58TH CONGRESS, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, j DOCUMENT

Qd Session. \ \ No. 488.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WATER-SUPPLY

AND

IKKIGATION PAPEES

OF THE

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

ISTo. 45

WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. CHANDLER

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT FEINTING OFFICE!

1901
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR

WATER STORAGE

CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA

ALBERT E. CHAISTDLER

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1901
CONTENTS.

Letter of transmittal .........................-...-.......^............... 9

Location and physical features.._--__-.-.-.____._.--.--..__._____.__.._-_- 11

Topography __.-._-.._----.-..--____-._---.-_--_-.--.-_-._---.-.-_..--- 11

Precipitation,..- ._....__....__....___._-..___-.---_-.--_---_-..-- .... 12

Stream measurements .................................................... 18

Irrigation works ... _----------__--.----_----_-------..--,-----------_-.-- 19

Capay Valley ditch..--.-..-.---....--..-----.--.-..-- ............. 20

Two proposed canals.,....--....-.._--._--..-.-._._ .--.-..-.---...--- 20

Cottonwood ditch .-____.-.._--_.-_-.----_-___-..-.-_.--.-... -.-....-- 21

Adams ditch.. ........................................................ 21

Moore ditch ............ ......................_...................... 22

Langenoor and Hennigen ditches....--...-..-.._._...---...-..--.._.... 23

Pumping plants ..--.-.-........... ... -.---.._---._-...-.-.--.-----. 23

Underground waters .......... ...._...-.. .._......_._..-_-.-......--..... 24

Depth of water plane ............ ...................^-................ 24

Artesian flow...,_...... .-.-.--........-........,..-..--..-..._-.----- 26

Tributaries in Capay Valley .......... .--...--.-...--....-.--------...._-- 28

Fiske and Davis creeks _.._..,.........,,............- - -..-.......-.. 27

Bear Creek ........ -..........................-......,..-_.......... 27

North Fork .... ...... . ............................................ 27

Reservoir sites on North Fork..................................... 28

Clear Lake ....... .... ... ......_.........-.. ..........-...-_.-.-.- ... 31

Area and volume .............. ....................................... 33

Fluctuations in level ................. .....--...-.»-.. .-.........---..--. 34

Effects of storage .. ............................ .................... 37

Cost of proposed storage works...............-..--..--....-......._.--. 41

Lands for reservoir.... ..-..-..........._....._.............-.......-. 43

Clear Lake outlet, by J. H. Quinton........ ................. .--.... 44

5
ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. 

PLATE I. Map of Cache Creek Basin........................... .-..-...--. 11

II. A, Head of Cache Creek Canyon; B, Cache Creek in canyon ..... 12

III. A, Diverting weir of Capay Valley ditch; B, Dam and head of

Adams ditch... ........ ....-.,........................ ....... 20

IV. A, Headworks and dam of Moore ditch; B, Headworks of

Langenoor ditch _._..___..._,_.,._ ..... ..................... 22

V. A, Portable pumping plant in Capay Valley; B, Pumping plant

on Cache Creek....... ........................ ...... ..... 24

VI. A, North Fork of Cache Creek, showing eroded clay slopes; B,

Gravel bed of North Pork of Cache Creek ........... ....... 28

VII. A, Little Indian Valley; B, Little Indian Valley dain site from

above ......... ........ ..._.--.-....-....---.--......-. .... 30

VIII. A, Little Indian Valley dam site; B, Canyon below Little Indian

Valley dam site ....................-..-...----..-.-.....-.-..-. 32

I.. Map of Clear Lake outlet..... .......... ........................ 40

X. Regulating weir for Clear Lake outlet...........--------..----.. 44

FIG. 1. Diagram of annual rainfall at Kono Tayee, Lakeport, Rumsey,

Capay, and Woodland . . .... .... . .. ....... .... .... . ... 13

2. Diagram of mean monthly precipitation at Kono Tayee, Rumsey,

and Woodland . ........ .. ................................. 14

3. Map of Little Indian Valley reservoir site .._-..-.........-...-_... 29

4. Map of Little Indian Valley dam site .............................. 30

5. Elevation of Little Indian Valley dam site....-...----.-----....... 31

6. Diagram showing high-water and low-water levels in Clear Lake,

1874 to 1900 ....... .... ......................................... 37

7. Profile of Clear Lake outlet channel............................... 41

8. Profile of Clear Lake outlet embankment.......................... 42

7
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

DIVISION OP HYDROGRAPHY, 

Washington., D. C. , January 24, 1901.

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

by Prof. Albert E. Chandler, of the University of California, giving 

the results of a study of the storage possibilities of Cache Creek 

Basin, California, and to recommend that it be printed in the series 

of Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers.

The investigations upon which this report is based are a part of a 

series carried on under the general direction of Mr. J. B. Lippincott, 

Mem. Am. Soc. C. E., resident hydrographer in California. Mr. J. H. 

Quinton, Mem. Am. Soc. C. E., has assisted, in the capacity of consulting engineer, in the preparation of the plans and estimates. For 

this survey financial assistance was rendered by the California Water 

and Forest Association and by the Woodland Chamber of Commerce. 

Field work consisted of a reconnaissance throughout the entire drainage basin all localities being visited which were considered suitable 

for reservoir sites and of measurements of the flow of the stream and 

its various tributaries. The time spent in the field was from June 21, 

1900, when a start was made from Woodland, to July 28, 1900.

Eleven years prior to the time of this reconnaissance, or in 1889, 

a topographic map of Clear Lake and its outlet was made by the 

Irrigation Survey, the results of that survey being printed in the 

Thirteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 

Part III, beginning on page 405. At a later period various power 

companies made studies of the outlet of the lake, and in 1888 the 

Southern Pacific Railroad made a preliminary survey from Rumsey 

up Cache Creek Canyon to the lake. A considerable portion of the 

data accumulated by those surveys has been assembled and employed 

in this report.

Acknowledgment is due to Mr. Ferdinand Formhalz, of the old 

Clear Lake Power Company; to Mr. Richard Wylie, of the new power 

company; and to the engineering office of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, for assistance given. Thanks should also be extended 

to the many recorders of rainfall and lake levels who gratuitously
10 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

furnished what data they had, and to Mr. J. M. Wilson, of the United 

States Department of Agriculture, who, during the year 1900, made 

a thorough study of the water rights and the irrigation systems of 

Yolo County. Mr. Wilson kindly furnished the data bearing upon 

the pumping plants, as well as much information concerning the 

ditches herein described.

Very respectfully, F. H. NEWELL,

Hydrographer in Charge. 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT,

Director United States Geological Survey.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 45 PL.

MAP OF CAC'IE CREEK BASIN.
WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, 

CALIFORNIA.

By ALBERT E. CHANDLER.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Cache Creek, the only known outlet of Clear Lake, is situated in 

Lake County, California, about 75 miles north of San Francisco. 

From the lake the creek flows easterly to the corner of Lake, Colusa, 

and Yolo counties, thence across Yolo County to the sink 8 miles 

northeast of Woodland.

Fourteen miles from the lake the main stream is joined by the 

North Fork, often called Cache Creek. This branch drains the country to the north and east of the lake, and adds very materially to the 

drainage area of the creek, but it is much smaller than the stream 

from the lake and should be considered a tributaiy.

The drainage area of the main creek and its branches has been estimated by the California State engineering office as 1,192 square miles.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The country in Lake County tributary to Cache Creek is" exceedingly mountainous and rugged. The peaks to the north of Clear 

Lake rise to an elevation of 6,000 feet, and their slopes, as well as 

those of the lower ranges, may well be termed precipitous. PI. I is a 

map of the basin. On the northern slopes of the ranges near the lake 

are magnificent belts of fir, white oak, and yellow pine. Elsewhere, 

however, the only evidence of vegetation is a dense growth of greasewood and chaparral. The interlaced branches of these shrubs make 

progress through them painfully difficult, but offer little resistance to 

escaping rain water.

From the lake Cache Creek flows through an open country for 5 

miles, with a grade of 4.53 feet to the mile. It then follows Cache 

Creek Canyon for 25 miles. For the first 9 miles of its course through 

the canyon it has an average grade of 40.33 feet to the mile, varying 

from 20.41 feet to 137.94 feet. For the remaining distance the average slope is about 30 feet to the mile. A view of the bed of the creek

11
12 WATEE STOKAGE ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFOKNIA. [NO.45.

at the head of the canyon is shown in PL II, A, and a view of the 

creek in canyon is shown in PI. II, B.

The mountains which form the walls of the canyon rise several hundred feet above the stream, and in many places the immediate banks 

of the creek stand as perpendicular cliffs 300 feet in height. The bed 

is generally rendered very rocky by outcropping sandstone and serpentine and the resulting bowlders. At a few places in the canyon 

settlers have taken advantage of existing benches to raise small crops 

of corn and hay, but in no place is there a basin which might be used 

effectively for storage purposes.

After leaving the canyon the creek enters Capay Valley, in Yolo 

County, through which it winds for a distance of 28 miles, with a 

grade of 9.5 feet to the mile. Capay Valley is 20 miles long and from 

1 mile to 3 miles wide. It is hemmed in on all sides by hills, to the 

shelter of which is due its remarkable productiveness. Once known 

merely as a rich wheat-raising district, it is fast becoming famous for its 

early fruits. All stone fruits seem to thrive there, and in the upper end 

of the valley even oranges are profitably cultivated on a small scale. 

From Capay Valley the creek enters the greater Sacramento Valley 

and flows, with a slope of 4 to 6 feet to the mile, to Tule Basin, 

bordering Sacramento River. There its natural channel ceases, and 

its waters enter a canal which connects the sink with the Tule canal. 

The latter was built by the State of California in 1864 to drain Tule 

Basin. It empties into Big Lake in the extreme southeast corner 

of Yolo County, and from the lake its waters reach the Sacramento 

through a slough.

The soil of Yolo Basin is for the most part a rich alluvial deposit, 

small areas of adobe being distributed with no uniformity. Mr. J. M. 

Wilson, of the Department of Agriculture, is of the opinion that 

"there are 75,000 acres of good fruit and alfalfa land about which 

there is no question as to the use of water. There is much more that, 

while it will not bear the reckless use of water, would, with proper 

drainage and care in application, be greatly benefited."

PRECIPITATION.

Copies of all of the rainfall records kept in Cache Creek Basin 

were obtained and are given further on. Only one record of the 

North Fork region has been kept, and that for only the last three 

years. Short as that record is, however, it gives an excellent idea of 

extreme variation, since the precipitation for 1899 was almost as unusually large as that for 1898 was unusually small. Unfortunately, 

the records given are not all continuous. The missing records are as 

follows: 1888, 1889, and 1890 at Kono Tayee; 1887, 1888, 1890, 1893, 

1894, and 1895 at Rumsey; and 1891 at Esparto. The averages would 

necessarily be changed somewhat were the records complete.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A. HEAD OF CACHE CREEK CANYON.

CACHE CREEK IN CANYON.
CHANDLER.] PRECIPITATION. 13

The table on the next page gives the elevation, the length of record, 

and the maximum, minimum, and average precipitation for each station. In fig. 1 is plotted the annual rainfall for Kono Tayee, Lakeport, 

Rumsey, Capay, and Woodland. The difference in the records for 

Kono Tayee and Lakeport is explained by their locations. Both are 

situated on Clear Lake, but the former is sheltered by the high bluffs

lGch.6S °o °o °° oo co co oo oooooo oooooo oo oo oooo 00 00 00

40

30 

20 

10 

0

X N

s

\/

\

\

hv

\

/

/

KC

\

NC 

KE

\

\

T 

PC

vyi

RT

/

IE

/ \

^

X

v^

^1 .

/

^

\

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*

'''

^

\

\\

\

\^

1 

I 

1

I/

40

30

20

10

40

30

20

10

\

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FIG. 1. Diagram of annual rainfall at Kono Tayee,Lakeport, Rumsey, Capay, and Woodland.

at the narrow central portion of the lake, while the latter is fully 

exposed at the upper end. Rumsey is at the extreme head and Capay 

at the extreme foot of Capay Valley, and Woodland is in the lower 

end of the basin, near Sacramento River. Fig. 2 shows graphically 

the mean monthly precipitation for Kono Tayee, Rumsey, and Woodland.
14 WATER STOBAGE ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFORNIA. fro. 45.

a ft § s Inches. £ ^ g «< 

6 

O & O

III, ,11 KONO TAYEE

Illl. -li

RUMSEY

Illl. Tli

WOODLAND 

FIG. 2. Diagram of mean monthly precipitation at Kono Tayee, Rumsey, and Woodland.

Precipitation in Cache Creek drainage basin.

Station.

Woodland................

Yolo ......................

Elevation.

Feet. 

2,340 

1,335 

1,325 

1,425 

425 

220 

192 

63 

79

Length 

of 

record.

Years. 

3 

14 

23 

6 

14 

10 

10 

22 

6

Maximum rainfall.

Year.

1899... 

1894... 

1878... 

1896... 

1892... 

1896... 

1896... 

1899... 

1894...

Amount.

Inches. 

47.67 

40.85 

39.53 

39.38 

36.31 

32.77 

28.45 

31.35 

22.88

Minimum rainfall.

Year.

1898... 

1898... 

1898... 

1898... 

1898... 

1898... 

1898... 

1898... 

1898...

Amount.

Inches. 

17.35 

13.50 

10.89 

14.73 

7.96 

8.68 

6.01 

9.00 

5.33

Average 

rainfall.

Inches. 

29.71 

28.81 

21.66 

27.04 

23.92 

22.79 

18.63 

18.25 

16.99

Estimated 

mean 

annual 

rainfall.

Inches. 

38.62 

29.57

26.85 

24.58 

. .21. 73 

17.39

14.83

The last column of the foregoing table gives the estimated mean 

annual rainfall at Bartlett Springs, Lakeport, and Kelseyville for a 

period of twenty-three years, and at Rumsey, Capay, Esparto, and 

Yolo for a period of twenty-two years. 

