The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-20
TO RECLAIM LAND.
Action of an Important
Convention.
BIG EXPENDITURES NEEDED.
The Present Legislature to Be Asked
TO Assist in Reclamation
and Drainage.
BIG EXPENDITURES NEEDED.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

SACRAMEyTo, Jan. I9-Prior to the
meeting OF the Drainage and Reclamation
Convention this morning Dr.. G. NJ. Dixon
Of Sacramento was elected chairman Of the
executive committee. Then the convention
proper was opened
c. E Grunsky read the following report,
which was signed by Engineers c. E. Grun-
sky, Marsden Manson and j. c. PiersOn:
"a fact well known to all civil engi-
neers familiar with the rivers Of the Sac
Tamento Valley is that these rivers,
in their present condition. do not afford
sufficient food drainage capacity, and
that building a bank protection alone
will not prevent the annually recurring
disasters, nor affoId reasonable protection
to the valley lands. Recognizing this fact
the committee has to report that. aside
from the works required to accomplish local
protection, other works Of general benefit
are necessary to facilitate and hasten the
food discharge to the bay and to control the
surplus water, which must be prevented
from inundating The valley lands The
treatment of the rivers on this line means
that the fiood-earrying cspa ity of natural
water-caurses must be increased to its ut
most limit and that the works TO accomplish
channels of sufficient capacity to control
and receive the surplus water.
THE works required are of twofold char
acter-frst, those that can be completed
within definite periods of time; second.
those whose construction must extend
through several years. Those of the latter
class are principally works as may be desig-
mated to correct river alignment and to
deepen the river channels.
'These two classes Of works must be
made the basis of systematic river treat
ment, and without endeavoring to antici-
pate what particular system Of works lhay
be finally approved our knowledge of the
situation justdes the opinion that aside
from the works of channel treatment for
many years the property benefited should
be prepared to incur within the period
Of FIVE years an expenditure or
S. 0O0, coo to SIC, 600. 1000 for the work and
general benefit. and it is our opinion
that this expenditure is justified and advis-
able, and will afford reasonable protection
to all the lands Of the Sacramento Valley.
The benefit conferred by the expenditure Of
such sum of money will extend TO about
00,000 acres Of land and 10 cities and towns
within the benefited district But the bene-
degree, ranging from complete reclamation
10 the reduction Of danger during the food
period.
At the afternoon session the following
resolution was offered by Dunn of Placer
and adopted:
WHEREAS, II appears from the report OF en-
glneefs 10 the conventions:
First-Thaf there exists an area OF 805 900
acres Of submerged lands IN Sacramento Valley
partially reclaimed By existing works con-
strHeted and maintained against adverse
natural conditions under increasing burdens
OF cost by reason OF the absence OF
a comprehensive system of reclamation embrac-
ing tie entire area; second, that to make the
construction OF such complete and compTehen-
sye system OF reclamation thoroughly effective
is possible at cost per acre Of less than the cost
per acre OF the partial reclamation already
effected, and that the engineering data already
exists for the planning OF such system.
- Resolved, That II Is the sense OF this conYen-