Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-12-12

Ia
millions that are sure TO occupy tins gfea
valley. Every farm, city and town lot in TIL:
YaIey-eYery structure aud every brick in them
1as a guaranteed value 10 us, just in proportion
as Inc sacramento river is controlled and made
to do just what nature asks it 10 do: that is, tC
drain and protect the greatest and richest
valley OF our own or any country.
No engineer VIII deny but that snagging,
river Strengthening breaking up its cfnsted
bottom, bidding the sand. bars to move on, car
ing Tor Its banks, ETC., etc, all will help the
river perform its proper functions To do that
IS good work. Now, give the river a guardian
IN the shape of a Commission. Get the Govern-
ment to adopt it as a companion to the Missis-
slppi, and have its carrying capacity increased
and protected and lastly, provide for Its peri
odical overflow, and the superior magnifcence
of our valley is assured.
As from time to time have met experience d
parties and practical engineers, my leading
question to them has been, ''What in your opin-
ion should be doEe with our Sacramento valley
riyers%' A Bosehke, one OF the leading civil
engineers of this State. some time ago promised
10 submit TO me plan for the care of the Sacra-
mento river and Its upper tributaries.
His plans and report will now be submitted to
you, and ii favorably considered by you, or your
committee to be appointed for the consideration
OF river matters 1t be possible that it is re-
served for this Board OF Trade, at this time to
first present to the people of the State what will
prove solution to this all-absorbing question
10 w.t. Nhat plan shall we auopt as proper river
care?
Mr.. Boschke claims that the Sacramento river
is on ridge, as il were. That there is a strip
OF low land lying at d certain distaLce away
tom the river. extending somewhat parallel
with it. That to this low strip of country the
water drains to both sides. He proposes to uti-
re this natural drainway, that extends the en-
Tire length of our valley as an assistant to the
river, combining irrigation and reclamation
features with the river relief scheme, His plan
proposes to start on the west side of the river at
CalIs Bend, near Butte City, and build two
parallel levees out to and down through this
natural low drainway to the point OF cot huenee
OF steamboat and Cache sloughs with the Sacra.
mento river, some four miles above Rio Vista
leyees, is to be four feet below the natural bank
OF the river. his relief canal, which is to care
for the river overflow at flood time, will run
about four miles west of Colusa, eight miles
west of Eddys Landing, approaching quite
closely 10 the river at Knights Landing and
Gray's Bend, running about five miles west of
sacramento and Freeport, three miles from
Courtland and thence quite direct to the point
OF junction with the river The entire length of
the Relief CanaP on the west side of the river
Will be about hundred miles. The plan also
PROVIDES for similar system of levees for the
east side OF the river, to extend from Butte
slough to the junction of the Feather and Sacra-
mento rivers with another branch extending
from opposite Marysyille to the main one run
ming from Butte slough, being fifty miles more
or less. / now submit the report of this novel
ana apparently feasible pan TO our thoughtful
consideration.
MR.. BOsCHKE's PLAN.
Mr.. Steffens then read the following from
A. Boschke.
SACRAMENTO, November 26, lsss.
Hon. JOS. StctenS, President of the Sacramento
Board OF Trade, Sacramento, CAL. In response to
your inquiry '' What can and should be done
Tor the improvement OF the navigable rivers of
the Sacramento valley?' take pleasure to sub
nit to you my views, which are based upon
long and earnest study of the subject, aided by
the accumulated knowledge OF facts during
period OF nine years, in which have made sur
veys of these rivers or conducted the improve
mentS in aid of navigation.
The physical characteristics of the Sacra-
mento river and Its tributaries differ widely
from most rivers, and requires an abnormal
treatment accordingly
Its watershed is extensive and reaches into
high mountain ranges, hence rain storms cause
sudden and high flood stages; followed during
. he rainless season by very low stages of water.
1ts course Is unusually tortuous, and its width
varies frequently.
The man river and its tributaries receive an
nually large deposits from the abrasionS of its
watershed ard from the debris of hydraulic
mines. These accumulations have raised the
river beds 10 such an extent that they canro
carry the Hood waters within their natural banks
Inc consequence is, that during the flood stage
the rivers undergo many great changes which
makes It impracticable TO secure by the usual
or any means of river Improvements a stability
to the banks, or the navigable low water chan
nels.
