The record-union., 1896-11-27

must be taken before any other, is the
correction of the evils now existing at
the Newtown Shoals. Without this all
other work is, in our estimation, use
less. The entrance of Old River into
Steamboat Slough or the lower Sacra-
mento should be corrected so that the
water from the former stream will en-
ter the latter at a more nearly parallel
course to the general direction of the
| water.
| EXAMINATION OF PROFILE.
Let us now examine the profile hereto
attached, and see If we can discover
any hope OF relief or see any signs OF
the possible usefulness of the work pro-
posed.
| AT Collinsville the average depth OF
water below low tide in Suisun Bay,
for width of 600 feet, is 1S.4 feet
| emptylng into the confluence of the
San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers
with a broad mouth
| As we pass on up the Sacramento but
a short distance above the mouth we
find a river 800 feet wide, with an aver
age depth of 253 feet for width OF
600 feet, below, low tide.
AT Toland's Landing, with a width
of f3l feet at low tide, We have an
average depth of 26.6 feet.
AT point just above the head OF
Three-Mile Slough We have a width OF
$50 feet at low water, and a depth OF
2I.2 feet for 600 feet in width.
AT the foot of Wood Island, where
the river has two channels with q
width of 1850 feet, the maximum
depth for 600 feet in width is not more
4 than Ii feet, leaving a channel of 75C
feet much shallower.
At the head of Wood Island we have
an average depth of 6.5 feet for width
of 1,2O0 feet, with total width OF
1900 feet.
AT a point opposite Newtown, we
have total width Of 2.S2O feet, with
an average depth of 6.5 feet, for a
width of 600 feet, the remainder, or
2,220 feet, has bed elevation about
equal to low tide.
| At the mouth of Old River we find
total width of $50 feet, with depth
of 25.S feet below low tide when aver
aged for 600 feet of width.
| Cache Slough is a deep tidal water
way, capable of reservoiring large
quantities of water at high tide. The
slough is untitled from sediment, and
therefore in prime condition to assist
a tidal flow. The great impediment in
| the way Of free tidal flow is, therefore
confined principally to the Newtown
shoals. If this impediment should be
removed, then will Cache Slough have
| lU miles of tidal area above this point
and Lindsay Slough 5 miles of addi-
tonal tidal area, in length, with a
width for both of from 500 to 200 feet
The tidal area of Yolo Basin can be
vastly improved by excavating a deer
channel from Cache Slough to Big
Lake, a distance of 10 miles. This
would not only give a much larger
tidal area, but would assist the escape
of f1ood-waters.
Let US again return to a considera-
tion of the profile. The most important
feature shown on this map and profits
the line shown as indicating the
probable depth of the river prior tc
1878. We observe that the original
channel contained deep water, at low
tide, all alonge the line, with the excep-
| ton of
THE NEWTOWN SHOALS.
1t is evident the Newtown Shoals
have existed ever since man has haG
any history of the river. We observ;
from the profiles that the shoal water
has gradually moved up stream, show
ing that where shallow waterI existed
IN 1871 there is now comparatively
deep water; therefore, the shoals are
of sedimentary formation, and the
indications are that no hard banks
| there prevail, requiring drastic meas
ures for removal. We therefore con-
clude that were the low water channe
confined to a proper width the work
of deepening the channel would at once
begin.
Let us now compare the river-bed
condition in 1878 with that of 1895, as
shown on profile. Nearly every point
along the line, from Collinsville to the
loot OF Grand Island, shows that the
river mas been excavating it's channel
since 1873. We find a difference in the
profile of from three to five and ten feet
in depth in favor of the increased depth
OF water. Very little, if any, deepen
ing has taken place on Newtown Shoals
Wherever the river runs through a
properly constructed channel with rea
sonable width, we find the river has
bettered itself. Wherever the channel
is faulty, there has been little, if any
| Improvement. The formation of Wood
Island, having divided the river into
two distinct channels, causes the profile
to show deep water where, in 1S41
there was shallow water. This is one
Of the greatest practical examples OF
the truthfulness of our position that can
be found in the history of the river. The
shore Of Wood Island has continued to
close up the channel by accretion, until
it is now of a width commensurate with
the flow of water, and is therefore deep
ening its channel between the shore OF
Wood Island and the main land.
At no point on the river from Collins
vile to Rio Vista do we find deep water
at low tide, unless the river is 900 or
LOCO feet in width.
If the NeWtown Shoals should be re-
moved we might expect tidal flow OF
six feet at ordinary high tide, whereas
we now have but three feet.
we nave made an approximate es-
innate Of the quantity of earth REQUIRED
to be removed in order to enlarge the
river capacity in conformity with the
suggestions already indicated 1t will
require the removal of 3,24S.59O cubic
yards of earth from the present bed Of
the river, and 1908, 900 cubic yards of
earth from the shore of Wood Island
making total excavation of 4.551. 500
cubic yards. The / .303. 900 wards mnst
be excavated by dredging, which can
De accomplished at cost not to exceed
S-1o,uUo, and probably for much less
The removal Of the 3.24S, $50 yards OF
earth on the shoals and in the bed of the