GB 1225 .C3 T3 Copy 1 Issued June 7, S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRIGULTURE, WEATHER BUREAU.— BOLtETDT 43. 'HE RIVERS AND FLOODS OF THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Prepared under the direction of WILLIS L. MOORE, Chief U. 3. Weather Bureau. BY NATHANIEL R. TAYLOR. LOCAL FORECASTER. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1913. •^i' W. B. No. 498. Issued June 7, ]9]3. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WEATHER BUREAU. -BULLETIN 43. THE RIVERS AND FLOODS OF THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Prepared under the direction of WILLIS L. MOORE, Chief U. S. Weather Bureau BY NATHANIEL R. TAYLOR, LOCAL FORECASTER. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1913. <^K^ ADDITIONAL COPIES of this publication -Li- may be procured from the Sxtperfntend- ENT OF Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C, at 20 cents per copy D. OF D. JUN 28 1913 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL United States Department of Agriculture, Weather Bureau, Office of the Chief, WasJiington, D. C, February 4, 1913. The honorable the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a paper by Mr. Nathaniel R. Taylor, local forecaster in charge of the local office of the Weather Bureau at Sacramento, Cal., on ''The Rivers and Floods in Sacramento and San Joaquin Watersheds." I recommend the publication of this j)aper as a bulletin of the Weather Bureau. Very respectfully, II. E. Williams, Acting Chief United States Weather Bureau. Approved: James Wilson, Secretary. 3 CONTENTS Page. Introduction 9 Acknowledgments 9 Physical characteristics of Sacramento watershed 10 Comparative flood discharges 11 The Sacramento Valley 11 Normal annual precipitation, Sacramento watershed 13 Highest, lowest, and mean stages of rivers in Sacramento watershed 15 The Sacramento River 14 River stations on the Sacramento 14 Tributaries of the Sacramento 34 The San Joaquin Drainage Basin 39 Highest, lowest, and mean stages at river stations in San Joaquin watershed . 39 Tributaries of the San Joaquin 54 Tributaries of Tulare and Buena Vista Lakes 52 Floods in the Sacramento River 59 The floods of 1907 63 The floods in the Sacramento and Joaquin Valleys, 1909 70 The floods of January and February, 1911, in the San Joaquin 82 Warnings issued by Weather Bureau 85 Loss due to floods in the Central Valley of California 85 The flood plane of the Sacramento River 86 Flood basins of the Sacramento River 88 Delta lands of the Sacramento and San Joaquin 91 5 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page. Figure 1. Drainage areas of the Sacramento and San Joaquin watersheds and location of river stations (Frontispiece.) 8 2. Normal precipitation at 18 stations in Sacramento watershed 13 3. Seasonal precipitation in central valleys 14 4. Mean monthly river stages, Sacramento 15 4a. Mean monthly river stages, Red Bluff 15 4h . IMean montlily river stages, Colusa 16 4c. Mean monthly river stages, Knights Landing IG 5. Mean monthly river stages, Sacramento — A, season 1900-1901 high water, B, monthly mean stages (12 years); C, low- water season, 1911-12 17 6. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Kennett 18 7. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Red Bluff 18 8. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Colusa 19 9. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages. Knights Landing 19 10. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Sacramento ( 1849-1862). . 20 10a. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Sacramento, (1873-1889). 20 11. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Sacramento (1890-1900). 