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 REPORT 01- THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 
 
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 iinento River Drainage District 
 
 GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 SACRAMENTO: 
 
 STATK OFKJCK : : : F. r. THOMPSON, SUPT. STATK PRINTING. 
 
 1879.
 
 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 
 
 Sacramento River Drainage District 
 
 GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.
 
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 T^LATK IN 9 2 
 SACRAMENTO RIVER DRAINACE DISTRICT.
 
 COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 
 
 Office Sacramento River Drainage District, ) 
 Hacramento, ('alifornia. ] 
 
 To His Excellency, William Irtvin, Governor of California : 
 
 We, the undersigned, the Board of Commissioners of tlie Sacra- 
 mento River Drainage District, a Board appointed in accordance 
 with a provision of the LegisLnturo of the State of California, at its 
 last regular session, entitled "An Act creating the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District, to inquire into the practicahility of and the cost of 
 constructing certain works described therein, for the puri)ose of 
 draining the surplus water of the Sacramento River, and the waters 
 flowing from the Coast Range of Mountains on the west, into the tule 
 basin to the west of the Sacramento River, and south of Knight's 
 Landing into Suisun Bay," do herewith submit the following report 
 of action had under said Act: 
 
 The sum of |10,000 was appropriated by the Legislature out of the 
 general funds of the State, and placed at our disposal for the purpose 
 of making surveys and examinations to determine: first, the practi- 
 cability of the certain works described in the Act; secondly, the 
 effect the proposed works would have on the Sacramento River, Sui- 
 sun Bay, and other navigable waters of the State; and thirdly, the 
 cost of constructing said works. 
 
 THE BOARD ORGANIZED. 
 
 Agreeable to Section 2 of the Act, the Commissioners, after their 
 appointments, organized, electing R. S. Carey, President, Christopher 
 Green, Secretary, and appointing Isaac W. Smith, Chief Engineer, 
 James C. Pierson, Assistant Engineer, on the 1st day of May, 1878. 
 
 election of treasurer. 
 
 Under Section 6 of the Act, and agreeable thereto, an election was 
 held on the 6th day of July, 1878, for the purpose of electing a Treas- 
 urer, resulting in a tie vote. No farther action was had pending the 
 decision of the Board, who took the matter under advisement. The 
 expense of such election was paid from the moneys of the fund here- 
 inbefore mentioned. 
 
 surveys commenced. 
 
 Prior to June 1st, 1878, a surveying party, with James C. Pierson 
 as Engineer in Charge, was organized, and placed in the field on June 
 1st, for the purpose of making the necessary surveys and examina- 
 tions. Work was immediately commenced and unremittingly prose- 
 cuted up to the 5th day of November following, at which time the 
 surveys were discontinued and tiie work of compiling the data thus 
 obtained was commenced. Complete nuips, plans, and estimates
 
 were made and submitted, together with the report of Engineer 
 Pierson of the work done, to the Board and Chief Engineer, the fol- 
 lowing June. 
 
 WORK DONE IN CONNECTION WITH THAT OF THE STATE ENGINEER AND 
 THE UNITED STATES ENGINEER DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Inasmuch as the appropriation was inadequate to meet the expense 
 of a complete examination of the Sacramento River in addition to^ 
 other work necessary to be done, an agreement was entered into with 
 the State Engineer, whereby he agreed, in consideration of the use 
 and benefits of the information gained in our surveys and examina- 
 tions, to furnish us all necessary data in regard to the Sacramenta 
 River that he might obtain. Such data was furnished and placed in 
 the hands of Engineer Smith. We also received much information 
 from Colonel G. H. Mendell, of the United States Engineer Depart- 
 ment, who likewise received the benefits of a portion of our surveys. 
 In this way we were enabled to obtain much valuable information 
 not otherwise to have been obtained. 
 
 RERORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER. 
 
 The report of Isaac W. Smith, Chief Engineer to our Board, was 
 submitted November 29th, 1879, and has been placed before the pub- 
 lic through the medium of the Sacramento Record-Union. The 
 report shows conclusively the impracticability of constructing the 
 proposed works, and, therefore, agreeable to Section 3 of the Act, no 
 further proceedings have been had. A copy of the report of the 
 Engineers accompany this document. Copies have also been filed 
 with the Secretary of State and the Surveyor-General. 
 
 THE MONEY EXPENDED. 
 
 The following is a recapitulation of the expenditures under Section 
 3 of the Act, vouchers in detail being on file in the State Controller's 
 office: 
 
 For outfitting surveying party, for necessary running expenses of same, for office 
 
 work, and for salaries $9,581 65 
 
 Expenses attending the election of Treasurer 166 00 
 
 Expenses of reconnoisance party, consisting of the Governor, the Commissioners, 
 
 the Engineers, and the Consulting Engineers 252 35 
 
 Total $10,000 00 
 
 It may be well to remark here that the Commissioners and Secre- 
 tary have received no compensation for their services or expenses, 
 the Act providing that that be paid out of the Construction Fund, 
 but as no such fund was created, owing to the adverse report of the 
 Engineers, it will be necessary that further legislation shall be had in 
 order to meet this demand. Also, that a portion of the services of 
 the Engineers is still unpaid, owing to the fund becoming exhausted 
 prior to the completion of their labors. 
 
 THE REPORTS OF THE ENGINEERS VERY COMPLETE. 
 
 The reports submitted by the Engineers are very complete in detail, 
 and embrace an amount of valuable information, well compiled, that
 
 has probably never been equaled by the expenditure of a like sum, 
 of money by the State, and we consider the State is well requited in 
 the valuable information contained in the reports and maps accom- 
 panying the same. 
 
 RELIEF WORKS IN THE FUTURE. 
 
 The work done and the information gained while complete, so far 
 as the requirements of the Act make it obligatory, is not sufficient to 
 determine the practicability of other plans whicii may come before 
 the people hereafter, and we, therefore, deem it of great importance 
 that the work of making examinations be continued, and that the 
 most searching and thorough examinations be made of that portion 
 of the district embracing Cache Slough, the mouth of the Sacra- 
 mento River, and those sloughs emptying into the San Joaquin and 
 Mokelumne Rivers. This work is necessary, in order to complete 
 and perfect the information so far gained in regard to this district. 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 Inasmuch as the report of the Engineers is adverse to the con- 
 struction of the works, as provided for in the Act, and as it demon- 
 strates the futility of constructing any works of a relief nature in this 
 district while such are exposed to the disastrous consequences which 
 might follow relief measures undertaken by other districts, in the 
 control of which we have no voice, we, therefore, recommend that no 
 legislation be had with a view of constructing any works of this 
 nature until such a time as a Board of comi)etent engineers shall 
 have examined into and reported on a scheme that shall embrace the 
 question of relief and reclamation, with all its corollaries. Further- 
 more, as the mining debris in the Sacramento River and its tributa- 
 ries forms an important factor in the consideration of all questions 
 pertaining to a solution of this problem, and as such brings the inter- 
 ests of a large branch of the mining industries of the State in direct 
 relation to those interests requiring relief and protection ; and as the 
 other districts are directly interested with this district in this and all 
 questions of relief, although the latter receive direct nearly all the 
 debris brought down by the Feather and American Rivers and their 
 tributaries, and as, on account of this debris, the problem of improv- 
 ing the capacity of the Sacramento River is rendered more difhcult, 
 and is Avithout a precedent; we, therefore, further recommend, that 
 all the lowlands of the Sacramento Valley that need, or may need, 
 reclamation or relief works be embraced in one district, under one 
 control, that complete examinations may be undertaken to deter- 
 mine tlie most practicable and advantageous mode of relief of the 
 whole ; provided, the forthcoming report of the State Engineer does 
 not already cover this ground, which is not to be expected, owing to 
 the limited time he has had in which to make examinations adequate 
 to a solution of this vast problem. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, this loth day of December, A. D. 1879. 
 
 R. S. CAREY, President, 
 W. F. KNOX, 
 R. S. EGBERT, 
 
 Board of Commissioners. 
 Chris, Green, Secretary.
 
 CHIKP ENGINEER'S REPORT. 
 
 Chief Engineer's Office, Sacramento River Drainage Dist., | 
 
 Sacramento, November 28th, 1879. \ 
 
 The Board of Commissioners Saci'amento River Drainage District: 
 
 Gentlemen : By the Act creating the Sacramento River Drainage 
 District, it is made the duty of the Engineer or Engineers, to be 
 appointed by you, to make a preliminary survey for the purpose of 
 ascertaining tlie feasibility, effectiveness, and probable cost of the 
 works defined in Section 1 of the Act, and, also, upon the completion 
 of such surve}^ to make a full report thereof to your Board. 
 
 It is further provided " that if said Engineers shall report that, in 
 their opinion, such proposed works are not feasible, or will not be 
 reasonably effective for the purposes intended, or will cause material 
 injury to Suisun Bay or other navigable waters of the State, or to any 
 private lands, or that the probable cost thereof will exceed the amount 
 of money for which bonds are authorized by the Act to be issued, 
 then, and in that event, no further proceedings shall be had under 
 the Act." 
 
 The report of the preliminary survey, with the details of the field 
 work and the plans, sections, and calculations pertaining thereto, has 
 been submitted to your Board under date of June 3d, 1879. 
 
 The report now submitted is with reference to the general results 
 of the survey, and the conclusions deduced therefrom with regard tO' 
 the feasibility, efficiency, and probable cost of the works proposed. 
 
 This report, by consent of your Board, has been deferred until cer- 
 tain data, now furnished, and necessary for the solution of the ques- 
 tions involved, could be obtained from the State Engineer. 
 
 THE object and NATURE OF THE PROPOSED WORKS. 
 
 The object of the proposed works, as defined in the first section of 
 the Act creating the drainage district, is to prevent overflow of the 
 lands adjacent to the river, by " draining the surplus waters of the 
 Sacramento River, and the waters flowing from the east side of the 
 Coast Range of Mountains, in the counties of Yolo and Solano, inta 
 Suisun Bay." 
 
