The record-union., 1899-06-13
TO IMPROVE NAvIGkTION.
THE GOVERNMENT ENGINEERS
FAVOR wINGDAMs.
How They Propose to Expend the
Appropriation Of $40, 900 for
the Sacramento.

the Sacramento.
Congressman DeVries has forwarded
to the Chamber of Commerce of this
city the following letter from the Chief
of Engineers of the United States Army
concerning the character of the i'm
provements recommended for the Sac
ramento River by the coast engineers,
and which have been approved by the
Secretary of War:
United States Engineer Office,
San Francisco (Cal.), May 5, 1899.
Brigadier General John M. Wise,
Chief of Engineers, U. s. A,
Washington, D. c.
General: The Board of Engineers ap-
pointed under the provisions of the
River and Harbor Act of June 3, 1896,
has the honor to submit the following
project for the expenditure of funds
appropriated by Congress in Act of
March 3, 1899, for
Improving Sacramento River, Cali
fornia, from the city Of Sacramento to
the mouth; continuing Improvement,
$4,000; provided that a contract or
contracts may be entered into by the
Secretary of War for such materials
and work as may be necessary to carry
out the revised project printed in House
Document No. 1885, Fffty-fifth Con-
gress, second session. and House Docu-
ment No. 4S, Fifty-fifth Congress.
third session, to be paid for as appro-
priations may from time to time be
made by law, not to exceed in the ag-
gregate the sum of $250,O00, exclusive
of amount herein and heretofore ap-
propriated. etc. ~"
The projects referred to are reports
made by the Board of Engineers, dated
respectively December IA, 1897, and
October IL, 1898, which recommend a
treatment of the river below Sacra-
mento, at certain shoals known as Iron
House, Foot of Ida Island, Head of Ida
Island, near Clarksburg, vicinity of
Heacock Shoals and opposite to and
just below the city of Sacramento, by
means of contraction works Or wing
| dams, consisting of piles, brush and
| rock, at each CT above localities, sup
plemented by dredging if required, the
total estimated cost of which was $50
GOO.
Of the shoals mentioned, those in the
immediate vicinity of Sacramento are
probably the more important, as they
are variable in position and depth, and
| cause more interference with naviga-
ton than those below For this reason,
it is deemed injudicious to attempt their
removal or betterment before the 9TH
ers.
From cross-sections Of the river made
in recent years, and based on surveys
made under direction of the Board, and
by officers formerly in charge Of the
river, it is noted that in long reaches
of the river where the low water width
between banks is approximately 500
feet, channel depths of seven feet or
more. of ample width, are found; for
this reason, we have designed wing
dams which will afford about a o0O
feet width OF channel and have located
them ON the right bank, because the
wharves of the city of Sacramento are
situated ON the left bank, which is also
| reverted with stone, and therefore not
liable to wash. The works as desig-
mated ought to maintain a satisfactory
channel Of sufficient depth on the
slightly concaye side of the river next
to the wharves, where most required.
The exact location Of the proposed
wing dams, the order in which they
should be built, the number required,
and their distance apart, are matters
not definitely fixed. 1t would probably
be we'll to commence at the upper end
of the reach, as shown on tracing here
with, and after the first three or four
wing dams are constructed, to OBJ
serve whether or not they are produc-
ing the effect hoped for, and thus de-
termine the proper location of those to
be built below in that reach. 1t is pos
sible that a lesser number of wing
dams than those shown on the map
may produce the desired effect; if so,
only such as are necessary should be
built; it is hardly probable that a
greater number will be required for
this reach.
1t cannot be- determined beforehand
just when the material secured from
this should we'll find 1odgment. There
is a material contraction in the first
bend below this reach about mile be-
low the city of Sacramento, where the
low-water width of the river is about
300 feet, which gradually increases to
600 feet in width, and in which depths
from ten to thirty feet are found; then
the width again increases to 700 or 800
feet just above Sutteaville, where other
shoals have occasionally interfered
with navigation. Should the treatment
Of the Sacramento reach prove success
full. we could thereafter probably as
certain where the material secured had
found Judgment, and then determine
the propriety of continuing similar
treatment for the next shoal reach be-
low, and locate the positions for such
wing dams as might be necessary. AT
other shoals, where occasional wing
dams have been built to relieve the
pressing wants Of navigation, and with
out regard to- any systematic treatment
of the river, the effect in materially
deepening the water was almost inn
mediate.
It has been observed in this river that
bars which in some seasons interfered
for a short time with navigation would
disappear before preparation for their
removal could be made. AS an illus
tratdon of this fact two engineer boards
in 1891 made estimates for the removal
of shoals at Iron House, Ida Island and
ether localities referred to in their re-
ports. In 1892 Congress appropriated
money, portion of which could be
used for the removal of these shoals.
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