Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-09
CONCERNING THE RIVERS.
THE STATE RIVER COMMISSION AND
ITS RECENT WORK.
Recommendations Concerning the I'm
provement of Navigation-Relief
from Debris is Possible.

The State River Commission, authorized |
by Act of the last Legislature. has COM
pleted its report to the Governor. which is |
in volume of nearly $50 printed |
pages, containing maps and charts. The |
members of the Commission are G. F. |
Reed, C. E. Grunsky and j. J. Crawford. |
The report embraces detailed description |
of the Sacramento, San Joaquin and |
Feather rivers and their tributaries, with |
extracts from the reports of Colonel Men |
dell, of the Government Engineering Corps, |
State Engineer Hall and other officials.
The Commissioners state that owing 10 ]
the lack of funds at the disposal of the |
Commission it has not been possible to |
make all the necessary and proper SURVEYS. |
maps, etc, as will enable Congress to clearly |
understand the condition of the rivers and |
the cos. of properly rectifying and improv- |
ing them. They have, however, prepared |
general map of the Sacrs mento valley, |
showing contour lines, and some of the |
elevations on which the contours are based ; |
also set of diagrams showing the stage of 4
water at Sacramento from 1S49 to 1862, and |
from 1874 to 1890.
bC lnNCctISdtlOuS diltl 64dLuludtlOlS
made by this Commission" they say, ''can |
lead to no other conclusion than that the |
two rivers under special consideration the |
Sacramento and San Joaquin) need a COM |
prehensive and systematic treatment for |
their improvement as dranways, as well as |
for improvement of their navigability."
More waterway must be provided 10 |
carry food volumes, it is held, and that |
under the present system of reclamation |
work lands can be protected upon one side |
of the river only to the injury of lands on |
the other side Under the present system |
the residents of one bank of the river are |
frequently pitted against those of the other |
bank. |
IF the leyee must break, let it be on |
some other mans land" is the prevailing |
sentiment.
DRAINAGE OF THE TULE BASIN.
1.-THE State should modify its reclama. |
ton policy. All low lands in or adjacent |
to the bssins along the Sacramento river, |
together with the delta lands of this stream
should be in one drainage district, and all |
similarly situated lands along the San |
Joaquin river should be in another district |
District boundaries should be defined |
by competent State authority-py a State |
Board of Public Works-and all work for |
the improvement of drainage should be |
",
vision, and provision should be made to
have the work paid for in proportion to
benefits resulting therefrom."
STEAMBOAT SLOUGH.
The following local improvements are
recommended to be commenced at once:
From the foot of Grand Island to its
mouth the Sacramento river should be
made channel of uniform width By
reduction of width just above Rio Vista,
on the Newtown shoal, and near the lower
end of Sherman Island and at several inter-
mediate points, and by change in the al
lignment of banks at and opposite Horse
shoe Point, just above Emmaton.
AT least $4,000 per annum should be
expended upon this work, which should
extend over number of years.
Steamboat slough should be made the
principal channel of Sacramento river.
This is to be accom- lished by connect
ing the head of the slough by means of a
cut about 900 feet in length, and by widen
ing the slough, for distance of four and
half miles from its head to the lower end
OF Suffer Island, to width of 500 feet.
TO FACILITATE RIVER SECURING.
The effect of this channel connection
would be to increase the capacity of the
Sacramento river at all points below Feather
river about % per cent. Il would cause at
least three feet of the silt now in this part
OF Sacramento river to be swept out.
1t would improve the outfall of Feather
river by lowering the water in the Sacra-
mento river at that point, and would thus
be benefit to the navigability of that river
and OF great benefit to it as a drainWay.
This should be undertaken at once. and
100000 expended on it annually until it is
completed"
a new channel is recommended leading
direct from Portuguese Bend to the mouth
OF the Feather river. The river, it is
claimed, will cut the channel if properly
aided. The cost of the work is placed at
about S200,000 and the cut-o off will shorten
the river channel nine and half miles
ana Will have length Of three and half
miles.
From Colusa to Grafton the channel
alignment could be improved in eleven diff
ferent places. They involve twenty cut
offs, aggregating about fourteen miles, and
would reduce the length of the river fifteen
miles, at the cost of 81 100000, including
rights of way.
The Yuba river should be turned
through new cut just below the D-street
erldge In MaTysyille to better junction
with Feather river. It would require cut
of 1000 feet. costing about $50 900.
THE SAN JOAQUIN.
on the San Joaquin river cut-offs ag-
gresatlng about two miles in length are
recommended below Stockton, at a cost of
about S350,o00, and above Stockton the cor.
rect river alignment should be secured by
the construction of.works intended to cause
the river to erode g new channel whenever
the same is required as a correction of
alignment.
BETTER DRAINAGE NEEDED.
The drainage of the valley must be i'm. |
proved. To such works the State and the
landowners should not expect the United |
States authorities to devote any attention. |
except IN so far SIS works in aid of drainage |
or to prevent inundation might, if not |
properly planned, injure or interfere with |
the naVigability of the rivers.
THE FIRST FREsHETs.
with 8 knowledge OF the amount of
I'LL in the Sacramento river below the |
Feather river, and the firm conviction that |
by systematic treatment of the lower |
river, including the Steamboat slough en- |
lsrgement, the river can be forced to scour |
out its bed to its original depth, or about |
twice its present capacity at ordinary food |
stage. this Commission believes that ulti- |
mateiy this part of the river can be made |
to carry the fall food flow of the Sacra- |
mento valley streams, and that all relief |
fcy1