The record-union., 1897-10-14
FOR IMPROVING THE RIVERS.
REPORT BY ENGINEERS NURSE
AND RANDLE.
Proposed Easements and Their
Cost-The Jetty System at
Newtown Shoals.

Engineers Nurse and Randle of the
Public Works Department have sub
mitted to Commissioner Leake their re-
port on the recent surveys made on the
Sacramento and the San Joaquin Riv-
ers, and Stockton Slough and Mormon
Channel, as per instructions from the
Auditing Board to the Commissioners
of Public Works
The subject matter Of the report is
Of the greatest interest, not only to per-
sons who live along the water courses
mentioned, but to all who are interested
in the betterment Of navigation, and is
given in full. s.follows;
Hon. E. E. Leake, Commissioner OF
Public Works-Sir: We herewith respect
fully transmit our report upon surveys
Of the Sacramento and San Joaquin
Rivers, Stockton Slough and mormon
Channel made under your direction an1
pursuant TO resolution or the Auultlls
Board passed at a meeting held August
p, 1897, and requesting such surveys ana
examinations as would enable you 70
report upon needed improvements lheFe-
in and the cost of executing the same:
A survey of existing levees along the
right bank of the Sacramento River pe-
tween Brytes Landing and point about
three miles below Feather River has
been made to definitely determine the
plan and cost Of closing the many ere
vases above EllIhorn and STRENGTHENING
and enlarging the present Ievees TO such
hight and dimensions as VIII insure lhe
efficiency of a proposed easement IN reg
ulating the channel capacity of the river,
and limiting as well the Hood volume
that finds its way through present ere
vases down through the Yolo BASIN 10
Cache Slough below. From Bryte's Land
ing to Elkhorn, distance or ABOUT nine
miles, the present levee, with lnconsld-
IL. a1afc 10
condition for protecting the agricultural
interests adjoining from ordinary hoods;
and to fully serve as factor IN proposed
river improvements.
From the Elkhorn up the river 10 the
Cave and Clark ranch, distance OF
about five miles, to the lower end OF ac-
ceptable levees, numerous ereYasses, 10.
cally designated as the Butcher, JACOBS
and Hershey breaks, occurred several
years ago during flood season, and
through uninterrupted scour have formed
WashOut through which the river water
is diverted until its volume dwindles. to
within about two feet of the present low
water stage.
flood plane may be known when it Is
learned that the high water stage near
the mouth of Feather River has remain
ed comparatively unchanged, While the
flood hight at Sacramento has been loW5
cred nearly four feet since the breaks
occurred, and injurious influence TO navl-
cation is found in a material rise OF the
low water plane throughout the I6dcn
affected To provide against further in
Jury to navigation and, in so far as we
can, to introduce a remedy for the Ills
already occasioned by prolonged and IN
furious diversion of a large volume OF
the water from the river channel after
the dangerous floods have passed, 1t Is
proposed, after levees of suitable night
and dimension have been provided Dy the
landowners above and below a selected
site 10 construct thereon a permanent
and sufficient easement for limiting the
discharge through Yolo Basin TO Hood pc
Rod only and conhnlng 10 the rlVer
channel at all times such volume as may
be carried without serious menace to the
interests below.
The estimated number of cubic yards
of earthwork required to repair the
breaks and TO build the four and one
fourth miles of necessary leVee 10 a hlght
of three feet above maximum flood plane
with eight degree crown and three de-
grees to one degree slopes will be l23,5O0.
This at 10 cents per cubic yard Will cost
$l2. $50.
In view of the magnitude of local agri-
cultural interests slong devastated by
floods, it is to be hoped that the incl
dental restoration of better conditions re-
sulting from the execution OF the propos-
ed plan of river improvement may serve
as an incentive to concerted action or
landowners and lead to the construction
of a greater portion of the necessary le-
wees this fall and winter, in order that
no delay may attend the building OF an
easement as early next spring as the
weather and river stage OF the water VIII
permit
No possible danger can follow the clos
ing of many of the breaks and construc-
tion of most of the levees this fall and
winter For reasons OF economy that
must suggest themselves to business ex-
perience, the site for an easement has
not been definitely selected, and as its
cost is largely determined by location
and surrounding conditions, the plan and
estimate of cost we beg to reserve for
your consideration after initiatory leyee
building has been commenced by the land
owners A meander survey Of Mormon
Slough. Stockton Channel and the San
JOAQUIN River, from the junction of
Stockton Channel to Blacks Slough, has
been made and the result compiled in map
form for your inspection is herewith SUD-
mitted. Proposed channel rectincauon is
outlined therein, and consists wholly OF
Tcut offs in line with plan approved by
the United States Government engineers
in rectifying channel sinuosities that re-
tard flood discharge and make navigation
difficult. The entire Improvement recon-
mended for Mormon Slough, Stockton
Channel and the San Joaquin River, be-
tween Blacks Slough and the mouth OF
Stockton Channel, is shown upon the map
herewith submitted, will require the eX
cavation Of about one-haIf mllllOn yards
of material, which can only be done With
clam-sheu dredgers, because OF dlsposi-
ton of material. at an estimate price of
cents per cubic yard, or total cost OF
SS5 coo for excavation. Additional cost
of right of way for proposed new chan
mel has not been determined, but at most
should not be permitted TO delay the
prosecution of river Improvement that
depends on early action and low water
for economical execution. Plans, esti-
mates, instructions for bidders and coIh-
plete specifications for proposed leVce
work and excavation at NeWtown Shoals
on the Sacramento River and for indi-
Gated improvements on the San Joaquin
River are herewith submitted for your
approval with a recommendation that
notices for proposals be early published
in accordance with the law governing
such advertisements
Our thanks are due the Government
engineers for blue prints of recent sur
veys of the San Joaquin River, embraC-
ing data of great value in the prepara-
ton of maps and plans of the San Joa-
quin River improvements herewith
recommended and submitted.