The morning call., 1891-02-20

els or currents, becomes uncertain. varying
after floods by reason OF ut0fs or erosion of
banks. which here are no able 10 resist violent
cur emf action.
The absence of firm banks. producing a vari-
able alignment, makes IL inpractcable in this
part of the river to hiring bout perm nent In
crease of channel depths at particular points at
moderate or luStinable cost. Permanent I'M
pToyement eau he secured only by maintaining
stable banks and fixed alignment. Moreover,
caviOg banks supporting heavy growth of oaks
and sycamOres supply each year dangerous OBJ
stGuciOns In the form OF suags which are also
derived from The wooded regions near the head
waters OF the river, from whence they float down
In fTeSheis.
Variable alignment shoals. rapids and snags
are therefore the obstacles which navigation In
these upper waters encounters each season.
These serious obstacles are expected upon the
subsistence OF water in The spring and early sum-
mer, and generally ii IL not practicable 10 begin
10 move the wheat harvest until some clearance
OF snags is made.
Permanent channel Improvement being by
reason or cost. impraeticaOe Or iueXpedtent II
has for some years been the adopted policy to
maintain on this part OF the river we'll equipped
snag-hOat, which has removed or destroyed
channel snags, and where necessary has coucen-
tlaied water by temporary wIng-dams, aud In
other ways has permitted navigation. which
would otherwise have been impracticaOle.
Tie board recommends the continuance OF this
system, and in view of the constantly recurring
need for work Of this kind il appears TO be ex-
pedlent that the appropriation for support OF the
system be made lermanent for each year.
The sum OF $4,000 afforded will, IN The opln-
lOu OF Lue Dualu, Kenel ally MAINTAIN drafts OF
four feet from Sacramento TO COlusa. and three
teet or little less from Colusa TO the head OF
navigation.
These drafts are satisfactory 10 the steamboat
Interest, aud, IN the opinion Of the board. they
are SUFFICIENT for the present needs OF navigation
aud OF the adjoining country. Moreover these
depths are as great as, in the opinion OF the
board can be secured by channel improvements
al juStitiabe cost.
fne board suggests, In addition to duties
alteacy specihed, the crew OF the sDag-boat ought
10 protect. as far as practicable. banks Under
going erosion, with the double view OF nreserv-
Tug existing alignment aud of reducing The
supply OF sndgs due TO bank erosion.
1t has already been suggested that a further
ml ruVemeut may be obtained by a system OF
control of flood waters which shall cause them
To be discharged IN whole or in greater part be-
tween banks
The pi esent capacity of the river sections is
entirely Inadequate TO perform this duty. In no
Iorion, when navigation is convenient. does the
river now cary all The drainag' waller present.
ell 10 H. In some portions observations OF floods
Indicate that The river does not now carry more
tban half II so much. Observations have not.
however, Indicated the maxims Of drainage that
need 10 be provided for at particular points.
Sufficient data for the solution of The problem do
not yet exist, and they can be obtained only by
adequate observation. While II is now apparent
that tile problem Is of great magnitude, no esti.
mate OF extent OF works. or cost, or interval of
time necessary for The development of an ad-
equate system Of drainage can be stated al this
dale Win any approach ~ accuracy. The sub
ject has occupied The attention of The engineer
Ing staff OF The Stale oil California for some years
past The United STATES has taken no step In in-
vesligaiion OF the problem. The direct cOuceIn
OF The United States i'll this matter eateS 10 the
navigation interests. Tie State and people OF
California are concerned not only In the matter
of navigation, but also, and doubtless IN greater
degree, with protection ana reclamation OF lands.
Drainage can be effected only by system OF
levees.
The United States is concerned that the levee
system shall be properly aligned and be adequa
TO the duty required of II, namely: To compel
the flood waters TO follow the course OF the
liver eiannyl and thereby seour an improved
way.
