Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-07
POLLUTION OF RIVERS.

The subject of the pollution OF the Sac
ramento river, by the discharge of sewage
into it at this city, is engrossing attention
at this time The discharge pipe will be
but eight inches in diameter. The river,
at the point of discharge. flows at good
rate of speed at low water, is some eight
hundred feet in width opposite the city,
and steadily broadens and deepens from
that point down stream, and has at this
place an average low water depth of ten or
eleven or twelve feet, and a mean flood
hight of about twenty feet. The sewage
discharge will be of drainage water and
matter from something over one-third of 4
city of about 10000 population. Above
given point, the sewer system is sup
planted by n cesspool system, and below
Thirteenth street there is no connection of
the city with the main sewers. The sew
age is not TO flow direct from the sewers
into the river, but will be lifted by pump
ing and carried considerable distance in
pipes before reaching the stream, and thus
be subjected to much agitation. Below
this place the river water is very little
used for household purposes by riparian
jewellers, and before the river ceases to be a
river, distance of some sixty miles, the
brackishnesS of tide water affects the
stream.
We do not believe that the sewage dis
charge proposed will materially or notice
ably affect the river The State now dis
charges the sewage of the Folsom Prison
into the American at point twenty-three
miles above this city, that stream entering
the Sacramento at this city. The American
does not flow one-third the volume Of water
that is carried by the Sacramento. II is
not nearly so deep anywhere or at any
time. Its waters are surchargcd with min
ing sands and shckens very much more
than are those Of the Sacramento, and
therefore are far less able to bear other
burdens. Several towns above us
drain into the stream. The river is
nowhere leveed in, nor is its cur
rent aided by artificial means. though
Its fall to point within five miles of the
Sacramento is much greater than that of
the latter river, but from that point down,
at low stages, it flows at about the same
rate of speed rs the Sacramento. Yet it has
not rs yet been made disccrniblc that the
sewage discharge referred to at all affects
the water Of the stream or has been appar-
ent at this city, although our water supply
is drawn from the Sacramento within one
mile below the point at which the Ameri-
can empdes into the Sacramento at low
water, and within five six or seven hun
bred feet of where it makes its entry at high
water.
The authorities are not agreed as to the
effect of sewage discharge into streams
The burden of authority goes to the sup
port of the doctrine of publication by
flowing streams We know of no case
however, that has ever been considered
where so small 2 stream Of sewage has beer
discharged into so large a river. The com
parison of the two streams named may be
likened to sapling beside giant oak. II
this city were situated upon hill, and the
natural discharge were toward the river, il
is hardly conceivable that works would
have 10 be constructed to prevent drainage
into the stream.
The great cities along the Ohio discharge
into that river without affecting the char
acter of the water supply. so far as is re-
ported yet, of the places that draw from the
river. The comparison of discharge into
that stream, and that proposed at this city,
is as a rivulet to the volume of the Anna
zon, and the proportion of sewage from
population, to that sent into the Ohio,
about as 10000 is to $4,000.
The most recent inquiry into the subject
is that made regarding the sewage dis
charge of Breslau by Franz Hulna, dis
tinguished chemist and microscopic. Bres-
lau is q city of Prussiam Germany. the
capital of Silesia, and has a population of