The record-union., 1896-11-28
IMPROVEMENT OF IHE
SACRAMENTO RIVER.
Methods Employed in Regard to Other Streams Ap-
picabk Here.

CARRYING the sediment poured into it by
it's tributaries without taking up any
additional quantity from its own bed.
AS the slope is gradually low
cred by each addition to the volume,
which the channel is compelled to re-
ceive and carry, the capacity of the
Sacramento, like that Of all other
streams flowing through their own de-
posits, will be only limited by the vol
ume it is compelled to carry; and as the
lowering of the slope brings the flood
surface, at first, below the tops of the
levees, and finally below the tops of the
SO on still lower, if the volume be still
more increased, it follows that, when the
channel is once corrected, the volume
can be more rapidly augmented each
succeeding year. and thus what may at
first seem a paradox becomes reality
namely, the larger the volume of the
flood carried in the river the less will be
the need of levees. But the lowering of
the river floods at Sacramento City, be-
low the natural surface of the land
there, after a proper correction Of the
channel shall have been made, will be a
question of the volume Of discharge
through it. If this be sufficiently in
creased the fiood-line can be perma-
nently kept below the lands in the vi
cinity of the city without levees." From
report, 1880, to his Excellency George c.
Perkins, Governor Of California;
We have observed, from calculations
a. III
can increase the volume Of flow largely
by the corrections named, viz, from 30
per cent. to 80 per cent. from the foot Of
Grand Island to the mouth of the Sacra-
mento.
With Horseshoe Bend corrected we
the lower river so that there can be no
question as to it's carrying capacity.
From the conclusions drawn from
the cases of river improvement above
cited, and the authority just noticed,
we are justified In concluding that the
Sacramento River can be deepened, can
be improved, can be made the great
drainway Of the valley.
The all-absorbing question now con-
fronting the people of the Sacramento
Valley, from the head of overflow to
the sea, Is the problem of lowering the
surface Of the food-waters and the
maintenance of a low flood line
throughout the valley. We may build
relief canals; we may pile higher and
higher our levee system, but what avail
is 1T If the bed of the river continues to
rise; the outlet continues to choke up,
the passage to the bay and the upper
valley is converted into a flood ocean
Nature originally cut the arteries Of
drainage for the purpose Of accommo-
dating the waters of the valley. The
beds of these arteries or streams were,
and are now, to some extent below the
surface Of the adjacent overfiowed
lands Therefore. fill up the streams
and you force nature to assert her
privileges, and in order to maintain her
drainage capacity she spreads over the
surface of all low lands. The velocity
Is therefore checked: the working power
Of your water is exhausted in overcom-
ing the friction of its unnatural bed
and the inevitable result is the de-
struction of both navigation and recla-
nation.
How can the Butte, Colusa and SUIT
ter basins expect to obtain relief when
nature is forced to make a water dam
from the confluence of the Sacramento
and Feather to Suisun Bay?
The first. and therefore most import
ant step, is the acquiring of an outlet
for the lower river.
YOLO BASIN CREVASSE.
We now naturally arrive at a point
in our discussion which requires an an
swer to the query, How to increase the
flow in the main river?" This ques-
ton involves the control of the large
crevasses now permitted to exist just
below the confluence of the Sacramento
and Feather Rivers.
It is shown by Humphreys and Abb
bott. in their report on the Mississippi
River, that an ordinary crevasse on
that river does not produce a shoaling
of the river bed below the exit of the
crevasse. We must, however, not con-
clude from these statements that all
crevasses do not produce shoaling OF
bars below the debouchure.
If their examinations prove anything
Il is certainly nothing more than that
a. deep river can suffer the effect Of a
small crevasse without any perceptible
effect upon the silt-bearing capacity of
the stream. so long as the crevasse is
not deep or the velocity of the stream
below the crevasse retarded.
The Mississippi River has a depth of
from co to 10 feet, from the mouth of
the Ohio to New Orleans. The Sacra-
mento has a depth at low water Of
from TO 10 feet, from Feather River
to the foot of Grand Island. At high
&c innvoaca cal =
TO 20 feet more. giving depth of 90 to
30 feet during food periods.
Observe therefore. the great differ
ence between the Mississippi River and
the Sacramento.
4 crevasse in the bank of the Mis-
sissippi has merely the effect of draw
ing off the very lightest silt. The vol
urne of water discharged by any one
crevasse in the bank Of the Mississippi
is not to exceed one-fifth part of the
volume of flow, and probably not more
than one-tenth-
What are the conditions on the Sac
ramento? We have a series of crew
asses below the confluence of the
Feather and Sacramento whose COM
blned discharge IS. at flood season, not
less than three-fourths of the whole
flood flow. Thus In January, 1896. we
have a food presented, above these
crevasses, with a volume none less than
121 900 cubic feet of water per second
while below the crevasses not more
than 10000 cubic feet per second Is
flowing down the original stream.
Thus we see the main stream loses
three-fourths of its volume at once. the
bed, or lowest portions of the outlets
being about low water. There is not
TO exceed 6 to 10 feet of water in the
main stream below the bed of the
crevasses.
The velocity Of the river just above
the point OF exit of the water through