 It is provided in the same section that "said object shall be eflected 
 by the construction of the following works, to wit: A main canal, 
 leading from the Sacramento River, at or near the place called 
 Charleston, or Gray's Bend, in Yolo County, and running in a south- 
 erly and southwesterly direction to the basin of Nurse's Slough, in 
 Solano County, and thence to Suisun Bay; the waters coming from 
 the Coast Range of Mountains, from Cache Creek southerly, to be 
 diverted and turned into said canal ; also, in connection therewith, 
 an auxiliary canal, if necessary, leading from the Sacramento River,
 
 near the mouth of the American River, to said main canal ; also, 
 such auxiliarj^ works as may be necessary for constructing or pro- 
 tecting said canals, or for rendering them effective." 
 
 THE PROPOSED CANAL NOT A DRAINAGE CANAL. 
 
 It may be here stated, to correct a popular misapprehension as to 
 the object and nature of the proposed works, that the location of the 
 main canal must depend on the hight of the head at junction with 
 the river, and on the slope necessary to give a safe velocity to the 
 current, with as light a cut as possible through the Montezuma Hills, 
 and that the location of the canal cannot, therefore, under any cir- 
 cumstances, be at such level as to drain the tule lands on the west 
 side of the river, nor is there any provision made to drain the waters 
 from those lands in case of overflow. 
 
 THE AUXILIARY CANAL. 
 
 An auxiliary canal from the mouth of the American River to the 
 junction with the main canal would be about ten miles in length, 
 extending across the low tule lands on the west of the Sacramento, 
 with levees from twelve to nineteen feet in hight. 
 
 In case of overflow from Cache Creek, or the Sacramento River 
 above the mouth of the American, these levees would be either car- 
 ried away or would dam up the waters as far as Knight's Landing, 
 forming a deep lake, without drainage, over twenty miles in length 
 and several miles in width. 
 
 The construction of the auxiliarj^ canal would, therefore, in my 
 opinion, be warranted only on the assumption that by means of the 
 proposed works the waters of the Sacramento, and in the main canal, 
 would always, and during all floods, be restrained within their banks, 
 a result not likely to be attained by any system of Avorks which may 
 be devised. 
 
 Aside from the questions of cost and risk, there are other reasons 
 which would render the construction of the auxiliary canal unad- 
 visable and imi)racticable. 
 
 The difference in the flood-hights at the heads of the main and 
 auxiliary canals is about eleven feet; the distance from the head of 
 the main canal to the junction is about 22 miles, and from the junc- 
 tion to the head of the auxiliary canal, about 10 miles. 
 
 A grade of six inches to the mile, in the main canal, would, there- 
 fore, bring the point of junction on a level with the head of the aux- 
 iliary canal, and, in order to insure a proper fall to the latter, the 
 main canal should have a fall of at least nine inches to the mile, 
 increasing the cut through the Montezuma Hills to such an extent 
 as to render the construction of the works practically impossible. 
 The auxiliary canal may, therefore, be dismissed from consideration, 
 and the i)roposed works will be limited to the main canal and the 
 works necessary for its security and protection. 
 
 ON THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROPOSED WORKS. 
 
 The purpose to be accomplished is the prevention of overflow, and 
 in order that the proposed works may be feasible and effective for 
 that purpose, it must be possible, with a reasonable assurance of
 
 8 
 
 safety and permanence, and under circumstances now prevailing, or 
 likely to prevail in the future, to accomplish the following results: 
 
 First — To divert and turn into the main canal the surplus waters 
 of the Sacramento River. 
 
 Second — To divert and turn into the main canal the waters now 
 draining from the Coast Range into the tule lands on the west of the 
 river. 
 
 Third — To convey the waters turned into the main canal into 
 Suisun Bay. 
 
 These three results are, in a measure, independent of each other, 
 and will be considered separately. 
 
 THE DIVERSION OF THE SURPLUS WATERS OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER 
 INTO THE MAIN CANAL. 
 
 As regards the best disposition of surplus waters, whether by diver- 
 sion or concentration within the channel of the stream, there exists 
 a difference of opinion among authorities in hydraulic science. 
 
 By some it is maintained that at or near the time of maximum 
 discharge the variation of velocity is sensibly equal to the variation 
 of discharge; that, therefore, a large variation of iiood-discharge, 
 whether by reduction or increase, is attended by no sensible change 
 of volume or hight, and that this fact, independently of other con- 
 siderations, is sufficient to condemn all schemes for the improvement 
 of rivers by the division of their waters into separate channels. 
 
 There are others who admit the undoubted fact that the surplus 
 waters, if confined within the channel by raising the levees to a suf- 
 ficient hight, would occupy a much less space than when diverted 
 into a separate channel, but maintain that the comparative merits 
 of the two systems cannot be settled by any general law, and must, 
 in any particular case, be determined by considerations of practica- 
 bility, cost, and security. 
 
 The discussion, in the present case, of the comparative merits of 
 the concentration or diversion of flood-waters, for the prevention of 
 inundation, would involve the consideration of what, under circum- 
 stances likely to occur in the future, would be the flood-hights and 
 discharges at different sections of the river, and the hight and cost 
 of the levees necessary for the prevention of overflow, ciuestions 
 which the data at my disposal do not enable me to decide, and on 
 which I am not called upon to express an opinion. 
 
 If a report were required, not only on the feasibility and efficiency 
 of the works proposed, but on the advisability of constructing them, 
 under the conditions prescribed by law, and in advance of the forth- 
 coming report of the State and Consulting Engineers, I should give 
 it as my opinion that, to enable the owners of the land to be pro- 
 tected, and the capitalists who are expected to advance funds on the 
 security of the lands, to judge intelligently on the merits of one sys- 
 tem of works, they should be furnished with the data to enable them 
 to understand whether the purpose in view might not bo accomplished 
 with greater certainty and at less cost under other systems, and that 
 no action under the provisions of the Act creating the Sacramento 
 River Drainage District would be advisable prior to a thorough 
 investigation as to the system best adapted to the protection of all 
 the lands bordering on the Sacramento River, considered as a con- 
 nected whole, and not in independent parts. As, however, by the
 
 terms of the law, this report must be confined to the absohite, rather 
 than to the relative merits of the proposed system of works, such 
 subjects only, will be considered as have a direct bearing on the ques- 
 tions proposed for solution. 
 
 THE AMOUNT OF THE SURPLUS WATERS OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER. 
 
 Under the provisions of the Act creating the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District it is pro])osed to construct, at or near Gray's Bend 
 on that river, a permanent outlet, the discharge through which, 
 under circumstances likely to occur in the future, will be sufficient 
 to reduce the flood-discharge at all sections below the outlet to such 
 extent as to afford a reasonable security against overflow, and, as no 
 provision is made for raising the levees, the reduction of flood-di.s- 
 charge must be such that the flood-surface of the river will be con- 
 fined to a safe distance below the line of the top of the levees as they 
 now stand, or as they would stand if repaired and perfected to their 
 present hight. To determine what, under any special conditions, 
 would be the reduction of flood-discharge necessary to bring about 
 the requisite reduction of flood-hights, it would be necessary to know 
 the amount of the discharge to bo reduced and the safe discharge to 
 which it is to be reduced. The feasibility of the diversion of the 
 surplus waters, and the effectiveness of the works proposed for that 
 puri)Ose, will depend on the amount of the requisite reduction of 
 discharge, and the only practical metliod of calculating this amount 
 is that adopted by Humphreys and AW)ott for the purpose of deter- 
 mining the discharge through a proposed outlet at Bonnet-Carre 
 Bend, which would reduce the flood-hights of the Mississippi River 
 to a safe distance below the level of the top of the existing levees. 
 
 As a measure of the flood-discharges to be provided against in the 
 future, the maximum discharge of the flood of 1858 was adopted. 
 
 The diflerence between the maximum discharges of 1858 and 1851, 
 amounting to 150,000 cubic feet per second, was assumed as the reduc- 
 tion of the discharge necessary to reduce the flood-hights of 1858 to 
 those of 1851. 
 
 The flood-surface of the river in 1851 stood 1 foot below the level of 
 the top of the existing levees, and it was assumed that a further reduc- 
 tion of hight, to the amount of oyV feet, would be necessary for the sta- 
 bility of the banks and levees. The reduction of discharge, to reduce 
 the hight 3iV feet, was assumed, from experimental data, to be 150,000 
 cubic feet per second, making the total reduction of discharge oOO,000 
 cubic feet per second, or over one-fourth of the maximum discharge 
 of the river, and this amount was assumed also as the outlet discharge 
 which would be necessary to i)roduce the required reduction of the flood- 
 discharge and surface hight, not only at the Bonnet-Carre Bend, but for 
 " many miles above and l)elow." The amount of the outlet discharge 
 was so great as to warrant the o{)inion that the opening of an outlet of 
 the requisite dimensions would nat be advisable on account of the ex- 
 tent and costly character of the works for diverting and disposiiig of 
 the surplus waters; the injury to the navigation of the lake into which 
 the waters would be conducted; the great dimensions of the outlet 
 and the impossibility of i)reventing the current from excavating the 
 bed, although of clay from eighteen to twenty feet in thickness; and 
 the danger that the outlet would ultimately become a main branch 
 of the river, seriously impairing the navigation at its present mouth. 
 2'
 
 10 
 
 The general conclusion reached bj' Humphre3\s and Abbott, with 
 regard to outlets, as a means of protection against floods on the Mis- 
 sissipjii River, was to the effect that they " are of great utility, as far as 
 the river is concerned, but are virtually inipractical)le from the diffi- 
 culty of disposing of the water," and that their observations demon- 
 strated ''with all the certainty of which the subject is capable, the 
 disastrous consequences that must follow the resort to this means of 
 protection." 
 
 The opinion as regards the advantages to the Mississippi are, how- 
 ever, based on conditions which do not exist in the case of the Sac- 
 ramento, and the great utility of an outlet, so far as any river is 
 concerned, may be doubted in a case like that above cited, where the 
 amount of the surplus water is so great that there would be danger 
 that the outlet would become a main branch of the river, and seri- 
 ously impair the navigation at its present mouth. 
 
 THE AMOUNT OF THE SURPLUS WATERS OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER DURING 
 THE FLOOD OF MARCH, 1879. 
 
 The only data concerning the discharge of the Sacramento River 
 are the measurements by the State Engineer, during the flood of the 
 past year, and the amount of the surplus waters during that flood is 
 the only basis for an estimate of what will be the amount under cir- 
 cumstances likely to occur in the future. 
 
