The record-union., 1896-01-28

I1On, was IZO 1eeL. MT. ETlC0 duuS IldL
at Sacramento the fill has been from
sixteen to nineteen feet, and that the
low water line has been raised as fol-
lows: In 1878 the low-water plane had
risen 81 feet; from 1854 to 1885, 81
feet; from 1854 to 1890, S.5 feet; from
1854 to 1895. 6.7 feet.
In 1889 there was a break in the
levee below and opposite this city
known as the Paine break. The diver
sion of part of the volume of the stream
through it had the usual effect, namely
to check the current below it and aug
ment deposition of silt, and this process
gave us the extreme elevation of the low
water in 1890, while Government work
on a bar known as Haycock shoal. be-
low the break, gave US the decrease in
elevation of the low water line in 1895.
The Paine break caused the increase
in the velocity of the stream and aug
mented erosion, so that 100000 cubic
yards Of matter was secured out in
front of this city where water ran for
erosion. Just what were the effects of
the Paine break on river filling is as
certained from the report of Major
Heuer, u. S. A., Engineering Corps, who
declares that the filling of the river ex-
tended for seven miles below the Gre
vase.
Mr. Price says that four miles below
the confluence of the Feather and the
Sacramento the levees destroyed for
some miles three seasons ago have so
remained, and the banks have washed
away to nearly low water level. The
heavy sands of the Feather have poured
out through these four breaks into the
basin making deposits from one to six
feet deep. Now, the Feather has fall
of ten inches while that of the Sacra-
mento is four inches to the mile. He
continues:
1.-The rapidly descending waters of the
Feather enter the sluggish waters of the
Sacramento loaded with it's immense
body of slickens, sand, and possibly
small gravel, and with the extra i'm
rushes on down the Sacramento, por-
tion of it being deposited in the Yolo
basin, the latter part passing on down
the Sacramento River to be unloaded
as it approaches a greater velocity,
which is must necessarily do within a
few miles of distance.
1--WE must, therefore, expect to find the
river bed raised below the breaks. We
arkrf.~ 14ro 60 49,
bility of the stream is certainly in dan
ger, We can come to no other con-
clusion than that the rivers have al
ready commenced the formation of
delta at this point, and the universal
rule in the formation of deltas is injury
to navigation.
TT seems to us that the Government
is acting a very lame part to permit
this condition to continue. We seriously
doubt the ability of the Iow-water Pc
riods to scour out the deposits here
made, and if we are correct in this GER
tainly we can expect nothing short of
the serious injury to navigation in the
Sacramento River"
Engineer Price does not advise clos
ing the broken levees below the mouth
Of the Feather River, but he holds that
the United States Government should
prevent the escape of the food waters
at a lower elevation than the natural
banks. We think that he will come to
the conclusion that the level of these
escape-ways should be somewhat
higher than the crown of the natural
banks. He holds that as the confluence
of the Sacramento and the Feather is
the point of greatest concentration of
food waters, where there may at flood
times as great g. volume as 100000
cubic feet present for disposition, and
as the Sacramento in its present in
jured condition can carry but $4,000
cubic feet per second without subject
ing levee defenses to dangerous tests,
the conclusion is inevitable that the
river needs thorough treatment, sys-
tematic treatment, comprehensive
treatment. and be no more given patch
work and make-shift concern.
He well says permanently divide the
waters of the Sacramento as is now
threatened and her navigation will be
destroyed, a delta made Of the upper
portion Of the lower Sacramento Val
ley, and raise the plane of high water
reached beyond the control of man.
The question that confronts this peo-
pie is a simple one: Shall this be per-
mitted?" The reply is obvious; it will
be permitted if the Government does
not act promptly and with great liber-
atty of expenditure. Government
will not so act If California is divided
on this subject. She must be a unit in
favor Of the salvation Of the river.
whatever that may embrace among the
necessities to accomplish it.
The measure of all others that is
nearest the right thing. that seems to
offer the speediest relief and open the
most rational avenue leading to the de-
sired end, is the bill of Congressman
Grove L. Johnson, which provides for
comprehensive examination of the
rivers by United States Army Engi-
neering Commission, to report what is
necessary treatment, and meanwhile,
under appropriation, to proceed with
the intermediate work of clearing and
correcting that will serve to improve
the river pending the beginning of COM
prehensive treatment under the con-
tract system.
Whatever can be done with honor