Monthly precipitation, in inches, at various places in Cache Creek drainage basin.

BARTLETT SPRINGS. 

[Observer, Bartlett Springs Hotel.]

Year.

1897... - ........

1898... .......... .

1899..............

1900..............

Average for

Jan.

3.50

1.53

13.14

7.51

Feb.

6.78

8.36

0.00

1.27

Mar.

5.36

0.19

8.49

6.42

Apr.

0.75

0.63

0.85

3.23

......

May.

0.00

2.39

2 47

0.88

June.

0.00

1 10

0.00

0.00

July.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Sept.

0.00

0.00

0.00

Oct.

1.70

0.00

4.79

Nov.

2.31

1.87

10.06

Dec.

3.72

1 28

787

Annual.

24 12

17.35

47.67

29 71
CHANDLER.] PRECIPITATION. 15

Monthly precipitation, in inches, at various places in Cache Creek drainage basin 

Continued.

LAKEPORT. 

[Observers, A. M. Reynolds (1886-1899), Captain Rumsey (1888-1899), and Mr. Force (1893-1899).]

Year.

1886. ........... ..

1887. - .--

1888.... ...... ....

1889..............

1890--..--.-....-

1891. ......... .-.-

1892..............

1893..............

1894... ......... ..

1895. ........... ..

1896.. ........ ....

1897. ..........

1898....... .......

1899..... ... .......

Average for

Jan.

8.18

1 48

6.74

1.36

11.68

1.14

4.63

3.49

10.69

15.66

14.60

3.45

0.58

8.69

Feb.

0.00

8.19

2.16

0.46

4.62

10.91

2.78

5.67

7.37

4.01

0.54

7.93

6.05

0.04

Mar.

1.53

1.89

3.08

8.70

9.25

1 32

2.60

6.78

1.78

4.01

2.75

4.50

0.15

6.53

Apr.

4.80

2.57

0.16

0.88

1.69

2.26

2 52

*> oo

1.54

1.16

5.46

0.44

0.58

0.49

May.

1.02

0 20

0.57

2.91

0.69

0.80

3.38

0.76

1.39

1.39

2.07

1.33

0.44

June.

0.00

0.11

0.94

0.16

0.00

0.50

0.14

0.00

1.46

0.03

0.00

0.69

0.52

0.38

July.

0.00

0.00

0.06

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

o.w

0.00

0.02

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.78

0.00

0.00

0.03

Sept.

0.00

0.14

0.93

0.00

0.45

1.04

0.00

0.68

0.61

1.15

0.31

0.05

0.64

0.00

Oct.

1.14

0.00

0.00

8.16

0.00

0.25

1.14

0.69

1.98

0.01

0.87

1.61

0.94

4.07

Nov.

0.50

1.16

5.56

3.74

0.00

0.28

7.92

4.42

0.92

2.02

4.17

1.63

1.18

6.57

Dec.

3.17

3.03

6.32

11.60

3.68

6.70

8.82

2.80

13.11

4.10

6.48

2.07

1.53

5.47

Annual.

20.34

18.77

26 52

37.97

32.06

25.20

33.93

27.51

40.85

33.55

38.03

22.45

13.50

32.71

28.81

NOTE. The figures for the years 1887 to 1892, inclusive, are the mean of two records; those for 

the years 1893 to 1899, inclusive, are the mean of three records.

KONO TAYEE. 

[Observers, Captain Floyd and F. H. Porter.]

Year.

1873. 

1874 . ......

1875 ...... . 

1876........ ......

1877..............

1878.... ...... ....

1879..............

1880.... ..........

1881- - 

1882 .............

1883 ... .......

1884 ..........

1885 . . 

1886 ..........

1887. . . 

1888... .......... .

1891. .............

1»92 ..........

1893..............

1894........ ......

1895.. ............

1896 ..... .

1897, ..........

1898....-...... 

1899 . .

1900.. . 

Mean for 

23 years -

Jan.

1.88

9.16 

6.05

3.17

14.16

3.01

6.24

5.50

1.74

1.40

4.17

1.47

5.61

0.63

5.84

0.94

3.46

3.84

6.93

14.34

9.42

2.86

0.71

7.74

3.10

4.9b

Feb.

3.60

0.38 

4 23

2.81

11.04

3.41

3.85

6.58

3.30

0.60

1.91

0.51

0.00

6.70

1.30

10.45

2.13

4 33

4 32

2 32

0.35

4.01

3.99

0.00

2.17

3.50

Mar.

4 62

0.92 

8.34

1 iO

4.60

9.15

4.74

0.64

2.34

3.81

5.35

0.00

1.36

0.95

3.75

1.13

3.68

5.41

0.00

3.13

2.31

3.75

0.11

5.43

3.89

3.14

Apr.

2.05

0.00 

0.10

0.50

7.14

0.47

0.48

0.95

1.54

0.95

3.88

1.70

3.30

0.00

0.04

2.56

1.97

3.06

0.91

0.98

4.62

0.09

0.64

0.70

2.32

1.63

May.

0.45

0.84 

0.00

0.00

0.41

0.64

0.25

0.13

0.40

3.41

0.06

0.00

0.61

0.00

0.00

-0.89

1.37

0.59

0.00

1.14

1 72

0.09

1.67

0.45

0.67

0.61

June.

0.00

0.43 

0.00

0.50

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.25

0.00

0.00

4.08

0.43

0.00

0.00

0.38

0.02

0.62

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0 48

0.44

0.38

0.00

0.32

July.

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.07

0.05

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.28

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.03

Sept.

0.00

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.73

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.42

0.70

0.77

0.63

0.00

0.38

0.15

0.00

0.35

0.63

0.71

0.39

000

0.51

0.00

0.27

Oct.

0.00

3.70

1.17 

0.20

1.65

0.41

0.91

0.00

0.63

1.64

0.99

0.66

0.33

1.05

0.39

0.43

0.84

0.43

1 32

0.00

0.73

1.24

0.46

3.76

0.94

Nov.

0.00

6.25

6.98 

3.50

2.23

1.37

3.57

3.54

2.90

4.43

0.39

0.00

15.37

0.19

0.63

0.37

6.53

3.92

0.74

1.69

3.34

1.64

1.15

5.56

3.31

Dec.

0.00

0.29

5.12 

0.00

1.98

0.33

5.72

1.92

1.77

0.88

0.70

8.26

3.51

0.63

2.93

4.34

5.57

2.35

10.81

2 " ^12 

5.93

3.02

1.21

0.00

3.97

Annual.

22.84

24.97 

22.41

14.97

39.53

26.93

21.02

19.34

16.58

11.94

29.14

23.85

12.75

12.61

21.16

24.17

33.16

25.55

26.43

28.89

16.18

10.89

23.93

21.66
16 WATEE STOEAGE ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 46.

Monthly precipitation, in inches, at various places in Cache Creek drainagebasinContinued.

KELSEYV1LLE, 

[Observer, W. A. Maxwell.]

Year.

1893..............

1894. ........... .-

1895..............

1896 .

1897. 

1898. . 

1899.... .......

1900...... ........

Average for 

6 vears. 

Jan.

10.30

2.97

15.37

2 70

0.60

8.87

4.53

Feb.

6.28

2 25

0.96

5.44

5.61

0.05

1.37

Mar.

2.57

3.55

1.87

3.25

o.-oo

7.03

499

Apr.

1.15

0.85

6.01

0.55

1.88

0.00

3.03

May.

1.05

0.50

0.65

0.36

1.64

0.35

0.17

June.

1.20

0.00

0.00

1.07

0.40

0.50

July.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00

1.30

0.00

0.00

0.00

Sept.

0.52

1.40

0.43

0.25

1.00

0.00

Oct.

1.28

0.00

1.08

1 25

0.95

4.94

Nov.

4.70

0.87

1 12

4.50

1 45

1 15

8.15

Dec.

2.55

12.88

2.48

7 21

2.40

1.50

6.22

Annual.

38.10

15.13

39.38

18.81

14.73

36.11

37.04

RUMSEY.

[Observers, Captain Rumsey (1878-1887) and Southern Pacific Railroad Company (1891-1899).]

Year.

1878..............

1879..............

1880.............. 

1881.............

1883

liiSi. .............

1884..............

1885..............

1886..............

1887.............. 

1891. ........... ._

1893..............

1893.............. 

1896..............

1897. .............

1898- . ----

1899.............

1900.- . 

Mean for 

It years.

Jan.

3.34

4.57 

9.10

3.64

1 64

1 RL

1 18

7.85 

1.31 

0.87

3.49

4.80 

17.95

3.53

2.31

7.15

4.35

5.11

Feb.

4.18

1.30

3.85

0.90

3.19

0.67

0.04 

8.57 

13.60

2.84

5.42 

0.00

5.70

3.76

0.00

0.15

3.03

Mar.

10.26

2.73 

1.13

3 40

5.34

7.11

0.10

1.16 

1.50 

1.16

3.03

5.77 

2.10

1.82

0.00

4.75

1.55

3.14

Apr.

2.05

10.74 

1.74

1 f»>

1.43

4 83

1.38

4.17 

2.80 

1.93

1 ^1

1.76 

5.15

0.00

0.25

0.00

1 35

2.58

May.

1.C7

1.01 

1.26

0.13

3 45

0.32

0.00

0.65 

0.17 

1.28

2.78

0.77 

0.45

0.00

0.00

0.56

0.25

0.97

June.

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.04

0.00

3.03

0.18

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.30

0.28

0.27

July.

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

o.co

0.00

Sept.

0.26

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.18

0.42

0.27

0.22

0.00 

0.85

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.60

0.00

0.18

Oct.

0.30

0.28

0.00 

0.50

0.84

0.86

0.83

0.55

0.69 

0.00

1.03

0.00

1.40

0.09

3.90

0.71

Nov.

1.20

3.05

0.05 

0.83

2.90

0.34

0.00

13.33

O.M 

0.35

10,57

4 82

0.00

0.00

2.57

2.77

Dec.

0.10

7.09

15.51

3.89

0.57

0.66

9.33

5.39

1.56

4.98

11.37

5.45

1.00

0.95

4.62

5.17

Annual.

31.92

35.91 

20.66

11 11

14.83

34 55

23.30

16.16 

25.01

36.31

35.92

13.74

7 Qfl

22 83

23.92

CAPAY. 

[Observer, H. J. Taber.]

Year.

1889 .

1890 ...........

1891---... .---

1892... ........ .-

1893..... ....

1894... ._-.... ....

1895. ......... ....

1896... ......... ..

1897. . .

1898..............

1899 ..

1900. .............

Average for

Jail.

10.39

0.83

3.03

4.1i

7.04

13.58

14.31

4.32

0.67

6.60

3.50

Feb.

4.41

10.63

3.76

4.65

2.86

1.46

0.09

3.58

4.07

0.00

0.30

Mar.

4.43

0.54

3 1?9

5.61

1.11

2 41

2 71

2.81

0.00

5.01

2.07

Apr.

0.88

3.28

0.42

1.46

0.74

1.56

6.60

0.15

0.38

0.69

1.00

May.

1.63

0.58

0.00

0.53

1.70

0.61

0.57

0.35

0.71

0.14

0.64

June.

0.00

0.15

0.00

0.00

0.39

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.28

July.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

041

0.00

0.00

0.00

Sept.

0.40

1.06

0.00

0.18

1.75

1.01

0.50

0.15

0.88

0.00

Oct.

7.44

0.00

0.00

0.97

0.18

1.58

0.00

1.49

1.39

0.50

3.04

Nov.

3.97

0.00

0.36

9.88

1.80

0.44

2 42

3.13

0.80

0.26

2.93

Dec.

12.22

3.50

3.72

9 22

1.81

11 79

1.60

2.96

1.59

1 21

3.88

Annual.

25.63

20.13

28.57

20.36

29 40

24.65

32 77

15. H

8.68

22.56

22.79
CHANDLER.] PRECIPITATION. 17

Monthly precipitation,, in inches, at various places in Cache Creek drainagebasin 

Continued.

ESPARTO. 

[Observer, Thomas Kennedy.]

Year.

1888.... ..........

1889..............

1890..............

1891.............. 

1892..............

1893.... ....... ..

1894..............

1895..............

1896..............

1897. .............

1898..............

1899..............

1900..............

Average for

Jan.

0.34

7.38

0.70 

0.00

4.13

4.47

8.37

13.69

4.70

0.92

6 22

3.81

Feb.

1.00

3.77

10.06 

1 70

7.23

3.01

1.14

0.00

3.53

1.50

0.00

0.39

Mar.

4.91

347

0.39 

1.63

0.00

0.67

0.90

1.75

2.83

0.16

4.56

1.59

Apr.

0.25

0.85

2.01 

0.56

0.00

0.38

1.35

4.41

0.20

0.23

0.34

0.94

May.

3.30

1.38

0.52 

1.68

1.65

1.36

0.30

o.eo

0.35

1.14

0.50

0.65

June.

0.16

0.00

0.30 

0.00

0.00

0.68

0.00

0.00

0.31

0.00

0.16

July.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.07

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.03

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.60

0.00

0.00

0.09

Sept.

0.57

0.00

0.32

0.00

0.00

1.10

1.15

0.54

0.13

0.43

0.00

Oct.

0.00

6.07

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.40

0.07

1.38

1.88

0.27

2.30

Nov.

0.48

3.13

0.00

6.26

1.45

0.32

0.82

3.36

0.00

1.36

2.50

Dec.

5.40

9.50

302

5 61

1 47

8 36

0.87

3 1?

1 98

n on

3.63

Annual.

27.66

20 22

17.44

15.91

20.55

14.94

38.45

14.79

6.01

20.30

18.63

WOODLAND. 

[Observers, Southern Pacific Railroad Company (1878-1899) and Elston drug store (1894-1899).]

Year.

1878..............

1879..............