 The elevations of the top of the levees above the flood-surface of 
 the river, at different points, from Butte City, 173 miles above New 
 York Landing, to Collinsville, near the mouth of the river, were as 
 follows : 
 
 At Butte City . 1.9 feet. 
 
 At Princeton 2.0 feet. 
 
 At Colusa 2.2 feet. 
 
 At Butte Slough 2.3 feet. 
 
 At Meridan 1.5 feet. 
 
 At Winn's Landing 1.0 feet. 
 
 At Gray's Bend. 2.6 feet. 
 
 At inoutli of Feather River 1.6 feet. 
 
 At break above Gray and Shaw's 1.9 feet. 
 
 At Sacramento City 2.5 feet. 
 
 At Clarksburg 2.9 feet. 
 
 At Collinsvilie 1.6 feet. 
 
 As the levees are practically adapted to the Hood-hights of the 
 river, these elevations illustrate the fact that, within certain limits, 
 a safe discharge at one section is attended with a safe discharge at all 
 others, although the amount of those discharges may be very differ- 
 ent, but it is customary to assume that under a safe discharge the 
 water surface will be at least three feet below the level of the levees. 
 
 The distances from Colusa to points named below are as follows: 
 
 To Knight's Landing 56 miles. 
 
 To Gray's Bend 60 miles. 
 
 To n^outh of Feather River 70 miles. 
 
 To Gray and Shaw's Station 75 miles. 
 
 To mouth of Atnerican River 90 miles. 
 
 To Sacramento City 91 miles. 
 
 To Frceport 104 miles. 
 
 To Rio Vista ....132 miles.
 
 11 
 
 Knight's Landing is at the upper limit of the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District, and, for reasons hereinafter stated, is the proper 
 point for the proposed outlet. 
 
 During the March flood of 1879 a large portion of the flood-waters 
 of the upper river and its tributaries discharged into an immense 
 basin east of the Sacramento and between that river and the Feather, 
 and flowing through that ]>asin were returned, with the waters of the 
 Feather, into the Sacramento River. 
 
 Knight's Landing is on a ridge of land which intercepts and turns 
 into the river all tlie waters on the western side, and hence the whole 
 of the flood-waters of the uj)per rivers were returned into the chan- 
 nel between Knight's Landing and the mouth of Feather River. 
 
 A large portion of these waters were again diverted through cre- 
 vasses, between Knight's Landing and Freeport, into the tule basin 
 on the west of the river, and, with the waters of Cache, Putah, and 
 other streams from the Coast Range, were discharged through that 
 basin and Cache Slough into the river above Rio Vista. 
 
 As none of the waters escaped below Feather River on the eastern 
 side of the Sacramento, the whole of the flood-waters of the river 
 were discharged either through the channel at Freeport, thirteen 
 miles below Sacramento City, or through crevasses opening into the 
 tule basin on the western side, between Knight's Landing and Free- 
 port. 
 
 If, therefore, the surplus waters of the river during any flood are 
 those which cannot be conflned to a safe distance below the top of 
 tlie levees, and during the March flood of 1879 the discharge through 
 tlie channel could not have been safely increased, the crevasse dis- 
 charge between Knight's Landing and Freeport may be assuined as 
 the measure of the surplus waters, under the special conditions of 
 that flood. 
 
 The amount of the crevasse discharge between Knight's Landing 
 and Freeport Station may be estimated as follows: 
 
 The maximum discharge through the tule basin was measured 
 under the piling of the California Pacific Railroad, which extends 
 from Sacramento City westward across the basin. 
 
 This discharge amounts to 66,000 cubic feet per second, and the 
 whole of the water was from Cache Creek, and from the crevasses 
 between Knight's Landing and Sacramento City. 
 
 The maximum discharge of Cache Creek occurred on the oth of 
 March, seven days before the maximum discharge under the railroad 
 pilings, and eight days before the maximum discharge at Freeport, 
 and was calculated from the measured area of the high water section, 
 the wet perimeter and the slope of the bed. By Jackson's formula 
 it amounted to 35,000 cubic feet per second, and by the ordinary for- 
 mula to over 40,000 cubic feet. It was estimated, approximately, by 
 the State Engineer, at 34,000 cubic feet, from independent data. 
 
 Assuming the maximum discharge of Cache Creek at 35,000 cubic 
 feet per second, and that the maximum discharge under the railroad 
 pilings could not have exceeded the sum of the maximum discharges 
 from Cache Creek and from the crevasses between Knight's Landing 
 and Sacramento City, the latter discharge was at least 31,000 cubic 
 feet per second, and as Cache Creek rises and falls very rapidly, it is 
 probable that the crevasse discharge was over 40,000 cubic feet, a 
 result whicl] may be checked by an independent method of calcula- 
 tion based on the following premises :
 
 12 
 
 The amount of the maximum discharge at a lower section of a 
 stream, at any given time, will depend not only on the discharges at 
 that time at different points above, but on the positions of the outlets 
 and inlets, and the velocities of transmission and the times of arrival 
 of the flood-waves from the different sources of supply. 
 
 When, however, the discharges are all uniform for a period of time 
 sufficient for their transmission between the extreme points of dis- 
 charge, the discharge, at a given time, at the lowest point, will be 
 nearly the difference between the sums of the discharges, at that 
 time, of the outlets and tributaries above. During the March flood 
 of 1879 current measurements were made at four points on the river, 
 and the maximum discharges at those points were as follows, in cubic 
 feet per second : 
 
 At Colusa 62,000 
 
 At Kiiin;ht's Landing 23,000 
 
 At Gray and Shaw's 66,000 
 
 AtFreeport 69,400 
 
 The Freeport maximum discharge occurred on the 13th of March, 
 and the water was supplied through the channel at Knight's Land- 
 ing, and from the Feather and American Rivers and basins. 
 
 The discharges from these sources on the 13th day of March were 
 as follows, in cubic feet per second : 
 
 From Knight's Landing 19,500 
 
 From Feather River and basin 66,800 
 
 From American River and basin 31,000 
 
 Total 116,300 
 
 The discharge at Knight's Landing is from actual measurement, 
 and the discharges from the Feather and American Rivers and basins 
 from measurements, or estimates based on measurements, by the 
 State Engineer. 
 
 The gauge readings at Knight's Landing, Gray, and Shaw's, and 
 Freeport, did not vary fV of a foot from the 11th to the 14th of March, 
 and the discharges at those points were, therefore, practically' uni- 
 form during that period. 
 
 Assuming that no new crevasses were opened or increased about 
 the 13th of March, the crevasse discharge was uniform, because the 
 hight of the adjacent river surface did not change. 
 
 As the river discharge at Gray and Shaw's, below Feather River, 
 and at Freeport, below the American River, remained constant for 
 several days, no great cliange of discharge could have occurred either 
 from Feather River and basin or American River and basin. 
 
 Under these assumptions the discharge at Freeport would have 
 been 11G,3(J0 cul^ic feet ])er second, had there been no crevasse dis- 
 charge, and as the actual measured discharge was 69,400 cubic feet, 
 the crevasse discharge was 46,900 cubic feet per second. 
 
 The result in the former estimate would have been the same, by 
 assuming the Cache Creek discharge at 19,100 cubic feet per second. 
 
 The discharge from crevasses between Gray and Shaw's and Free- 
 port may be estimated in a similar manner. 
 
 The water flowing through the channel at Freeport, March 13th, 
 was from the cliannel at Gray and Shaw's, 29 miles above, and from 
 the American River and basin, 15 miles above Freeport.
 
 13 
 
 If no Avatcr had escaped through crevasses below Gray and Shaw's, 
 the Freoport discharge would have been as follows, in cubic feet per 
 second: 
 
 From Gray and Shaw's (gauged) 60,500 
 
 From American River and basin 30,900 
 
 Total 1 91,400 
 
 The actual discharge was 69,400 
 
 The crevasse discharge between Gray and Shaw's and Freeport 
 was, therefore, 22,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 These estimates are based on data which may be, to some extent, 
 incorrect, but they are sufhcient to warrant the opinion that the 
 crevasse discharge between Knight's Landing and Freeport, during 
 the flood of March, 1879, was at least 80,000, and probably over 
 40,000 cubic feet per second, and it is sufficient for all the purposes 
 of this report to assume it at the former figure. 
 
 Supposing, however, the crevasse closed, and the crevasse discharge 
 concentrated through an outlet at Knight's Landing, would the safe 
 discharge of the channel below and the amount of the surplus waters 
 have remained the same? 
 
 As the flood-surface of the river was on a stand for several days, it 
 may be assumed, with sufficient accuracy, that each outlet reduced 
 the discharge of the river below by an amount equal to the outlet 
 discharge. 
 
 If, therefore, the whole crevasse discharge had been concentrated 
 through one outlet at Knight's Landing, the reduction of discharge 
 would have been the same at sections below the lowest crevasse, but 
 greater at sections above, and the effect on the height of the lower 
 sections at least nearly the same. 
 
 At sections near Gray's Bend the reduction of discharge would be 
 much greater, but such reduction could not have its normal effect in 
 reducing the depth, unless a corresponding reduction of the flood- 
 hight should take place below. 
 
 The maximum discharge, for instance, at Knight's Landing, was 
 reduced over 50 per cent, by the creva.sse discharge above, yet the 
 flood-hight was but little aflected on account of the bight of the 
 river at the mouth of Feather, due to the largely increased discharge 
 at that point. 
 
 It must also be considered that if all the crevasses from Knight's 
 Landing to the mouth of Feather had been closed, the discharge 
 below the mouth would not probably have exceeded 80,000 cubic 
 feet per second, and the reduction of this discharge by 30,000 cubic 
 feet would, for reasons hereafter stated, have resulted in an elevation 
 of the bed which might have neutralized the eft'ect of any diminu- 
 tion of depth which might have followed the diminution of discharge. 
 
 The crevasse discharge of the river below Knight's Landirig may, 
 therefore, be assumed as the measure of an outlet-discharge at that 
 point, which would have been necessary to have maintained the flood- 
 surface of the river at from I2 feet to 2 feet below the top of the 
 levees during the March flood of 1879.
 
 14 
 
 THE AMOUNT OF THE SURPLUS WATERS OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER DUR- 
 ING THE FLOOD OF 1878. 
 
