Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-06
STORAGE RESERVOIRS.

public attention for lessening the de-
structive floods which afflict so many To-
calities in the West and South each spring.
1t contemplates system Of reservoirs to
hold back the waters tributary to the Mis-
souri,, Arkansas and Red rivers, the Rio
Grande, Colorado and Sacramento. Ac-
cording to his scheme these reservoirs, or
basins, can be constructed without danger
to the lowland country, and will serve, not
only to prevent floods, but to aid systems
Of irrigation in many sections The plan
proposed would cover many years before
completion, and is a gigantic conception
both in amount of labor required and ex-
penditure involved. Major Powell, how
ever, believes the increased valuation, by
reason of reclamation and irrigation, would
amout to $4,000 100000, and would far
exceed the outlay the works would require.
Judgment cannot be hastily pronounced
upon this scheme engineering ability
alone can give it that preliminary exami-
nation on the other side of the Sierras
which must serve as a basis for public
Judgment. If Major PowelPs plans are by
engineering boards deemed feasible, and
are likely to produce the results he antici-
pates, it would seem that no State reasons
would intervene to prevent their being
tested upon some rivers.
So far as the Sacramento river is con-
cerned, which Major Powell includes in
his scheme-it has long been the opinion
of engineers that dams could be constructed
to create great reservoirs in the mountains
which shed their waters to the Sacramento
and its tributaries, and thus restrain to a
large extent the Aood-waters of the
stream. But these reservoirs, is is believed
by this people, would constitute a per-
petual menace to lowland property. They
would be liably to break their barriers in
seasons of heavy snow or rainfall, and
indeed one such reservoir did give way
some years ago, and occasioned heavy
losses, though its dams were
constructed in the most substan-
tial manner. Moreover, the streams
feeding the Sacramento are mainly
torrential, and in case of the breaking Of
reservoir would precipitate the stored
waters with great violence into the main
river and occasion destructive foundations.
The reduction of the natural flow of the
Sacramento and its tributaries would not be
believed to be essential in high water
seasons if the streams were in their orig
inal condition and uninjured. But they
have been filled by mining debris and
their beds greatly uplifted 1t is needed,
therefore, that the securing capacity of
the river shall not be reduced and that,
indeed, by correction and restoration of the
banks, it should be reinstated as it once
existed, with current far more rapid than
at present, and channels capable of carry
ing twice the volume of water, and more,
now carried in normal high water seasons.
1t is also fact that irrigable lands lie so
near TO the mountain watersheds that irri-
e. ton canals can be carried out without
tie necessity Of making such great reser-
voirs in high attitudes as to endanger low
lands in case of breakage In the foot
hills low storage basins can doubtless be
constructed as is proposed. for instance,
upon Stony creek, that would serve to feed
irrigating canals without endangering
property. Opposed to lofty or mountain,
Gus storage Of water in the Sierras is the
opinion Of the people of the valleys of the
State, that the immense height of the pro-
posed restraining walls, the PERCEPTIONS
character of the slopes and the short dis
lance between the sources of the tributa
rieS Of the Sacramento and their mouths,
aud the great area Of the reservoirs, will
forever constitute insuperable objections
to their construction. 1t is very true that
1t may be replied that storage reservoirs
could be used to feed the streams in low
water seasons and thus contribute to main
tenance of their integrity. but while this
is correct statement, the great danger
that must attach to the keeping of such
lofty basins upon such abrupt mountain
slopes more than answers the suggestion of
benefit.
Besides all this, the construction of such
reservoirs in the Sierras, as contemplated
by Major Powell-and which would far ex-
coed in magnitude those maintained by
mining eompanies-would be open to the
suspicion that behind the scheme turks
the revival of hydraulic mining and the
precipitation of more mining deposits into
the Sacramento and its main tributaries.
That revival would not be tolerated by the
people of the valleys.
IT is now stated that the difficulty be-
tween King Frederick of Prussia and his
ministry arises out of the bitter opposition
OF the former to official corruption at the
polls, but which Minister Won Puttkamer
defends probably as justiiable politics.
The King, as is well known, is and for
years has been in favor Of fair play and
clean methods IN political activities in
Prussia, and his firm stand against the
trickery commended by the ministry,
makes him all the stronger with the peo-
pie. If We are to accept the statements
Il, Il