Inasmuch as successful treatment requires
large increase of channel capacity over a length
OF 200 miles or more, which must IN The nature
OF things be gradual process, number Of years
Will be occupied In the complete development
OF The system.
beginning in the way OF reclamation and
protection OF land has been made, and IL is esti
mated that on the banks of the Sacramento and
! Feather rivers about 81 100000 has been ex-
| pended In isolated and uucombined efforts of
separate districts, each aiming TO give local pro
lection without concern tor the general Interest
In these operations Tie State has not undertaken
| to execute engineering control. II has author
lied certain localities or districts TO raise funds
for their own respective protection but has not
indicated limitations or eOmpeiled coordination.
| Il has resulted that certain districts have pro-
vided good local protection, others have been
less careful or IS successful, ana that the sys-
TEN, II 1t can be called a system has, SO far as
constructed, exercised no beneficial influence OF
magnitude upon the general condition OF the
river channel
This conclusion Will become more evident
when It it stated that IN long stretches of the
river but one bank Is levecd. while over the
other water escapes freely into adjacent basius,
from which it is redeiVered 10 tue river as time
and topography permit.
FEATHER RIVER.
The Feather is the largest tributary OF the Sac
ramento. Ii enters about sixteen miles above
the city Of Sacramento. It's tributaries drain
the greater portion of the hydraulic mining field
of California. The Process OF hydraulic mining,
the scale OF Its operations, Its enOrmou. cOutrIbu
ton OF eroded material 10 drainage lines and the
injury 10 navigation and other Interests that en-
100 haNa hEan dAan cd Ia .Nfn
and need not here he repeated. This KIND of
mining was iuterJlcted by the courts In 1884,
and since that date II has be largely II not en-
tTely discontinued. Current proceedings In the
courts and present dlscoloration OF water Inui-
| cate that the process Is yet carried on, but the
scale OF operations must be insignificant as COM
| pared with those OF former years. Owing TO this
change tie rivers begin TO show signs OF erosive
| power. Formerly the rivers In their mountain
| Gus portions. where confined between high banks
well as in the valleys, elevated their beds year
! 10y year. Now tendency, under diminished
supply OF detritus, 10 lower the beds is exhibited
In this state OF affairs there Is some hope that
properly directed engineering Efforts may be
efeetual in ameliorating the condition OF the
channels, result which was not probable dur
ing tile period OF enormous artificial erosion of
gravel deposits.
The Feather Is a navigable stream for dis.
lance OF thirty miles, to the junction win the
Yuba. Marysyille, a town OF 1000 OF 5000 PEG.
pie, is lie head OF navigation.
For eight or ten miles above the town the bed
of the Yuba River is a sand bank several miles
IN width, the height oil which Is few feet above
the adjoining lana. which, and including The
town, IS protected from overflow by enormous
levees, bnt and maintained ar great cost.
Through this sandy plain The Yuba In its low
stages meanders at VIII, and in flood disperoes
over the whole expanse OF its wide bed q
The navgable liver is engofged with detritus,
which mas Increased IT'S slope several inches to
the mile. Tie pools OF former yeats have been
hiled, and the number OF places OF difficulty IN
navigation have been largely Increased by THIS
change. The whole length is now shallow. De-
lays are thereby much Increased.
Restraint OF deIrllns TO such a degree that no
amount shall entrr greater than tile river can
Of its present state.
Ii is thought that The treatment most approprI.
ate IN The present condition OF affairs OF tile vide
and deep deposits already mentioned as being in
the bed OF the Yuba near aud above MarysyiIIe
Is 10 Train and control tile Yub1, beginning All
DaguerIe Point, nine miles above Marysvilie, 20
that the stream shall excayate during It's low aud
comfortable stage bed for Itself, through which
tile rising river shall flow, widening and lower
ing the channel.
The board is encouraged to think that such
treatment is practicable, and that 1t will be sue.
ceSsful by reason Of the fact that the stream has
begun. unaided, to lower its bed, having sunk
recently about four feet AT Daguerre Point The
engineering operations needed TO aid and secure
Tie mai result must be directed 10 protection of
the banks OF the stream, mainly by means OF
brush work the material for which grows con-
veDiently.
1t does not seem expedlent TO attempt at this
time TO indicate lie details OF the work which
will be needed for this puIpos hey will best
be determined by the intelligence and observa-
lion OF the engineer who shall conduct the i'm.
prOvemeni.
The boaId Is OF tile opinion that the work here
in indicated eau be done over the distance Of
nine miles, extending from DagdeIie Point to the
Feather for the sum OF 100000, and II not
greatly lnterfered with by freshets, for sum
considerably less.
When this work shall have been accomplished