 No measurements of discharge were made during this flood, but 
 the flood-surface stood, at a point near Freeport, lyV feet higher 
 than during the flood of 1879. 
 
 At Free])ort during the latter flood an increase of 5,000 cubic feet 
 per second caused a rise of 1 foot near the time of high water, and 
 the flood-discharge at Freeport during the flood of 1878 may, there- 
 fore, be assumed at 8,000 cubic feet per second greater than that of 
 1879. 
 
 The amount of water running through the tule basin on the west 
 of the river was greater than in 1879, and caused great damage to tlie 
 raih'oad embankments as well as to private property. 
 
 If this increase of discharge through the tules, due to the crevasse 
 discharge from the rivers, be assumed at 6,000 cubic feet per second 
 greater than in 1879, the surplus waters in 1878 would have been 
 14,000 cubic feet per second greater than in the flood of 1879, or at 
 least 45,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 THE AMOUNT OF THE SURPLUS WATERS UNDER DISCHARGES LIKELY 
 TO OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. 
 
 The amount of the maximum discharge, and of the surplus waters 
 of the river, will depend upon circumstances which cannot, at the 
 present time, be foreseen or controlled; but it is certain that, under 
 conditions which may probably occur, this discharge may be largely 
 increased. 
 
 The Sacramento, Feather, and American Rivers, at high water 
 stages, now communicate directly with immense reservoir basins, 
 which under ordinary circumstances hold back the flood-waters and 
 modify and reduce the flood-discharges. 
 
 At high water of the flood of 1879 the contents of the basin between 
 the Feather and upper Sacramento Rivers amounted to 45,000,000,000 
 cubic feet, and those of the American River to over 17,500,000,000. 
 
 With a flow of 40,000 cubic feet per second, thirteeen days would 
 be required to fill the former and five days for the latter. During the 
 flood of March, 1879, the maximum discharge at Colusa, on the main 
 Sacramento, was 62,000 cubic feet per second, and at Knight's Land- 
 ing, 56 miles below, but 23,000 cubic feet, this great reduction being 
 due to the diversion of a large portion of the flood-waters into the 
 Feather River basin. 
 
 A portion of these waters, and of those of the Feather and other 
 tributaries, are held back, and the remainder discharged into the 
 Sacramento near the mouth of the Feather, and this basin and that 
 of the American River exert an important influence on the maxi- 
 mum discharge of the river below. 
 
 If all the waters of the Sacramento and its tributaries should be 
 confined within their channels, by raising the levees to a sufticient 
 hight, the flood-discharge on Gray's Bend would be more than 
 doubled, and at other sections largely increased. The amount of 
 this increase, under the conditions likely to occur in the future, will 
 be considered in the forthcoming report of the State Engineer, to 
 whom I am indebted for all of the data used in the foregoing dis- 
 cussion.
 
 15 
 
 The facts stated above are sufficient to warrant the opinion that 
 with regard to any works which may be now constructed to divert 
 the suri)lus waters of the Sacramento, under circumstances likely to 
 occur hereafter, they may be either insufficient for the i)uri)0se 
 intended, or must be planned at great cost to meet difficulties which 
 may never arise. 
 
 THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DIVERSION OF THE SURPLUS WATERS OF THE 
 SACRAMENTO THROUGH AN OUTLET AT OR NEAR GRAY's BEND. 
 
 The maximum discharge at Knight's Landing, near Gray's Bend, 
 during the March flood of 1879, was but 23,000 cubic feet per second, 
 and would be less, should the flood be caused b.y a rise of the Ameri- 
 ican and Feather Rivers. 
 
 Estimating the surplus waters of the rivers even at 30,000 cubic 
 feet per second, they would exceed the whole flow of the river adja- 
 cent to the proposed outlet, and to effect the proposed diversion, a 
 })ortion of the discharge must be taken from the river below the 
 mouth of the Feather, producing an up-stream current, and neces- 
 sitating a low water instead of a high water outlet; but even sup- 
 posing the proposed diversion possible, tlie elevation of the bed at 
 the mouth of the Feather, and below, might neutralize the depression 
 of the surface due to the reduced discharge. 
 
 It is maintained by Humphreys and Abbott, in their report on the 
 Mississippi River, that no elevation of the bed from deposit of mate- 
 rials can ever occur in that river below a practicable high water 
 outlet, because the waters are never charged to their full capacity 
 with suspended matter, and the maximum power of the current for 
 transporting the materials along the bottom is never called into 
 requisition. The case is, however, very different in the Sacramento 
 River. 
 
 The waters of the main Sacramento are comi)aratively clear, but 
 the debris from the hydraulic mines on the upper waters of the 
 American and Feather Rivers is accumulated during the low water 
 season, and the flood-wave of the waters, surcharged with suspended 
 matter, is accompanied by a wave of materials transported along the 
 bottom, so that at many points the elevation of the bed is greatest at 
 the time of highest water, both in the upper and lower rivers, as is 
 shown by sections and measurements made by Colonel Mendell, of 
 the United States Engineer Corps, and by the State Engineer. 
 
 The flood-waters of the Feather and American Rivers being now 
 surcharged with suspended matter, the diversion of the clear waters 
 from the Sacramento, and the reduction of velocity at points below 
 the outlet, would diminish the capacity of suspension and of trans- 
 porting the materials along the bottom, and would cause an elevation 
 of the bed at the precise stage of water when such elevation might 
 be attended Avitli the most disastrous consequences. 
 
 OPINION AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DIVERTING THE SURPLUS WATERS 
 OF THE SACRAMENTO INTO THE PROPOSED MAIN CANAL. 
 
 It has been shown that the amount of the surplus waters was at 
 least 30,(X)0 cubic feet per second during the flood of 1879, and greater 
 during that of the preceding year; and that, under circumstances 
 which may probably occur in the future, it may be largely increased.
 
 16 
 
 And I am of opinion, for the reasons stated above, that the proposed 
 diversion cannot be accomplished by an outlet at Gray's Bend, or 
 elsewhere, even under the conditions of such atlood as that of March, 
 1879. 
 
 THE DIVERSION INTO THE MAIN CANAL OF THE WATERS FROM THE 
 COAST RANGE, ON THE WEST OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. 
 
 The question now to be considered is, whether these waters can be 
 safely conducted into, not through, the main canal, the possibility of 
 conducting them safely to Suisun Bay being a subject of after con- 
 sideration. 
 
 It is characteristic of all the streams, large and small, from the 
 Coast Range on the west of the Sacramento Valley, that owing to 
 their steep slopes and the rapid drainage of the rain-fall they bring 
 down to the margin of the foot-hills large quantities of materials, 
 wntli which they build out their beds and channels into the valley, 
 on tongues of land elevated above the level of the adjacent country. 
 
 As the elevation of the beds increases the slope and velocity 
 diminish, and the volume of the water increases until the stream 
 is diverted into another channel, and the same process is again 
 commenced. 
 
 The principal streams flowing into the tule basin are Cache and 
 Putah Creeks. Cache Creek formerly emptied into the Sacramento 
 River at Knight's Landing, the old bed being still visible at that point. 
 The tongue or ridge of land at that point, which now divides the 
 upper and lower tule basins on the west of the river, was doubtless 
 formed from deposits from Cache Creek, which now sinks into the tules 
 5 miles to the south and 10 feet below the level of its former banks. 
 The average fall of the present bed, from a point 6> miles above its 
 junction with the proposed line of the main canal, is over 4 feet to 
 the mile. 
 
 The area of the high water section March 5th, 1879, at that point, 
 was 3,558 square feet; the mean depth, 2oy^o% feet; the slope of the 
 bed 1 foot in 1,000; the mean velocity, from these data by Jackson's 
 formula, 10 feet per second, or about 7 miles per hour, and the dis- 
 charge 35,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 This discharge was estimated from other formula, with the same 
 data, by Mr. Pierson, at 40,000 cubic feet per second, and by the State 
 Engineers, from independent data, approximately, at 34,000 cubic feet. 
 
 Putah Creek, at one time, discharged into the tules, about 4 miles 
 south and 5 miles east of its present channel, the tongue of land 
 formed by the deposited materials extending to within 3 miles of the 
 Sacramento River, the width of the tongue, judging from the con- 
 tour line of the main canal, being over 2'> miles. 
 
 From a point 11] miles above the intersection of the present chan- 
 nel with the line of the main canal, the average slope is over 4 feet to 
 the mile. 
 
 At that point the flood-waters are all confined within the banks; 
 the area of the high water section March 5th, 1879, was 5,750 square 
 feet; the main depth, SO^^ feet ; the wet perimeter 274 feet, and the 
 slope of the bed 1 foot in a thousand. 
 
 The measured surface velocity, 5 j% feet below high-water, was 12y'V 
 feet, and the mean, estimated at ^%\ of the surface velocity, was 10^ 
 feet per second.
 
 17 
 
 The hij^li water mean velocitj', estimated by Jackson's formula, 
 was llyV feet per second, or over 8 miles per hour, and the maximum 
 discharoe 65,C0O cubic feet per second. 
 
 This discharge was estimated by Mr. Pierson, from the same data, 
 at 77,CCO cubic feet per second, or 8,CC0 cubic feet more than the 
 maximum channel discharge of the river at Freeport, below Sacra- 
 mento City. 
 
 In order that the materials brought down by these streams may 
 not cause a continual elevation of their beds, their velocities must be 
 such as to carry down the materials into the main canal, and the 
 velocity of the main canal must be sufficient to transport the mate- 
 rials from the creeks into Suisun Bay, a result which in neither case 
 can possibly be accomplished, because any increase of the velocity of 
 the creeks, from confinement within the levees, would only result in 
 bringing down the coarser materials still nearer the line of the canal; 
 and as the slope of the canal cannot, Avithout increasing the cut 
 through the Montezuma Hills to an impracticable extent, be more 
 than 4 inches to the mile, it cannot carry off the materials brought 
 down from the beds of the creeks with a slope of over 4 feet to the 
 mile. 
 
 I am, therefore, of the opinion that the waters of Putah and Cache 
 Creeks cannot be safely conveyed into the main canal, because of the 
 continuous elevation of the bed of the creeks, and the danger to the 
 levees of the main canal at their mouths. 
 