1880.............:

1881..............

1882

1883..............

1884..............

1885..............

1886..............

1887...............

1888 ..........

1889..............

1890..............

1891..............

1892..............

1893 .............

1894..............

1895. ......... .... 

1896..............

1897..............

1898..............

1899..............

Mean for 

22 years.

Jan.

8.17

3.03

1.04

4.94

0.89

1.98

3.47

1 43

4.78

0.80

4.20

0.00

5.10

0.82

3.05

2.88

4 12

9.83 

11.87

3.32

0.43

5.67

3.67

Feb.

8.36

3.20

1.60

1.86

1.88

0.45

3.24

0.12

0.00

5.58

1.27

0.55

2.40

8.08

2.73

2.78

2.15

1.28 

0.11

3.35

0.14

3.56

Mar.

3.83

4.74

0.93

1.05

1.89

3.13

4.69

0.10

1.31

0.65

3.38

6.21

3.35

0.35

3.14

3.00

0.88

0.91 

2.08

3.75

0.12

14.46

2.73

Apr.

1.47

1.91

6.96

1.53

1.37

1.23

3.83

1.44

4.10

1.53

0.10

0.62

1.00

1 17

1 28

0.62

0.43

0.52 

6.73

0.25

0.21

0.13

1.75

May.

0.65

1.68

0.35

0.00

0.00

4 12

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.10

1.46

1.60

0.43

2 22

0.61

1.49

0.45 

0.76

0.29

1.38

0.08

0.85

June.

0.00

0.24

0.00

0.33

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.35

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.77

0.00 

0.00

0.09

0.18

0.78

0.12

July.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 

0.35

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.02

Sept.

0.17

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.59

0.44

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.56

0.00

0.60

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.85

1.37 

0.50

0.02

0.35

0.00

0.25

Oct.

0 22

0.21

0.00

0.37

1.38

1.03

1 00

0.20

0.00

0.00

0.00

5.33

0.00

0.00

n <w

0.08

1.13

0.19 

1 27

1.81

0.98

3.55

0.92

Nov.

0.89

2.09

0.06

3.08

3.40

0.29

0.00

8.70

0.00

0.40

5 57

3.75

0.00

0.40

5.47

1.71

0.85

1.69 

3.76

0.56

0.47

3.01

2.01

Dec.

0.42

3.69

8.77

2.35

0.51

0.29

4.63

3.75

1.29

3.30

4.97

8.48

3.35

3.10

6.10

1.93

10.82

0.90 

3.03

0.73

1.53

3.53

3.43

Annual.

24.18

20.79

19.71

14.41

10.91

12.96

20.86

15.74

11.48

11 26

20.15

26.74

16.40

14. a5

22.56

12.60

23.47

17.14 

29.46

15.02

9.00

31.35

18.35

NOTE. The figures for the years 1894 to 1899, inclusive, are the mean of two records.

IRR 45 01 2
18 WATEE STOEAGE ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFOENIA. [No.45.

Monthly precipitation, in inches, at various places in Cache Creek drainagebasin 

Contirmed.

YOLO.

[Observer, Yolo Orchard.]

Year.

1893.............. 

1894..............

1895. .......... ...

18%..............

1897..............

1898..............

1899..............

1900. . ............

Average for

Jan.

4 38

9.10

8.49

2.56

0.40

5.81

3.14

Feb.

2 23

1.48

0.30

4.04

2 73

0.00

0.33

Mar.

0.98

1.15

1.79

2.11

0.00

3.97

1.38

Apr.

0.55 

0.43

0.61

5.81

0.31

0.24

0.36

0.86

May.

0.78 

1.51

0.41

0.59

0.26

0.26

0.89

June.

0.00 

0.75

0.00

0.00

0.20

0.00

0.80

July.

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Aug.

0.00 

0.00

0.00

0.15

0.00

0.00

0.09

Sept.

0.06 

0.85

1.59

0.56

0.07

0.35

0.00

Oct.

0.10 

1.25

0.30

1.66

1.35

0.75

3.33

Nov.

1.56 

0.80

2.07

1.10

0.39

0.43

3.59

Dec.

3.06 

9.81

1.03

1.76

1.25

0.28

3.09

Annual.

22 88

17.74

23 21

12.54

5.32

21.26

16.99

STREAM MEASUREMENTS.

Measurements were made of the discharge of all of the small streams 

in which water was flowing at the time they were visited. The flow 

of the main stream at its various junctions with other streams, was also 

recorded, to show the comparative value of the branches. During the 

latter part of July, 1900, a series of measurements was carried down 

Cache Creek from Rumsey. A similar series was made by Mr. Wilson a month earlier. The results of both series are given in the table 

on the next page. Mr. Wilson's measurements show a slight increase 

in discharge between Rumsey and Capay, but the records taken a month 

later show a gradual decrease.

Below Capay the creek widens until in some places its gravel bed is 

1,000 feet from bank to bank. Above Woodland it narrows again to 

100 or 200 feet, and flows between clay banks 30 to 50 feet high. 

Below Capay part of the flow sinks into the gravel, but it reappears 

again just above Moore's dam.

The measurements taken in July show discharges as follows: At 

Capay, 88.1 second-feet; opposite Madison, 54.6 second-feet; above 

Moore's dam, 69 second-feet. The last measurement taken was on 

July 24, at Stevens's bridge, 2 miles below Moore's dam. A half mile 

below the bridge the stream ceased to flow* leaving the gravel bed 

dry. A few miles farther down the creek water was found standing 

in pools, the underlying clay stratum having forced it to the surface; 

but whatever flow existed was within the gravel.

In the following table are recorded the results of the measurements of the main creek and its tributaries:
CHANDLER.] STREAM MEASUBEMENTS. 19

Discharge measurements of Cache Creek and its tributaries.

Date.

1900. 

June 25--.

July 17 

July 20 

Do.. 

July 21 

July 23 

Do.. 

Do.......

July 24....

Do-.. 

Do_ 

Do........

Do- .

Do... 

July 3..-..

Do. 

Do.. 

Do.......

June2r_...

June 30-...

Do... 

July 2.....

Do.......

Do-.- 

July 8 

July 12-...

Do.... 

July 16 

Stream.

Cache Creek. ...... 

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

. do .. .

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

 .do .. ...

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

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

 .do .. -..

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

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

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

. .do ......

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

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

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

 .do-. ------

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

 doNorth Fork----.

North Fork...-.-..

creeks. 

Kelsey Creek

Point of measurement.

At Rumsey . ..- ...

Rumsey.

Creek.

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

... ,-do.. ...... ......

Clear Lake.

Two miles above Kelseyville.

Hydrographer.

A. E. Chandler 

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

.....do--.-. 

 do ...

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

-...do-. ....

. .do . .

-...do. .

 _.dO- ---

---do--. --.

_.___do ... .

-...do-- ....

 do......-,.

.-..do- 

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

. .do 

 do 

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

..--do 

.... .do. ... .

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

... ..do.. -

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

-...do. --.

. do...... .

.....do- 

 ..dO ... - 

 .do .

...-do- .....

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

...-.dO-- 

.-..dO ....

 .do.- .-...

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

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

Area 

of 

sec 

tion.

Sq. ft.

78.3 

116.8

68.4

68.0

54.3

43.0

57.9

35.9

44.0

73.1

22 7

4.7

4.8

1.8

3.8

0.5

0.6

1.9

1.3

4.4

0.8

2 1

5.4

Mean velocity.

Ft. per 

sec.

2.413 

1.336

2.360

1.572

1.705

2.079

1.522

1.521

1.568

0.676

0.899

1.085

1.333

1.000

0.763

1.000

0.500

0.737

1.154

0.636

0.625

0.714

0.852

Discharge.

Sec.-ft. 

189.0 

156.0

161.4

106.9

92.6

89.4

88.1

6.8

54.6

69.0

49.4

20.4

166.8

167.5

173.6

161.6

152.7

140.9

60.5

75.8

53.0

51.3

29.7

39.6

27.6

5.1

6.4

1.8

2.9

0.5

3.3

1.4

1.5

2.8

0.5

1.5

4.6

IRRIGATION WORKS.

That water can successfully be diverted from Cache Creek is proved 

by the number of irrigating ditches that have been constructed in 

Yolo County. Only one, however, the Moore ditch, is of present 

importance. Two others, the Capay Valley ditch and the Adams
20 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO.45.

ditch, are being used this summer (1900) on a small scale; that they 

are not in general use is due to protracted litigation over water rights, 

the common bane of irrigation throughout California.

CAPAY VALLEY DITCH.

The first ditch, in point of position, to take water from Cache Creek 

is the Capay Valley. The diversion works (see PI. Ill, A) are situated on the right bank of an old channel of the stream at the very 

head of Capay Valley. The ditch was begun in 1871, and about 12 miles 

were constructed before work was stopped permanently in the fall of 

1873. The original plan was to irrigate all of Capay Valley on the 

south side of the creek (about 13,000 acres), but it is probable that 

not more than 8 miles of the canal were ever used.

It was started with a bottom width of 24 feet, but after the first half mile was 

narrowed to a width of 16 feet, and at the end of the third mile again contracted 

to 8 feet. The lower end of the ditch was widened to 10 or 12 feet on the bottom. 

Indeed the ditch seems to have been characterized by a total lack of system in its 

construction. The flumes, of which there are six, crossing small tributaries of 

Cache Creek, are quite as devoid of regularity as the dimensions of earthen channel, They are usually 4 feet deep and vary in width from 8 to 16 feet. They are 

constructed, strange to say, of Oregon fir throughout, a timber of great strength, 

but poorly adapted to structiires which are alternately wet and dry. As a natural consequence, the flumes have decayed rapidly and are now wretchedly out of 

repair.'

At present (1900) the ditch beyond the first 3 miles is simply an 

undulation of the surface, and not a trace of the flumes described by 

Mr. Schuyler is to be found. Very little has been done with the ditch 

since 1886, when, after three trials in the lower courts, the supreme 

court affirmed a judgment "forever enjoining the company from taking water from Cache Creek at any and all times when such diversion 

would interfere with the flow of a sufficierlt quantity (432 cubic feet) 

in the Moore ditch." This summer (1900) the first 2 milps of the ditch 

were used by the fruit growers owning farms along it. They took 

turns in using the water, and in July, when the creek was low, by 

their combined efforts a diverting weir of brush, straw, and stones 

was thrown across the creek. No payment whatever is made by them 

to the company.

TWO PROPOSED CANALS.

In the report just cited Mr. Schuyler describes a dam many of the 

timber bents of which still stand intact. He says:

In addition to the Capay ditch, the Clear Lake Water Works began another 

work, which, as projected, was the most comprehensive scheme for the disposal 

of the waters of Cache Creek ever attempted. It contemplated the construction of 

two large canals taking their head at a point some three miles above the village

1 Report on the works and practice of irrigation in Yolo County, by J. D. Schuyler: Report 

of California State Engineer, 1880, Appendix E, p. 185.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 4-5 PL. Ill

A. DIVERTING WEIR OF CAPAY VALLEY DITCH.

B. DAM AND HEAD OF ADAMS DITCH.
CHANDLER.] IRRIGATION WORKS. 21

of Capay; the one to irrigate the plains on the north of Cache Creek, the other to 

cover the lands south of that stream. The latter was to have been navigable and 

to extend to deep water in Suisun Bay or elsewhere. At the proposed head of the 

canal a dam was constructed six hundred feet in length. It was made prismoidal 

in form, 15 feet wide on top, with the upper slope of £ on 1, and the lower 1 on 1. 

The south half of the dam was about 8 feet high and the north half about 13 feet. 

It was constructed of heavy timbers bolted to the sandstone rock which there 

cropped out in the channel, and the interior was filled with rock and gravel. The 

dam is reported to have cost $50,000. The canals were never begun. In all of 

these various improvements the Clear Lake Water Works have expended some 

$150,000, but thus far there have been few satisfactory results from their 

investment.

COTTONWOOD DITCH.

Another ditch, not at present in service, is the old Cottonwood 

ditch, which heads on the south bank of Cache Creek, a half mile 

below the dam just described. It was commenced in 1864, and was 

ultimately extended a distance of 10 miles. The bottom width was 

12 feet, the depth 5 to 5.5 feet, and the grade 3 feet to tha mile. The 

original headworks were substantially built and advantageously 

located, but not a trace of them now remains. The ditch is said to 

have cost $50,000.

In 1879 the Capay Ditch Company succeeded the Cottonwood Ditch 

Company. In 1882 the Moore Ditch Company enjoined the Capay 

Ditch Company frdm using water from Cache Creek, and the lawsuit 

which resulted remained in the courts many years, but was never 

settled. In consequence, the legal status of the ditch was rendered 

so uncertain that it rapidly fell into disuse.

ADAMS DITCH.

The Adams ditch diverts water from the north bank of Cache Creek 

less than a mile above Capay. Three miles of it were constructed in 

1870, to irrigate 20 acres of Chinese gardens. In the following year 

the ditch was enlarged to a bottom width of 6 feet, a top width of 13 

feet, and a depth of 2^ feet. In 1877-78 a new section was constructed 

and part of the old channel was abandoned. In 1882 the ditch was 

extended, under contract with the farmers above Cacheville (Yolo), 

to supply water to the old Cacheville agricultural ditch. The latter 

ditch was constructed in the winter of 1859-60, but has been abandoned since the destruction of its headworks by a flood late in the 

sixties. Just after the construction of the extension alluded to the 

Adams ditch became involved in the courts with the Moore ditch and 

the extension was never used. This summer (1900) the first 3 miles 

of the ditch were utilized to irrigate 60 acres of alfalfa and 20 acres 

of vegetables on the Adams place. The ditch has no headworks, the 

water being diverted into the open channel by a temporary dam of 

brush, straw, earth, and stones. (See PL III, B.) On July 23, 1900, 

there were 6.8 second-feet of water in the ditch.
22 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 45.

MOORE DITCH.

