Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-21
Our Water Supply.

EDS. RECORD [ MON In accordance Win
Your request. | have visited the wells east
of our city, and particularly those which
have been bored since my letter to you III
July, 1880, and find that they have fully
substantiated the ideas then advanced. Al
that time there were but few wells OF any
considerable size or depth located IN the
particular district now under consideration,
and their location and capacity were then
fully discussed. Since that time wells have
been bored at locations, and OF depths
sizes and capacities as follows: AT Reed q
Co.'S east side of Oak Ridge, 15S feet deep,
10 inches in diameter, from which ZoVUo
gallons are pumped per hour, +. Gaorlelle,
west side of Oak Ridge Ia feet deep, =
inches diameter, 5000 gallons y. Somers,
near Beet Sugar Works, 81 feet deep .
inches diameter. 5000 gallons; Brighton
road, east side of Oak Ridge, no feet deep,
10 inches diameter, $4,000 gallons; j. "a
brielle, Seventeenth and V streets, l3S feet
deep. inches diameter, 10000 gallons and
at Strong & Co. s, near the County Hospital
are seven wells, from four of which lo,Ooo
gallons are pumped, and from the other
three 1900 gallons per hour. "a
These last mentioned vary from ~ TO ITO
feet in depth and from TO inches IN
diameter. Taking these in connection with
those previously bored, we find that
from this district a supply of water
is actually pumped. and this represents the
combined capacity of all the pumps used,
and by no means the supply OF the water
bearing strata. All these wells derive their
supply from a loose sand strata underlying
a bed of clay varying in thickness from ~
to 100 feet, over which runs surface stream
which carries off all soakage and drainage
water, leaving the lower water free from
the impurities of the everything country at
least. Before experimenting with this or
any other water | would deem ii advisable
to make as thorough an examination OF the
underlying strata to the northeast of the
city as possible, in order to determine as
near as may be, the source from which the
supply is derived and thereby its purity.
As noted above, we have known guam
tity of over 100000 gallons of water,
varying in temperature from 600 to Go
clear. pleasant to the taste, reasonably soft
and easily accessible Proper investigation,
/ have no doubt, Will show the same vein
to underlie the city itself at a depth of
probably $50 10 500 feet. If so, why not
bore near the present Water Works, and
obtain the supply there for the city.
My reasons for an investigation are, first,
that we want no uncertainty in the mat
ter. and should be as welI-informed as
possible regarding the source of supply;
second, that the veins cast of the city are
undoubtedly supplied from the American
river at places within fifteen miles,
and necessarily receive whatever drain
age there is in the region between
Sacramento and Folsom, which, al
though not very thickly settled at
present, will in a few years be one of the
most densely populated districts in this
section, and will discharge large amount
of deleterious matter; third, that the cost
of an experimental well near the water
works would. owing to the nature of the
strata encountered, be an expensive work,
and the removal of the pumps to a site dis
tant from the river of doubtful propriety
Such an investigation would be compare
lively inexpensive, and would be of great
benefit to those interested in the vexing
problem of clear water for Sacramento.
Respectfully, K. A. ROSE.