 THE DRAINAGE THROUGH THE MAIN CANAL INTO SUISUN BAY OF THE 
 SURPLUS WATERS OF THE SACRAMENTO AND THE W^ATERS FROM THE 
 EASTERN SLOPE OF THE COAST RANGE. 
 
 On this subject it would not be necessary to speak were it not for 
 the i)Ossibility that an intercepting canal may be proposed hereafter 
 under other conditions. 
 
 The difficulty in this case arises not so much from the cost and risk 
 of conveying each stream separately into Suisun Bay, but because the 
 waters from the Coast Range, and the surplus waters of the river, 
 must all be carried through the same canal. 
 
 The case is very different from the junction of a main stream with 
 its tributaries, for the upper portion of the canal might in some cases 
 be dry at the time of the flood-discharges of Putah and Cache Creeks, 
 and the waters from those creeks would, for a time, run both toward 
 the Sacramento River and Suisun Bay, thus causing a deposit of the 
 materials brought down from the Coast Range. 
 
 Independently of this consideration the comparative velocities of 
 the streams from the Coast Range, and of the main canal, is such 
 that the latter can never transport tlie materials brought into it, and 
 the bed must, therefore, rise until the bight of the waters is such as 
 to overflow the levees, and this same objection will, in my opinion, 
 apply to the construction of any canal with a view to intercept and 
 turn the waters of the Coast Range from the present channels. 
 
 In the case of small canals and mining ditches, the sediment may 
 be discharged througli waste-gates, bat tliis could not be effected in 
 larger canals, unless at great expense and risk.
 
 18 
 
 COST OF PROPOSED WORKS. 
 
 B}' the terms of the law the cost must not exceed $5 per acre on the 
 lands within the district. The number of acres within the district 
 is as follows: 
 
 In Sacramento County l()fi,121.80 
 
 In Solano County 49.281.86 
 
 In Yolo County 147,065.32 
 
 Total 362,468.98 
 
 Limit of cost at $5 per acre, $1,812,344 90. 
 
 The main canal was located under the following considerations: 
 
 The construction of the main canal from Gray's Bend would neces- 
 sitate the building of high levees across the low tule lands west of 
 that point, and in case of overflow from above these levees would 
 dam up the waters and could not be protected from the action of the 
 wind and waves, unless at great risk and expense. 
 
 The canal should, therefore, commence at Knight's Landing, and 
 be con<lucted along the south slope- of the ridge at that point to the 
 firm ground on the west of the tules. 
 
 High water at Knight's Landing is 35 feet above ordinary high tide 
 at Denverton, at the head of Suisun Bay, and 42 feet above the sum- 
 mit of the Montezuma Hills. 
 
 The distance by the course of the canal from Knight's Landing to 
 the summit is 43 miles, and to Denverton 46 miles. 
 
 Assuming the bed of the canal to fall from 8 feet below high water 
 at Knight's Landing to ordinary high tide at Denverton, the slope 
 would be 7 inches to the mile, and the cut at the summit of the Mon- 
 tezuma Hills over 28 feet, which would be impracticable on account 
 of the cost. 
 
 A slope of 4 inches to the mile would give a summit cut of 18 feet, 
 and a fall to high tide at Denverton of nearly 13 feet in 3 miles, which 
 is so great that an overfall of 10 feet would be necessary for the secu- 
 rity of the sides of the cut. 
 
 The following estimate is made on the basis of a slope of 4 inches 
 to the mile from Knight's Landing to the cut through the Montezuma 
 Hills, and 6 inches through the cut to Denverton; the levees sloping 
 3 horizontals^ to 1 vertically on the inside, and 2 to 1 on the outside; 
 9 feet above grade and 5 feet in width on the top; the cut 600 feet in 
 width at bottom, and with side slopes of 45°. 
 
 Such a cut would not have the dimensions to carry off the waters 
 which might be delivered from above, because, with water 10 feet 
 deep and liowing at the rate of 7 miles per hour, the discharge would 
 be but 62,000 cubic feet per second, while the discharge from Putah 
 and Cache Creeks alone, at high water, is over 100,000 cubic feet. 
 
 It has not, however, been deemed necessary to calculate the dimen- 
 sions and slopes for any particular discharge, because, as will be 
 shown, the cost, under the most favorable conditions, will exceed the 
 limit ]n-escribed by law. 
 
 The following is an estimate of the excavation and embankment 
 which would be required under the above-mentioned conditions for 
 the main canal from Knight's Landing to Denverton, and for the 
 connections with Putah and Cache Creeks.
 
 19s 
 
 ,,., j Excavation, I Kmliiii.kinent, 
 I Miles. cubic yards. I cubic yards. 
 
 Maiiicanal ..| 1.04 | 302,739 
 
 Main canal , 40.36 i 4,576,569 
 
 Main canal 4.70 j 6,209,259 
 
 Maincanal 46.10 j 6,571,998 I 4,576,569 
 
 i 
 
 Cache Creek 4.55 : ! :'Aa,\46 
 
 Cache Creek _ _ 2.57 458,835 i 
 
 Putah Creek I 12.36 1.069,3.34 
 
 Totals ._ j 65.58 7,030,833 5,956,049 
 
 Borings to high tide level through the Montezuma Hills demon- 
 strate the fact that there is a narrow ridge of soft sandstone towards 
 the southern margin, which is rather an advantage in case it should 
 be necessary to construct an overflow of 10 feet. 
 
 The material of the hills can be easily excavated, but \vill require 
 a greater side slope than is assumed in this estimate. 
 
 The material north of the Monte/Aima Hills is well adapted for 
 levees. 
 
 The cost, including expenses of supervision and contingencies, I 
 estimate at 15 cents for levees and 25 cents per yard for excavation. 
 At these ])rices the cost of the main canal and auxiliary canals at 
 Cache and Putah Creeks will be as follows, as shown in detail in 
 report of June 3d, 1879 : 
 
 Excavation— 7,0."50,833 cubic yards at 25 cents $1,757,708 00 
 
 Embankment — 5,956,049 cubic yards at 15 cents 893,407 00 
 
 Total $2,651,115 00 
 
 Limit of cost by law 1,812,345 00 
 
 Excess $838,770 00 
 
 This cost is estimated for the canals from Knight's Landing to 
 Denverton, not including cost of head-works, overfalls, and auxiliary 
 canals for conducting the smaller streams into the main canal, or 
 cost of right of way. 
 
 To continue the canal from Denverton across the tules to Monte- 
 zuma Slough, a distance of 4i=V miles, would require 2,214,000 cubic 
 yards of levee, which, at 15 cents per yard, would cost §832,000. 
 
 In my opinion it Avould cost less to purchase the tule lands between 
 Denverton and Montezuma Slough, and build a low levee along the 
 margin of the tules for protection against back-water during lioods. 
 
 The cost of the works would, therefore, in my opinion, even under 
 tlie most favorable assumptions, exceed, by over ^1,000,000, the limit 
 prescribed by law. 
 
 THE PRACTICABILITY AND COST OF DRAINING THE TULE BASIN ON 
 THE WEST OF THE SACRAMENTO INTO SUISUN BAY BY MEANS OF 
 A CANAL THROUGH THE MONTEZUMA HILLS. 
 
 By request of your Board I jn-esent at the conclusion of my report 
 my opinions with regard to a tidal drainage canal through the Mon- 
 tezuma Hills, based on such information as could be obtained during
 
 20 
 
 the progress of the preliminary surveys of the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District. 
 
 Under present circumstances all of the escaped flood-waters of the 
 river below Knight's Landing, with those of Putah, Cache, and other 
 creeks from the eastern slope of the Coast Range, flow into the tule 
 basin on the west of the river, and when the surface level of the 
 accumulated waters rises above that of the river surface, they flow 
 into the river through Cache Slough, along the northern base of the 
 Montezuma Hills. 
 
 During the flood of 1878, the high water surface at the southern 
 limit of the basin was 15 inches higher than the flood-surface of 
 the river at the mouth of Cache Slough, and the discharge through 
 that slough, across the river current, banked up the waters of the 
 river, and was the cause of great damage to the levees of the islands 
 lying between the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. 
 
 The construction of a drainage canal into Suisun Bay would lower 
 the level of the waters within the basin, and necessitate the building 
 of levees across Cache Slough, to prevent the inflow of waters from 
 the river, and the discharge through the drainage canal, in con- 
 junction with the storage capacity of the basin, should be sufficient 
 to prevent such rise of the waters as would endanger the river levees 
 near the mouth of Cache Slough or elsewhere. 
 
 The cost and dimensions of the canal must, therefore, depend on the 
 reservoir capacity of the basin and the amount of the waters to be 
 drained into Suisun Bay. 
 
 THE EESERVOIR CAPACITY OF THE TULE BASIN. 
 
 In order to determine the cubic contents of the basin, sections were 
 taken at several points, and also the elevations of the flood-surface in 
 the spring of 1878. 
 
 From tliese sections and elevations it is estimated that the cubic 
 contents of the basin, at high water of 1878, amounted to 49,000,000,000 
 cubic feet, about 4,000,000,000 more than the contents of the Feather 
 River basin at high water of March, 1879. 
 
 For the protection of the lands within the basin, as well as for the 
 security of the river levees, the waters of the basin should not be 
 allowed to rise within 3 feet of the level of the flood of 1878, and 
 in such case, and at such level, the cubic contents of the basin would 
 be 32,000,000,000 cubic feet. 
 
 These calculations were made from the hight of the flood-surface 
 of the water above the lowest line of the tules, as shown on the pro- 
 file in Sheet No. 2, accompanying this report, and from the assumed 
 width of the surface at the different sections, and the estimate of the 
 cubic contents is, therefore, only approximate, although sufficiently 
 accurate for the purposes of this report. 
 
 THE AMOUNT OF THE WATERS TO BE DRAINED FROM THE TULE BASIN 
 
 INTO SUISUN BAY. 
 
 During the flood of 1879 the maximum discharge from Putah and 
 Cache Creeks into the basin was about 100,000 cubic feet per second, 
 and from the river, through crevasses, over 30,000 cubic feet. 
 
 The discharge from Putah and Cache Creeks diminished very 
 rapidly, but the river stood at a high stage for nearly a month.
 