21 11a. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Sacramento (1900-1912) . 21 12. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Oroville 22 13. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Marysville (1906-1912^. 22 13b . Highest stages, Marysville ( 1 8G2-1906) 23 14. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, Folsom 23 15. Normal annual precipitation at 11 stations in San Joiujuin water- shed 55 16. Mean monthly river stages, Firebaugh 40 16a. Mean monthly river stages, I;athrop 40 17. Mean montlily river stages, Lathrop — season 1906-7— unusually higli; 1911-12, unusually low, and mean stages for a 12-year period 40 18. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River sys- tem — Jjathrop 41 19. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River sys- tem — Merced Falls 41 20. Highest, lowest, and mean seasoiuil stages, San Joaquin River sys- tem — Ja(;ksonville 41 20a. IHghost, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River sys- tem — Mcloncs 42 20b. Highest, lovv.'st, and mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River s\s- tem — JcMiii}^ Liiid -12 21. Highest, l()W<\st,aiul mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River sys- t.em- -Electra 43 6 LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS. 7 Figure 22. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River sys- Page. tern— Firebaugh 43 22b. Highest, lowest, and mean seasonal stages, San Joaquin River sys- tem— Friant 43 23. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, March, 1907 — Colusa and Red Bluff 65 24. Hydrograplis, Sacramento River, March, 1907 — Sacramento and Knights Landing 66 25. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, March, 1907 — Oroville on Feather 66 26. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, March, 1907, Marysville on Yuba. 65 27. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, March, 1907 — Folsom on Amer- ican 67 28. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, March, 1907 and January, 1909 — Kennett 72 29. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, January, 1909 — Colusa and Red Bluff 73 30. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, January, 1909 — Knights Landing and Sacramen to 74 31. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, January, 1909 — Oroville on Feather 75 32. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, January, 1909 — Marys\dlle on Yuba 75 33. Hydrographs, Sacramento River, January, 1909 — Folsom on Amer- ican : . . . 76 34. Spring and summer freshet in San Joaquin watershed March to • August, 1907 76 35. Hydrographs, March, 1907 — flood, Lathrop, Firebaugh, and Friant 77 36. Hydrographs, March, 1907 — flood, Jacksonville, Melones, and Merced Falls 78 37. Hydrographs, March, 1907, flood, Jenny Lind 77 38. Hydrographs, San Joaquin flood, January and February, 1909 — Lathrop, Friant, and Firebaugh 78 39. Hydrogi'aphs, San Joaquin flood, January, 1909 — ^Jacksonville, Melones', and Merced Fails 79 40. Hydrographs, San Joaquin flood, January and February, 1909 — Bellota and Jenny Lind 79 41. Hydrographs, San Joaquin flood, January and February, 1911 — Lathrop, Firabaugh, and Friant 83 42. Hydrographs, San Joaquin flood, January and February, 1911 — Bellota a,nd Jenny Lind .' 83 43. Hydrogi'aphs, San Joaquin flood, January and February, 1911 — Jacksonville, Melones, and Merced Falls 84 44. High water of 1862 on Stockton and Coover Mill near I'olsom on American 61 45. "Wreck of Western Pacific bridge over American, January, 1909, flood (courtesy the Great West) 80 46. Flood scene, 1909, in Yolo Basin, across from Sacramento, Cal. (courtesy the Great West) 80 47. Tracks of Southern Pacific R. R. Co. in Yolo Basin, opposite Sacramento — flood 1909 (courtesy the Great AVest) 80 48. Map of inundated region in the Sacramento Valley by floods of March, 1907, and January, 1909 90 8 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AXD SAX .TOAQUIX WATERSHEDS. n'\ ^vy^,_.