The San Francisco call., 1897-10-15
Engineers of the Public
Works Department
Report.
Submit Estimates of the COSt
of Necessary Improve
mentS.
Results Of Surveys Along the Sac
ramento and San Joaquin
RlvarS.
Special Dispatch to The CALL


SACRAMENTO, CAL. Oct. 14-Engi-
neers Nurse and Randle of the Public
Works Department yesterday submitted
to Commissioner Leake their report upon
recent surveys of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin rivers, and of Stockton Slough
and Mormon Channel. 1t was as follows
Hon. L. E Ledke Commissioner Cf Pub ic
V0rkS-SIR; We herewith respectfully trans
NIT our report upon surveys OF the Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin rivers, Stockton Chan
mel and Mormon S.Ough, made under your di-
rections and pursuant 10 Il resolution OF the
Auditing Board passed III meeting held
August 70, 1897, and req ueSting uch survey $
and examinations ss would enable you TO re-
port upon needed improvements therein aud
the cost OF executing The same.
survey OF existing levets along the right
bank OF the Sacramento River between Bryle's
Landing and point three miles below Fe8 ther
RlYer has been made to definitely de termine
The plan and cost of closing the many crevasses
above Elkhorn, and streng gthening and enlarg-
ing the present leyees to such height and d.
mensions as Will insure the efficiency of the pro-
posed easement in regulating the chaDneI ca
pacity OF the river and limiting as well the
food volume that finds its way through pres
ent cre7asses down through the Yolo basin TO
Cache Slough below. From Bryte's Landing
10 Elkhorn, distance OF about nine miles
the present leVee, with inconslderabe i'm
provements, Is in aeeepta bic condition for
protecting the AGRICULTURAL interests djoining
from ordieary floods and 10 fully serve u
factor in proposed river improvements.
From the E.khorn up the river to The Cave
d Clark ranch, a distance of about three miles
10 the lower end OF acceptable levees numel-
GUS crevasses, locally designated as the
Butcher, Jacobs and Hershey breaks, occurred
several yeas ago during food season, and
through uninterrupted scour have formed
washouts through which the river water is
diverted until its volume dwindles TO within
about two feet OF The present low water stage
The influences OF these creYssses upon the
flood plane may be known when it is learned
that the high-water stage near the mouth of
Feather RlYer has remained comparatively
unchanged, while the flood height at Sacra-
menlo has been lowered nearly four feet sin ce
the breaks occurred, and injurious influences
TO navigation found in a material rise of
the low-water plane throughout the reach af-
fected.
No surer evidence or clearer illustrate of
the certnlnty OF shoaling the Sacrame II to
River below tho point wnere so large portion
of the wafer is diverted can be found than are
afforded by the many cuts on the San Joaquin
River made during the last few years under
direction of the United States Government
Engineers in the maintenance aud improve
ment OF navigation.
In every instance where q cut has been m ade
the old channel with current made slug yish
BY the iessened volume occasloned BY the
aversion OF the greater portion 10 the new
channel above mas filed with silt until dry
sandbar defines the old river-bed during the
low-wRter stages.
To provide against further injury TO naviga-
tion and. in so far we can, 10 Introduce a
remedy Tor the ills already occasoned by pro-
,longed and injurious diversions of large
volume OF the water from the river chan mel
after the dangerous floods have passed, it is
proposed. after leYees OF suitable height and
dimension have been provided by the land
owners above and below selected site, TO con-
struct thereon permanent and sufficient
easement for limiting the discharge through
the Holo basin 10 food period only. and con-
fning TO the river channel at ali times such
volume as may be carried without serious
menace to the interests below.
Tne estimated number of cubic yards Of
earth work required TO repair the brea ks and
TO build the four and q quar'er miles of neces-
sary levee 10 height OF three feet above the
maximum food plane with an 8-inch crown
and a ) to l slope will be l25 500 This AT 10
cents per cubic yard will cost Sl2 $50
In view of the magnitude OF local agrlcuI-
turaI Interests, long devastated by floods, 1t is
10 be hoped that the incidental restoration OF
better conditions resulting from the execution
of the proposed plan OF river improvement
may serve as an incentive to concerted action
OF landowners and lead 10 the construction
OF greater portion of the necessary leyees
this fall and winter, in order that no DELAY
may attend the building OF an easement as
early next spring the weather and river
stage of the water will permit.
NO possible danger can follow the closing
OF many OF the breaks and construction
OF most OF the leyees this fall and Winlcr
For reasons OF economy that must suggest
themselves 10 business experience, the 81 e for
an easement has not been definitely selected,
ana as It's cost is largely determined by Ioca-
uon and surrounding conditions he pan
and estimate of cost, we beg to reserve for our
consideration after initiatory levee- building
has been commenced by the land owners.
meander survey OF Mormon Slough Stock
ton Channel and the San Joaquin River from
the junction OF Stockton Channel TO BLACKS
S,ough, has been made and the result COM
piled in map form for your inspection, is here
with submitted. Proposed channel rectIfca-
ton Is outlined therein and consists wholly of
cut offs'' in line with plan approved by the
United States Government engineers in rec
tllyIng channel sinuosities that retard food
discharge and make navigation difficult
The entire improvement recommended for
Mormon Slough, Stockton channel and the
San joaquin River, between Blacks Slough and
the mouth of Stockton Channe', ss shown
upon the map herewith su omitted will re-
Qulre the excavation. of about one-half m illion
yards OF material, which can only be done
with clamshell dredgers, because of disposi-
cents per cubic yard, or total cost of S35 OOO
Tor excavation. Additional cost of the ri o. h I
OF way for proposed new channel has not bee n
determined, but at most should not be per
mltted TO delay the prosecution of river i'm
proYement that depends on early action and
low water for economical execution. Plans
estimates, instructions for bidders and com
plete specifications for proposed leyee work
and excavation Newton Shoals on the Sac.
rameDto River, and for indicated improve
ments on the San joaquin River are herewith
submitted Tor your approval, with recon-
mendation that notices for proposals be early
published in accordance with the law govern
ing such ad yertisements
Our thanks sre due the Governme en-.
gineers for blue prints of recent SURVEYS of
Inc san JoHqnin River, embracing data OF
great value in the pre- para ton Of maps and
plans OF the San Joaquin River improvem ents
herewith recommended and su omitted. Very
respectfully,
A NURSE. Chief Engineer
1EoLGE y. HANDLE. A : sstant Engineer