38 

Merced River, hydrography of ....... ---- 33 

irrigation from---- ........••...•...... 34--40 

plate showing dam acroos ..•...• ------ 34: 

Miller & Lux, irrigation by •... -------- 20-22,24 

Millrace Ditch, description of------------ 39 

Minturn, irrigation near .... ------________ 31 

Modesto, stream measurements at ••••••• 41-42 

0 

Page. 

Modesto irrigation district, work in ... 45,49-50 

Mokelumne Ditch and Irrigation Company, operations of ______ ------------ 57 

Mokelumne River, hydrography of-----· 56-57 

irrigation from ••...• ------------------ 57 

Montgomery & Anderson Ditch, description of .. ____ ------_--···------........ 38 

Montgomery Ditch, description of.::..... 39 

Murray Mill Ditch, description of ....••.. 37--38 

Newell, F. H., letter of transmittal by... 7 

cited . ____________ ---- ...•.•.. ------ .... 58 

Oakdale, stream measurements at .•...••. 51-52 

Oakdale Canal, description of_____________ 56 

Old River, irrigation from •..... ---------- 38-39 

Pa tricks ville Reservoir, description of... 44 

Pentland Ditch, description of . ------ .... 55-56 

Pleasant Valley Ditch, description of.... 58 

Posey Slough, description of ... ----------- 24 

San Joaquin & Kings River Canal, description of-------------------------- 18-23 

figure showing head of................ 18 

figure showing head works of ____ .•.• 19 

plate showing regulatorin...... .•.... 22 

San Joaquin County Water Company, 

operations of.------ ____ --------...... 52 

San Joaquin Land and Water Company, 

operations of ...... ------------.~--.... 53 

San Joaquin River, hydrography of----- 9-12 

diagram showing discharge of........ 12 

il'rigation from---------------------- __ 13-26 

figure showing dam across............ 20 

plate showing steamboat chute on... 20 

San Joaquin Valley, map of-------------- 32 

irrigation from west-side creeks of . _ 58 

Sanjon de Santa Rita, description of..... 24 

Schuyler, J.D., quoted .......•.•.... 15-16,21-22 

Scott Ditch, description of ....••.... ------ 38 

Sillman & Ruddle Ditch, description of.. 39 

Snelling Ditch, description of------------ 38 

Stanislaus & San Joaquin Canal, description of.---------.... ------•........... 52-55 

Stanislaus River, hydrography of ...•.... 50-52 

irrigation from .......••..... ---------- 52-56 

diagram showing discharge of........ 52 

Stevenson-Mitchell Canal, description of. 25 

Temple Slough, description of. ....... ---- 24 

Tuolumne River, hydrography of ........ 40-43 

diagram showing discharge of .......• 42,43 

irrigation from •......... ------------ .. 43-50 

Turlock irrigation district, work in ... 45,47-49 

Upper San Joaquin River Canal, description of ......•••..•• -----•....•...•.•.. 13-14 

figure showing head of ..••. ----------. 13 

Water, methods of diversionand use of .. 39-40 

Wheaton Ditch, description of----------- 44: 

Wilson, H. M., cited ... ------------------- 33,49 

Woodbridge Canal Company, operations 

of.------•••• -----------·------........ 57 

59 

IS9ii. 

Sixteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 189!-95, Part II, 

Papers of an economic character, 1895; octavo, 598 pp. 

Contains a paper on the public lands and their water supply, by F. H. Newell, illustrated by a large map showing the relative extent and location of the vacant public lands; also a report on the water resources of a portion of the Great Plains, by Robert Hay. 

A geological reconuoissauce of north western Wyoming, by George H. Eldridge, 1894; 

octavo, 72 pp. Bulletin No. 119 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 

10 cents. 

Contains a description of the geologic structure of portions of the Bighorn Range and Big- horn Basin, especially with reference to the coal fields, and remarks upon the water supply and 

agricultural possibilities. 

Report of progress of the division of hydrography for the calendar years 1893 and 1894, 

by F. H. Newell, 1895; octavo, 176 pp. Bulletin No. 131 of the United States 

Geological Survey; price, 15 cents. 

Contains results of stream measurements at various points, mainly within the arid region, and records of wells in a number of counties in western Nebraska, western Kansas, and eastern Colorado. 

1S96. 

Seventeenth Annual Report of the tTnited States Geological Survey, 1895-96, Part II, 

Economic geology and hydrography, 1896; octavo, 864 pp. 

Contains papers on "The underground water of the Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado," 

by G. K. Gilbert; "The water resources of Illinois," by Frank Leverett, and "Preliminary 

report on the artesian waters of a portion of the Dakot s," by N.H. Darton. 

Artesian-well prospects in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N.H. Darton, 1896; 

octavo, 230 pp., 19 plates. Bulletin No.138 of the United States Geological 

Survey; price, 20 cents. 