^ Fig. 1.— The Sacramento and San Joaquin watersheds. THE RIVERS AND FLOODS OF THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. By Nathaniel R. Taylor, Local Forecaster. Introduction This paper w-iil be devoted to a discussion of some of tlie causes that modify stream flow in the Great Central Valley of California and to the tabulation of such river and rainfall data as are available in con- nection with flood periods, \\ith notes on the various floods that have occurred since 1849, more especially those in the Sacramento water- shed. A brief description of the larger streams and their watersheds will be given, together with distances between important points on the main rivers and their larger tributaries. Much of the information relative to floods in the early days in the city of Sacramento has been gleaned from the History of Sacramento County, Cal., by Thompson and West, and by a perusal of the old files of the Sacramento newspapers, the Bee and the Record Union. Information relative to the floods of the Feather and the Yuba Rivers, and to the condition of these streams during the past two decades, has been Idndly furnished by Mr. W. T, EUis, president of the Marysville Levee Commission, who has made an exhaustive study of floods in the watershed of the Feather- Yuba, and, who, more than any ottier official, is responsible for the almost impreg- nable levee system that has made Marysville practically immune from future floods. Mr. W. E. Meek, of Antioch, Cal., and others, with wliom the writer has discussed conditions in the island districts, have kindly supplied much valuable information, which has never before been published, relative to floods in the delta lands of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. In addition to the records of the Weather Bureau, from which river and precipitation data have been taken, a study of the various Water-Supply Papers of the water resources branch of the United States Geological Survey has been the means of securing much of 9 10 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. the information regarding elevations and descriptions of stream sources in the high Sierra. An article published in the American Society of Civil Engineers, b}' W. B. Clapp, E. C. Murphy, and W. F. Martin, has been of material assistance to the ^vriter, especially with respect to the areas and capacities of the numerous flood basins of the Sacramento Valley. The map, tabulations, and hydrographs printed in connection with this paper are the work of Mr. Hermann J. Andree, assistant observer, United States Weather Bureau. While the records of the Weather Bureau contain river gauge read- ings at several points on the Sacramento River as early as 1875, and on the San Joaquin River since 1896, it was not until May, 1906, that a thorough river service was inaugurated, which included stations at all strategic points, not only on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers but on all important watercourses that feed those streams. The work of reorganizing the river service of the Great Central Valley was performed by Mr. James H. Scarr, local forecaster, United States Weather Bureau, under the direction of Prof. Willis L. Moore, chief of the bureau. The length of the Great Central Valley of California is about 500 miles. It varies in width from a few miles at its northern limits, near