The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-31
PHENOMENAL RIVER CONDITIONS.

There has been unusually high water
in the central reaches of the Sacramento
River for ten days. A gauge mark has
been reached and maintained that is phe-
nomenal. Though break occurred i'll a
levee on the Yolo side some six or seven
miles below this city, on Sunday last,
the volume of water in the river has not
diminished as rapidly as is usual in such
cases. This was due yesterday, in large
part, to strong north wind that sent
the waters down in greater volume, and
at one time made considerable increase
in the high-water register.
On the upper reaches of the stream
there has not been such remarkably high
water, while on the extreme lower
reaches the waters have not so risen as to
give riparian residents any special
trouble. In the central reaches, how
ever, the river has been kept up to a
high-water notch that has required heroic
bounds along lands below the city.
The conclusion reached from the state
ment of these conditions is that the river
Is badly choked at some point between
this city and CORTLAND, or perhaps
Clarksburg; that the melting of the SHOWS
on the mountains under the exceptional
baat Of uyaal- baCora Loot ca 6llo1 +ba
streams as to sweep down vast quantity
OF detritus and lodge it at some point in
the central river, to the Swallowing OF the
stream that amounts to a barrier, or dam.
High tides concurring with high water
In the San Joaquin and with the sudden
rise in the Sacramento, have probably
had some influence also in damming the
latter stream, and this has been aug
mented by the debouchment of streams
into the river near its mouth and almost
at right angles to it. Added to these con-
ditions is the fact that sloughs in the delta
have been closed that never should have
been, and the discharge capacity of the
stream thus greatly diminished.
Another fact proving phenomenal dam
ming of the river is the slowness of the
current, which has been so unusual as to
excite universal comment. The fact that
there has been, and is, high water, is not
40 unusual as the fact that it is so long
maintained, and that it is so slow in
movement All thaSa CON SidarotiopS an
phasize the necessity for speedy Govern
mental treatment of the river, unless the
Federal Government proposes to abandon
a national free highway and drain and
let it seek new channels, and so divert its
water as to destroy its navigability. Not
only must the dams checking the flow be
removed, but the system of contracting
the levees must be abandoned in favor of
setting them further back, and the
detritus that is swept down out of tribu-
tary canyons with each season of high
water must be restrained from further
movement into the river
The checking of the current being the
most serious feature of the present high
water conditions, indicates that the river
is not now benefting by its flood waters
in the matter of securing. This condi-
ton must be changed by such removal of
the cause as can be speedily applied, and
unless the Federal Government does this
very soon, the navigability of the river
may be so impaired that the cost of its
restoration, as at present estimated, will
be quadrupled and the time required for
the work greatly extended.
All the facts prove that true economy
resides in speedy action, action entered
upon at the earliest possible moment.
To that end it would not be untimely to
memorabilia the proper authorities to
quicken their processes and break away
from the traditional slow and vexatious
movement of official engineering.
EXERCISE AND BUSINESS.