The Moore ditch, the oldest and most important ditch on Cache 

Creek, was built in 1856. It heads 8 miles above Woodland, and originally was 8 feet wide on top and 2 feet deep. In 1863 it was enlarged 

to a bottom width of 16 feet. In 1881 the grade was changed from 

1.34 to 2.34 feet to the mile, and by extending the ditch upstream a 

gain of 10 inches in the fall was secured. At the same time a timber 

dam was constructed across Cache Creek, 24-foot piles being driven 

into the stream bed. Prior to the construction of this timber dam 

temporary dams of brush and earth were constructed as soon as the 

water became low in summer, but they were carried out by the first 

fall flood. The timber dam was swept away by the storm waters of 

1889-90, and has not been replaced.

At present the main ditch and its branches have a total length of 

about 80 miles. The branches are under the management of subcorporations, the two most important being the South Fork Water Ditch 

Company and the Farmers' Irrigating Ditch Company. The ditch of 

the former was begun in 1864, and now has a length of 4 miles and a 

capacity of 40 second-feet. It is v-shaped, 20 feet wide on top, 4 feet 

deep, and has a grade of one-half foot to the mile. It has a capacity 

to irrigate 2,000 acres; it has irrigated 1,000 acres. The original cost 

was $2,400; but it could be constructed now for $800. The cost of 

irrigating varies from 50 cents to $2 an acre. The branch under 

the Farmers' Irrigating Ditch Company was also started in 1864. It 

is l£ miles long and controls 4 miles of laterals. The top width of 

the ditch is 16 feet, the bottom width 8 feet, and the depth from 2% to 

4 feet. Its capacity is 20 second-feet, and 1,000 acres are irrigated by 

it. The original cost was $2,400.

The maximum rate at which water maybe sold is fixed by the board 

of supervisors of Yolo County at " $4 per foot for the period of 24 

hours, with the water flowing in at the rate of 2 feet per second. 

* * * The measurements shall be made from the top of a weir 4 

inches high, constructed in the bottom of the bulkheads where 

measurement is made, and over which weirs such water must flow."

Although a capacity of 432 second-feet is claimed for the Moore 

ditch, it seems impossible that it ever could have carried half that 

amount. The banks have been allowed to silt up, and now are covered by a luxuriant growth of water weeds, which necessarily reduces 

the efficiency of the canal to a minimum. The headworks are substantial and are admirably situated. (See PL IV, A.) It is said that 

even when the creek is dry through Capay Valley there is a supply 

at the headworks. It is deplorable that a durable diverting dam has 

not been built, for the temporary dam of earth and brush is not constructed until June, and as a result the farmers are not able to reap 

the benefits of late spring flooding.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 46 PL. IV

A. HEADWORKS AND DAM OF MOORE DITCH.

B. HEADWORKS OF LANGENOOR DITCH.
CHANDLER.] IRRIGATION WORKS. 23

LANG~ENOOR AND HENNIGEN DITCHES.

Below the Moore ditch there are two private ditches the Langenoor, which heads on the north bank of the creek a half mile below 

Nelson's bridge, and the Hennigen, located on the south side a mile 

above the canal connecting Cache Creek with the Tule canal.

Regarding the construction of the Langenoor ditch Mr. J. D. Schuyler writes:

The ditch was constructed and first used in 1864 to irrigate 20 acres of grain. 

* * * At its head there is an underlying stratum of clay in the creek bed, at a 

depth of but 4 feet, which brings water to the surface. To force all of the water 

to top a double row of sheet piling, about 40 feet apart and 100 feet long, has been 

driven into bed of creek, covered with a floor even with the surface. In connection with this arrangement was a low, movable dam, intended to be raised during 

low water and removed when the floods came.

A few of the upright posts of the dam and a part of the wooden floor 

now remain. At the head of the ditch is an old wooden head gate, or 

bulkhead, as it is called, which was constructed in 1877. (See PL IV, 

jE>.) It is 20 feet wide and 12|- feet high, and has two sets of gates 

(four gates in each set) 18 feet apart. The gates are made of 3-inch 

timber, and are 4 feet wide by 3-J feet high. In 1888 a wall of masonry 

16 feet high was constructed across the ditch 140 feet from the old head 

gate, and the ditch between the two was lined with a wooden flume. 

Through the base of the masonry there are four channels, each 3.8 

feet wide by 2.6 feet high, which are closed by means of wooden gates. 

The ditch is a half mile long, 24 feet wide on top, 10 feet wide on bottom, and 5 feet deep. In April, 1900, it was used to irrigate 100 acres 

of alfalfa and 70 acres of fruit. As the creek at this point is dry by 

the end of July, the ditch can be used only in spring and early summer.

The Hennigen ditch was constructed in 1887. It is 1 mile long, 30 

feet wide on top, 10 feet wide on bottom, and 2£ feet deep. It has a 

capacity of 15 second-feet, and controls 700 acres, 200 of which it has 

irrigated. The original cost was $2,200; up to the present time $4,400 

has been expended on it.

PUMPING PLANTS.

Not being able to rely upon the irrigating ditches, many of the 

farmers about Woodland have resorted to pumping from Cache Creek 

and from wells. Now that their pumping plants are established, 

most of the operators find them so effective that they would hesitate 

to abandon them for even an improved system of ditches.

Outside of the vicinity of Woodland the only pump used for irrigation this season was one in charge of E. F. Hoswell, of Rumsey, in 

Capay Valley. The pump and engine are mounted on a wagon, and 

are moved from farm to farm as necessity requires. The engine is 

an 18-horsepower gasoline engine, known as the Hercules. Its cost
24 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO.45.

was $1,000, and it uses 22 gallons of distillate, costing 10^ cents a 

gallon, in a working day of ten hours. The pump is of the centrifugal pattern, and has a capacity of 700 gallons a minute. Its cost was 

1150. Water is pumped directly from the creek and forced through 

8-inch pipe to the field to be irrigated, and often it is elevated to a 

height of 55 feet. The average cost of operation is $1 an acre. A 

view of this portable pumping plant is shown in PL V, A, and a view 

of the pumping plant of Robert Morrison in operation on Cache Creek 

is shown in PL V, B.

In the Woodland district there are not fewer than twenty places 

where pumps are now used. Eight of these depend upon Cache 

Creek for their suppty. As the pumping plants are all below Moore's 

dam, the supply is generally insufficient after the middle of July. 

When visited in the later part of July, 1000, the pumps on the creek 

could be used only a half day at a time. There was no water flowing 

in the creek, but long pools had formed where the water, percolating 

through the gravel, was forced to the surface. It was from depressions in these pools that the pumping was done, and when the supply 

was exhausted the pumps were stopped until the pool filled again. 

In some places earthen dams 1 foot or 2 feet high were thrown across 

the bed to hold the water, and small ditches were dug between the 

pools above to let more water down.

Those who use wells report an unlimited supply. In April, 1897, 

Mr. C. S. Mering pumped eighteen days and nights with a pump having a capacity of 3,000 gallons a minute, and noticed no diminution 

in the supply. Mr. R. B. Blower has used his well since 1879, and it 

has never failed to furnish a supply.

With the exception of the gasoline engine of Mr. S. V. Scarlet, all 

of the engines in use are steam engines. Straw, brush, wood, and 

coal are used for fuel. The average price paid is 75 cents a load for 

straw, $4 a cord for wood, $8.50 a ton for coal, and 11 cents a gallon for 

gasoline.

Mr. S. V. Scarlet's engine is portable, and is used by nine of his 

neighbors. In some cases the pumps are used to furnish water to 

fields adjacent to lands of the owner as well as to his own fields. The 

table in the following discussion on underground waters gives the 

more important details regarding these pumping plants.

UNDERGROUND WATERS.

DEPTH OF WATER PLANE.

As may be seen in the following table, the depth at which water 

may be found at the pump sites varies from 10 to 25 feet. It is not 

unusual, however, for the depth at two points on a comparatively 

level farm to differ considerably more than this.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 45 PL. V

A. PORTABLE PUMPING PLANT IN CAPAY VALLEY

B. PUMPING PLANT ON CACHE CREEK
CHANDLER.} UNDERGROUND WATERS.

Irrigation pumping plants in Woodland district.

25

Owner.

Byron Jackson .. 

R. B. Blower- ---.

J.R. Fisher......

S. V. Scarlet .... - 

C.H.StembergC.S.Mering-....

F.Martinelli ....

O.J.Adams . ....

W.W. Nelson ...

F. Sanderson... . 

Robert Morrison

**>.

0*3, ^ a ,

 oc

6 wells.

Well ...

3 wells. 

 do...

2 wells. 

.... do 

3 wells. 

 do 

Well 

and 

Cache 

Creek. 

Cache 

Creek. 

....do. .

.... do._. 

. do-_

«"§

t« SB

O

160

80

10

80 

30 

30 

18 

30 

36

13

70

30

17 

10

Size of well.

Diameter.

Ins. 

8 

18 

(2-12 

11-8 

12 

13 

24 

10 

5 

24

......

i

Q

Feet. 

78 

26

} 60

42 

80 

45 

45

55

......

o 

^

o 

Q

Feet. 

18 

10

rfW*

16 

21 

15 

16

20 

25

......

Height to which is water

elevated.

Feet. 

18 to 44 

10 to 24

28

28 

31 

25 to 30 

30 

30 

25 to 35

27

20 

11 

20

25

Engine.

Horse- power.

60 

26

17

26 

25 

35 

35 

16 

20

8

(6) 

45 

(6) 

(ft)

o

u

$1,600 

230

a 600

1,675 

a 700

500 

1,800

250

(6) 

2,300 

(b) 

(6)

Pump.

Diameter.

Ins.

6 

6

8 

6 

6 

8

10

13

10 

5 

6

O

Gallons 

per minute.

3,000 

2,600

1,800

2,000 

3,000

3,000

7,000

400

5,000 

5,000 

1,300 

2,000

o

O

$500

313

214 

150 

160 

450

550 

125

250 

250 

100

Operating x penses e acre.c pr 

$1.50 

.83

3.30

1.50 

1.00 

1.57

.75 

2.00 

.75

.83

1.20

2.57 

2.00 

].50

a Secondhand. 6 Use S. V. Scarlet's gasoline engine. c One irrigation.

This spring (1900) the firm of Botsford &Blithroad bored a number 

of wells along the roads leading from Woodland, for the use of watering carts. The depths to first water and gravel in thirteen of these

are as follows:

Well borings near Woodland.

Boring.

No. 1 ..._...._......._..._.__...

No. 2 .... ....... .................

No. 3 . .........................

No. 4 ........... ................

No. 5.... .......................

No. 6..........................

No. 7 ...........................

No. 8 ........................ ....

No. 9 ...... .... ......... ......

No. 10... ............... ........

No. 11 .... ................ .....

No. 12...........................

No. 13 ..........................

Depth to 

water.

Feet. 

16

18

20

24

30

30

19

19

19

10

7

' 3.5

2-5

Depth to 

gravel.

Feet. 

32

38

20

114

40

3

46

36

24

20
26 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 45.

In borings Nos. 7 and 8 no gravel was encountered, although the 

borings extended to a depth of 92 feet. The average depth to water 

of these 13 borings is 17 feet a depth which the experience of other 

well borers has shown to be a good average for the irrigable lands 

about Woodland. In 1883-84 borings were made by engineers to 

determine the depth of the water plane through Hungry Hollow, a 

depression just northwest of Moore's darn, the results being submitted 

in the case of Moore v. Adams. The following depths have been 

taken from the profile of the 1884 borings, the lines starting at Cache 

Creek above Moore's dam and running 5 miles into Hungry Hollow:

Borings to determine depth of water plane through Hungry Hollow.

Distance 

from creek.

Miles.

1

2

3

4

5

Depth of 

water plane.

Feet.

14

14

16

19

23.5

NOTE. The water plane was reported to be 1.3 feet higher in 1883 than in 1884.

ARTESIAN FLOW.

There is only one artesian well in Yolo County. It is on the Dinsdale place, 1 mile east of Woodland. It has a depth of 134 feet and 

a diameter of 5 inches. When visited during the latter part of July, 

1900, the discharge was very small, but it is said to be considerable 

during the wetter seasons.

TRIBUTARIES CAPAY VALLEY.

The hills on the right and left of Capay Valley are cut up into a 

series of small canyons, with sharp ridges between. Consequently, 

the watersheds are so small and the slopes so steep that little or no 

water is to be found in the canyons after the rains have ceased. The 

most important of these are Rumsey Canyon, at the extreme head of 

the valley, and Cadenasso Canyon, near its foot, both 011 the west side. 

On June 23, 1900, there was a trace of a stream in the former canyon 

to a point 2 miles above its mouth, where the water sank, leaving the 

rest of the bed dry. During the summer water stands in small pools 

in Cadenasso Creek after it reaches the valley, the bed above being 

dry. The slope of the beds of both canyons is so great and the width 

so small that even if a sufficient drainage area existed they could 

not profitably be utilized for storage purposes.
CHANDLER.] TEIBUTAEIES IN CAPAT VALLEY. 27 

FISKE AND DAVIS CREEKS.

These creeks are usually marked on the maps of this region. Both 

enter the main creek, from the south side, in Cache Creek Canyon. 

Like the smaller streams in Capay Valley, they aje dry soon after 

the last rains, and their beds remain dry washes until the next wet 

season.

BEAR CREEK.

Other than the North Fork, the only tributary to Cache Creek of 

any consequence is Bear Creek, which enters the main stream on the 

north side, 5 miles above the mouth of the canyon. Twelve miles up 

the creek is Bear Valley, which has a length of 10 miles and an average width of 2 miles, and in which good crops of hay and grain are 

raised. Near the lower end of the valley the surface is undulating, 

and nowhere is there a good dam site, even if the great amount of 

water required to flood this large area were obtainable.

