Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-20
THE RIVER.
OPINIONS OF ENGINEERS CONCERNING
ITS CONDITION.
The Old Channel Not in Danger-Prof
Davidson Advises a Government
River Commission.

Referring to the fact that few persons
had expressed fears that the breaks in the
levees along the Sacramento river might
cause the stream to be changed from its
natural course, prompted the San Fran
cisco Bulletin to ask the views of promi-
nent Government engineers on the SUBJ
iect. Very little weight is given these
fears by engineers in this city, says that
journal. They consider there is little or no
danger of the great river making any per-
manent change in its course. No official
notice of the trouble anticipated has been
given the Government engineers yet, and
if there had been there is nothing they
could do in reference to the matter unless
the attention of Congress were first drawn
to it.
"We never cross river until we come TO
it," said one of the Chief Engineer officers,
in speaking of the matter 80 I cannot
well say what we might do should the
river continue its course through the break
and the main channel be permanently OBJ
structed. All our work is done with spe-
cial appropriations, and if the Sacramento
10 up 10 MOUNT
Shasta, we could do nothing but watch it
until Congress should make an appropria-
ton to prevent a continuance OF such a
remarkable occurrence.
AS THE 'REcoRD-UNIoN" HAD HELD.
"Ithink, however, there's certainly no dan
ger of the river keeping its course through
that break in the levee. 1t is of frequent
observation, paradoxical as it NAV seem,
fbaf cfraa m ie OftoT1 hiuha hon ha dood
is receding than when the current is rag
ing. This is due to the raising of the bed
by the deposition of sediment. When the
stream is rapidly flowing sediment is car
ried along with it; when it slows down and
water recedes, sediment is precipitated and
bars are often rapidly formed.
Another curious fact is that q narrow.
slowh flowing river will cut q deeper channel
than full wide stream. The Sacramento
before this has left its course. 1t has been
overlooking ever since the memory of white
men, yet we do not know of its ever per-
manently abandoning its main channel ex-
cept at sharp curves or at points of rapid
currents. l feel very confident that, as the
water subsidies, the main river will cut its
channel through the bar of sand which has
formed at the point near the break.
THE OLD BANKS ALL RIGHT.
1t Is really ull1lCOlL " UdSc Opl1iOH
on the published reports of many of the
papers. They make great spread one day
and next day say that what they did say is
not so. I know that the banks of the main
channel of the Sacramento are of hard,
stiff, clay soil, well packed and not easily
broken through. They have stood for ages,
and the river cannot easily or readily be
Prominently diverted from these hard
banks"
RAISE OF THE RIVER BED.
Respecting navigation and the way the
river has raised its bed since 1919, the en-
gineer officer above quoted Whose name
is withheld by re3uest commented freely,
and alluded 10 the fact that once the big
steamer Capital. later of the Oakland ferry
line, had been able to easily go up the river
to the Capital city. This filling in of the
river and raising of the bed has its effect in
helping oveIhows and floods such as the
one just experienced.
MENDELLis MEASUREMENTS.
Colonel G. H. Mendell, engineer officer
in charge of work in this district, presented
much interesting data relative to changes
in Sacramento river navigation in q report
he made in 1882 on Mining Debris in
California Rivers" giving, also, sugges-
tons for a system to prevent further in
jury to the navigable waters of the State.
Records given show that taking the river
low-water mark of 1S49 as zero, the low
water surface indicating proportionate
rise of the river-bed) has risen different