The first step that must be taken is to relieve
the rivers OF this valley of so much of the flood
water that they will be confined to their own
natural fanks; when it will become practicable
to control and improve them.
To solve the problem to relieve the Sacra-
mento and Feather rivers from its excess of
flood waters and confine them to their natural
banks hence save the valley from the frequent
disastrous inurdations, is possible Its practical
execution would further result in The complete
reclamation OF all swamp and overflowed lands
on either side of the Sacramento river.
The method by which to accomplish this re-
suit consists of the uiding of two leyees 1000
feet apart from point above Butte CT y at
Calls Bend, to the point of confluence of Steam
boat and Cache sloughs with the Sacramento
river above Rio Vista. At Calls Bend the hight
of the head dam between the two leyees is to be
four feet below the natural bank of the river.
Consequently, on the rise of the river il will
overflow the head dam 1000 feet wide into the
space between the two levees and constitute a
relief canal which will flow upon the natural
ground with an average slope of one and one
quarter foot per mile to tide-water, thus effectu.
ally preventing the tood-water in the river to
overflow its banks.
1t is ascertained from actual surveys that
there exists on the west side of the Sacramento
river depression for its entire length from
CALI Bend to Rio Vista, with the exception of
a narrow, low ridge at Knights Landing across
the location of the relief canal, which will
have to be cut through to the grade of the
canal.
The bed of the relief canal, after the fall of
the river below the head dam, viii be without
water, and can be cultivated. II being located
in the greatest depression, it will also serve to
drain the adjacent lowlands and receive the
waters of the numerous creeks and sloughs
from the foothill waters shed, thereby reclaiming
all the swamp and oyerlowed lands west of the
Sacramento river.
This relief canal can also furnish a water sup
ply to system of irrigat on canals over an ex
tensive area during the time it carries the flood
water of the Sacramento river.
The Sacramento river, from Calls Bend-the
beginning of he relief canal to below Colusa,
has good width, and can carry a large body OF
n Of no
Feather river 1t is very narrow and to, tuous-
and could not carry within its banks the waters
flowing from above, therefore a second relief
canal should be constructed, having its head
dam at Butte slough and following in location
the greatest depression on the east side of the
Sacramento river to the junction OF the Sara
mento and Feather rivers. 1t will drain a very
large area of swamp and overfiowed land and
eifectually reclaim il.
In order to relieve the BOD waters from the
Feather and YUbn rivers at their junction a
thi I'd rel eff canal should be built IN like man
ner having its head dam at a proper level to
insure safety to Marysville from inundation,
and direct the excess of food water OF those two
rivers by a course ind Gated on the accompany
ing map into the Butte slough relief canal.
After the above three relief canals have been
built and operated, then it will be possible to
secure to navigation low water channel of
good depth and permanency. Wing dams can
then be built of a permanent nature. Bars.
once removed, by dredging or otherwise, will
not form again, and eut-ofs can be made with
degree of safety not now admissible.
The securing power of the river current when
confned within is banks, becomes a beneficial
agent during the entire year to deepen and
maintain good and navieable low water chan
nel assisting ali attempted river Improvements.
necessity now exists and will continue even
after the recommended relief canals are built
to deepen by dredging that part of the Saera-
mento river below the relief canals from Rio
Vista to its mouth at Cclinsville in order to re-
store its former capacity. The dredged material
has to be deposited upon the low lands of Bran
nan and Sherman Ielsnds 1t is hopeless task
to reclaim these valuable lands by levees until
the river is deepeled to carry the flood water.
Another important measure is required to be
taken in connection with this question of valley
drainage, which is to prevent the further en-
croachments upon the shores of the CarquineZ
Straits 1t is much to be reg cited that such an
encroachment has ever been made, but it is es-
sential and of imp portance that some early lrgis-
lative action should be had to establish Inc
beyord which thi Sc structures should not ex-
tend bat Conform to it. The present irregular
outline will cause c ouring the flood discharge of
the waters of the Sacramento and San Joaquin
valleys a Serious obstiuc ion to the currents,
and viii result in gIea, injury to lands subject
loverflows within large scope of country.
The ben -ficial results 10 be obtained by the
building OF the recommended relief canals will
wsrrant the necessary expenditure, which
snould be covered by assessment upon the
sxa,nn snd oyerfiowed lands thereby reclaimed