Redding, to 50 or 60 miles in the Sacramento Valley, to as much as 125 miles in parts of the San Joaquin Valley. It is bounded on the east by the Sierra Nevada and on the west by the Coast Range. These ranges meet on the north at Mount Shasta and again on the south, ^ where they are connected by the Tehachapi cross range, the whole being shut in, except for a narrow opening in the Coast Range at San Francisco, thi'ough which its drainage reaches the Pacific. Probably in no other part of the United States are river conditions so complicated as in the section under discussion, draining, as it does, many thousands of square miles of high mountains where heavy rains and melting snows feed innumerable streams, many of which often grow from innocent rivulets to raging torrents in a few hours' time. The total area drained is something over 60,000 square miles, and the entire output of all waterways is borne to two trunk streams, the Sacramento and San Joaquhi, that merge in Suisun Bay and finally reach the Pacific Ocean through (^arquinez Strait, San Pablo and San Francisco Bays. The table following is taken from Reports on the Control of Floods in the Sacramento Valley and the adjacent San Joaquin Valley, Cj\1., published in Document No. 81, Sixty-second (\)ngross, first session, and shows the magnitude of the maximum flood discharge of the Sacramento River, as compared with that of several well-known rivers of the United vStates. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 11 Mississippi at Vicksburg Mississippi above Missouri River Missouri Columbia Ohio Arkansas Red River Sacramento Drainage area above station (square miles). 1,100,000 1(55, 000 527, 000 237, 000 201,700 186, 300 90, 000 26, 000 Maximum flood dis- charge (cubic feet per second recorded). 1.777,000 366, 000 546, 000 1,390,000 1,233,000 440, 000 210, 000 J 600,(700 1 Estimated, 1907-1909. The point brought out in the above table is that if the Mississippi had the same discharge per square mile as that of the Sacramento its maximum flood discharge would exceed 25,000,000 cubio feet per second. At this rate it would require only a short period of max- imum flood discharge to convert the Mississippi Valley from Vicks- burg to St. Louis into an inland sea of considerable depth. While the great valley of California is one continuous area it is popularly known as two separate valleys — the Sacramento on the north and the San Joaquin on the south. These valleys meet at a point contiguous to the Mokelumne and Cosumnes Rivers, and their drainage, as has been stated, finds a common outlet to the sea. At one time the Mokelumne River connected with the Sacra- mento River through Tyler Slough at Walnut Grove and Tyler emptied into the Sacramento at its junction with Georgiana Slough. Tyler Slough now being dammed causes all of the water of the Mokelumne and Cosumnes Rivers to flow into the San Joaquin. Therefore, the dividing line between the drainage area of the Sacra- mento and San Joaquin Valleys is formed by artificial levees that have been thrown up by reclamation districts. River and flood conditions in the two valleys being somewhat dissimilar, they will be separately discussed in this paper. The Sacramento Valley. The Sacramento drainage basin extends from Mount Shasta southward to Suisun Bay and from the Trinity Mountains and the Coast Range eastward to the Sierra Nevada. The floor of the Sac- ramento Valley may be said to begin at about Redding, where its width is only a few miles, and to extend southward for a distance of about 150 miles. Above Redding the valley narrows rapidly and becomes a canyon. It widens as the city of Sacramento is ap- proached, being somewhat over 