The San Francisco call., 1904-04-29
RECTIFYING THE RIVERS.

I HE River Convention, to be held May will
have under consideration matter of very great
the whole State. River islands and delta
and bottom lands everywhere the most fertile In
this State such lands of peculiar value because OF the
friendly climate and the succession and variety
crops In the Mississippi Valley lower reaches
such lands of much Importance and their crops
and rice valuable that they supply the
Federal Government motive for the large expendi-
lures made necessary to protect them from annual
flooding. Nature made some provision in tie many bay
Gus the west side of the river, which assist in the
drainage
In this State the problem is practically confined the
Sacramento That river the greatest flow The
Tuoumne is second Its floods. however in June,
and by adding the flow of the San Joaquin it's
carrying capacity. But the Tuoumne floods in the
future be controlled very largely by the diversion of
the June food at La Grange for in the rriga-
ton districts of Modesto and Turlock So, it may be
safely said that when the Sacramento is rectihed the
food damage will be reduced minimum.
We discuss the subject without pretense of expert
knowledge but for the purpose of melting those inter-
ested and the experts examination that will put
practical plans before the convention the end that
deliberations issue in plan that will work. There
general plans One let the floods reach the
region of Sacramento and take of them by increas
ing the carrying capacity of the river below that point of
The other divert the surplus
above Sacramento take of the channel and it
Susun Bay bill to effect this diversion has been
proposed in the Legislature and favorably reported
by the committee but not acted on
The plan, proposed by engineer is to construct
weir thousand feet long, about two miles
above Butte City, to spill the floods into Yolo Basin
There the water be confined by embankments two
thousand feet apart and through this canal conduct
the food the bay. The fall is ninety FIVE feet in the
hundred miles from weir to bay. The only obstacle is
low ridge about two feet above grade Knights Land
;o he ohanLp, u;u
be substantial and broad enough for ordinary high
way or bed for electric road thus furnishing
transportation facility and means of communication
The canal would also intercept all the drainage from
the side and carry off without reaching the river
1t will be that this is effect, the creation of
artificial bayou relieve the the natural bayous
relieve the lower Mississippi 1t will also be reclama
ton proposition for it will protect from overflow many
thousand of bottom land used at all or
subject to destruction OF crops by food.
We do not know whether fall is sufficient for the
purpose whether waste weir can be constructed so
to withstand flood pressure The plan presents no
estimate OF the cost but proposes that bonds be issued
under State guarantee, and that they be taken up by
sinking fund derived from levied the lands that
protected from overflow. The proceeds of this
to go into the State treasury bond fund to take
up the issue. AS the Modesto and Turlock districts
stand first for irrigation of $40 per and the
delta and bottom lands of the Sacramento and San Joa-
gum cost Tor evees OF SI5 to 5 per acre. 1t is probable
the acreage relieved by this artificial bayou could bear
bond sufficient do the work.
1t is claimed that such diversion of the foods by
leaving the Sacramento River only its banks full of
ter, would maintain its securing current and deepen its
channel to the improvement of its navgabity and gen.
era usefulness. This reasonable when the wa
overows the banks and spreads country the
not confined to the channel and instead of
securing it receives the silt, which precpjtaes as the
he
canal keep the floods from spreading the
Yoo Basin all that land this side of Sacramento which
is covered with water every spring for months at time
would be reclaimed and is very fertile and valuable
We have doubt that if the plan is feasible private
enterprise could raise the capital buy all region to
be protected put in the canal and make handsome
profit by selling the reclaimed lands This implies of
course, the willingness of present holders to sell at
figure that would justify the investment