Below the valley there is very little open country, and for the last 

5 miles the creek traverses a narrow canyon. Two miles below Bear 

Valley, Sulphur Creek empties into Bear Creek. Sulphur Creek 

drains a district in which three large quicksilver mines are operated, 

and many sulphur and mineral springs exist in its own bed. By the 

time it reaches Bear Creek it has dissolved so much mineral matter that it renders the water of the larger creek brackish and salty, 

unfitting it for irrigation purposes.

When measured at its mouth on June 27, 1900, Bear Creek had a 

discharge of 1.8 second-feet, while on the same day Cache Creek had 

a discharge of 156.0 second-feet. Bear Creek is said rarely to become 

dry. Even in the fall of 1898, when there was 110 outflow from the 

lake, water was running in this branch.

NORTH FORK.

The North Fork of Cache Creek rises in the mountains north of 

Bartlett Springs. The region of its headwaters is famous for its 

many springs, the medicinal properties of which attract hundreds of 

visitors every summer. Bartlett Springs is situated on Bartlett 

Creek, which flows into the North Fork 3 miles below the springs. 

On July 2, 1900, there was a discharge of 1.4 second-feet in Bartlett 

Creek and a discharge of 3.3 second-feet in the North Fork at _their 

junction. Seven miles below the junction the North Fork leaves the 

mountains and enters Little Indian Valley. As early as July 2, 1900, 

the stream in the upper part of the valley was dry, the water having 

sunk into the gravel floor. Two miles from the head of the valley 

rock outcrops in the stream bed, forcing the water to the surface. 

At that point Stanton Greek joins the North Fork. On July 2, 1900,
28 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORH1A. [NO.45.

Stanton Creek had a discharge of 1.5 second-feet, and on July 8 the 

discharge of the North Fork at the foot of the valley measured 2.8 

second-feet.

At the foot of Little Indian Valley the North Fork enters a narrowcanyon, through which it flows for a distance of 5 miles. A half mile 

below the lower end of the canyon Wolf Creek joins it. On June 30, 

1900, the latter stream was dry, except for a few standing pools, for a 

distance of a mile above its mouth, at which point it had a discharge 

of 0.5 second-foot.

A mile below Wolf Creek and 1\ miles above Cache Creek is the 

mouth of Long Valley Creek. On June 30, 1900, this stream had a 

discharge of 2.9 second-feet. On the same day the discharge of the 

North Fork at that point was 6.4 second-feet.

Below Long Valley Creek there are no streams tributary to the 

North Fork. There are numerous canyons down which the storm 

waters rush after heavy rains, but none in which water can be found 

in the summer. The North Fork itself generally has no running 

water in its lower reaches after July. The water stands in pools, 

between which it seeps through the gravel. These pools remain 

throughout the dry season, and afford the only drinking water for the 

cattle in the neighborhood. For the last few miles the gravel floor is 

often 500 feet wide, and from it the greatly eroded clay banks rise to 

a height of from 50 to 100 feet. A view of these eroded clay slopes 

is shown in PL VI, A, and a view of the gravel bed of the creek in 

PI. VI, B.

On June 29, 1900, the discharge at the mouth of the North Fork was 

only 5.1 second-feet, while on the same date the discharge of Cache 

Creek at the junction was 161.4 second-feet.

RESERVOIR SITES ON NORTH PORK.

The only basins in the North Fork system which might be mentioned as reservoir sites are Twin Valleys, Little Indian Valley, and 

Long Valley.

The Twin Valleys are situated on a short branch of the North Fork 

a few miles north of Bartlett Springs. They are separated by a 

canyon a half mile in length. Each valley is three-fourths of a mile 

long and a half mile wide. As the narrow canyon could easily be 

dammed, the upper valley is an ideal site for a storage basin; but as 

the entire catchment area above the valleys is only 5 square miles, 

there would be very little water for storage purposes, and they can 

not, therefore, be recommended as reservoir sites. Both valleys are 

under cultivation, hay and garden produce for the hotels being raised, 

the vegetables being irrigated by water from the creek.

Long Valley is situated on Long Valley Creek, 2 miles from its 

mouth. It is 6 miles long, and has an average width of 1,000 feet
' PS?.

A. NORTH FORK OF CACHE CREEK, SHOWING ERODED CLAY SLOPES.

£. GRAVEL BED OF NORTH FORK OF CACHE CREEK.
CHANDLER.] RESERVOIR SITES ON NORTH FORK. 29

and a grade of 25 feet to the mile. Although Rice's map of Lake 

County shows a drainage area of about 30 square miles, the run-off 

during the drier years, when water is most needed, is stated, on 

excellent authority, to be very small, as might be expected from 

experience elsewhere in the same region. Moreover, the valley at its 

foot, the so-called Narrows, is 700 

feet wide. Even should an ample 

supply be assured, the cost of a 

dam across the Narrows would be 

almost prohibitive. There is some 

hay and grain raised in the valley, 

but the income of its residents is 

largely derived from stock raising.

Little Indian Valley, the only 

basin on the North Fork to be 

recommended as a reservoir site, 

is 5 miles long and averages from 

a half to three-fourths of a mile in 

width. Almost half of the entire 

area is under cultivation, but the 

soil contains so much gravel that 

the grain crops are very light. A 

small portion in the middle of the 

valley and near the creek is irrigated for vegetables, a temporary 

earthen dam being thrown across 

the stream at a point where the 

rock outcrops. A view of the valley looking toward the dam site is 

shown in PI. VII, A, and views of 

the dam site are shown in Pis. VII, 

B, and VIII, A.

A reconnaissance survey of the 

valley was made to determine its 

approximate storage capacity, contours being located at intervals 

of 25 feet, up to the 100-foot level. 

The following table shows the acreage of each of the four planes, and the storage capacity, in acre-feet, 

at the intermediate layers, also the total capacity for each contour. 

The area of the 125-foot contour is estimated to be 1,500 acres, which 

is considered a minimum figure, as the valley widens very appreciably 

at its upper end.

PIG. 3. Map of Little Indian Valley reservoir

site.
30 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. 

Storage capacity of Little Indian Valley reservoir site.

[NO. 45

Contour.

0

25- foot- -

50-foot.-

75-foot..

100-foot..

125-foot..

Area.

Acres.

0

50

320

630

i,6io

1,500

Capacity.

Acre-feet.

625

4,625

11,875

20, 500

31,375

Total 

capacity.

Acre-feet.

625

5,250

17, 125

-37, 625

69, 000

FIG. 4. Map of Little Indian Valley dam site.

The only records of rainfall on the North Fork are those which have 

been kept for the last three seasons at Bartlett Springs. The precipitation for the season 1897-98 was 21.93 inches, which maybe taken 

as the minimum. Rice's map of Lake County gives a drainage area 

of about 100 square miles above Little Indian Valley.

Using Mr. Lippincott's provisional curve for the run-off of central 

and southern California basins, the minimum precipitation of 22 

inches should give a run-off of 16,000 acre-feet, and a precipitation of 

38 inches that estimated for this basin for a period of twenty-three 

years should give a run-off of 58,000 acre-feet. To guard against 

a shortage in extremely dry years, however, a reserve of 29,000 acrefeet should be maintained during the years of average and excessive 

precipitation. On this basis an annual supply of 40,000 acre-feet 

would be available. The following table is based on the assumption 

that there were 29,000 acre-feet in the reservoir at the end of the irrigation season of 1885. Of the fourteen years considered, there would 

have been twelve years of full supply and two years of deficient supply. As experience shows that an occasional dry year may be tided 

over, it is believed that this site may be relied upon for 40,000 acre-feet.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 45 PL. VII

A. LITTLE INDIAN VALLEY, LOOKING TOWARD DAM SITE.

Ji LiTTLE INDIAN VALLEY DAM SITE FROV1 ABOVE
CHANDLER.] RESERVOIR SITES ON NORTH FORK. 31 

Table showing fluctuations in volume stored in Little Indian Valley reservoir,

Year.

1886....-.--.... .

1887. ._....-_.-.-_

1888.-.-.... ......

1889... ...........

1890 ... ...._.....

1891.............

1892..............

1893...... ......

1894........ ......

1895.............

1896..............

1897...... ........

1898 .............

1899...... .......

1900 ...... ......

Estimated 

rainfall.

Inches. 

26,40

24.35

34.40

49.20

41.60

32.70

44. 00

35.70

53.00

43.50

49.40

24 12

17.35

47.67

37.38

Estimated 

run-off.

Acre-feet. 

24, 800

20, 700

44, 400

134, 400

73, 200

39, 750

84, 000

48, 950

134, 000

81,750

113, 000

20, 240

7,525

102,350

In reservoir 

at end of 

irrigation 

season.

Acre-feet. 

13, 000

Empty.

4,400

29, 000

29, 000

18, 750

29, 000

29, 000

29, 000

29, 000

29, 000

9,000

Empty.

29, 000

Surplus.

Acre-feet.

59,800

33,200

23, 750

8,950

94, 000

41,750

73, 000

33, 350

Deficiency.

Acre-feet.

6,300

23, 475

The canyon which leads from the valley (see PL VIII, B) is only 40 

or 50 feet wide, and a shaly slate impregnated with quartz and some 

calcite outcrops on the bottom and on the sides to a height of 20 feet. 

At the point selected for the dam site the width between the canyon 

walls 100 feet above the creek bed is only 317 feet, and at 125 feet it is 

only 435 feet. On the west, immediately above the dam site, at a height 

of 600 feet, is a rocky point from which it is proposed to transfer the 

rock, by cable, to the dam. The 

elevation of the dam site is estimated to be 1,600 feet. Careful 

examination of the bed rock, with 

a diamond drill, should be made 

before the construction of the dam 

is begun.

As the reservoir may be expected 

to fill during the wetter years, the 

dam must be an overflow weir. As 

designed, it will be 130 feet high, constructed of Cyclopean rubble, 

or of large blocks of stone set in concrete mortar, and adapted to 

withstand flotation effect with 10 feet of water passing over it. The 

cost is estimated at $433,000. Allowing $20,000 for the purchase of 

the necessary territory in the valley, the total cost of the proposed 

Little Indian Valley reservoir is estimated at $453,000, which is at the 

rate of $6.56 per acre-foot of total storage capacity, or at the rate of 

$11.33 per acre-foot of water available. 1

1 The calculations of reservoir capacity were based on a dam 125 feet high. As the height of 

the weir dam designed is 130 feet, the available storage capacity is increased at least 7,500 acrefeet. Forty-seven thousand and five hundred acre-feet may therefore be considered as the 

available supply, which reduces the cost per acre-foot to $9.54.

FIG. 5. Elevation of Little Indian Valley 

dam site.
32 WATER 8TOEAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO.45.

CLEAR LAKE.

As has been stated, Clear Lake is situated on the Coast Range, 75 

miles north of San Francisco. At mean low water the lake has a surface level of 1,325 feet above mean low water in San Francisco Bay. 

It is 20 miles long, 7 miles wide (greatest width), and has an area of 

65 miles at its mean level. The greatest depth in the upper half of 

the lake is 35 feet, but in the lower portion there are small areas 50 

feet deep. The drainage area is 417 square miles, and the storm 

waters are conducted to the lake through Scotts, Middle, and Clover 

creeks, at its extreme northwestern end, and by Doba, Kelsey, and 

Cole creeks on the southern side of its upper ends. These creeks are 

similar to others in Cache Creek Basin, in that they are torrential 

during the rainy season but are dry during the summer.

Middle and Clover creeks unite a mile below the town of Upper 

Lake. On July 12, 1900, their combined discharge was only 1.5 

second-feet. Two miles above Clear Lake Scotts Creek flows into 

Tule Lake, a small, marshy depression, which it leaves through a 

slough. For 4 miles above Tule Lake the creek is simply a slough, 

and 6 miles above it had a discharge of 0.5 second-foot on July 

12, 1900.

On July 16, 1900, Kelsey Creek had a discharge of 4.6 second-feet 

at a point 6 miles above the lake. A mile below, however, it had disappeared in its gravel bed. Doba and Cole creeks were both dry on 

that date. These three creeks flow through Big Valley, the largest 

and one of the most fertile in Lake County. Scotts Valley and the 

territory about Upper Lake are also remarkably productive, alfalfa 

being raised without irrigation. A good flow of artesian water is 

obtainable in the last-named districts at a depth of 75 feet, and it is 

now being used for irrigating vegetables.

In 1874-75 and in 1876-77 Clear Lake was one of the bodies of water 

examined by the engineers appointed to investigate the sources of 

water supply for the city of San Francisco. Recognizing the great 

loss due to evaporation over so extended an area, it was planned to 

"carry away the water from the lake in its season of abundance, and 

store it in a reservoir of less area and greater available depth. Such 

a reservoir exists on the adjoining stream to the south Putah Creek, 

at Guenoc." This plan necessitated a tunnel 2.9 miles long. During 

these investigations (1874-1877) the water of Clear Lake was analyzed 

by four chemists. All were of the opinion that the water was entirely 

satisfactory for domestic purposes. On the next page is given the 

result of the analysis by Prof. Thomas Price.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 45 PL. VIII

A. LITTLE INDIAN VALLEY DAM SITE.

. CANYON BELOW LITTLE INDIAN VALLEY DAM SITE
CHANDLER. ] CLEAS LAKE. 33

Analysis of water from Clear Lake.

Grains per gallon of 

331 cubic inches.

Carbonate of lime ............ .........--,....--..-.-.-.-- 2.554

Carbonate of magnesia ...........-....-..--...-...--..-.. 2.683

Carbonate of soda .-..-.-.........-.......--......-.-----. . 728

Alumina and iron .--..-.............-....-......-------... .012

Chloride of potassium _....._._.__........._-...-__....-._- .261

Sulphate of lime ...................-,...._.--.-..---.....- .341

Silica .................................................... .464

Organic matter...... .................................... 1.970

Total.... ..-.......;................-.....--..--... 9.013

As water may contain as many as 80 grains of soluble salts Before 

reaching the danger point for irrigation purposes, it is certain that 

Clear Lake water is satisfactory.