50 miles at its 'wadest point. The level part of the valley comprises an area of some 4,600 square miles. That part included between the summits of the abutting 12 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. mountains comprises about 19,000 square miles, or nearly 13,000,000 acres. The eastern watershed of the Sacramento Valley ranges in elevation from 10,000 feet in the south to 6,000 or 7,000 feet in the north. The western watershed ranges from 4,000 feet in the south to 9,000 feet in the north, and the northern watershed from 4,000 to 8,000 feet, exclusive of Mount Shasta, which has an elevation of 14,380 feet. (Water-Supply Paper No. 251, U. S. Geological Survey.) The mean annual precipitation in the Sacramento watershed increases with altitude and is greatest at about 5,000 feet. Beyond this elevation it decreases. It increases as the upper end of the valley is approached, being about 18 inches at Rio Vista, 20 inches at Sacramento city, 23 inches at Chico, 25 inches at Red Bluff, and 36 inches at Redding. There is a noticeable increase in the mean annual precipitation as the foothill sections are approached and a marked increase thence through the hills and up the flanks of the Sierras. (See figs. 2 and 3.) In figure 2 the shaded columns indicate the annual precipitation in inches for the following points, viz: station. Eleva- tion. Station. Eleva- tion. No. 1. Sacramento .... Feet. 71 213 307 552 624 970 1,049 1,1 3S 1,350 No. 10. Auburn No. 11. Dunsmuir No. 12. Colfax No. 13. Nevada City Feet. 1,360 No. 2. Palermo No. 3. Red Bluff 2.285 2.421 No. 4. Redding No. 5. Fruto 2.580 No. 14. Grass Valley 2,690 No. 6. Newcastle No. 15. Edgewood 2,955 No. 7. Shasta No. 8. Delta No. 9. Upper Lake No. 16. Sisson No. 17. Bowmans Dam No. IS. Summit S.So.'i 5,500 7,017 In 1909, 113.85 inches of precipitation occurred at Bowmans Dam and 114.85 inches at Delta. At Magalia, in Butte County, there were 150.62 inches in the same year. In the diagram on page 14 the figures at the top of columns have the following significance: 1 equals season 1906-7. 2 equals season 1907-8. 8 equals season 1908-9. 4 equals season 1909-10. 5 equals season 1910-11. G oqtials season 1911-12. The year is divided into two fairly woll-dc^fmod seasons — the dry and the wet. The dry season extends from May to October, in- clusive, and the wet from November to April, inclusive. More than 75 per cent of the annual precipitation occurs during the four months ending with March. Tlie precipitation that occurs in the floor of the valley, that is, south of Redding, is invariably in the form of rain. Above the 4,000-foot level it is mostly in tlie form of snow, although heavy snow sometimes falls at altitudes as low as 2,000 feet. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. (In inches.) 13 Fig. 2.— Normal annual precipitation at 18 stations in the Sacramento watershed. 14 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Ill the report of the commissioner of ])iiblic works in 1(S94 the total area of the Sacramento Valley is given as 4,250 square miles, 2,510 of which are described as highlands — tliat is, hot subject to overflow; 450 scjuare miles of lowlands overflowed occasionally by high floods; and 1,250 square miles of lowlands overflowed i)eri()di- cally. The above figures are, of course, now subject to revision on account of the fact that many of the lowlands included in the report have been reclaimed, much of which are now practically immune from even the highest floods. Fig. 3. — Seasonal precipitation at three stations in the central valleys for six seasons. (In inches.) The Sacramento Kiver. The Sacramento River rises on the southwestern slopes of