The record-union., 1898-01-29

the direction of the power Of water, can
either deepen or shoal a stream. Let
us now consult some OF the master au-
thorities on this subject.
From report of Mississippi River
Commission, 1880: 1T would seem.
therefore, that the plan of improve
ment must comprise as its essential
features the contraction Of the water
way of the river to a comparatively
uniform width and the protection of
caving banks, and this is presumed to
be the plan referred to in the Act as
the 'Jetty SYSTEM The work to be
done, therefore, is to scour out and
maintain a channel through the shoals
and bars existing in those portions OF
the river where the width is excessive,
and to build UP new banks and develop
new shore-lines, so as to establish, as
far as practicable. the requisite condi-
tions of uniform velocity for all stages
of the river
The same report says: "These gen.
eral principles may be briefly and COM
prehensively stated as follows, viz: II
the normal volume of water in Silt
bearing stream, flowing in an alluViai
bed of its own formation. be perma-
nently increased, there will result an
increase Of velocity, and consequently
Of erosive and silt-bearing power, ALI
increase of area of cross-section, ana
an ultimate lowering of the surface
slope"
The jetties at the mouth of the Mis-
sissippi River secured out Of the bed
of the channel, in one year, 1.519,Sl2
cubic yards of material. Corthell says:
Between January Goth and April ),
1879, the depth on the bar increased
from 23.9 feet to 272 feet. The spring
floods produce a development the en-
tire length of the jetties, which result
ed. on April 7th, in a channel % feet
deep and 200 feet wide. which was GER
tilted 10 by Captain Brown. y. ). A.
EASEMENTS.
Page IS: The authorities heretofore
cited, and the living example before
us. indicated by the Improvement OK
the river from Rio Vista to Collinsville,
direct us to the remedy desired.
The volume of water discharged
during food season by the main river
must be increased Extreme flood
waters cannot be confined to the dis
charge capacity of the present river, pul
the conditions should be such that the
river should conduct all the water pos
sible up to the safety line before a
particle should be permitted to es-
cape.
I'm order to accomplish this fact,
we must construct easements, or weirs,
below the mouth of the Feather River,
on the Sacramento, of such an eieva-
ton of overfall as will meet the re-
quirements of safety and durability.
These easements should be built in
solid concrete, perfectly safe from de-
structior by the opposing forces of
the floods 1t will not be the purpose
of these easements to raise the flood
line, but rather to confine greater
volume of water in the original stream,
after the extreme flood has passed. The
surplus waters Of the extreme flood
period which generally occupies but
three to six days in passing, will be
expected to take its present course un-
til the time shall have arrived when
the rivec shall have deepened its chan
mel sufficiently to discharge any ordi-
nary flood. The engineer will find no
difficulty in constructing his easements
in such q manner as to conform to the
requirements of the problem"
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER.
From page SO: "A preliminary exam
ination Of the San Joaquin River pre-
sents conditions which would indicate
the need of a general plan Of river i'm
provement.
THE consideration Of navigation en-
ters largely into the question, and a
study of food relief involves as well the
importance of deep waterways as does
the safety of lands from overflow.
I'VE have seen in our discussion Of
the problem of deepening the Sacra-
er of flcoG- waters should be conserved
in order that the river might better its
condition. We are convinced, from our
partial examination of the San Joa-
quin River, that the same principle
will apply as we'll to this river as 10
the Sacramento"
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
The Auditing Board was appointed
by the Governor on April 80, 1891 On
May IA, 1897, the Auditing Board or.
ganized. and requested Hon. Ed. r.
Leake. John r, Price, Chief Engineer,
and NJ. a. Nurse, Assistant Engineer,
these being the parties who prepared
the report, dated November 16, 1896,
which is made the basis Of operations,
to attend said meeting and consult and
advise with the Auditing Board as to
what steps the Auditing Board should
take to carry out the provisions OF said
report. The advice given the board
was:
First-Find out of what material
the NewtCwn Shoals were composed.
Second-Take the necessary steps to
remove the shoals.
Third-Ma the necessary surveys
and plans and estimates of cost for the
proposed easement near Elkhorn Land
ing in Ioio County
Fourtn-Let contracts to straighten
the San Joaquin River at certain places
indicated.
The beard took the advice of the
engineers; had Newtown Shoals thor
oughly investigated, and, finding The
material to be sand, had the necessary
plans and specifications made adver-
tised ana let contracts to put in jet
ties, as recommended in said report
Of the commission for the removal
of NewtCwn Shoals and to excavate
two cut-cffs on the San Joaquin River
These improvements win be prosecuted
TO completion under these contracts as
soon as the plans are approved by the
United States army officers. And as
soon as all the necessary steps for
strengthening and enlarging the leveas
are taken by the landowners on the
west bank of the Sacramento River, in
Yolo County. the easement or easements
will ba hIIilt