AREA AND VOLUME.

In 1889 the United States Geological Survey made a topographic 

survey of Clear Lake and its outlet. A datum plane was taken 1.27 

feet above the low-water mark of 1873 and called 100. Mr. Win. Ham. 

Hall compiled a number of tables for his report on this survey, the 

first four of which are given herewith.

The following table gives the area, in square miles, and the number of acres of each of the even-foot planes, from 90 to 110 feet that 

is, 10 feet below and above the datum plane. The volume, in acrefeet, is also given for each 2-foot layer.

Area and volume of Clear Lake.

Elevation 

of plane.

Feet. 

90

92

94

96

98

100

102

104

106

108

iio

Area of 

plane.

Square miles. 

56. 852

58. 071

59. 255

60.614

62. 156

63. 784

64. 726

67. 061

69. 203

70. 530

72. 036

Area of 

plane.

Acres. 

36, 385

37, 165

37, 923

38, 793

39, 780

40, 822

41,425

42, 919

44, 290

45, 139

46, 103

Volume.

Acre-feet.

73, 550

75, 088

76,716

78, 573

80, 602

82, 247

84. 344

87, 209

89, 429

91 ' 242

IRR 45 01-
34 WATEE STOEAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO.45.

The following table gives the equivalents of flow, in second-feet, 

corresponding to the several volumes in the successive 2-foot layers 

for 1 day, for 30 days, for 91 days, and for 182£ days, respectively:

Table of equivalents of flow.

Volume of 

layers.

Acre-feet.

73, 550

75, 088

76,716

78, 573

80, 602

82, 247

84, 344

87, 209

89,429

91,242

Equivalents, in second-feet.

1 day.

37, 081

37,857

38, 677

39,614

40, 637

41, 466

42, 522

43, 968

45, 087

46,017

30 days.

1,236

1,262

1,289

1,320

1,354

1,382

1,417

1,466

1,503

1,534

91 days.

407

416

425

435

447

456

467

483'

495

505

1824 days.

203

208

212

217

223

227

233

241

247

252

FLUCTUATIONS IN LEVEL.

In the following table is given the mean monthly and annual level 

of the surface of Clear Lake. The records up to 1888 were given to 

Mr. Hall by Captain Floyd, of Kono Tayee. The later records were 

obtained this summer (1900) from Mr. F. H. Porter, of Kono Tayee, 

and from Captain Rumsey and Captain Atherton, of Lakeport.

Table showing mean monthly and annual level of Clear Lake, IS7J/.-1900.

Month.

April.... ........ ..-..-.- .

1874.

102.87

105. 13

105.85

104.99

104.06

103.13

103.31

J01.63

101.23

101.65

102.04

103. 406

1875.

102.96

104.07

103. 67

103.10

102.40

101. 78

101. 21

100.55

99.98

OQ US

99.83

100.75

101.656

1876.

102.73

105.64

108.39

107.64

106.23

105. 19

104.52

ini (M

103.74

103.16

102. 61

102.02

104.663

1877.

1(V> fli

102.91

103.20

102. 86

102.28

101.68

101. 19

100 71

100.13

99.62

99.52

99.56

101. 308

1S78.

102.42

107.60

109.37

106.463

1879.

101. 81

104.07

105.73

104.98

103.13

102.40

101.90

101.50

101.24

103. 47

103.923

1880.

103.03

103.48

104.02

106.19

107.11

105.69

104.56

103.40

102.51

102.04

101.64

102.85

103.879
CHANDLER.] . CLEAR LAKE. 35

Table showing mean monthly and annual level of Clear Lake, 1874-1900 Cont'd.

Month.

July..... ......................

December ....................

Month.

April..........................

July........... .............

Month.

1881.

104.88

107. 15

106.88

105.75

104.84

104.16

103.08

101.26

100.93

100.76

100. 95

103. 695

1888.

99.83

101. 73

102. 45

102.27

101.96

101.36

100.08

99.84

99.57

99.34

99.83

100. 751

1895.

109.90

109.00

106.96

105.73

100.23

106.36

1882.

101.24

101.92

103.11

103.71

100.27

100.08

'101.21

100.27

101.476

1889.

103.53

100.53

102.03

1896.

100.56

105.40

104. 98

104.50

103.46

102. 31

101.36

100.88

100.59

101.32

102.54

1883.

100.37

100.77

101.23

101.58

101.31

100.18

99.73

99.29

<M 11

100 401

1890.

111.31

101.86

101.48

101.07

100.97

103.34

1897.

102.63

104.73

105.63

105.52

104.35

103.15

102. 32

101.42

100.73

100.20

99.98

100. C9

102.56

1884.

99.13

99.68

100.83

101.88

103.01

102.74

102.20

101.47

100.98

100.66

100.36

101. 19

101. 178

1 

1891.

101.08,

102.81

104.02

104.09

103.52

102.37

101.56

100.81

100.23

100.01

100.56

101.91

1898.

100.20

100.54

101.00

100.73

100.40

99.98

99.46

Qfi 7*3

98.20

97.84

97.75

97.86

99.39

1885.

102.43

102.73

102.54

102.23

101. 79

101.26

100.81

100.29

99.65

99.23

100.56

102.87

101.366

1892.

101.35

101.73

101.73

102.15

102.33

100.16

99.73

100.23

, 104.47

101.54

1899.

98.66

99.33

99.45

100.40

99.84

99.69

99.42

98.88

98.25

97.92

98.21

99.57

99.13

1886.

105. 16

106.14

105.35

108.30

105.19

103.86

102.73

100.83

104.32

1893.

104.56

106. 53

107.35

104.73

103.46

104.48

100.93

100.54

101.40

103.77

1900.

103.00

102.09

102.94

102.92

102 39

101.57

100.82

QQ GO

99.40

101.55

1887.

101. 75

103.89

102.50

100.77

100.20

99.48

101.265

1894.

104.40

105.33

106.31

100.15

104.05

Monthly 

mean.

102.74

103.72

104. 12

103. 81

103.33

102. 66

102.24

101. 08

101. 24

100.32

100.30

100.93

a 103. 51

a Twenty-sis years.

The table on the next page gives the extreme high-water levels and 

the extreme low-water levels of the lake for each year from 1873 to 1900 

(compiled from the same records as the foregoing table), while fig. 6 

shows graphically the same data. The number of feet fall in the lake 

during the year and the evaporation for the falling period are also
36 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO 45".

given. The evaporation rate given is that used by Mr. Hall, who 

based it upon "observations made by the State Engineering Department on water surfaces exposed to similar conditions." The rate for 

the several months is as follows: January, 1.10 inches; February, 1.60 

inches; March, 2.80 inches; April, 3.10 inches; May, 3.90 inches; June, 

6.40 inches; July, 7.35 inches; August, 9.65 inches; September, 8.10 

inches; October, 5.20 inches; November, 2.90 inches; December, 1.40 

inches; total, 53.50 inches. 1 *

Table shoiving extreme Mgh-ivater level and extreme low-water level of Clear Lake,

1873-1900.

Year.

1873..-.-.....

1874..........

1875.-..-.....

1876..........

1877. ........ .

1878.. .. ......

1879..........

1880...-....-.

1881..........

1882...........

 1883..........

1884..... .... 

1885..........

1886-.. .......

1887....'......

1888..........

1889..........

1890..........

1891.. ...... ..

1893..........

1893..........

1894... .......

1895....... ..

1896.. ....... .

1897..........

1898... .......

1899.,......-.

1900..........

High-water level.

Month.

Marclu

February. .

March. . ...

February . . 

March .....

April. .....

January.-. 

January...

March ..... 

April.. ... -

January. .- 

April. .....

May ......

March ..... 

March ..... 

January... 

February .. 

April.... . 

March ..... 

April. .....

March.... .

Elevation.

Feet.

103.27 

104. 25 

110.02 

103. 29 

110.04 

105. 96 

107.73 

107. 90 

103. 81 

101.77 

103. 23 

103. 67 

106. 59 

103. 07 

102. 51 

103. 53 

111.81 

104.12 

103.73 

107.35 

106.31 

109. 90 

105. 40 

105.81 

101.06 

100. 73 

103. 31

105, 25

Low-water level.

Month.

November . 

October . .. 

November. 

January . . 

October ... 

January .. 

Novernber. 

November. 

November. 

November . 

November. 

December - 

October . . .

December . 

November - 

October _ . . 

November. 

November. 

November . 

November . 

NovemberNovember . 

November - 

November .

October . . .

Elevation.

Feet. 

98.73 

101.06 

99.40 

101.36 

99.42 

99.60 

101.21 

101.48 

100. 73 

100. 04 

99.12 

99.06 

99.06 

100. 73 

99.47 

99.21 

100. 53 

100. 90 

100. 00 

99.40 

100. 48 

100. 15 

100. 23 

100. 56 

99.90 

97.73 

97.90

99.91

Fall in 

lake.

Feet.

5.21

4.85 

8.64 

3.87 

10.44 

4.75 

6.25 

7.17 

3.77 

2.65 

4.17 

4.61 

5.81 

3.60 

3.30 

3.00 

10.41 

4.12 

3.33 

6.87 

6.16 

9.67 

4.84 

5.91 

3.33 

2.83

Evaporation.

Inches.

3.58 

4.09 

4.17, 

3.58 

4.17 

3.91 

3.67 

4.09 

3.91 

3.38 

3.84 

3.87 

4.38 

4.08 

3.91 

3.57 

4.20 

3.67 

3.38 

3.91 

3.91 

4.20 

4.09 

3.67 

3.91 

3.57

1 The mean of four years' observations at Kinasburg, Fresno County, from 1881 to 1885, inclusive, as determined by the State engineering department, was 46.3 inches.
CHANDLER] CLEAE LAKE. 37

Although the annual rate of evaporation (53.5 inches) is less than has 

been observed at some points in California, it will be seen from an 

inspection of the foregoing table to be entirely too large, for in a number of instances the evaporation exceeds the actual fall in the lake. 

This could be accounted for by fluctuations in level after the late began 

to fall, but no such fluctuations existed. Remembering that the summer flow of the tributary streams is practically nothing, it seems evident either that the rate used is much too high or that the lake receives 

large quantities of water from subterranean sources. As there are many 

springs in Soda Bay, at the upper end of the lake, and at Sulphur 

Banks, near the southern end, the latter condition is not improbable. 1

The table on pages 34 and 35 shows the mean level of the lake for 

twenty-six years to be 102.51 feet, corresponding to a reading of 3.78

1874- /37S /S7£ /877 /S7S /679 /SSO /88/ tBSS /SS3 '66+ tSSS /666

/OS'-

'887 tSSS /SB9 /S9O /<S9/ /S92 /S93 /S94- S895 /<996 /S97 /ffff0 /S99 /9OO

vv

/OS'

too'

FIG. 6. Diagram showing high-water and low-water levels in Clear Lake, 1874 to 1900.

feet on the gage rod at Kono Tayee. The mean obtained from the 

table giving the extreme high-water and extreme low-water levels of 

the lake is practically the same, being 102.58 feet.

EFFECTS OF STORAGE.

It is the popular belief that Clear Lake can be used as a reservoir 

by simply arranging for the storage of 6 feet depth of water. This of 

course would be so if there were sufficient rain each year to keep the 

reservoir filled to that depth, but such is not the case. The watershed 

of the lake is so small and the surface exposed to evaporation is so 

great that a hold-over reservoir must be provided.

A careful study has been made to determine at what levels the lake 

should have been confined in order to allow the use of 80,000 acre-feet 

of water every year since 1873. To determine this question it was first 

necessary to estimate the amount of water entering the lake each year.

1 The Geological Survey has established an evaporation gage in the lake, with Capt. D. C. 

Bumsey as observer, to determine accurately the amount of the evaporation.
38 WATEE STOBAGE .ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFOBNIA. [NO.45.

For this purpose a provisional curve of run-off compiled by J. B. Lippincott from the data for a great number of California basins was 

used, but it was discovered that the results in many cases were less 

than the amounts shown to have entered the lake by the rise from 

extreme low water to extreme high water.

An inspection of the following table will show that the total amount 

calculated from Mr. Lippincott's provisional curve is too small in all 

cases where the rainfall is less than 19 inches and also in a number of 

other cases. Clearly, the so-called "intake" (the difference between 

extreme low water and extreme high water) is less than the volume 

which entered the lake, because it does not show either the discharge 

or the loss by evaporation during the time the level was rising.

Table showing fluctuations in volume of Clear Lake.

Season.

1873-74.. ..... ......

1874-75. ............

1875-76.. ...........

1876-77-----. -...,-

1877-78.............

1878-79..... ........ 

1879-80...-.-.--....

1880-81 _ ..

1881-82.--.--... ...

1882-83--...-.......

1883-84.............

1884-85.. ......

1885-86............. 

1886-87... ..........

1887-88. ............

1888-89.............

1889-90....-.-..,-..

1890-91.. ............

1891-92. ..... ......

1892-93.............

1893-94.............

1894-95.......... .

1895-96...... ......

1896-97.............

1897-98-..---.. ....

1898-99.............

1899-1909.... ......

Total ..........

Rainfall.

Inches.

14.8

24.96

37.0

14.0

54.0

21.3 

29.0

21.8

16.7

19.0

24.3

16.0

35.5 

19.25

17.88

27.28

51.43

21.06

24.32

36.80

32.82

42.89

33.48

28. 92

14.57

20.86

27.73

Run-off 

from 413 

square 

miles.

Acre-feet. 

16, 930

90, 860

223, 020

14, 460

586, 660

60, 298 

115, 640

38, 820

28, 910

42, 126

93, 340

22, 720

198, 240 

43, 780

35, 100

109, 860

536, 900

57, 820

85, 080

218, 890

165, 200

326, 270

169, 330

123,900

16,930

56, 990

113,160

Rainfall 

on lake.

