Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-26
OUR RIVER DEFENSES.
HOW THEY CAN BE MADE EFFECTIVE
AGAINST EMERGENCIES.
Views of Engineers Grunsky, Pierson and
Bassett on the subject-some
Timely Suggestions.


Some time since the improvement Asso.
citation requested engineers Grunsky, Pier
son and Bsssett to consult together on the
subject of the city levees, regarding their
present condition, and to determine and
report to that body what if anything, was
against any unusual rise in the rivers con-
sequent upon the effects of the UMPIRE
cedented rain and snowfall of the present
season. These gentlemen have concluded
the following interesting report, which
| will be submitted to the Improvement AS
ISOLATION:
To the Executive Leuee Committee Of the Improve
meRt association Having been
called upon by you to present brief statement
concerning your defenses against the high
waters which are probable in the near future
and to suggest such precautionary measures as
We think should at once be carried out we do
now report as follows:
We have no means of knowing how slowly or
how fast the vast deposits of snow in the noun
tains to the north and east may be sent down
upon US and we are constrained to admit the
the Sacramento valley than is known to have
ever occurred in the past.
In view of the fact that the well-known great
flood of 1862 extended in a broad sheet west
ward from near Brighton to Davisville at an
elevation of twenty-four feet six inches on the
river rod, and that this occurred at a time
swamp lands to Suisun Bay was practi-
cally unimpeded by levees it is evident
that the same food would now, since the
islands have all been surrounded with levees,
vic of in hos tot
west of the river than did actually take place
in 1862. Moreover, the elevation of water lat
hight greater than that of 1862 may be MAIN
tanned for many days, or even weeks and it is
this fact which in our Judgment should not be
lost sight of and that enables US to name be-
yond the question of doubt the point at which
the present leyee System OF this city is weakest.
1t is well known to all SGcramentos citizens
that disaster to our city would be greatest If a
break in the north or American river leyee
should occur, for in that case the water would
sweep with great force through the residence
portion of the city, and no part of it, except the
high graded streets, could escape flooding.
Fortunately the danger from this direction is
much less than il was few years ago. when
the American river was impinging directly
against the very foundation of some portion of
the north levee. The river has been changed to
a channel lying further away from the levee
and a swift flow of water along the levee is i'm
peded by the cottonwood and willow brush
intervening between levee and river.
This levee just north of the central portion OF
J-street grade, and it rises toward the east, be-
ing some II feet higher than this grade at Thir
tyfirst street. and continuing to rise, is fully 20
feet higher at Brighton than J street.
When the American river rises to above bank
nights near its mouth, it discharges into the
vast overflow basin on its north side as well as
into Sacramento river, and the hight of the
water in this basin cannot exceed materially
the hight of water in Sacramento river, and
this again is limited by the hight of the river
levees upon either side of the river. These
levees must give way when the water in front OF
Sacramento stands rs to q feet ION the river
Tod). and at this hight of water, as we know
from recent experience, there is nothing to
fear on Front street. From the time that
the Sacramento river above the American
river is practically without levees, the water of
the American basin will unite with the
water of the Yolo basin, forming one vast
expanse bearing surface area of hundreds of
square miles, and this eXpanse of water must
thereafter rise with the water in the Sacramento
river.
Not until this has occurred will there be any
greater danger to our defenses in front of and
below the city than there was during the high
water of last December. A break in the levee at
any point within a few miles of sacramento on
this side of the river below town might at that
time have caused water TO rise to the hight of
the lowest portion OF the 1-street leyee. Such
break is very likely TO occur in the face of every
effort that can be made to prevent the same, if
the expected flood fills the basin west Of the
river to hight greater than twenty-six feet on
the river rod at sacramento.
When the water has thus filed Yolo basin las
above he'd to be probable that 1t Will under
conditions of temperature and rainfall con-
duciye to a rapid melting of the snow then II is
more than likely that this great elevation of the
water surface will be maintained for days or
even for weeks. 1t is herein that the greatest
menace to the efficiency of our defenses against
high water lies For should break occur be-
low the city on our side then it would not, as
did the Paine break, suddenly lower the water
surface in the river, because the water could,
under the circumstances, fall but slowly (be-
cause the fall would extend throughout the en-
tire Yolo basin). AS the top of the Ystreet
leyee is much lower than the elevation at
which it is highly probable that the water will
stand for many days on the Yolo side of the
river, nothing would then prevent the water
from entering the city from the south unless
temporary enbankment be raised on the Y
street levee.
Should a food attain the elevation above
indicated throughout the whole breadth OF the
Yolo basin we can rest assured that a further
rise of water will be very slow, and ample time
will be afforded to prevent general overtop-
ping of Front street. We do, however, ad-
wise that precautionary measures, such as rails
ing those parts of Front street where The same
is known to be but little higher than the re-
cent food waters, be at once taken.
Meanwhile, it goes without saying that during
all the time when water in the Sacramento
river is at or about the 25-toot mark on the river
rod, the leyee along the river bank, from Z
street south to Y street, should be carefully
watched and that throughout all stages of the
American river similar plecaution should be
taken with reference to the north levee, be-
cause, even though an overlapping OF these en-
bankments is not now to be feared, they may
vet be endangered for any length of time while
water is standing against them by the burrows
of gorhers, into which water may ma us way
when least expected. and which may cause the
destruction of entertainments, otherwise deemed
perfectly safe.
Under the existing circumstances we do there
fore recommend that Y street levee be at once
raised to an elevation four feet greater than 1t
now has, between the river and Twenty-tirst
street, and that this be done with material Sc
cured from the owners OF adjacent
disturb the present crown of the lsyee,
and we fell to see any great advantage from
financial standpoint from taking material from
one side of the leyee and pll1ng 1t up on the
other The material thus excayated must be re-
placed in the future, and even if replacing OF
material were guaranteed to the adjacent land
owners. there should be no excess of cost in
building up the Y-street levee in the manner by
us northumberland there certainly ought to
be no objection by property-owneTs-par
larry not by those on the city side OF the levee,
to furnishing the earth REQUIRED.
street should also be raised one and one
half feet from Twenty-tirst 70 about Twenty
eighth street. in order that throughout its entire
length its top be at an elevation corresponding
to "a feet on our river rod.
Front street should be raised at all low points
between and o streets, and a proper oonnec,
ton of any temporary work there dore should
be made with the higher portion of the railroad
embankment just below street.
We would also recommend that you effect
thorough organization to watch all levees dur
ing the time of high water, and that proper
arrangements be made in advance to meet any
unfoTese en- emergency that may arise.
We make these recommer dGtions in the full
knowledge of the fact that we are not compe-
tent to say that by carrying them out the city
will be made absolutely safe from overflow, but
that under the existing circumstances and con-
ditions the city's defeDses against water Will
be made more nearly of equal strength in all
directions than they now are, and that these
recommendations should be carried out before
other levee work of less Importance is done aud
before those conditions of temperature and rain
fall have set in which would bring a greater
food down upon us than our standard of COM
parison. the flood of 1862.
In order to explain the relative elevations OF
the levees and grades in the city, we have COM
piled the following data
High water in 1862. "a feet q inch on river
rod
High water in 1881, % feet inches on river
rod.
High water in 1889, December, &c feet 111a
inches on river rod.
Top of Y-strset levee, Front to cemetery, 20
| feet on river rod.
Top of Y street levee, GENE cry 10 Twenty-frst
street, 20 feet on river rod
Top of Y.street levee, Twenty-first to Twenty
| .1rlc