 21 
 
 During the flood of LSyy tlie maximum discharge from Putah and 
 Oaelie Creeks was not so great, but the crevasse discharge from the 
 river and the discharge through the tule basin was much greater. 
 
 If it be assumed that for eighteen and a half days the average flow 
 into tlie l^asin would be 40,000 cubic feet per second, it would l)e suf- 
 ficient to fill the basin twice over to 3 feet below the level of the 
 flood of 1878, and in order that the waters might not rise beyond 
 that hight, it would be necessary that the average discharge of the 
 canal for eighteen and a half days should be 20,000 cubic feet per 
 second. 
 
 The basin once filled, however, the reservoir capacity of the basin 
 ceases to reduce the discharge from the lower end, which must then 
 be equal to the whole discharge through the basin. 
 
 By reference to the profile on Plate No. II, accompanying this 
 report, it will be seen that the length of a line along the lowest part 
 of the tules is 44 miles, and the average slope of the bed over 5 inches 
 to the mile; the depth along this line during the flood of 1878 was, 
 on an average, over 10 feet, and the width of the flood-surface from 
 4 to 8 miles. 
 
 Supposing the width of a section 20,000 feet, the average depth 6 
 feet, and the slope 6 inches to the mile, the mean velocity in an 
 ordinary channel would be about 21 feet per second. 
 
 The velocity of the current is, however, checked by the resistance 
 from the tules; but putting it even at 1 foot per second, the dis- 
 charge would be 120,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 Tlie measured maximum discharge during the flood of 1879 was 
 over 130,000 cubic feet, of which 100',000 was from Putah and Cache 
 Creeks. 
 
 During the flood of 1878 it is i)robable that the maximum discharge 
 was over 150,000 cubic feet per second, more than double the channel 
 discharge of the river at Freeport. 
 
 Putah and Cache Creeks rise and fall very rapidly, but one day of 
 maximum discharge would be equivalent to an average discharge of 
 10,000 cubic feet for ten days. 
 
 The duration of floods in the river is so great that the crevasse dis- 
 charge may continue approximately uniform for a sufficient period 
 to fill the basin thrice over. 
 
 From these figures some idea may be formed of the immense mass 
 of flood-waters poured through Cache Slough across the channel of 
 the river. 
 
 Should this outlet be closed, the capacity of a drainage canal which 
 will divert into Suisun Bay the waters of Putah and Cache Creeks, 
 and the surplus waters of the river, under the present system of 
 levees, must, in my opinion, far exceed 20,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 It may be suggested that a moderate canal discharge would, at 
 least, drain the waters of the basin so that crops might be put in 
 within ninetv or one hundred days after the time of high water. 
 
 Sup])Osing,'for instance, the basin filled to the flood-hight of 1878, 
 a canal discharge of 5,600 cubic feet per second would drain off the 
 waters in about one hundred days. 
 
 Such discharge would not, however, prevent, even during ordinary 
 floods, the filling of the basin, the destruction of the river levees, and 
 the inflow of the river waters, in which ca.se the sub.sidence of the 
 waters within the basin would depend on the subsidence of the 
 waters of the river.
 
 22 
 
 COST AND DIMENSIONS OF A CANAL FOR DIFFERENT DISCHARGES. 
 
 It is proposed to cut the bed of the canal to the level of ordinary 
 high tide at Denverton, at the head of Suisun Bay. This level is 
 but 10 feet below the flood-hight of the waters of the basin during 
 the flood of 1878, and H'i feet below the flood-hight of the river at 
 the mouth of Cache 81ough, and in order that the water at the 
 entrance to tlie canal may not rise to within IJ feet of the flood-hight 
 of the river in 1878, the depth of water in the channel cannot exceed 
 7 feet. 
 
 The distance through the cut from the northern base of the Mon- 
 tezuma Hills to the tules of Suisun Ba}', at the level of ordinary' high 
 tide, is about 7 miles, and even assuming that the current would ulti- 
 mately cut the bed so that the water-surface would fall to the high 
 tide level at Denverton, the slope could not exceed 1 foot to the- 
 mile. With this slope, a depth of 7 feet and a width of bed of 200 
 feet, the discharge would be about 5,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 The amount of excavation, as shown in the detailed calculations 
 accompanying this report, would be 4,630,000 cubic yards, and the 
 cost, at 25 cents per yard, $1,157,500. 
 
 A canal with a bed of 1,000 feet, under the same conditons, would 
 discharge about 23,000 cubic feet per second, and would cost $5,335,000. 
 
 This would not include the right of way, or the levees at and 
 beyond Denverton, or the auxiliary works and canals for conducting 
 the waters from the basin to the entrance of the canal, and including 
 these items, and also the cost of supervision and contingencies, the 
 cost of a canal with a maximum capacity of 23,000 cubic feet per 
 second would not be less than -^6,000,000. 
 
 These calculations assume the depth of water in the channel at 
 7 feet, but with a depth of 4 feet the discharge for a width of 1,000" 
 feet would be about 10,000 cubic feet per second. 
 
 Should a levee system be perfected Avhich would afford a reason- 
 able security against overflow, it would be possible to drain the waters 
 of Putah and Cache Creeks into Suisun Bay by means of a canal of 
 moderate dimensions, but its construction would not be advisable 
 under present circumstances. The construction of a drainage canal 
 of sufficient capacity to divert into Suisun Bay the waters now dis- 
 charged during floods through Cache Slough across the channel of 
 the Sacramento would, in my opinion, be of great benefit to the river, 
 above and below; would protect the levees of the island between the 
 Sacramento and the San Joaquin, and would reclaim a large portion 
 of the lands within the tule basin on the west of the river. 
 
 The work would, however, on account of the heavy cutting, the 
 limited depth of water, and the great width of the channel necessary 
 in order to secure the requisite capacity of discharge, be of such mag- 
 nitude and cost, tliat it could be executed only as a part of a general 
 plan and in connection with, and subse(iuent to, a system of levees 
 affording a reasonable security against inundation, at least during 
 ordinary floods. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 ISAAC W. SMITH, 
 Chief Engineer Sacramento River Drainage District.
 
 REPORT or THE ENGINEER IN CHARGE. 
 
 As Engineer in Charge of the work done by the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District, under an Act of the Legislature, entitled "An Act 
 to create a Drainage District, to be called the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District, to establish a Board of Commissioners therefor, 
 and to define their power and duties," approved April 1st, 1878, I 
 herewith submit the following report of such work, with field-notes, 
 maps and estimates of the cost of construction of the work proposed 
 b}'^ the above bill. 
 
 Under Section 8 of this Act a party was organized, numbering thir- 
 teen, with Messrs. William Bassett, of Sacramento, and Horace D. 
 Gates, of San Francisco, as Chief Assistants, and placed under my 
 charge on the 1st day of June, 1878, for the purpose of making the 
 surveys necessary to determine the practicability of the improve- 
 ments contemplated in this Act, to wit: draining the surplus waters 
 of the Sacramento River, and waters flowing from the east side of 
 the Coast Range of Mountains, in the Counties of Yolo and Solano, 
 into Suisun Bay, at a point removed from the present mouth of the 
 Sacramento River, by making a cut through the jMonte/Aima Hills. 
 
 The first camp was made at Denverton, Solano Countj', where, 
 after a little time spent in disciplining the party, work was com- 
 menced, and a line run from a i)oint on and near the head of Nurse 
 Slough as the initial point, southerly across the tule lands to the end 
 of the Potrero Hills, and thence skirting the edge of the hills to 
 Montezuma Slough, which was found to be of large carrying capacity, 
 being of an average width of 1,000 feet, and from 30 to 40 feet 
 in depth, and of a comparativelj' direct course to the deep waters of 
 Suisun Bay, near the head of the Straits of Carquinez. 
 
 The object of this line was to ascertain the practicability and the 
 probable cost of taking a canal into this part of the bay. Offset and 
 auxiliary lines were run in order to locate the numerous sloughs, 
 with a view of selecting the most favorable route. 
 
 The line was mainly over wet tule land and narrow, deep sloughs, 
 or so-called beaver cuts; the length with offset and auxiliary lines is 
 Sj\ miles. The length of main line 4i^V niiles, to the intersection 
 with Montezuma Slough, and from this point to Suisun Bay, G/^jV 
 miles. This line is denoted as "A" line in the note-books. 
 
 The line was next taken up at the initial point heretofore men- 
 tioned, and a base line run across the divide known as the Monte- 
 zuma Hills, from the head of Nurse Slough to the head of the south 
 fork of Lindsey Slough. 
 
 Contour lines were run both ways from the "base line" on the 
 Nurse Slough side, and also on the Lindsey Slough, and offset lines 
 were run each way from the summit, the object being to determine 
 the lowest and shortest i)racticable route over this divide. Consider- 
 able time was devoted to this work, and an aggregate length of GSy'"^ 
 miles of contour and offset lines were run, which resulted in the
 
 24 
 
 location of the line shown on Plate No. 3, in connection with the con- 
 tours, as the most practicable route for a canal. Subsequently a 
 series of Avells were bored on this line across the divide, 1,000 
 feet apart, to determine the material composing this portion of the 
 Montezuma Hills. An accurate account was kept by one of the 
 party detailed for this work, and samples taken of every change of 
 stratum found in boring. The wells number thirty-one, aggregating 
 in dei)th 0862 feet. The results of such borings are show^n in detail 
 on Plate No. 5, and in section on Plate No. 3, and the location of a 
 portion wdiere rock was found, on Plate No. 4. 
 
 The only rock found was on the westerly slope of the hills, and is 
 a soft sandstojie, offering little resistance to making the cut. The 
 other portions of the hills were found to be composed principally of 
 clayej^ soils, wdth some gravel and quicksand. 
 
 Of the contour lines run, the first, or one of the least elevation, on 
 the west side of the divide, is 10 feet above low tide datum line at 
 Denverton, the one on the east, or Lindsey Slough side, being 15 feet 
 above low tide or datum line at Denverton, each successive one at 5 
 feet greater elevation, up to 30 feet, the next one being 37 feet above 
 low tide, the next one 40 feet, and so on up to 90 feet, the greatest 
 elevation on the line adopted for the route of the canal being 37 feet 
 above datum, or about 30 feet above ordinary high tide at Denverton. 
 This located line is denoted as B line in the note books. It is per- 
 haps W'Cll to remark that on this as well as much of the subsequent 
 w'ork, the party was greatly annoyed and the work greatly impeded 
 by the gnats, which on still days swarmed in countless myriads from 
 the cracks in the adobe, attacking all the exposed parts with their 
 venomous bite, the effects of which often remained for weeks. 
 