Acre-feet. 

49, 080

86, 320

128, 650

49, 600

186, 750

74,700 

102, 960

77, 220

58, 100

65, 280

81,600

51,000

124, 500 

86, 400

61,350

94, 070

182,300

117,100

83,000

127, 400

113,050

158, 730

116,200

102, 960

48, 960

67, 660

94, 070

Total increase in 

volume.

Acre- feet. 

66, 010

177, 180

351,670

64, 060

773,410

134, 938

218, 700

116, 040

87,010

107, 403

174, 940

73, 720

322, 740 

130, 180

96, 450

203, 930

719,200

174, 920

168, 080

346, 290

277, 250

485, 000

285, 530

226, 860

65, 890

124, 650

207, 230

6, 179, 344

Intake.

Acre-feet. 

279, 300

136, 370

458, 650

79, 500

458, 650

269, 920 

362, 720

275, 170

127, 570

73, 020

164, 900

190,210

316, 900 

95, 736

123, 480

136, 620

474, 360

133, 940

111,700

340, 580

248, 170

421, 680

219, 410

220, 400

89, 570

121,170

221,600

6,151,296
CHANDLER.] CLEAK LAKE. 39

Neglecting the winter discharge and the winter evaporation, and 

considering the totals given at the bottom of the last two columns in 

the foregoing table, the run-off shown by Mr. Lippincott's provisional 

curve agrees with that indicated by the rise of the lake within onehalf of 1 per cent. Thus the curve is shown to give an excellent conservative estimate for average conditions, and for that reason it was 

used in determining the run-off of Little Indian Valley.

The following table shows the method adopted to determine the 

limits for the hold-over reservoir:

Table showing fluctuations in Clear Lake.

Season.

1873 (low water)

1873-74. ........

1874-75... .....

1875-76.........

1876-77.. .......

1877-78.........

1878-79. ..._:..

1879-80. ........

1880-81.... ....

1881-82.. .......

1882-83.. .......

1883-84.. .......

1884-85. ........

1885-86.........

1886-87...---...

1887-88.........

1888-89.........

1889-90.........

1890-91..'.......

1891-92.........

1892-93.. .....

189S-94... ......

1894-95........

1895-96.........

1896-97...--....

1897-98.........

1898-99.....:...

1899-1900.......

Intake.

Acre-feet.

279, 300

136, 370

458, 650

79,500

458, 650

269, 920 

280, 440

275, 170

129, 370

74,021

169, 120

190, 210

316, 900

95, 740

123,480

177, 740

474, 860

133,940

111,700

340, 580

246, 170

421,680

219,410

220,400

49, 260

121,170

221,601

Resulting level.

Feet.

105.4

103.8

106.0

101.7

106.0

106.0 

108.0

106.0

. 103. 0

99.1

98.8

98.1

101.0

98.4

95.9

95.2

106.0

103.0

100.5

103.6

106.0

a 109. 9

105. 0

104.9

101.6

99.3

100.1

Winter discharge.

Feet.

1.63

0.76

4.47

0.29

6.27

0.84

2.58

3.08

0.33

0.74

1.43

6.21

0.45

2.96

2.25

5.47

0.75

2 24

Summer 

evaporation.

Feet.

3.58

4.09

4.17

3.58

4.17

3.91 

3.67

4.09

3.77

2.65

3.84

3.87

4.38

3.60

3.30

3.00

4.20

3.67

3.33

3.91

3.91

4.20

4.09

3.67

3.33

2.83

Working 

level.

Feet.

102.4

100.5

101.8

98.4

101.8

102.1 

102.3

101.9

99.2

96.5

95.3

95.0

98.0

'94.8

92.6

92.2

101.8

99.7

97.2

102. 1

102.1

101.8

101.7

102.3

98.3

96.5

Depth

used.

Feet.

1.9

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

1.9 

1.9

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.1

2.1

2.0

2.1

2.2

2.2

2.0

2.0

2.0'

1.0V

1.9

2.0

2.0

1.9

2.0

2.6

Fall level.

Feet. 

98.7

100.5

98.5

99.8

96.4

99.8

100.2 

100.4

99.9

97.2

94.5

93.2

92.9

96.0

92.7'

90.4

90.0

99.8

97.7

95.2

100.2

 100.2

99.8

99.7

100.4

96.3

94.5

a Maximum level.
40 WATEE STOEAGE ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFOENIA. [NO.45.

Referring to the foregoing table, the "intake" is the increase in 

volume represented by the difference between the low-water and 

the high-water levels. By the "resulting level" is meant the height 

the lake's surface would attain after the addition of the intake to the 

previous low-water level. Thus, 279,300 acre-feet flowing into the 

lake when the level was 98.7 feet (the low-water mark of 1873) would 

cause a rise to 105.4 feet. The " summer evaporation" is taken from 

the table on page 36. The "winter discharge" is based on the 

assumption that as much water is discharged while the lake is rising 

as is discharged while it is falling through the same distance. As 

the outflow in the later fall months is very small, the periods of discharge may be taken as approximately equal and the element of time 

be eliminated. If there be any fluctuations in level while the lake is 

rising, which is far more probable than while it is falling, then the 

"winter discharge" must exceed the "summer discharge;" so whatever error there may be in the above assumption is on the side of conservatism. The "winter discharge" given in this table is, therefore, 

the "summer discharge" found by subtracting the evaporation given 

in the table on page 36 from the fall of the lake's surface given in the 

same table. In the cases where the evaporation is greater than the 

fall, nothing is allowed for the "winter discharge." The "working 

level" is found by subtracting the difference between the " winter discharge " and the '' summer evaporation " from the '' resulting level;" it 

represents the level at which the lake would stand in the fall were no 

water taken out for irrigation. As the top of the outlet weir is fixed 

at 106 feet, whenever the lake rises above that level the water is 

wasted. Accordingly, whenever the "resulting level," or the "resulting level plus the "winter discharge," is above 106 feet, the "summer 

evaporation" is subtracted from 106 feet, as it is at that point that 

the evaporation begins. The " depth used " shows the depth of reservoir necessary to store 80,000 acre-feet of water at the various levels. 

Subtracting the "depth used" from the "working level," the minimum " fall level" is obtained.

In the season of 1888-89, under our hypothetical conditions the 

lake would have fallen to 90 feet, and in the previous year to 90.4 

feet. The next lowest levels would have been 92.7 feet and 92.9 feet, 

in the .seasons of 1886-87 and 1884-85, respectively. Following our 

basis of calculation, to allow 80,001 acre-feet for each and every irrigating season the outlet of the lake should be fixed at 90 feet. As 

no " winter discharge " has been allowed for a number of seasons, and, 

furthermore, as it seems that the rate of evaporation used is too 

large, it -appears almost certain that 100,000 acre-feet might have 

been used continuously for the last twenty-seven years. This is 

tantamount to claiming that with the weir height and outlet fixed at 

106 feet and 90 feet, respectively, 100,000 acre-feet may safely be 

drawn from Clear Lake reservoir every season.
WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 45 PL. IX

J*

o/wi controlling 

overflow of lake.

>

;>^

Dwn of Clem-Lake Water Co. 

Deslrt/yedin ISSS

Scale in, feet

500

EXPLANATION 

-Contour ~higlw Hum, 100 feet. 

» lower " " "

MAP OF CLEAR LAKE OUTLET.
CHANDLER.] CLEAE LAKE. 41

In order to attack this problem more intelligently it is urged that 

provision at once be made to take measurements of the discharge and 

evaporation of the lake and the amount of rainfall on the higher altitudes in its drainage area. The only series of stream measurements 

that we have for the outlet of the lake were taken by one of the electric companies interested in the power proposition. These records 

seem so contradictory that no use has been made of them in this 

report. No records of evaporation of the lake have ever been kept, 

and all of the rain gages at present in use are at or near the lake 

level. A gaging station established below the outlet of the lake and 

one or two evaporation pans conscientiously attended would soon 

bring estimates of this nature from doubt to certainty.

COST OF PROPOSED STORAGE WORKS.

On the map of the outlet made in 1889, a revision of which is shown 

in PL IX, the alignment for an outlet channel was projected, also 

that for an embankment at the lower end of the lake. Both of these 

alignments have been used in making the estimates for this report. 

Below is given an estimate on an outlet channel to carry 12,000 secondfeet,

ToiT

130 110 150 160 170

PIG. 7. Profile of Clear Lake outlet channel.

Data regarding proposed outlet channel of 12,000 second-feet capacity at Clear

Lake.

Section.

L ....... ......

2 .............

3 .... ........

Total ...

Length.

Feet. 

11,200

3,300

5, 100

19, 600

Fall per 

mile.

Feet. 

0.53

4.00

6.60

Side slopes.

Stol

atoi

3tol

Bottom 

width.

Feet. 

220

140

100

Depth of 

water.

Feet.

ie

12

12

Excavation.

Cubic yards.

1,302,396

231,828

479, 141

2, 013, 365
42 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO. 45.

Cost of outlet channel.

Dredging (10 per cent of excavation), 201,336 cubic yards at

$0.35 .....-..-. ...... ..._._'_.. ._.-..........J._......... $70,468

Cartage (10 per cent of excavation), 201,337 cubic yards at 

$0.17 .......................... ...................'....... 34,227

Excavation by wheel scrapers (80 per cent), 1,610,693 cubic 

yards at $0.10 ...... ,_..__.____._--_...._..._...._........ 161,069

265,764

Referring again to the table on page 39, it will be seen that the 

greatest height which the water would attain was in 1894-95, when, if 

the whole amount had come from a single storm, the maximum level 

would have been 115.37 feet (109.9+5.47). As such a condition is not 

to be expected, the top of the embankment may safely be placed at

Top of&O'Wefr

FIG. 8. Profile of Clear Lake outlet embankment.

116 feet (10 feet above the level of the lake when full), which will 

allow a good margin for wave action. A profile of the embankment 

is shown in fig. 8. Following is the estimate on the embankment:

Embankment for Clear Lake reservoir.

Length.

Feet.

4,300

Top width.

Feet.

12

Inner 

slope.

3 to 1

Outer 

slope.

2 to 1

Elevation 

of top.

Feet.

116

Filling.

CM. yds.

a 66, 878

a Includes 10 per cent for shrinkage.

The cost of the embankment would be $16,720 66,878 cubic yards 

of filling at 25 cents.

The outlet weir may safely be estimated at $50,000. It is based on 

a design for 18 concrete piers, with openings 4 feet wide and 16 feet 

deep, closed by specially designed iron-bound flashboards working 

in iron grooves in masonry. The entire structure is to rest on a grillage of timber 40 feet by 180 feet by 2 feet thick, the whole supported
CHANDLER.] LANDS FOE EESEEVOIE. 43

by 1,224 piles, driven at least 16 feet into the ground. A view of the 

regulating weir is shown in PL X.

The estimate also provides for heavy retaining walls of concrete 

resting on timber platforms on.pile foundations.

The entire cost of the proposed works is as follows:

Cost of proposed storage works at Clear Lake.

Outlet channel...... ....__._......'.--._-..._..___._.._..... $265,764

Embankment...... ............. ......... ................ 16,720

Riprapping......_............................... .-..-..- 50,000

 Outlet weir.--..-...... .................................... 50,000

Damages to property...--.. ............ ..._...---.-,..... 70,000

Total cost. --...-...... ............................. 452,484

Considering 80,000 acre-feet as the maximum storage capacity, 

the cost becomes $5.66 per acre-foot; but if we count upon 100,000 

acre-feet (not an improbable figure) as the maximum storage capacity, the cost is only $4.52 per acre-foot.

These matters are more fully discussed in the appended report on 

the Clear Lake outlet, by Mr. J. H. Quinton.

LANDS FOR RESERVOIR.

In the Eleventh Annual Report of the United States Geological 

Survey, Part II (Irrigation), pages 159 to 164, there is given a list of 

the segregations suggested in 1889 for the Clear Lake reservoir. 

PL LXXXV, page 151 of that report, is a map of this territory, the 

aggregate of which is 50,920 acres. Virtually all of the land recommended for segregation was taken up prior to 1889. The land on the 

immediate shore of the lake was necessarily sold in lots, the outer 

boundary being the meander shore line of the land survey. With 

the exception of small tracts taken up in 1890 and 1894, none of the 

land listed has been taken up since 1888. The purchase of 1890 is as 

follows:

SW. i of NW. i of sec. 20, T. 14 N., R. 8 W., M. D. M.

The land purchased in 1894 was taken up as California swamp and 

overflow land, and is as follows:

Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (113 acres) of sec. 28, T. 14 N., R. 9 W., M. D. M. 

NW. i of NW. i of sec. 33, T. 14 N., R. 9 W., M. D. M.

The following is a list of the remaining territory:

SE. i of NE. I of sec. 32, T. 13 N., R. 8 W., M. D. M. 

S. i of NW. i of sec. 36, T. 14 N., R. 8 W., M. D. M. 

S. i of NE. i of sec. 36, T. 14 N., R. 8 W., M. D. M. 

NW. i of sec. 36, T. 14 N., R. 9 W., M. D. M. 

NE. i of NE. i of sec. 36, T. 14 N., R. 10 W., M. D. M. 

W. * of SE. i of sec. 36, T. 15 N., R. 9 W., M. D. M. 

SE. i of SW. i of sec. 36, T. 15 N., R. 9 W.. M. D. M.
44 WATER STORAGE ON CACHE CREEK, CALIFORNIA. [NO.45.

Thus; out of the 50,920 acres recommended for segregation, 193 

acres have been taken up.since 1889, the date of the recommendation, and 520 acres still remain as public land. In considering this 

remainder, 520 acres, no account has been taken of the land which 

lies within the meander shore line.

CLEAR LAKE OUTLET. 1

In designing a regulating weir for the outlet of Clear Lake, Lake 

County, California, the following conditions had to be observed:

(1) To regulate levels of water between elevations of 90 and 106 

feet above datum.