Mount Shasta and flows almost due south for a distance of about 370 miles, and discharges into Suisun Bay. It is navigable as far as Red Blulf, 265 miles from its mouth. It emerges from its rocky canyons a short distance above Redding, but is mostly confined within banks of sufficient height to carry its maximum flood discharge until a point a short distance below Red BluH" is reached; thence it flows through a practically level plain. The lower courne of tlie river for a dislance of nearly 100 miles occupies a ridtxe from 5 to 20 feet higher than the troughs of the nearly i)arallel Hood basins on each side, which are from 2 to 7 miles from the river. HIVEH STATIONS ON THE SACRAMENTO. The river service on the Sacramento Jiiver now embraces seven regular river and rainfall stations, where gage readings are taken FLOODS OF SACEAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 15 daily the year round. During the seven months ending with May, river stages and 24-hour precipitation are telegraphed daily at 7 a. m., and oftener, should floods be imminent, or in progress, to the river center at Sacramento. In addition, to the stations named, special stations are maintained at Dunsmuir and Sisson, from which reports of heavy rains are wired. The following are the regular river and rainfall stations named, from north to south: Kennett, Red Bluff, Jacinto, Colusa, Knights Landing, Sacramento, and Rio Yista. The numerical values of highest, lowest, and mean stages of the rivers for each month and the year follow in a series of tables, and the same values are presented graphically in figures 4 to 14, inclusive. Mean monlhly river stages, Sacramento si/stem. FT. 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 a CO o O > o z o Q c LJ. a S D. < IE "3 < SACRA MENTO 1 m m i i i i i i i i 1 ^ I i i 1 i I i i 1 i z ^ I i i i i ^ i i i i i i ^ ■ i ^ ^ ^ 7P z ^ i 1 i I i I 2 i i 2 1 ^ la i I i i i 1 ^ ^ 1 Fig. 4.— Mean monthly river stages. FT. 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 Q. CO o O > o z u (1) O c cd 0) ll L. d < 3 50 3 < RED BLUFF. i ^ I I i i i ^ i i i ^ 1 1 i xa. M. 1 1 ^ ,^L Fig. 4a.— Mean monthly river stages. IG I I.(HH)S OK SACRAMENTO AND SAX .JOAQllN W A I EHSliEDS. Unm mnnthhj river singes, Sacramento sys^fm— Continued. FT 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 Q. 0) CO o O > o z o Q c CO "3 1. CO a < cd c "3 3 "3 be < C L U SA. ^ i ^ i i ^ i I i i I ^ ^ i 1 1 i I 1 i i 1 2c i 1 I ^ ^ I E g 1 i ^ Fi . lb.— Mcau monthly river stages. FT. If) 14 12 10 8 fi 4 2 a CO n o O > o z rr O AP/?. MAY JUN. JUL AUG. / ^ \ / * ^^ '^ > / / / ^■n \ I / / t 4 t \ \\ / t / / r A \^ / / / y / 1 % \ V / / / / ^ \ y 4 • / / \ V C y / \ o ^ o o: S 1 pii r< > O e v « So ^ ->C <>> — — w lO N 05 »0 -^ ^ TT c^ ;£ «^ X o -^ •* o o ic :^ :^ c^ c^i — « C^l O OO to C5 C^l 3C ^ I o I OJ CO t- ixi -^ t>. r^ w ac «© Ofo a us o S w 00 »CO Ii •"T ' c^ t^ re o w -^ OS 00o-^ oc c^ ' X ' I I i 'd — ■ CO iC X X ■ Op Oi '-" '^ ^N 1 $ s s s ^ < ? w coco d I d h»— t-O cc »o,-i«c- d C (N O: ;i ^ O «0 •* W OS » C^ CO w d ■ ■-." X ■«f o in ^ X CO c^ CO -^ -"J- ci X — 'o o X •>*< — " CO d ■'j! d -^ ■«»c H ^ -^ IC CO '^ o icM uico c4 ^ CM 0> lO w O Tjt o.ifi 1-1 d t« in o — M cj f- op 05 -^ — — ^ .L jT I 4^ j^ j^ X c& ^ ^ 05 o^ OS o FT.OODS OF SACRAMENTO AND RAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 25 'W w s c s: +J •♦o" 3 00 . o 1 o >>+2 - "Sa CO C3 o -,a3 mP5 a< ;^ CO 00 io •* c^ 00 o 1-H t>^ >o CO 00 CO CO oooocco T-H-^ '■^oo'^cs'ocooi-^coc^ t^rHr»cicoo^Oi-t>o»co3 ■^,-l0500OC0O00r-<'^'OCCt^ oso6rH»foaJ>oot-^^io>oco f^COOOOOOlOt^OOOOOOJOCO c-i •■^5 ' T-i IN IN ' CO CO — ^ i>i T-^ T-^' w w r-Tjir^Tttoio'^oiocsooiooo w w 00iN00'*00t-iNCOCC>T-l'ti"* U5 Tl? i6 'O '6 * -^ CO i-H UO CO .