Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-31
THE WATER SUPPLY.
Abundant Flow in Rivers and Streams
Besides Artesian Currents.

Anunuant FLOW In Rivers and Streams,
Besides Artesian Currents.
Tulare is one of the best-watered coun-
ties in the State. Kings river is one of
the largest interior rivers of California.
1t takes its rise almost entirely in the
eastern part of Fresno county, in fact
drains all that portion of eastern Fresno
lying south Of the San Joaquin river. 1t
has drainage area of 1855 square miles,
mostly in the mountains of Fresno, and
does not enter Tulare county until after it
has left the foothills, and after it does
make its entrance into Tulare, it is not
content to stay there, but winds back into
Fresno again, and again back into Tuare.
dnding rest at last in Tulare lake. The
waters of Kings river are largely diverted
into canals for irrigation in both Tulare
and Fresno counties, but despite such
losses it manages to discharge some water
into the lake throughout most of the year.
Kings river furnishes water enough to
irrigate more than 100000 acres of land.
Its average flow from January to July is
S,715 cubic feet of water per second.
THE KAwEAH RIVER.
This river is confined entirely to Tulare
county, and is a perennial stream. Its
tributaries head away back in the regions
of perpetual snow, and at times it carries
very large volume of water. The Ka-
weah has watershed of COS square miles
of mountain territory, and from January
to July discharges an average volume of
water of 1924 cubic feet per second, sufi-
cient to irrigate 291, $40 acres of land if
properly husbanded and economically used.
But much of the water of the Kaweah
sinks into the sands before it fairly reaches
the valley. Before it leaves the mount
aims it begins to deposit its burden of silt
creating there a swamp of considerable
size, that swallows up no small portion of
its waters. In fact the delta of the Ka-
weah extends from the foothills to Tulare
lake, and in reaching the lake the river
divides into many independent channels
bearing separate names, but watering
nearly one-fourth of the eastern side of
the valley, and creating one of the most
fertile spots in the world
THE TULE RIVER.
This stream enters the valley about
thirty miles south of the Kaweah, has a
smaller watershed, and discharges not
more than one-third as much water. but it
furnishes enough water to irrigate about
one hundred thousand acres of land pro-
vided always that the water is properly hus-
banded and utilized, which is far from being
the case now. Tuleis not a perennial stream
throughout all its course, the valley por-
ton of its bed becoming dry early
In summer, and remaining SO until
after the fall rains have set in /;
but back in the mountains and foot
hills 1t maintains a considerable stream at
all times. Like the Kaweah, much of the
water Of Tule river is allowed needlesslv
to sink in the sands before reaching the
plains; but this will not be SO always.
OTHER STREAMS.
Deer creek, and after it White river. en-
ter the valley south of Tule, but lose
themselves before reaching the lake, ex-
cept in unusually wet times. They are
not perennial and have but small water
sheds, but being located as they are in the
poorest watered section of the county, what |
water they do afford will come to be
valued very highly in process OF time and |
will be taken out of its natural channel |
and be conducted in cement canals if not |
in closed pipes.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS.
There are certain peculiarities which are
common to all the streams of Tulare |
county. Their mountain tributaries are |
crystal trout streams rushing and splash |
ing through rocky beds, over precipices |
and adown cataracts with as much merri- |
ment as the waters come down from Lo- |
dore." Ice-cold, pure and colorless, they |
add to their wild mountain homes all that |
fency could desire to make them complete. |
But once in the valley they are overbur- |
dened with silt, move sluggishly, wander
off in strange channels, are diverted into |
canals, carried out upon the land, and are |
seen no more. These streams have two
high-water periods each year: one in the |
fall, when the first heavy rains occur, and |
the second in the spring, when the deposits
of snow upon the lower mountain levels !
melt. The floods of 1862 and 1868 were
very severe and quite disastrous Kings |
Kaweah and Tule rivers all started new
channels when the first flood occurred, and
finished them when the second one came;
but so many large canals have been built
for the diversion of water from these
streams since 1868, that it is doubtful if
any food which may hereafter occur can
work any very serious results.