(2) To provide for measuring accurately the quantity of water to 

be delivered at any and all times during the irrigating season.

(3) To provide sufficient waterway over the weir, with all openings 

closed, to carry the greatest possible flood at full reservoir without 

raising the water to such a height as to inundate valuable lands 

adjacent to the lake.

(4) To arrange the outlets so as to give the maximum delivery for 

minimum cost of construction and maintenance.

(5) To make gates so simple as to preclude their getting out of 

order.

As designed (see PI. X), the weir consists of 18 piers of concrete, 

each 6 feet wide, 16 feet high, and 20 feet thick at base, with 19 openings, each 4 feet wide and 16 feet deep, closed by flashboards working 

in steel-lined grooves in the sides of the piers, the whole supported 

by a double grillage of 12-inch by 12-inch timbers resting on more 

than 1,200 piles. The ends of the weir are formed of heavy curved 

retaining walls of concrete, as shown in PI. X. The curved portions 

of the retaining walls to be strengthened for tensile strains from the 

pressure of earth against the straight walls when the water is low, by 

embedding old steel cables or rods in the concrete around the curves 

and extending them into the straight walls at each end. The flashboards are 12 inches wide and 4 inches thick, and are bound with steel 

on the ends and sides, so as to fit accurately when dropped into place.

Through each flashboard two steel rods will be secured, so as to 

project about 1^ inches on each side of the board, to facilitate raising 

it when submerged. Suitable hooks attached to light chains can be 

dropped under these projecting rods, and in case of much pressure 

a small portable tripod with differential pulley attached may be set 

up on the footbridge, to start the flashboard from its seat. The footbridge (designed to afford access to the flashboards when the water is 

high) is supported on trestlework running across the top of the weir. 

The bents of this trestle are 10 feet apart, and are anchored in the 

tops of piers. When the water is low, the foot planks can be supported

1 Report of J. H. Quinton.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO, *? PU X

C/wor Jec/ion on /me C.~D. front new of retaining

EGULATING WEIR FOR CLEAR LAKE OUTLET.
CHANDLER.] CLEAR LAKE OUTLET. 45

on steel rods projecting from the upper sides of the piers. When the 

level of the water is at the top of the weir, the following amounts wbuld 

flow through the openings:

Discharge through weir openings.

Number of 

flashboards 

removed.

I.........

2

3 .... ...

4... ......

Discharge 

through 1 

opening.

Cu. ft. per 

second.

13.3

37.3

69.3

106.6

149.2

Discharge 

through 19 

openings.

Cu. ft. per 

second.

252. 7

708.7

1,314.8

2, 025. 4

2, 834/8

Assuming the duty of the reservoir to be 80,000 acre-feet annually, 

and that this amount will have to be delivered through the openings 

in 120 days (the length of the irrigating season), the amount of water 

which would have to be turned out daily during that time would be 

80,000 acre-feet

120 = 333 second-feet.

So that, except in case of a storm, it would seldom be necessary to 

remove more than two flashboards the entire length of the weir.

When the water is level with the top of the weir, the water pressure 

on the boards would be as follows:

First board. 4x31.25=125 pounds. 

Second board, 4x1.5x62.5=375 pounds. 

Third board, 4X2.5X62.5=625 pounds.

As the coefficient of friction for steel on steel is only 0.14, the pull 

required to move the third board would be only 0.14x625 pounds= 

87.5 pounds, and this could easily be exerted without the aid of a 

pulley.

When the water is at the level of the top of the weir, the greatest 

pressure on the lowest flashboard is 4,000 pounds. Taken as a beam 

supporting this uniform load, the skin stress on the lumber would be 

only 750 pounds per square inch, a factor of safety of at least 7 for 

Oregon pine. Under similar circumstances the greatest pressure on 

a pier, including that on the flashboards on each side, would be 10 x 

16x8x62.5 = 80,000 pounds, acting horizontally at one-third of the 

height of the pier from the base. The concrete in the pier measures 

1,320 cubic feet and weighs approximately 1,320x130 = 171,600 

pounds. With three flashboards removed from each opening and 

with 2,835 second-feet of water flowing into the lower channel, the 

depth of water here would be 6 feet; and if the water worked its way
46 WATEK STOEAGE ON CACHE CEEEK, CALIFOENIA. [NO.45.

underneath, the pier might lose in weight about 45,000 pounds. When 

all of the flashboards are in place and 5 feet depth of water (6,832 

second-feet) is flowing over the weir, the depth of water in the channel below would be 10 feet. Of course this would be an extreme case 

and one quite unlikely to occur if the flashboards were removed as 

the water rose, so as to keep the water as nearly at the level of the 

top of the weir as possible. In such a case, however, the piers would 

practically be submerged and would lose considerable of their weight, 

so that the possibility of their being moved bodily downstream had to 

be considered. To prevent this tendency, the piers are built on the 

first platform of 12-inch by 12-inch timbers, which is bolted to the 

caps on the piles. The second or upper platform of 12-inch by 12-inch 

timbers, which is securely bolted to the first platform, surrounds the 

piers on three sides, so that there is no possibility of the piers being 

moved downstream.

To prevent too much vibration from the water falling over the 

flashboards, secondary steel grooves are placed near the lower end of 

the piers, in which three or four flashboards may be dropped, so as to 

form a cushion for the falling water.

In order to keep the platform constantly wet during low water, 

which is essential to its preservation, a 12-inch by 12-inch timber is 

run the entire distance across its lower edge, being securely bolted 

to it with driftbolts. This forms a second cushion for the water 

flowing from the openings in the weirs, and also keeps the entire platform and piling continually submerged.

The measurement of any quantity of water during the irrigation 

season can easily be effected (1) by removing the number of boards 

necessary to measure quantities greater than 13 cubic feet per second, 

and (2) by raising one flashboard, so as to form a submerged opening 

of the size required, to measure smaller quantities. It is evident that 

within reasonable limits this will afford a very effective and simple 

method of measurement.

It is proposed to run small horizontal grooves a few inches apart 

on the sides of the piers, so as to admit air under the jets falling over 

the flashboards.

It is believed that the weir as designed will meet all requirements.
INDEX.

Page. 

Adams ditch, dam and head of, view

showing..-....... .. ........ 20

description and history of -. .... 21

discharge measurement of... . 19 

Altitudes in Cache Creek Basin ....... 11,14,31

Artesian water, occurrence of ......_.. 26,33

Atherton, Captain, acknowledgments to. 84 

Bartlett Creek, discharge measurement

of...................-...-. ...... 19,27

Bartlett Springs, elevation of . ...... 14

rainfall at.............._......_.... 14

Bartlett Springs Hotel, rainfall records

kept by......................-..._ 14

Bear Creek, discharge measurement of.. 19,27 

features of............................. 27

Cache Creek Basin, location and physical

features of.. .................... 11-12

map of ...................... ..__ 11

Cache Creek Canyon, views in. _........ 12

Cadenasso Creek, volume of......__.... 26

California Water and Forest Association,

acknowledgments to .............. 9

Canals proposed, details regarding....... 20-21

Capay, elevation of. .. ....._.... 14

rainfall at.............................. 14,16

rainfall at, diagram showing.......... 13

Capay Valley, features of... . ..... 12

pumping plant in, portable, view

showing............................ 24

pumping plant near ........__.... 23-24,25

tributaries of Cache CreeJfc in......... 26-31

Capay Valley ditch, description and history of .......-.....--.....-.--..... 20

diverting weir of, view showing ..... 20

Clear Lake, analysis of water from...... 33

area and volume of. .... ..-...-. 33-34,40

description of.......................... 32-33

evaporation in.__.......__._.... 36-37

lands required for storage of water in 43-44 

level of, fluctuations in.......... 34-37,39-40

levels of, high-water and low-water,

diagram showing.................. 37

outlet of, map of... .._........_ 40

outlet channel of, description of._.. 41-42 

outlet channel of, profile of -... _.... 41

outlet embankment for, features of.. 42 

outlet embankment for, profile of.... 42

volume of, fluctuations in......... 38,39-40

volume and area of...__......__ 33-34,40

water storage in, cost of....._.__ 41-43

water storage in, effects of ........... 37-41

water storage in, lands required for . 43-44 

weir for regulating outlet of, cost of- 42 

weir for regulating outlet of, features

of--............'............... 42-43,44-46

weir for regulating outlet of, view

showing...-.'....................... 44

Page. 

Clover and Middle creeks, discharge

measurement of......... ...... 19,32

Co^tonwood ditch, description and history of ............................. 21

Davis Creek, features of. ............ 27

Drainage area of Cache Creek and tributaries. -.--..._........ -..-.-.. 11

Elston drug store, rainfall records kept

by.................................. 17

Eroded clay slopes on North Fork of

Cache Creek, view showing....... 28

Esparto, elevation of.............. ...-. 14

rainfall at............................. 14,17

Evaporation in Clear Lake, data regarding ................................. 36-37

Fall or slope of Cache Creek..-.--...---.. 11,12 

Fiske Creek, features of ............ ... 27

Floyd, Captain,'acknowledgments to . 34 

rainfall records kept by....... ..... 15

Force, Mr., rainfall records kept by.. _ 15 

Formhalz, Ferdinand, acknowledgments

to................................... 9

Gravel bed of North Fork of Cache Creek,

view showing... ........ 28

Hall, William Ham., data compiled by..... 33-36

Hennjgen ditch, description and history

of....... --....- -.-.-. - -. 23

Hungry Hollow, well borings in.... 26 

Irrigation, need of, in Yolo Basin. .... 12

Irrigation works, details regarding... 19-24,25 

Kelsey Creek, discharge measurement

of................................... 19,32

Kelseyville, elevation of ...-.--..... 14

rainfall at....... .... . .... 14,16

Kennedy, Thomas, rainfall records kept

by.................................. 18

Kono Tayee, elevation of ......... ...- 14

rainfall at.. .............. - 14,15

rainfall at, diagrams showing ........ 13,14

Lakeport, elevation of ................ . 14

rainfall at..-..- .................. 14,15

rainfall at, diagram showing .. .... 13

Langenoor ditch, headworks of, view

showing ........................... 22

description and history of ............ 23

Little Indian Valley, dam site in, map of. 30 

dam site in, views showing........... 30,32

elevation of. . .. ... .... 31

features of............................. 29-31

reservoir proposed in ... -... 29-31 

reservoir site in, map of .__. .... 29

Long Valley, reservoir site in ..... ...... 28-39

Long Valley Creek, discharge measurement of ....._._.........---..-- 19,28

Maxwell, W. A., rainfall records kept by. 16 

Middle and Clover creeks, discharge raeastirementsof..................... .. 19,32
4:8 INDEX.

Page.

Moore ditch, description and history of.. 22 

discharge measurements of........... 19

head works and dam of, view showing. 22 

Newell, P. H., letter of transmittal^by... 9-10 

North Fork of Cache Creek, discharge

measurements of........ .... 19,27,28

eroded clay slopes of, view showing.. 28 

features of.......... ................... 27-28

gravel bed of, view showing... _.... 28

rainfall on ................__......... 30

reservoir sites on...................... 28-31

Porter, P. H., acknowledgments to....... 34

rainfall records kept by........... _. 15

Precipitation. See Rainfall.

Price, Thomas, analysis of water by..... 33

Pumping plants in Cache Creek Basin,

details regarding............... 23-24,25

views of........ -...-.....--........ 24

Quinton, J. H., acknowledgments to ..... 9

report by, on Clear Lake outlet...... 44-46

Rainfall in Cache Creek Basin, diagrams

showing............,.............. 1. 13,14

tables of ................ .-........- 12-18

Reservoir sites on North Fork, details regarding.............. ................ 28-31

Reynolds, A. H., rainfall records kept by. 15 

Rumsey, elevation of...................... 14

rainfall at.............................. 14,16

rainfall at, diagrams showing ........ 13,14

Rumsey, Capt. C. D., acknowledgments

to................................... 34,37

rainfall records kept by.............. 15,16

Schuyler, J. D., quoted ................ 20-21,23

Scotts Creek, discharge measurement of- 19,33 

Slope or fall of Cache Creek .............. 11,13

Southern Pacific Railroad, acknowledgments to --..........-. ......... 9

rainfall records kept by....... __.... 16,17

Stanton Creek, discharge measurement

cf ................................ 19,27-28

Page. 

Stream measurements........ 18-19,21,27,28,32

Sulphur Creek, features of.. ........... 27

Taber, H. J., rainfall records kept by.... 16

Timber, extent and character of ......... 11

Topography, features of............ .. 11-12

Tule canal, discharge measurement of... 19 

Twin Valleys, features of................. 28

Underground waters, utilization of. . 24-26 

Water, analysis of, from Clear Lake..... 33

Water plane, depth of..................... 24-26

Water storage in Clear Lake, cost of. 41-43 

effects of............................... 37-41

features of............................. 32-46

Weir, diverting, view showing........... 20

Weir, regulating, for Clear Lake reservoir, details regarding...... 42-43,44-46

for Clear Lake outlet, view showing.. 44 

Well borings in Hungry Hollow, details

regarding.......................... 26

Well borings near Woodland, details regarding ............................ 35-26

Wells used for irrigation, details regarding ................................. 24-25

Wilson, J. M., acknowledgments to ...... 10

discharge measurements by . ..... 18.19

quoted ................................. 12

Wolf Creek, discharge measurement of.. 19,28 

Woodland, elevation of......... . 14

pumping plants near .... 23-24,25

rainfall at.............................. 14,17

rainfall at, diagrams showing.. .... 13,14

well borings near.................. 25-26

Woodland Chamber of Commerce, acknowledgments to.............. 9

Wylie, Richard, acknowledgments to.... 9

Yolo, elevation of......... ... ........ 14

rainfall at.......-...... .... . - 14 18

Yolo Basin, features of.................... 12

Yolo County, artesian well in............ &6

Yolo Orchard, rainfall records kept by.. 17

0