Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-02
OUR WATERWAYS.
THE SACRAMENTO AsD SAN JOA-
QUIN RIVERS.
Method for Their Improvement rs
Regards Navigation and Relief
From Flood Waters.

Regards Navigation and Relief
From Flood Waters.
The following communication from an
engineer residing in San Francisco is of in
terest to the people Of the two great valleys
of the State. 1t was received by Senator
Langford as bearing upon proposed legisla-
ton. The writer says:
The Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers
are the grand outlets of immense and fer
tile valleys forming the grand basin of the
State of California. the former over 100
miles in length to Red Bluff, and the latter
over 200 miles in length to the foot of the
Sierras south of Bakersfeld-a body of
land phenomenal in extent and richness
having watershed of many thousands of
square miles. These rivers, the former
running SOUTH the latter north, enter the
tidal waters of the Straits of Carquinez at
the same point, thereby forming common
delta, which is broken up into numerous
sloughs and estuaries.
In the early times the channels amongst
these islands were deep and afforded good
navigation. Since the introduction of n.y.
draulic mining and agricultural pursuits,
these channels have become shallow by
reason of the tortuousness of the water
ways, caused by the depositing of the mate
rails held in suspension-whicha always &C.
ours when stream meets with an obstruc-
ton or is forced to change its course. These
islands, having been found to be exceed
ingly fertile, have been occupied and leveed
to protect them from the food waters. The
memorable operations of natural laws
in regard to the outfall of great rivers have
ho Int foohlxy of 6od 70 lx,
au' horities, and up to the present time no
real relief has been afforded. No compre-
hensiye plans have been set in motion to
avert the great calamity of cutting off the
navigation of these rivers, or relieving the
lands from periodical inundation, thereby
causing the greatest destruction of property
and rendering vast areas of the most fertile
land in the world subject to malaria and
unfit for profitable occupation.
Since the stoppage of hydraulic mining
the benefit has not been as great as the pro-
jectors of the measure expected. The rivers
are still heavily charged with sediment,
and the raising of the bed of the delta is
increasing every day. As the bed of the
river is raised. so the levees will require to
be raised, until grand catastrophe levels
all and involves the labors of generation
in one common ruin. Every proprietor
does as seems good in his own eyes, and no
thoughts taken of what may occur to
ones neighbors; the rights of whole com.
munities are invaded by those who have
chosen to locate themselves on the delta.
The waterways of these great valleys
are becoming strangled and navigation
ruined by the manner in which
the rivers are being confined
within small and tortuous channels.
The whole of the inhabitants of these val
Low hoxv
these rivers, which are able to afford them
under proper administration good naviga-
ton, furnishing the cheapest freights on
their products which are at the very doors
of the markets of the world adding fur
ther to the salubrity of their homes, and
immunity from the destruction of their
property by floods.
The State is able and should be willing
to adopt such measures as should conduce
to this very desirable end 1t can call to
Its aid engineering talent which can set in
motion such means as will accomplish this
desirable end. The State can control by
wise laws, the settlements and works along
the grand arteries so as to prevent damage
to navigation or to farming pursuits. l.
may not be able altogether to prevent
floods but it can in a large measure remove
the sting by rendering them less in dura-
ton, extent and violence. 1t is eminently
proper that in work of this character and
magnitude the State should ask the General
Government to give substantial aid, but
should also itself be large contributor:
there is proposition now before the Leg
islature asking the General Government to
appropriate two millions of dollars for this
work; this sum should be supplemented
by two millions furnished by the State.
In no part of the State can the money be
HATE .ox,t& = g. l. ~
above; the money will be Immediately
productive, and the benefits will not only
be far-reaching but lasting
The policy to be pursued should be to
provide IN the first place free egress for the
waters OF the rivers to the bay.
The engineers should define a definite
course over the delta, gradually widening
until reaching tide water; the course should
be as direct as possible, with easy curves
when the course is changed, the curves be-
ing always tangental to the previous course.
All lands within these lines should be con-
demned and paid for, which would enable
the proprietors to levee along the new shore
line. The work of excavation within these
lines should proceed as soon as possible,
cutting off first all projecting points, so as
to ease the passage OF the waters at the
earliest moment. AS the course of the
channel was Strengthened the current would
increase and CONNIE nee to scour, and of il
self greatly assist in cutting out its own
channel.
This work can be greatly assisted if the
tide waters pass rapidly out through the
straits into the bay, giving thereby
longer intervals between high and
low water. This leads Us to con-
slider what will be the effect Of the
numerous and extensive structures,
ht1NN n l.
shores of the straits; they already enroach
considerably into the waterway and their
effect on breaking up the current will be
felt far beyond their own limits
They occupy the narrowest part of the
strait and The effect is most certainly to re-
lard the passage of the outgoing waters
The tendency TO enroach is still going on
and the desire will arise to fill in with
stone so as to make the works more
permanent. This canno, be continued
without detriment to the outflow of the
rivers, and should be at once controlled by
the State
After passage has been secured across
the delta, the course of the river should be
attended to, its velocity may be increased
by cutting off bends or curving them in a
proper manner so as to prevent deposit 1t
may be found necessary to make cutoffs
several miles in length, furnishing a good
course for the rapid passage of the storm
waters, and st the same time additional
facilities for navigation.
Means may also be devised whereby ir
may be found practicable to continue hy-
draulic mining without damage to agricutl-
ural interests or detriment to the nayiga-
ton of the river. These matters will not
take care of themselves: withou, the strong
hand of the State they become destructive
OF each other. but under wise organiza-
ton they can without doubt be made to
work in harmony.
FIT. NEwBERRy, C. E.