Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-09
TO BUILD LONG TUNNEL
INCREASING THE WATER SUPPLY
OF SANTA BARBARA.
Conduit Will Be Constructed From the
Santa Ynez River, Eighty
Miles North.

The city of Santa Barbara in southern
California is situated on a narrow coastal
plain. backed by a high range of noun
tains. 1t is a locality blessed with great
beauty. being sometimes called the Amer
lean Riviera, but with naturally deficient
water supply. The streams coming off the
coastal face of the Santa Ynez range are
small in drainage area and fiashy in regi-
men.
This Santa Ynez range of mountains con-
sists Of shale and sandstone. the strike of
the formation being parallel to the coast
and the dip practically vertical. The rocks
are assured. and there is stored therein
material quantity of water. The city of
Santa Barbara has run tunnel line 5000
feet IN length into this range of noun
tains. 1t was found that. during the time
when this tunnel was being actively ex-
tended. a sufficient quantity of water was
developed to supply the greater portion of
the city-in other words. that as the tunnel
progressed one assure after another was
opened which. in draining of maintained
substantial flow from the tunnel. When
work was suspended this supply materially
decreased. In order to regulate and con-
troll this the interesting experiment was
adopted of building masonry bulkhead
near the outer end of the tunnel and in
serting therein a pipe with a gate. so that
the tunnel could be tightly closed This
vas not placed in time TO get the full ben
eft of the winter rains, but the opening
was partly closed before the end of the So
called wet season
Storing Up the Waters.
The rain waters accommodating in the ifs
sures in the rocks were again stored there
in. A pressure gauge placed in this bulk
head indicated that the tunnel not only
filled but that head of 100 feet was
Accumulated in TIE assures, notwithstanding
the fact that the flow was not entirely cut
Off but only reduced from about 100000 to
25OOC0 gallons per day. During the rainy
season the local streams furnished an ade-
auate supply for the city. AS the rainy
season passed the gate in the tunnel was
slowly opened. and this stored water was
used during the past season to successfully
carry the city through the dry portion of
the year. the output being about 251 90
gallons daily for 200 days after which the
gate was entirely opened and a decreased
supply continued. The town of Santa Bar
bara, however, is growing so rapidly that
an additional water supply is urgently
needed.
,rhe United States geological survey has
made, a general study of the water supply
Of southern California. and of the Santa
YneZ river in particular. This stream noWs
westerly on the northern side of the Santa
Ynaz range of mountains. entering the Pa
cific ocean some eighty miles northwestac-
ly from the town of Santa Barbara. These
Investigations indicated that this stream
discharged a large amount of winter hood
water, which passed on unusa1 ID the sea,
although during the summer time the river
went entirely dry. At poiHi north OF
Santa Barbara the Santa Ynez river basin
contains 30 square miles. Reservoir sites
OF unusual value occur therein. AMI the i'm
pounding of the winter water Wouli furnish
an adequate supply. not only TO- the do
nestle use of the city of Santa Barbara,
but also for the irrigation of large area
O: suburban land. provided the water COAL
be delivered from the reservoir sites to the
city.
A Tunnel to Be Built.
Benefiting by the Investigations of the
United States geological survey. surveys
have since been made by the city over this
range of mountains. showing the possibility
of diverting the flood waters of the Santa
Ynez river from these reservoirs to SANTA
Barbara by means of a tunnel 1850 feet in
length. There will be no shafts. and the
tunnel will be run from two headings. Es-
Inmates have been prepared on the cost OF
the entire work: and the CITY has Se.ed
the bonds to build the tunnel. whicll-is the
first stage in the general wate- develop,
ment. y The construction work Will pro0,hIy
begin within the next sixty DAYS. and the
city Is now advertising fo- bills for the
tunnel 1t will be sevensfeet hfst. i've fee.
wide on the base and three feet six Inches
wide in the clear. 1t Is estimatsd that II
will take approximately i've Te irs To aa,n-
strtfct and that. during the umcsitlf Is Be
ing run sufficient water will re- '.ievvl .r-
ed to sustain the city, so that when the
tunnel Is completed. the Hood Waters OF
the Santa Ynez river can be turned there
in The construction of reservoirs on the
Santa Ynez river will follow. 1t Is 10 be
lem for this beautiful coastal district
There's an old man at our house who
can remember when hogs ran loose in the