 In connection with this line across the divide, an auxiliary line 
 was run along the northern base of the Potrero Hills, connecting 
 w^ith Suisun Bay by the way of Suisun Slough. This line is denoted 
 as Z line in the note-books, and is, with the continuation of the line 
 into Fairfield, 9 miles in length. A line was also run over the first 
 pass to the east of Denverton, but on attaining an elevation of 97 
 feet above low tide it was abandoned. The length of this line was 
 2j^ miles, and is denoted as C line in the note books. 
 
 The located line across the divide was then taken up, and extended 
 northerly toward Gray's Bend, following as nearly as practicable the 
 natural grade line of the country, rising at the rate of 6 inches to 
 the mile. Offset lines were run each way from this line at different 
 points, in order to determine the slope of the ground from west to 
 east. At the sink of Putah Creek back-water from the tule was met 
 with, and a detour made to avoid it ; an offset line was run around 
 the overflowed district, the line being again taken up on the opposite 
 side, at a point at or near Swingle's Station, on the California Pacific 
 Railroad, and continued. Back-water was again met with on reach- 
 ing the tule directly south of Gray's Bend and east of the sink of 
 Cache Creek, and a second detour made, crossing Cache Creek above 
 the sink and running into Knight's Landing, thence down the Sacra- 
 mento River to Gray's Bend. 
 
 From Gray's Bend a line was run back towards the point on the 
 other side of the tule, where the back-w^ater was met, a distance of 
 xViT miles, as far as the water permitted. 
 
 High Avater at Knight's Landing was found to be 41-i^ feet above 
 low tide at Denverton, and at Gray's Bend 39 feet above low tide.
 
 25 
 
 The total lengtli of this line, including offset lines, is 77nnrnQiles. 
 The length of main line, not including offset or auxiliary lines, is 
 44-i^^j- miles. The object of this line being to determine the amount 
 of fall from high water in the Sacramento River, at Gray's Bend and 
 Knight's Landing, to low tide at Suisun Bay, and also to determine 
 the most practicable route for a canal, diverting a portion of the 
 waters of the Sacramento River at or near Gray's Bend, and inter- 
 cepting the waters of Cache and Putah Creeks and other waters com- 
 ing in from the Avest before they have entered the tule basin, and 
 keeping on the high land, reach the Montezuma Hills atapoint with 
 as great an elevation as can be attained, after allowing grade enough 
 to give velocity to the waters of the canal. 
 
 A meander line, having its initial point at Gray's Bend, was next 
 run down tlie west bank of the Sacramento River, with offset lines 
 running into the tule on the west, and frequent cross sections of the 
 river banks, with measurements of the width of the river, to Rio 
 Vista; connection was made with Sacramento City and with a scries 
 of gauges put up by the State Engineer Department. This work was 
 done in connection with that of the State Engineer Department. 
 Permanent benches and points were established at intervals of 1 
 mile as a base for future operations. Mr. D. D. Griffiths, of the State 
 Engineer Department, accompanied this survey as topograplier. The 
 survey was greatly impeded by the difficulty of working through the 
 dense thickets of brush bordering the banks of the river, and by con- 
 tinued sickness in the party, caused by the intense heat and the 
 malaria; also from the effects of the poison oak whicli here abounds. 
 
 The total length of this line, including offsets and cross sections, 
 is 98yW miles, the length of the offset and cross section lines being 
 32yV^ miles. This line is denoted as No. 10 in the note-books. 
 
 The object of this survey was to gather data to determine the effect 
 upon the river by diverting a portion of its waters by means of a 
 canal into Suisun Bay, and to determine the amount necessary to be 
 so diverted in order to produce a certain diminution of the volume 
 of the waters of the river at all points below the point of diversion, 
 and to obtain a correct alignment of the Sacramento River. 
 
 From a point near Rio Vista a tie line was run acro.ss to and con- 
 nected with the " B" line. The length of this line was OrW miles. 
 
 A survey of Putah Creek was then made, a line being run from 
 the sink of the north brancli or old channel of the creek, up the 
 creek to a point on the Rancho Rio de las Putos, near Green 
 McMahon's residence, said point being above the line of overflow 
 from the creek, where a section of the creek was prepared for gauging 
 during the next high water in the creek. A line was then run down 
 the south branch or new channel of Putah Creek to the tule, with 
 numerous offset and cross section lines. The total lengths of these 
 lines are Sl^rh miles, and are denoted in the note-books as Putah 
 Creek survevs, and shown on Plate No. 6. 
 
 The object of this survey was to determine the maximum volume 
 of water entering the tule basin from this source during the flood 
 season, the most practicable route for taking it into a main canal, 
 and an estimate of the amount of debris brought down and deposited 
 in the tule. 
 
 A survey with the same object in view was made of Cache Creek. 
 Total length of line, including cross sections, 9y^ miles, is denoted 
 in note-books as Cache Creek survey's, and shown on Plate No. 7. 
 4r
 
 26 
 
 A series of lines were run into and across the tule from diiferent 
 points on the " B " line, viz. : one into the Big Lake Basin 4fVV 
 miles in length ; one across the tule at its narrowest point, where 
 the old Williams' grade crossed at the head of Babel's Slough, Ty^^ 
 miles in length, and one running down Cache Slough Sifj miles in 
 length. These lines are shown on Plate No. 1, and profiles of same 
 are shown on Plate No. 2. 
 
 This finished the work in the field, and the party was disbanded 
 November 5th, 1878. On the 1st of October, Horace D. Gates severed 
 his connection with the party to accept a position on the Govern- 
 ment survey, the vacancy being filled by Norman B. Kellogg, of San 
 Francisco. 
 
 Subsequently a line of levels was run from Rio Vista to Denver- 
 ton, thence toLindsey Slough, and thence to Cache Slough, putting 
 up and connecting gauges at these points. 
 
 Upon finishing the work in the field, an office was established at 
 53 J Street, Sacramento, and the work of making maps of the sur- 
 veys, with plans for the work proposed, and estimates of the cost 
 of same, was commenced, William Bassett, of Sacramento, being 
 Chief Assistant. 
 
 A general map of the district was made on a scale of 14,000 feet to 
 1 inch, and a map of the profiles of the surveys, Plate No. 2, for 
 publication. The general map or maps of the Sacramento River 
 Drainage District surveys shows the boundaries of the district, the 
 sections within the district only being numbered ; the Montezuma 
 Hills, the Sacramento River, the tule basin, the line of a proposed 
 main canal from Knight's Landing to Suisun Bay, the proposed sub- 
 sidiary canals, the line of lowest levels through the tule from Gray's 
 Bend to the Montezuma Hills, in connection with a drainage cut 
 through those hills, the lines D, E, F, and B L, run into and across 
 the tule basin, with the main points of interest. 
 
 Plate No. 2. — Profiles of surveys of Sacramento River Drainage 
 District, shows a profile of the line of a proposed main canal, a pro- 
 file of lowest line of levels through the tule, a profile of the bank 
 and bed of (/ache Creek, a profile of the bank and bed of Putah 
 Creek, a profile of the bank and bed of the new channel of Putah 
 Creek, a cross section of the tule basin at line "_ D " on the general 
 map. (The notes of this cross section were obtained from the State 
 Engineer Department.) 
 
 A cross section of the tule basin at line " E" on the general map,^ 
 the notes of which were obtained from the Engineer Department of 
 the Central Pacific Railroad; a profile of the line " B L " shown on 
 the general map, and a cross section of the narrowest part of the tule 
 basin at line " F," also on the general map. 
 
 Plate No. 3. — A map of the contours of Montezuma Hills, scale 
 1,000 feet to 1 inch, showing the contours run to determine the 
 lowest pass over this divide. The located " B " line as being the most 
 practicable route for a canal. 
 
 The line across the tules from the head of Nurse Slough to Monte- 
 zuma Slough, the location of Denverton, the high land of the Potrero 
 Hills, Lindsey, Nurse, and Montezuma Slouglis, a profile of the "B" 
 line showing the shape of the divide, and a section showing the strata 
 in connection with a profile of a drainage cut through the hills. 
 
 Plate No. 4. — Showing the location of the sandstone ridge on the
 
 27 
 
 westerly slope of the divide near Denverton and the wells bored to 
 ascertain the extent and depth Ijelow the surface of said ridge. 
 
 Plate No. 5. — A profile of " B" line across the divide, showing the 
 wells bored and the results of such borings in detail, and the grade 
 lines of the proposed main canal and of a drainage cut respectively. 
 
 Plate No. 6. — Map of Putah Creek surveys, scale 1,000 feet to an 
 inch, showing the surveys in detail. Two cross sections, one of the 
 old and one of the new channels, showing their relative carrying 
 capacities. Two cross sections taken above the line of overflow to 
 assist in determining the volume of flow. A profile of the bank and 
 bed of the creek from a point above the line of overflow down the 
 old channel to the tule, and of the new channel from its Iiead to the 
 tule, and showing the Putah Creek subsidiary canal, and its junction 
 with the proposed main canal. 
 
 Plate No. 7. — Map of the Cache Creek survej^s, scale 1,000 feet to 
 the inch, showing the surveys in detail, with two cross sections taken 
 at points above the line of overflow to assist in determining the 
 volume of flow. A profile of the bank and bed of the creek from a 
 point above the line of overflow to the tule, the Cache Creek sub- 
 sidiary canal and its junction with the proposed main canal, and the 
 location of Gray's Bend on the Sacramento River, in its relation to 
 the sink of Cache Creek. 
 
 Under the direction of Chief Engineer Isaac W. Smith, a proposed 
 line for a main canal was adopted, having its initial point at Knight's 
 Landing, 8 feet below the high water of 1878, and running thence, 
 following as nearly as i)racticable the natural surface slope of the 
 ground, with a grade falling at the rate of 4 inches to the mile, to 
 the Montezuma Hills, reaching them at a point with an elevation of 
 lOyV feet above low tide, thence through the hills with an increased 
 grade of 6 inches to the mile oyVtt miles to the ledge of rock afore- 
 mentioned, an overfall being made at this point of 10 feet, and thence 
 continuing said grade to a i^oint in the tule south and west of Den- 
 verton, when the grade runs out on the surface of the tule; thence 
 with a grade conforming with and to the surface of the tule to Mon- 
 tezuma Slough. 
 
