The record-union., 1897-06-27
TO PROTECT YOLO'S BASIN.
Engineers Manson and Price Propose a
Remedy.
Easements by Which Floodwaters
Only Will Leave the River
Channel.

Highway Commissioners Manson ana
Price yesterday morning returned from
a trip up the river made at the re-
quest of Commissioner of Public Works
Leake for the purpose of ascertalnlhg
the nature and condition Of the breaks
on the Yolo side near Elk Horn Rancn,
through which the waters from the
stream now pour into the Yolo BASIN,
and for the further purpose OF estlrnat-
ing the probable cost of erecting pro-
posed easements, which will, except at
rare intervals, confine the water or
the stream to its natural channel and
to a great extent it is hoped, redeem
the major portion of the basin for ag-
ricultural purposes.
In speaking of the trip yesterday
Commissioner Price said the journey
from the lower Butcher break to the
Hershey break, a distance of three
miles up the stream, was made on
foot, and a careful examination made
of each of the three crevasses. All
along the river in the vicinity of the
breaks the Commissioners found ex-
cellent sites for Weirs, and were much
pleased with the outlook, feeling as
sured that the necessary protection
works can be erected and maintained
at a very moderate cost to the State.
The banks of the stream, Mr. Price
stated, are in such condition that
easements can be made at no great ex-
pense and once these shall have been
completed no water, except during
floods and extremely high water, will
ever find its way into the Yolo Basin.
With such easements as the Commits
in ind ha
the past winter would not have es-
capped into the basin for a longer Pc
riod than ten days, ana only limited
quantity would have passed through
them.
Before the contemplated easements
are constructed Commissioner Price is
of opinion that the levees, both above
and below the breaks, ought to be
thoroughly repaired and strengthened,
as restraining the water which now
escapes viii necessarily throw greater
pressure upon the levees, and a break
either above or below the easements
would render them entirely useless.
The Hershey break, or crevasse, ac-
cording to the estimate made by the
Commissioners, is at present about
1,200 feet wide About 800 feet of the
natural bank is comparatively intact,
and the reconstruction of the levee will
put it in excellent condition The re-
manning 400 feet is a deep crevasse,
and the water is at present flowing
through 200 feet of it at depth of five
feet The gauge at the foot of K
street in this city marks 1415 feet at
the present time, and low-water mark
is 912 feet, which means that the bed
of the outlet is fully down to low
water mark, and that when that point
has been reached on the Sacramento
water front the flow will continue
through the Hershey break into the
Yolo Basin.
To-day, continued Commissioner
Price, the Yolo Basin would be com
paratively dry had easements been
heretofore constructed at the Hershey
and Butcher breaks, and even wheat
crops could have been harvested on
land which is now covered with sew
eral feet of water.
The Butcher breaks, according to
the estimates made by the Commits
sioners, have not increased in size
during the last three or four years. and
are each about 800 feet wide. One of
them at the present time is entirely
dry, while the water flows through the
other at a depth of about two feet.
After hurried consultation, the
Commissioners agreed that an ease
ment ought to be made in the vicinity
of the Hershey break, With probably a
small one at or near one Of the two
Butcher breaks.
Engineers Manson and Price will, in
the course of a few days, prepare ex-
haustive plans of the proposed work
together with estimates of the cost Of
pushing it to completion, which will
together with their report, be usbmit-
ted to the Commissioner and to the
Auditing Board of Public Works.