The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-08-26
THE NEWTOWN SHOALS.
First Step Toward Improving the Channel
of the Sacramento.


owners, that the Auditing Board au-
thorize this department to construct
easements in accordance with the rec
concentrations and plans of the engi-
neers.
I further recommend that a full and
accurate survey be made with a view
TO preparing plans of work and esti-
mates of cost for Strengthening and en-
larging the levees to such dimensions
as may be found necessary to carry
the regulated flood volume that will
follow the construction of the proposed
easement in the vicinity of Elkhorn
ranch.
I recommend that a copy of the en-
gineer's report be furnished to the
Government Engineers, and that they
be requested to consider the same and
fix a time when they will confer with
representatives of the Auditing Board
and the Commissioner Of Public Works,
with a view of harmonizing opinions
and cooperating in the work Of river
Improvement. Respectfully submitted,
ED. F. LEAKE,
Commissioner of Public Works.
REPORT OF ENGINEER IN
CHARGE.
Commissioner Leake proceeded to
read the report made to him by Engi-
neer Nurse, which was as follows:
Hon. Ed. E. Leake. Commissioner of
Public Works-Sir: I herewith respect
fully transmit my report upon matters
communicated from you bearing date
of June =, 1897, relative to supplying
such information as was requested by
resolution of the Auditing Board at a
meeting held May 81, 1897. Such reso-
luton recites
First-That the Commissioner of
Public Works be requested to supply
to this board, at it's next meeting, a
plan for the improvement of the Sacra-
mento River. showing various works to
be performed in their order of neces-
sity, together with an estimate of the
cost by items and all other information
available touching upon the subject.
Second-That the Commissioner be
requested to supply this board with a
plan at its next meeting for the recti-
fication and improvement of the San
Joaquin River and Stockton and Nor
mon Channels. showing cost by items
of the different works necessary in the
order of their Importance, together
with such other information touching
upon the subject as may be available.
Owing to the limited time given in
which to collect and prepare the neces-
sary data and detail of estimates re-
qested by the Auditing Board, 1 have
been compelled to direct attention to
such features of the river improvement
problem as have been heretofore par
TALLY investigated and pronounced
most injurious to the navigation and
drainage interests of the lower Sacra-
mento Valley. Hence, the report here
presented is devoted exclusively to such
detail of estimate for least possible cost
required to execute the essential feat
ures of a general and complete plan of
river improvement submitted in the
report of J. r. Price to you, under date
Of November ID, 1896:
In the report of State Engineer
Ham Hall, to the Legislature of 1880,
it is represented that although the
ground work for the study of drainage
has been in a great measure laid in
the San Joaquin Valley, I have not
been able to secure data concerning
food phenomena which are necessary
subject in that valley" Furthermore,
while the deficiency in navigation facil-
tiles is an ever present inconvenience
and serious drawback to the welfare
of the valley, it must ever remain a
delicate work to establish and main
tain the best possible conditions in the
channels of this river for purposes of
navigation for the volume of water
habitually carried by it is barely suffi-
cient to admit of its successful treat
ment as a navigable stream. To prop
erly discuss this matter of flood vol
umes and channel capacities would ne
cessitate much more data than is at
my command.
Thus it win be seen that the San
joaquin. neither as to flood phenomena
nor navigability had been sufficiently
investigated by the State Engineer De-
partEent to justify the formulation or
submission Of a plan for even par
tally successful treatment in the line
of commercial needs or greater food
carrying capacities.
1t is thus absolutely impossible to
offer any meritorious plan of improve
ment, estimate of cost, or suggest in
detail the location of any system of
improvement of the San Joaquin River
or navigable sloughs referred to in
your resolution requesting such plan,
until such actual surveys as may be
required to complete the insufficient
data Of this office have been made and
completed.
If the Government engineers will col
| lect and compile the data and indicate
! the location where improvement may
be made it shall be my effort to de-
wise a plan for effective treatment OF
! the difficulties. and prepare estimates
/ Of cost for such Improvement. The
present Commissioner instituted re-
/ searches in the San Joaquin for essen
! tial data in the early part of his adj
/ ministration and earnestly sought TO
I extend such Investigations throughout
! the scope Of commercial need and
drainage interests, but was prevented
| in the further prosecution of such work
! by conditions over which he had no
control
! The Chairman of the Auditing Board
/ with yourself and Messrs. Price and
! Manson. as advisory engineers. called
upon the Government engineers. so !
am informed, and at that meeting Cap
/ tain Gillette. then in charge of the San
/ Joaquin River. stated that he would in
| the near future furnish this Office with
! the necessary data for San Joaquin
/ River work Not having received any
! report from the Government engineers
/ il renders it impossible for me to give
/ any estimate of the cost of. or set forth
the nature of the work required on the
| San Joaquin River.
! The Newtown Shoals. a serious anc
! increasing menace to navigation and
hiHdrance to the flood water outlet OF