The record-union., 1891-02-20
RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
Full Text Of the Official Report Of the
Government Engineers.
The Sacramento Can and Should be
Improved-The Permanent Appro-
priations Recommended.

pointed to make preliminary examina-
ton of the Sacramento and Feather Riv-
ers cannot fail to attract widespread at
tention, not only in the great Sacramento
Valley, but throughout the entire State of
California. The report was presented to
Congress yesterday. The RECORD
UNIONS special correspondent at Wash
ington, G. c. Carlton, wisely considering
it of sufficient importance to warrant its
publication in full as it came from the
Public Printer, has telegraphed the re-
port. 1t is as follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON I'd. CO., Feb. 10, 1891.
SIR: l have the honor to transmit here
with, in compliance with the provisions
of Section IL of the River and Harbor
Act, approved September I9, $780, a letter
from the Chief of Engineers dated the
10th instant, submitting the report of the
Board of Engineers constituted to con-
slider and report upon the future improve
ment of Sacramento and Feather Rivers,
California. Very respectfully,
REDFIELD PROCTOR,
Secretary of War.
To the Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS
TO CONSIDER THE SACRAMENTO AND
FEATHER RIVERS, WITH VIEW TO
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3, 1891.
To Brigodier- General Thomas L. Casey,
Chief of Engineers, u. s. A.-GENERAL:
The Board of Engineer Officers consti-
tuted by Paragraph 9, Special Orders No.
%, Headquarters Corps of Engineers,
September so, 1880, to consider the Sacra-
mento and Feather Rivers, California,
with view to their future improvement,
under the provisions of Section IL of the
River and Harbor Act of September 19,
1880, met at San Francisco, Cal, on Janu-
uary Is, 1891, and remained in session
nineteen days. During its session the
board has made personal examination
of the Sacramento River from its mouth
to the present head of low water naviga-
ton at McIntosh's' Landing, of the
Feather River from Marysville to its
mouth, and of the Yuba River from Da-
guerre Point to its junction with the
Feather. Practical rlavigators and others
interested in the Improvement of the Sac
ramento and Feath er Rivers have ap-
peared before the board and presented
their views orally and in writing. Hav-
ing considered all available information
relating to the rivers: in question and the
interests involved i'll their Improvement,
the board has the honor to submit the
following
REPORT
The Sacramento River will be devel-
oped to its full capacity only when the
flood waters shall be controlled and be
made to pass in great part or in whole
between its banks. At present the con-
dition is far from fulfllment. Whatever
be the benefits that may be claimed to
navigation to result from system of
river control, they can not be realized on
the Sacramento River short of a period of
years. In the meantime each low-water
season brings difficulties in navigation
which can be removed or ameliorated by
proper attention.
NAvIGABLE VALUES.
The movement of the wheat harvest
takes place during the low stage of water,
so that the greatest demand for trans
portation comes when the natural condi-
tions are least favorable. Relief to be
adequate needs to be prompt. Prices are
affected by existing conditions. A good
river makes freighting cheap, whether it
be done on the river or on competing
railroads. The cost of transportation on
the water determines the price of the
land. For three reasons, low-water nav
igation needs all practicable attention
and encouragement, and in what follows
it is intended to point out what is now
done year by year for low-water naviga-
ton, and to indicate q farther degree to
which improvements may be carried.
HEAD OF NAVIGATION.
Formerly navigation extended from
the mouth of the river to Red Bluff. dis
tance of about 275 miles, But since the
1t commercially profitable to go above
Mcintosh, which is about forty miles be-
low Red Bluff. The fall of the river in
the upper reach is q feet to the mile. The
frequency of rapids, the shallowness of
many OF them in low stages, make navi-
CATION difficult and costly. 1t is practi-
cable to overcome these difficulties by
locks and dams, and to make easy slack
water navigation. The great cost of this
kind of Improvement seems to be out OF
NrrtO
any improvement short of this is unsatis-
factory when the slope is so great. While
there may be occasional navigation above
we must regard Mcintosh as the usual
head of navigation. In this portion oi
the river the fall is considerable although
decidedly less than in the Red Bluff diyis-
ion.
NAVIGATION ON THE LOWER SACRA-
MENTo.
The distance from Mcintosh to the
mouth is go miles. Navigation is conve-
nient over the whole river in good stages
OF water, which as rule prevail from
December to July. The low stage is in.
cluded between the months of July and
December. and during the interval navi-
CATION is always less convenient and
often much embarrassed. During the
period practicable drafts for vessels in
the lower sixty miles of the river, or as
far as the city of Sacramento, is, in favor
able years, five to six feet When the
quantity of water flowing in the river be.
comes reduced below its ordinary sum.
mer condition, as happens in what are
called dry seasons, or seasons of mini.
mum rainfall, the practicable draft be.
comes as little as four feet.
INSTRUCTIONS IN THE LOWER SACRA.
MENTO.
DISTINCTIONS to navigation in thi:
stretch of river are found to exist a
Newtown, 1ronhouSe, Shoal, Ida Island
Heacock's and Sutterville. At all othel
points there is sufficient depth for the
class of boats which ply upon the river
These boats draw, when fully loaded, si1
feet. 1t is the opinion of the board that
proper system of channel improvement
applied at these points must result in OBJ
tanning about seven feet of water at Low
stages, which is regarded as sufficient II
meet all present requirements of naviga
tion.
NAVIGATION ABOVE SACRAMENTO CITY
Navigation above Sacramento City il
conducted by barges towed by light-draf
steamboats,. The distance from Sacra
mento City to Colusa is 100 miles. Owe
the stretch of river it is generally practi
cable at low water to float barges drawin,
three and half to four feet of water. Th
latter draft is sufficient for a cargo of ], 90
tons carried upon the largest type of barg
in use. Except in years of minimum
rainfall, it is quite practicable to maintain
depth for barges drawing four feet. II