The record-union., 1896-02-08


? to l. 1t was built almost entirely by
scrapers, and is firm, solid and COM
pact. Its crest was originally 3 feet
above high-water mark, but owing to
the fluctuating gradient of the river
and the continued increase in the eleva-
ton of high-water mark it should be
raised to an average additional hight Of
foot, with top width Of 10 feet, and
subsequently maintained as a driveway
if possible.
There are some few places along the
length of this Ievee, notably on the lands
of George Peters, May Dunn and
Whiteley estate, that require attention
and additional work at the earliest op-
portunity. The small stretch of levee
extending along the county road at
Peters Ferry is comparatively weak,
and should be cleaned of brush,
strengthened and the gophers therein
poisoned.
In my opinion there is, in preserving
the integrity of this whole Ievee, more
danger to be feared from gopher holes
than from the possibility of danger
from other sources. These pests should
be handled Systematically, each land
their destruction A spasmodic action
is of no avail, and unless every land
owner in the district does his full duty,
sparing neither time nor expense, in
effecting their total destruction. the
work of the few will be almost thrown
away, and impending disaster to the
levee will be the possible result of the
neglect. If concerted action by all of
the landowners cannot be successfully
obtained, then the Trustees should take
the matter in hand, and prosecute the
work diligently at rhe experse of the
district Regardless Of the size or
shape of the levee, these IS must be
gotten rid of before we can rest in per-
feet security in flood time.
The stretch of levee extending from
George Peters house to his lower Inns
is exposed to the direct action Of the
rapid current on the convex bend of
the river, and at the earliest opportu-
nifty lateral brush wings should be con-
structed to nullify the current and di
rect it further away from shore. My
estimate of the total amount required
in the repair of this levee is, 10000 Gu.
bic yards of earth at 10 cents, $3.000
BACK LEVEE.
From the junction of Jobs or Cos
ling's Slough, with the Sacramento
River, at the division line between the
lands of Henry Coleman and Mrs. Will
Jams, advantage is taken Of the nat
ural high banks ordering on each side
of this slough, and which extends in a
general northerly direction about 1000
feet, at which point the bank is at an
average of 4 $40 feet above the eleva-
tion of high back water. From this
point a back levee should be con-
strueted, extending in a northerly di
rection between the lands Of Gosling,
WeiseI and AIcNasser ON the west, and
Schreiner, Nusbaumer, Zoller and
Gracia on the east, a distance of ap-
proximately $4,000 feet, and con-
strueted to an average hight of from 6
to feet.
It is very essential that this levee
should be strong and doubly guarded
to prevent possible contingencies, and
to ward off the vandal acts of those
feloniously inclined, who might deem
it to their advantage to disrupt this
levee, by explosive agencies or other
wise.
have planned this 1evee IA feet wide
on top, and with side slopes of 3 to /
outside and to l inside, and with its
crest 4 feet above high water mark,
which in my opinion will be ample to
withstand any water that will ever be
brought to bear against this levee.
The only way in which this levee
could be constructed with economy
would be by the use of a dredger or
ditcher. Fifteen feet would be re-
quired on the outside of the levee base
for a bernie before digging should be
permitted.
If possible the small strip of land
lying along the west line of Mrs. Zoll-
ers' should be purchased by some land
owner in the district and after pur-
suing the proper legal course, the levee
should be constructed on a straight line
due north to the southeast corner of
the Fern ranch, now owned by James
McNasser. From this point the hight
of the crest of the levee should be
gradually increased as it approaches
the river levee to provide for the possi-
bic breaking of the river levee of Dis
trict 535. This levee along the Fern
ranch should be located on a Inc nearly
parallel to the outside boundary line
of the district, and far enough removed
therefrom to permit of the excavation
and berme necessary, and the berme
should be planted to willows, so as to
break the force Of waves or currents
which may be brought against it. This
levee 50 constructed will require 165, $50
cubic yards, at an estimated cost of 8
cents. $13, ,212.
DRAINAGE.
For the proper drainage of the dis
trict there will be required one main
drain, extending from north to south
along the line Of lowest elevation con
sistent with the proper alignment Of
the canal. Owing to the fact that the
backwater is now, and has been for
some weeks past so high and the tules
sc dense, 1 have found it impracticable
to make detailed surveys for the pur-
pose of definitely locating this main
drain, but from former surveys I am
enabled to arrive at close approxima-
tion of the cost of its construction.
The topography Of the district and its
surroundings clearly indicate that the
drain must extend from the northerly
extremity of the district, and thence in
a southerly direction to the pump sump,
which. if the character Of the subsoil
will admit of it, should be located near
the southeast corner of the district.
The grade line of the high water
mark of the Sacramento River, between
Sacramento City and the upper end Of
the district, shows a fall of SO feet,
and from the upper to the lower end of
the district the grade line shows a fur
ther fall of 81 feet. making a total fall
from Sacramento City to the lower end
of District No. 673 of 6.3 feet
The bank land falls correspondence