Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-12-12
THE RESTORATION OF lraE RIVER
The action taken yesterday by the Board

~
The action taken yesterday by the Board
OF Trade of this city contemplating re-
viyal Of interest in the improvement of
the Sacramento river is highly commend
able. The RECORD UNION ever since its
earliest issues has held such agitation to
be necessary, and restoration of the integ-
rity of the stream vital necessity to pre-
vent Its complete diversion We have held
that the river being natural and free
highway and the heritage of all the peo-
pie, 1t is incumbent upon the Federal
Government not only TO prevent its i'm
pairment, but to improve it, rectify its
course in several places and restore to it its
original vigor and nayigable character, so
far as can be done by human agency.
Holding such views, it has contended that
preventive means of some kind must be
adopted and applied by the Federal Gov
ernment to prevent further injury to the
river by the descent into its channels of
the vast amount of sand, gravel and gen.
eral detritus artificially deposited in the
canyons of its tributaries, and which is
gradually and steadily moving to the river.
But the Government long since resolved
that no expenditure upon the stream should
be made, beyond little snagging here and
there, until artificial assault upon the river
had ceased, as it must. In the meantime
the conviction has obtained among the
people, as it long has among many
engineers, that the surplus waters of the
river cannot be forced through its choked
channels, nor its levees be maintained
uniformly, if all its flood waters were
forced upon it. On that point, however,
there has been divergence of opinion, and
probably will continue to be, until all light
possible has been shed upon the subject.
That question we do not propose to now
discuss. 1t is among those of detail, and
1t Will be time enough to weigh it when
there is obtained unanimity of sentiment
as there should be now, upon the primal
and chief proposition, that the improve
ment of the river is an absolute necessity,
and must be attained.
President Stefiens of the Board of Trade
has laid before that body, under approval
of an engineer who has given the subject
study, plan for diverting the surplus
waters of the river in flood seasons at a
point upon one of its upper reaches, and
conducting them between widely separated
embankments, along the natural trend of
overflow down the west side, emptying
them finally into the stream near Rio
Vista. Similar construction upon the east
side, 10 relieve the Feather river, is ad-
vised. 1t is suggested by the plan that
there will be thus reclaimed some 25O,0O0
acres OF low land, now comparatively
valueless, and that 1t can be done at A
voluntary charge upon the lands affected.
and thus the primal object, relief of the
river, be supplemented by bringing into
production and high value large bodies
of low lands. 1t is held that
when the river is thus relieved
the Government will readily consent
to undertake dredging its lower reaches,
Strengthening it by eliminating some ex-
traordinary bends, and by restoring its
levee banks and preventing the flow of
debris into it, practically reclaim the river
as great drain and navigable highway.
1t will be noticed that this scheme differs
materially from that proposed many years
ago to take off the surplus waters by cut
through the Montezuma hills, and which,
on examination, was found to be impracti-
cable. To consider the suggestions yester-
day presented to the Board of Trade, and
to organize effort for river restoration, a
committee of the Board has called a Con-
yention of all those who feel inter
ested to meet in this city on the 21st inst.
The consultation will be beneficial, if
nothing more than reawakened interest in
the Improvement of the river results.
We have not had the opportunity, nor
examined data sufficient, to express ap-
proyal of the plan of engineer Boschke as
laid before the Board of Trade, nor
are we prepared to pronounce against it.
1t is question altogether too grave for
immediate Judgment. But its discus
sion by the Convention referred to
cannot but result in good. River reclama-
tion in which Government, either State or
Federal is asked to take part, must ever
be kept free from ENHANCEMENT with any
schemes to reclaim private lands But
the two may move contemporaneouslv, and
the accomplishment of bringing all the
lands in the several reclamation districts
under one general system, instead of con-
tinuing, as now, in several and contending
divisions, is not only unobjectionable, but
desirable, since whatever great success is
reached in bringing our tulle and low
lands into use, will be attained only under
one system, and by combination of ali in
terested in the reclamation. So, too,
whatever is done in restoring the river, as a
necessary drainway as well as navigable
stream, must be carried on according to a
comprehensive plan, embracing the entire
length of the stream and forSaking utterly
patchwork on levees and the fortifying of
one section at the peril of another
But as we have said, details are for the
future and like plans submitted, and there
may be more to come, are to be passed upon
only after their thorough exploration. 1t is
sufficient cause for qualification that at
last practical steps have been taken
towards an agitation greatly needed and
that can result in good only.