 This line for a proposed main canal is shown on the general map 
 of tlie district, and a profile of same on Plate No. 2. 
 
 Estimates were made of the amount of earth-work necessary to 
 construct this canal, based on the following cut and levees: 
 
 Beginning at the Sacramento River, at the Town of Knight's Land- 
 ing, with a cut feet wide on the bottom, with side slopes of 1 to 
 
 1, and following along the line shown on the general map with a 
 grade 8 feet below high water of 1878 at point of beginning, and 
 falling at the rate of 4 inches to the mile, ^y% miles, to where the grade 
 of the bottom of the cut runs on the natural surface of the ground. 
 Levees are built on each side of this cut, beginning at Knight's 
 Landing and running thence parallel, with a width on top of 5 
 feet, with an inside slope of o to 1, and an outside slope of 2 
 to 1, with a grade on top conforming with and 9 feet above the 
 grade of the bottom of the canal, along said line shown lon general 
 map, 7fV(j miles to the junction with the Cache Creek subsidiary 
 canal, as shown on general map, also on Plate No. 7. At the point 
 of junction the main canal is widened, by placing the levees a greater 
 
 distance apart, to a width of feet, and continued thence, with the 
 
 same relative grade, Utu^ miles, to the junction with Putah Creek
 
 28 
 
 subsidiary canal, as shown on the general map, and also on Plate No. 
 6. At the point of junction the width of the canal is again increased 
 in proi)ortion to the amount of increase in the volume of water to be 
 carried. 
 
 Continuing thence, with the same relative grades, 20yVo" miles, to 
 where the grade of the top of the levee runs out on the natural sur- 
 face of the ground at the Montezuma Hills. The canal is continued 
 through the hills by means of a cut 600 feet wide on the bottom, with 
 side slopes of 1 to 1, beginning back y^o of a mile from the end of 
 the levees and running thence, Avith an increased grade of 6 inches 
 to the mile, Sj^ miles, to where the overfall is made. 
 
 Continuing thence l-j^ miles to where the grade runs out on the 
 surface of the tule, the canal is carried across tliis tule land by means 
 of two parallel levees, beginning back l^Vo miles from the end of 
 the cutting, and running thence with a grade conforming with the 
 surface of the tule ofVii miles to a junction with Montezuma Slough. 
 The total length of this proposed main canal, from Knight's Land- 
 ing to Montezuma Slough, is oO-fVo miles. 
 
 The Cache Creek subsidiary canal, for the purpose of diverting the 
 waters of Cache Creek into the main canal, begins at a point where 
 the Northern Railway crosses the creek, near the Town of Yolo, said 
 point being above the line of overflow of the creek, and running 
 thence down the present channel, utilized by means of levees on 
 either side, with a width of 5 feet on top, with an inside slope of 3 to 
 1, and an outside slope of 2 to 1. and with a grade conforming to the 
 fall of the bed of the creek 4Yoir miles, to where the waters are 
 diverted into a cut 150 feet wide on the bottom, with side slopes of 
 2 to 1, with levee of similar dimension to the foregoing on each 
 side; running thence, with a curvature of 5,730 feet radius 2^^ 
 miles, to a junction with the main canal, shown on general map antl 
 also on Plate No. 7. 
 
 The Putah Creek subsidiary canal, for the purpose of diverting the 
 waters of Putah Creek into the main canal, begins at a point on the 
 creek above the line of overflow of the waters of the creek, said point 
 being located on the creek 2,900 feet above the residence of Green 
 McMahon, and running thence down the present channel, utilized 
 by means of levees on either side of said channel, with a width on top 
 of 5 feet, with an inside slope of 3 to 1, and an outside slope of 2 to 1, 
 5yVo miles to the forks of the new and old channels, thence down the 
 new channel, and by line shown on the general map, and also on Plate 
 6, 7^00 miles to a junction Avith the main canal. The total length of 
 this subsidiary canal is 12y^^ miles. These estimates are hereunto 
 appended. 
 
 An estimate was also made of a drainage cut through the Monte- 
 zuma Hills, from Lindsey Slough to the tule a little south and west 
 of Denverton, the bottom of this cut to be 200 feet in width, with 
 slopes of 1 to 1, having a uniform elevation of 6yV feet above low 
 tide; the average elevation of high tide is also hereunto appended. 
 The length of this cut would be 7fV miles. A profile of tlie cut is 
 .shown on Plate No. 2, in connection Avith that along the line of 
 lowest levels through the tule; also on Plate No. 3, in connection 
 Avith a section showing strata of Montezuma Hills, the alignment 
 being shown on general map. 
 
 On Plates Nos. 6 and 7 is shown the highest Avater mark of 4th and 
 5th of March, 1879, Avith the cross sectional area of Cache and Putah
 
 29 
 
 Creeks, respectively. Observation of the velocity of the current of 
 Putah Creek was made in company with Mr. Bassett on the 5th of 
 March, which resulted in a mean surface velocity of V2^% feet per 
 second, with a depth of 24^, the water falling at the rate of 1 foot 
 per hour. 
 
 The hight of the highest water was noted, being o^^ feet in excess 
 of the observed hight, which would give a maximum depth of 30y% 
 feet. A comparison was made between the observed velocity in feet 
 per second, and that obtained by formula — 
 
 2gh=V 
 
 Fxlp 
 
 A being the main area of cross section, 1= length of observed section 
 p^= perimeter, h= fall in bed of creek, F=co-efficient of friction, g=; 
 velocity acquired by falling bodies at the end of the first second, 
 V= mean velocity in feet per second, the result being by observation 
 12y®^ feet per second for a mean surface velocity, and 12y\f feet x y\^ 
 gives lOy^ feet, this for a mean velocity of the whole cross section per 
 second. By formula a mean velocity of the whole cross section of 
 12f\7 feet was obtained, which, under reversed circumstances, that is 
 to say, with the creek rising instead of falling, I assume to be approxi- 
 mately correct. 
 
 Then using this formula with a depth of water of 30-i% feet, a cross 
 sectional area (A) of 5,751 feet, length of section (1) 1,UU0 feet, a peri- 
 meter or water profile (p) of 274 feet, a fall (h) of 1 foot, g= o2.166 
 feet, and F== .00743, V^ 13.48, the mean velocity in feet per second 
 of the entire area of the creek, and the area 5,751xl3iYo mean velocity, 
 gives 77,523 cubic feet per second as the maximum volume of flow. 
 
 An observation of Cache Creek other than noting the hight of 
 highest water, was not made, the similarity of the two creeks making 
 an observation of both not essential for the purpose of this report, as 
 only an approximation is aimed at. High water of March 5th, 1879, 
 gives a mean depth of 231 feet in the section taken of the creek, 
 which gives a mean area of 3,558 feet, a perimeter of 235 feet, fall of 
 1 foot, length 1,000 feet, and by preceding formula a mean velocity of 
 Ht^V feet per second is obtained, and 11.41 x35i^ gives 40,596 cubic 
 feet per second as the maximum volume of fiow. 
 
 There is appended hereunto tables showing the total mileage of 
 the surveys, the total number of acres in the district, as computed 
 from surveys on file in the Surveyor-General's office, and the relative 
 hights of the main points in the district. 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 JIM. C. PIERSON, 
 
 Engineer in Charge.
 
 30 
 
 TABLE 
 
 Showing the Mai length in miles of the various lines constituting the Sacramento Eivcr Drainage 
 
 District surveys. 
 
 Mainline 132.14 miles. 
 
 Offset and tie 107.00 miles. 
 
 Cross section 11-57 miles. 
 
 Contour 67.22 miles. 
 
 Putah Creek 31.()2 miles. 
 
 Cache Creek 9.00 miles. 
 
 Total 348.65 miles. 
 
 TABLE 
 Showing the number of acres in the Sacramento River Drainage District. 
 
 Sacramento County 166,121.80 acres. 
 
 Solano County ■_ 49,281.36 acres. 
 
 Yolo County 147,065.32 acres. 
 
 Total 362,468.48 acres. 
 
 TABLE 
 
 Showing the relative elevation of principal points in the Sacramento Eiccr Drainage District. 
 
 Low tide at New York Landing (Hall's base) 1.26 feet. 
 
 Low tide at Denverton : 0.00 feet. 
 
 High tide at Denverton (average) 6^50 feet. 
 
 High tide at Denverton (extreme) 10.00 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule from Denverton to Montezuma Slough (average) 6.60 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule at Lindsey Slough 6.60 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule at Big Lake 3.00 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule at its narrowest point (opjwsite Babel Slough) 9.00 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule at the sink of the new channel of Putah Creek 12.30 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule at the sink of the old channel of Putah Creek 26.00 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule opposite Sacramento 11.60 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule opposite Colonel Hall's 20.00 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule opposite Gray's Bend 26.66 feet. 
 
 Surface of tule at sink of Cache Creek 27.60 ieet. 
 
 Summit of pass over the Montezuma Hills 37.08 feet. 
 
 Surface of ground at Maine Praii-ie 8.00 feet. 
 
 Surface of ground at Knight's Landing 37.10 feet. 
 
 Surface of ground at Gray's Bend 34.60 feet. 
 
 City base, Sacramento 4.96 feet. 
 
 rio"od-hight of water at Maine Prairie, 1S61 aild 1862, 18.02; of 1878 16.70 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River at Newtown Landing, of 1878 16.24 feet. 
 
 Flood-high t of Sacramento River at Richland 20.45 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River at Babel Slough 24.36 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River at the chicory ranch 27.97 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River at Sacramento 30.92 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River 10^ miles below Freeport 32.05 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight- of Sacramento River 2i miles below Fremont 33.58 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River at Gray's Bend 37.00 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Sacramento River at Knight's Landing 41.50 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Cache Creek at Yolo 88.00 feet. 
 
 Flood-hight of Putah Creek at Green McMahon's 100.76 feet.
 
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