Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-04
CAPTAIN BADs ON THE DEBRIS QUESTION


We publish this morning highly inter
esting and instructive account of an inter
view with Captain Eads, in which the
views of that distinguished engineer upon
the debris question are clearly set forth.
He explains the construction and operation
of the willow screens or dams which it is
proposed to employ for the purpose of hold
ing back the debris in the upper channels
of the rivers. It will be seen that the
methods he prefers are not only far more
economical than more solid and elaborate
works would be, but that they are calcu-
lated to answer their purpose far better.
These willow screens allow the water to
paas through them, but they hold back the
heavier detritus, and at the same time
check the velocity OF the current, thus
causing deposits to be made behind them
In these deposits the willows will take root
and thus a growth of brush will
spring up, which will not only make the
dam more stable, but viii furnish "a
fresh supply of brush for other dams. As
the first dams are filed up it will be neces-
sary 10 construct new ones higher up the
river, out very large proportion OF the
heaviest debris will be held and kept from
coming down into the Sacramento. The
construction of these works for holding
back the debris Is, however, but one feat
ure Of the improvements to be undertaken.
1t is necessary to clean out the lower
course of the Sacramento, and in the
opinion of Captain Eads it is desirable to
bring the whole current of the river into
one channel below this city, in order
to secure such volume and ve-
locity az viii scour out the chan
mel and prevent it from filing
up again. He meets the apprehension ex-
pressed by some San Francisco journals,
that the effect of securing out the river
might be to cause the debris TO be carried
down into San Francisco harbor, with the
positive statement that San Francisco has
far more to fear from the present condition
of things than from any results of the new
| methods. He asserts that that city is
even more interested in the proposed
solution of the debris question than are the
people Of the interior, and that she cannot
afford to allow the unchecked deposition of
debris in the rivers Captain Eads is of
opinion that the break at English
Bend may be filed with perfect
safety at once, and that no fear
need be entertained concerning the ability
of the main channel TO carry its food waters
when once the flow Of debris has been
checked, and the course of the lower river
has been corrected. Whether this latter
part OF the work should be performed by
stopping the old river channel or Steam
boat Slough is question which he pre-
fers to postpone the determination of until
he has made more thorough examination
Of both channels. The object to be at.
tanned is the concentration Of the river in
that channel which will secure the least
frictional resistance to the flow of water,
and thus increase the carrying and dis
charge capacity of the stream.
He is decidedly of opinion that it would
be imprudent to cut any canal across the
tules or through the Montezuma hills, his
theory being that the only safe and per.