Gives a description of the geologic conditions of the coastal region from Long Island, N. Y., to Georgia, and contains data relati1;1g to many of the deep wells. 

Report of progress of the division of hydrography for the calendar year 1895, by F. 

H. Newell, hydrographer in charge, 1896; octavo, 356 pp. Bulletin No. 140 of 

the United States Geological Survey; price, 25 cents. 

Contains a description of the instruments and methods employed in measuring streams and 

the results of hydrographic investigations in various parts of the United States. 

IS97. 

Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1896-97, Part IV, 

Hydrography, 1897; octavo, 756 pp. 

Contains a ''Report of progress of stream measurements for the calenclar year 1896, ''by Arthur 

P. Davis; "The water resources of Indiana and Ohio,'' by Frank Leverett; ''New development& in well boring and irrigation in South Dakota," by N.H. Darton, aml "lteservoirs for irriga- tion," by J". D. Schuyler. 

1898. 

Ninetel'lnth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1897-98, Part IV, 

Hydrography, 1899; octavo, 814 pp. 

Contains a'' Report of progress of stream measurements for the calendar year 1898," by F. H. 

Newell anrl others; ''The rock waters ot Ohio,'' byEdwanlOrton, and ''.A. a_reliminary report on 

i}',e if~JS~Io~~d water resources of Nebraska west of the one hnndred an third meridian," by 

WATER-SUPPLY AND IRRIGATION PAPERS, 1896-1898. 

This series of papers is designed to present in pamphlet form the results of etream measure- ments and of special investigations. A list of these, with other information, is given on the 

outside (or fourth) page of this cover. 

Survey bulletins can be obtained only by prepayment of cost, as noted above. 

Postage stamps, checks, and drafts can not be accepted. Money should be transmitted by postal money order or express order, made payable to the Director of the 

United States Geological Survey. Correspondence relating to the publications of 

the Survey should be addressed to The Director, United States Geological Survey, 

Washington, D. C. 

IRR 19 
W A'l'ER-SUPPL Y AND IRRIGATION PAPERS. 

1. Pumping water for irrigation, by Herbert J.\1. 'Nilson, 1896. 

2. Irrigation near Phcenix, Arizona, by Arthur P. Davis, 1897. 

3. Sewage irrigation, by George W. Rafter, 1897. 

4. A reconnoissance in southeastern ·washington, by Israel C. Russell, 1897. 

5. Irrigation practice on the Great Plains, by E. B. Cowgill, 1897. 

6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by Erasmus Haworth, 1897. 

7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier, 1897. 

8. Windmills for irrigation, by E. C. Murphy, 1897. 

9. Irrigation near Greeley, Colorado, by David Boyd, 1897. 

10. Irrigation in Mesilla Valley, New Mexico, by F. C. Barker, 1898. 

11. River heights for 1896, by Arthur P. Davis, 1897. 

12. Water resources of southeastern Nebraska, by Nelson Horatio Darton, 1898. 

13. Irrigation systems in Texas, by W. F. Hutson, 1898. 

14. New tests of certain pumps and water Hits used in irrigation, by 0. P. Hood, 

1898. 

15. Operations at river stations, 1897, Part I, 1898. 

16. Operations at river stations, 1897, Part II, 1898. 

17. Irrigation near Bakersfield, California, by C. E. Grunsky, 1898. 

18. Irrigation near Fresno, California, by C. E. Grunsky, 1898. 

19. Irrigation near Merced, California, by C. E. Grunsky, 1899. 

In press: 

20. Experiments with windmills, by Thomas 0. Perry. 

In addition to the above, there are in various stages of preparation other pnpers 

relating to the measurement of streams, the storage of water, the amount available 

from underground sources, the efficiency of windmills, the cost of pumping, and 

other details relating to the methods of utilizing the water resources of the country. Provision has been made for printing these by the following clause in the 

sundry civil act making appropriations for the year 1896-97: 

Provided, That hereafter the reports of the Geological Survey in relation to the 

gauging of streams and to the methods of utilizing the water resources may be 

printed in octavo form, not to exceed 100 pages in length and 5,000 copies in num- ber; 1,000 copies of whieh shall be for the official use of the Geological Survey, 

1,500 copies shall be delivered to the Senate, and 2,500 copies shall be delivered to 

the House of Representatives, for distribution. [Approved June 11, 1896; Stat. L., 

vol. 29, p. 453.] 

The maximum number of copies available for the use of the Geological Survey 

is 1,000. This quantity falls far short of the demand, so that it is impossible to 

supply all requests. Attempts are made to send these pamphlets to persons who 

have rendered assistance in their preparation through replies to schedules or who 

have furnished data. Requests made for a certain paper and stating a reason for 

asking for it are granted whenever practicable, but it is impossible to comply 

with general demands, such as to have all of the series sent indiscriminately. 

Application for these papers should be made either to Members of Congress or to 

THE DIRECTOR, 

IRR 19 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

Washington, D. 0.