The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-01


economical in the discharge of it's du-
ties. Respectfully submitted,
ED E. LEAKE,
Commissioner of Public Works.
ENGINEERS REPORT.
What the Engineers Of the Com
mission Have to Say.
The engineers were employed by the
board to make a thorough survey of
plans for river improvement. Their re-
port is quite detailed
Sacramento, November 80, 1885,
Hon. E. E. Leake, Commissioner of
Public Works for the State of Califor-
nia-Sir: On the 18th day Of May,
1897, we were employed to serve as en-
gineers to your commission, and direct
ed by you to at once prepare detail
plans for the various river improve
ments recommended in a general way
in your report bearing date of Novem-
Der 16, 1896
photographic data commensurate
with the Importance of the streams to
be treated, such as soundings, measure
ments of channel capacity, discharge at
times of flood flow, influence of levees
on water elevations, and the filling and
erosion of river beds, were efficiently
presented in your last report, and the
plans of river improvement since intro
duced have been carefully adjusted to
the existing conditions of lessened tidal
area, following the reclamation of the
overflow lands, and will serve as a con-
nected part in the comprehensive sys-
tenn Of artificial channel building and
deepening that must sooner or later be
introduced in the silt-bearing rivers of
our State.
THE GOVERNMENTS JURISDIC-
TION.
Section 3 of an Act Of Congress ap-
proved July 10, 1892, entitled IAN Act
making appropriations for the construc-
ton, repair and preservation of certain
public works on rivers and harbors and
for other purposes provides that, with
out permission of the Secretary of War,
it shall be unlawful to build any wharf
pier, dolphin. boom, dam, WEIR break
water, bulkhead, jetty or structure Of
any kind outside established harbor
lines, or where no harbor lines are or
may be established, in any port. road
stead, haven, harbor, navigable river
or other waters of the United States,
in such manner as shall obstruct or i'm
pair navigation, commerce or anchorage
of said waters; or to excavate or fill or
in any manner to alter or modify the
course, location, condition or capacity
of any port, roadstead, haven, harbor,
harbor of refuge or Enclosure within the
limits of any breakwater or of the chan
mel of any navigable water of the Unit
ed States. unless approved by the Sec
rotary of War.
Triplicate detail plans of each sepa-
rate Improvement contemplated have
been submitted to the Secretary of War,
and by him referred to the engineer Of
ficers or officer in charge of the dis
trict in which the work is to be located.
After the recommendations from that
source have been made, permissions to
execute the plans submitted have been
granted by the Secretary of War upon
the following conditions:
First-"That the expense of the work
shall be borne by the State
Second-"That the waterway formed
shall be free
Third--"That the United States Gov
eminent shall not be responsible for any
damage that may result to. private par
ties by reason of the work"
Fourth-''That the work shall be done
under the supervision of the engineer
officer Of the district
No delay has followed the receipt of
proper Governmental approval and per-
mission to execute the plans Of improve
ment we have deemed most efficient for
he
the Sacramento River, near Rio Vista.
and improving the navigation of the
San Joaquin River by making cut-offs
at the various sharp bends.
BENEFICIAL RESULTS ALREADY
NOTICEABLE.
Already the beneficial results of the
jetties at Newtown, on the Sacramento
River, and the improved alignments at
the various cut-offs on the San Joaquin
River, are plainly manifest in deeper,
shorter and safer channels for COM
merce and greater outlets for flood
water escape
A concrete overflow weir, 1900 feet
in length, with crest elevation care
fully adjusted to flood conditions, has
been constructed along the right bank
of the Sacramento River, about two
miles above Eakhorn Landing, in Yolo
County, for regulating the flood dis
charge through Yolo Basin by confin-
ing to the river channel the utmost
volume that it may safely carry with
out endangering property interests
along the river below.
Substantial levees have been con-
structed along the river banks for sew
eral miles above and below the Elk
horn weir, under the supervision of
your commission, and the great crew
asses heretofore existing, and furrowed
out to a depth nearly corresponding to
the low water plane of the river at low
water stage, by the erosive force of the
water volume injuriously diverted, have
been filled so that future diversion of
flood water will be limited in duration
and volume and regulated to place at
the weir.
This auxiliary work of river improve
ment was done by the land owners and
the Yolo County. Board Of Supervisors,
literally aided by contributions through
the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce,
which, at the instigation of this de-
partment, guaranteed such levee con-
struction on the assurance of the Com
missioner and board that the weir
would be constructed in the interests
of levee maintenance and channel inn
provement.
The purpose of all work so far under