Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-11-20

of training walls and spur dykes connecting
them with the banks. The effect will be to
facilitate the flow of food waters, lessen the
bank.caving on the opposite shore of the Sac.
ramento, heretofore alluded to, and prevent
to great extent the formation of the bar Oh
the east shore of the Sacramento below the
American mouth. The proposed works would
be in style of construction somewhat similar
to that projected for the heavier spurs to pro.
tect caving banks.
On the upper Sacramento river, particularly
above Colasa, number of places exist where
the banks must be protected from abrasion,
but none demand special mention now except
that at the town of Colusa, where works sim.
lar to those spoken of for the west bank Of
the river at the two points below must soor
be undertaken, to prevent a serious malforma
ton of the river channel and consequent in
terruption of the escape of floods. On the
Feather river similar notable point exists,
besides others of minor Importance, in what
is known as Shanghai bend, three miles be
low the mouth of the Yuba, and this trouble
should also receive attention at an early day
STRENGTHENING THE RIVER.
Except in the Steamboat slough correction
that at Grand Island, already mentioned
the expedient of Strengthening the river is de
sirable only in the division between the heao
of Butte slough and the mouth of Feather
river. (Sse pages 81 to ~ of Report to Leg
islature.)
1t is proposed to make at least six cut off,
in the river in this region-three below
Knights Landing and three above-as showr
by the accompanying drawings.
CLOSURE OF cREvAssEs AND OTHER OUTLETS
LEvEE CONSTRUCTION.
Numerous deep cuts or crevasses in the
natural banks, for the most part caused by
the rupture of the levees and consequent rush
of waters through narrow openings, exist or
both the Sacramento and Feather rivers
long stretches of these streams are fankec
by such poor levees, or none at all, that fiooG
waters escape in thin sheets over the lanG
for comparatively long distances, without de
stroying the banks to any considerable depth
orally termed sloughs, which have either
again by the floods, still permit the escape Of
the floods into the basins which flank the
rivers.
These are all outlets, at times, and some Of
them serve as inlets for the return of waters
at other times; but at all times of flood they
disturb the regimen of the rivers, and theil
continued action will defeat any attempt te
improve its channel; hence they must BIZ
closed.
The prevention of the escape of any large
portion of the waters, suddenly effected
will result in material temporary
elevation of the food line in the
river, in the neighborhood of the
closures particularly, until such time
as the channel becomes readjusted to the duty
it has to perform. Hence the entire closure
of any considerable proportion of the existing
outlets in any one locality in one season
would be attended with disaster to existing
levees in the neighborhood and along the
river below also.
1t is proposed, therefore, to effect the clos
ure of these outlets by degrees. The smaller
deep ones should be completely closed al
once by extending the levees across them
The larger deep ones could at the same tint
be filled to the natural bank elevation with
brush dams placed around behind them, ant
be made to serve as high food easeme ats for &
few seasons, during which they could b.
gradually closed by raising the brush dams
from time to time and pending the closure
of these larger crevasses and natural outlets,
the levee system should be made complete
and perfect.
In all cases, the outlets which permit the
escape of water iutc the heads or upper end;
of the basins should be closed before those al
the lower ends, and the closing dams in those
latter should be provided with food gate.
to the probable duty to be per
formed by them as drainage outlets from the
basins.
With this opinion, am in favor of com
pletely closing all minor openings where
ievees exist up to them. and partially closing
all the larger openings as described up t.
bank level, as soon as the work can be &C
and at the same time construct
ing complete levees so as to prevent the es
cape of all waters except as follows:
For the first year, above Colusa, on the
east side of the river provision should bs
made for the escape of 10000 cubic feet o.
water per second at some points where it nov
escapes, when the Red Bluff gauge reads al
high-water elevation of 1885,
Below Colusa on the east side, down t.
Butte slough, inclusive, provision should he
made for the escape of Is, 200 cubic feet o.
water per second when the Colusa gauge
reads at flood elevation of 1880.
Below the mouth of Feather river on the
west side, and above Sacramento, provision
should be made for the escape of 80, 600 cubic
feet of water per second when the Fremont
gauge reads at high-water elevation of 1880
With these provisions for easement, the ex
listing channels, leveed systematically and
uniformly to moderate and safe hight fol
levees, would carry away the ordinary floods
of the valley, and the work of rectifying ano
enlarging them as heretofore recommended
would be in continual progress, so that after
the third or fourth season-including the
present as one-the cut offs being effected in
the middle river, and the Steamboat slough
rectifcation being accomplished on the lower
river, all outlets could be safely closed to
high food mark of 1880 and the levee system
could be perfected for all ordinary floods Of
the valley.
1 am opposed to the radical. immediate
closure of the principal outlets, such as the
English break and two or three others on the
same side of the river above it, and Butte
slough and several others on the same side oil
the river above it, because 1 am certain thai
carry the waters which would be sent down
to It, within levees of reasonable hight
below these points, and the result would bt
disastrous.
FLOoD ESCAPE WEIRS.
For similar reason / am in favor of pro
viding points of escape for the surplus waters
of extraordinarily high floods. Such vas
volumes of water as would overtop any lint
this valley will assuredly be brought down
occasionally.
No possible artificial entertainments, no pos
sible development of the channel of the Sac
ramento river, would provide waterway for
and prevent the spread of the waters of sucf
foods as those of 1858, 1862, 1868, and per
haps others, of which we have record.
The Sacramento river now carries so, 600 tt
90 600 cubic feet per second past Sacramento
We may make it carry 200, 900 cubic feet, bu
we cannot make it carry 100000 cubic feet
and am of the opinion that the flood o.
1862, or either of the Others mentioned, per
haps, would have presented the last amount
named, in the lower river.
For this reason l am in favor of providing
on the west bank of the river, between Sac
ramento and Knights Landing, large escape
ways, at least 200 yards wide each. At These
points the levee should not be raised tt
within, say two feet of that above and be
low, and an open way, of their full width OF
more, should be provided Immediately behind
them, leading back to the lowest part Of tn,
bank.
On each side of these open ways dens,
growth of young timber, several hundred fee
in width, should be continuously cultivated t.
pravent tho 1ataral aseana of strong cnrran ts