The record-union., 1892-07-29
SOUNDING TIE RIVER.
The Interesting Measurements Taken
Yesterday.
An Unexpected Absence of sandbars
at the Present Time-varying
Depths of the Water.


representing the Citizens Committee in
connection with the proposed improve
/ ment of the levees, it was recently ar
ranged to make some Investigations as to
the condition of the river channel below
/ the city.
Mr.. Coleman secured the steam launch
Annie, and at his invitation Mayor Com
stock, Trustee Green, City Engineer
! Boyd and a RECORD q MON reporter yes
terday took a trip down the river about
twenty miles. Captain Dalton, the owner
Of the launch, volunteered his services
and accompanied the party, as did VIM.
/ b. Davis.
The launch left the foot of K street
shortly after S o'clock a. NJ, and after
! taking soundings of the river al sixteen
/ points between the city and ClArksburg
returned home, arriving about $50 in the
/ evening.
The report Of the Examining Commits
! sion ON Rivers and Harbors of 1890,
/ which shows the results of surveys of the
/ Sacramento from its source 10 Suisun
! Bay, was referred to for an idea Of tile
/ condition Of the rivers bed at that time.
This report showed the river channel to
/ have undergone yearly changes for a long
! period. and that sandbarS aud shoals
! We're continually shifting and changing.
! he investigation yesterday was made
! With the object Of comparing the results
! OF later and actual measurements with
! the Official report mentioned, and to prove
! or reiute the various statements which
/ have been made IN relation to the cOndi-
! ton Of the rivers channel at these several
/ points.
Some exaggerated rumors have been
spread that the rivers channel was al
hat ,i,,,,.a
shoals were forming at various points in
! the stream. These arguments We're
! brought to bear upon The question of
! leVee improvement so frequently that
the Trustees and others interested de-
sired to investigate the matter and collect
! positive information before taking defin-
tie action.
The measurements taken yesterday by
! City Engineer Boyd and the party show
the sOuudings at the following points, as
| directly across the river as could be made
from the boat. The first measurements
were made on the city front as follows:
Between and l. streets, 90 feet from
east bank, the water measured l75 feet;
| deepest place, Is feet. On the Yolo side
the shallowest measurement was feet,
% feet from the west bank.
! AT point opposite Y street the sound
! ings showed from to Is feet to within %
feet Of either bank.
Opposite Y street to is feet was
! found.
At point 200 yards below the Payne
break in the Yolo levee the soundings
| gave from feet, near the shore OF the east
| bank. to Il feet depth in the stream.
At Merkley's ranch d feet to Is feet was
found.
At 200 yards below the Lovdal break,
| A to Is feet.
At Edwards south line, from to 16
! feet.
At the Chicory ranch, from to 50 feet.
| At Riverside, from to 10 feet
AT brickyard, from 6 to Is feet.
At Peters ferry, from 10 TO 81 feet.
At McGee's ranch, from to IL feet
! At Waxen,s ranch, from s to % feet.
! At Upper Freeport, from to 20 feet.
At Eagle Point, from 5 to Is feet.
! At Caves, from to 30 feet.
! AT ClarllsbUrg, from to ID feet.
! At many OF the points given above the
! measurement across the main channel of
the river showed about the same depth of
water from the natural slope of the bank
across.
|. Notably at Eagle Point, where the river
is exceptionally wide, about thirteen feet
of water was found to within a few feet of
either bank. At other places the water
was not deep, but no evidence Of sand
bars of consequence was found.
1t was the prompt conclusion of the
!
| that the river bed was in better condi-
! ton than was expected by any of them.
/ Engineer Boyd stated that he was sur
prised to find the channel as free as it
proved to be, and that he expected to
! find it in far different shape between
Ereeport and Clarksburg, particularly.
| The fact that the water was higher last
| spring at those places had inclined him to
! the belief that SandbarS had filled in the
! channel to a great extent.
Two miles up from CORTLAND. at the
! head OF Randall Island, the water was
| two feet lower last season than the previ-
Gus high-water mark, by actual survey.
and this had been accounted for by the
theory that sandbar had formed be-
| tween Freeport and CORTLAND. ''Ifn
said MIR. Boyd, "any bar existed there if
has evidently washed out"
1t was Mr.. Boyd's opinion that a bar
formed in the channel anywhere within
two miles OF treeport would affect the
measurement of the water as far as this
city, and, OF course, at all intermediate
points.
When asked after the soundings had
been taken) his opinion as TO the bearing
OF the information gained upon the pro-
Jected Improvement of the levee, Mr..
BOYD stated that he was not prepared to
give 1t without some further figuring and
estimates.
''rhe fact that the channel is in better
shape than expected" said he, ''by no
means indicates that the levee strength
/ ening is not needed. 1t simply shows
that the sand-bars are continually shift
ing, and this fact is as threatening as any
thing"
! Trustees Comstock and Green and Mr.
/ Coleman were well pleased with the con-
! ditiOn of the river, as shown by the
soundings, and manifested great interest
( IN assisting the engineer in getting cor
i rect measurements,
The party landed at several points on
/ the river and made inquiries concerning
! the highest water of the past season. and
in regard to the channel, where ferrymen
and others We're familiar with it.
! The information gained is considered
very important, and the officials were
much gratified with the results of the