-i rHi-HlOOl-^OOOOOOOC+l CO .-I IN IN CO ' ' .-! i-H (N i-H .-I ■^lO-^-^OCOiCOO^OcO '^005'OIN'OOOi— l'<*<0>t^-* (NlN'Ot-^CO ' "rt'r-IcOi-HrH ■^T-Hioooococoaiooooco I cococoio-^co»ot^Ot-~c»-^< t--^(NCO^'OrHCOi-HCO(NiO,-H iOCOCX)iNiNCO-*i— lOiOt-HCO us.— nHi-H-^weooscocooco o ._; ^' rt' I I I I 000(NTt • . . . o -H (N o ^.— llNC0-t<'OOl^C»05r-.r— .-I .-I <35QrtCHcoTjOrH.-(IN(NOOCOt^ •COCOCO>0-^-^>6cO>f3CO-^iN IN 4-i © iO-COOCOO l» 1 1 o USCOINOCOrHt^lNiftOOINO 1 d ^ ^* ^ ^ ,H 1 1 lOr-HlOINlO-^Tt^lCOOlCOlOC^) >o 1 1 d (3 © ■*iNOCOiNC35IN.-|-^OOeOiOO00OOrHr-iOO rHNCOr-HlCeoddcC'^lN'filO T-H 00 d cs' © iO.-iOO"305(N.-i«Or^T-(i:0«C> INC0'^C0t-^C0d>OC0r^C0'O>O o ^INOOOiOO-^OOOOINt^OO rHiNCOr-Ii-6c0C0':lOlOCOO '*co'*drH»6oc3dcod>oo6"^ d O 1-:! COC-1-*rHCOOOlOC0050^.-l coco-^-^o6-^ddco>6T}!dco CO bC OlO'^00't(Nr- OrHiN r-.rHlMCO'^'Owt^OOOirHrHrH 05OrH(NC0!l"0dr^00CJjOr-l OJOOOOOQOOOOrHrH 00OiO5O5O5O5O5O5O5OlOiO5Oi 26 FT.OODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQTTTN WATERSHEDS. • r< CJ S w o s 03 r< 3 o e <« O > o X5 00 ca 0^ C CO a se l-H « Tl S s 'tt £i s ■I-' C3 O PQ 3 a O5occ«: c^ 1 to CM -r 'C t^ o 0=0 50 o CD »cc o 2 o e^I 'cM-^ c H^ J3 (NOOOC o tie OCMrH- ,Q o -* t- .-H C (^ S i-H (N'^ o H^ ^ OJC^IC* O ti OCM t 1" ^ w a -f oc >o ■* CO C3 r-l (N tA s ,i2 -^ ic ^ o A •<*< c o CM T-H si be S t^ O t^ c4 r-; CO -<■ to T-l ■»1< ■'f ■^ CO >o "O a c3 1^ ■* CM CM -^ >0 CO »0 "^ »0 M' c h3 »0 "O CM -rf -^ CM ■* CO <-H r-J 4.0 6.1 5.6 10.0 10.0 c3 CM !0 CM i-H lO ■^ to t-^ 00 « o h5 OCMtOO O CO "5 lO CO CO 4.6 10.2 11.7 22.0 22.0 K* 3 or 1 cr 1 2 5 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 27 K u, x; K o ^ s e; [/) a; u s o o V. o t: a ^ fci X en Oi o 01 1— 1 0) OJ > 03 o « -c o Q, S S c ^ o .a -2 to C3 ^ O MO •-^ .— ' GC cc; CO I -- >3 w ffi .-I -^ OC t^ I^ 02 CO ^ 05 S> OC -)■ c^i csj ^ e^ c^ oc ■^ «C -J5 CD O CO CO >d o4 o o6 "o -f 05 I^ -f CO — I ^ I -^ :>i ^3 CO c^' c4 cs ' cic o or, CO ci CO T-i CD a> o o 1-^ -r c5 CO CO CO CD oi ^ CO cc 1 - c^ -* cc -r co' c-i CO ■-< "-i T-H UO CO co t^ 00 O; — < -H rt T-> CD l~ G0 05 O — I CO COQC— <--< O O) O) O) C- w3 o c^ OCD oooi »-H CO ■* r-* 05 05 >— I '^ IM' Ci i-H r-I cm' t-O r-H O CO t» CO cvi CM 1-J t-H t^ 00CDO5 -^CD C^ "^ e4 CM rH (>I >-H CO O '^ Oi o> t^- o> "O CO CO T-J CO T-H -*< CO 00 CO as -t< CD CM ■^ (m' cm rH C^i i-H CI CM CM lO -*i •— I >-< r-I Ttl i6 cm' 'O CO CO 00 ■*! CO CM lO 03 'd t-^ CO 00 >o >0 CO CO ■* CM CM r^ -*< "d CM id CO w 00 CO CM iC CO CO r-I t-^ OJ ^' O C Oi t^ Oi 1^ O CO CM 00 O CO cm' O OO CD 05 CO 1-H ,-1 o t -^ 00 -^ o t^ w Tt" CO CO Ol ^-1 05 id cr CO 00 't "d w 00 X r-J CO t- O 05 CM >d CM CD I^ on t^ ic CO CM CO >d 00 cooJ CO id O 00 lO CO C 00 ■* OC I-^ 1-H CO 00 CM c^i t^ 00 ci aj CO CO lO CO CD -+I 00 O id CO OO T)! s© 00 C: 01< ' • o ^ CM a> J^ or. Ci r-^ rt ^ ?-( CO I^ 00 05 O >-< CD o c^ oS ^ o o c^ 28 FLOODS OF SACEAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 1^ 1 Co to o C>s 00 O o H a cS o e8 CQ > O c3 c3 O J5 a; O ^ (-05 ^ lO a> 03 O) ■ •f.S •S w l:^ O5O»CvJI^.-1CCIMC0t»00t^ 1 - i>^ 00 »o 00 -^ 1-^ oi ooiNoosocor^cocoTjtr^Tfo ■^co"*c5o6'coioe>4iooi--^co K S W OCMOOO^ rt' >-I ,-5 lO CS CO C0>0C0>0'-H 050-*(M^e^o(N.-iioco!o (M'l-Hr-H.-icdC^COC^''-*'-' 00t^O'O05C0>0 00O^O00 « cf3 N oi c4 CO e^' CO (N T-' l~«5a5l^«OCOO500-*0C^lM c; ' ' * CO r4 CO (N O ' ' * cm" C^ CO o o r - X I I I 1 -- iM CO ,-.,_.-,-_ w. n OS a ^ W W w s w I - r-l CM -t" >C I- i~ !>D 05 ci -1" i^ -r (N o o O so 00 t~ t~ CO t^oocMi-icMeMcooce — oooc O ' i o ' — 5 ' CO e^i -r" co' ' r-^' ■ " t-i I I ot^-H(oeM05CMOcocM'*.-i'^ r^' -H co' ^' lo CO oc «" -^ CO "cm Ol "* O CD CO CO "O CM f CM C'l IC l~ -^ cm' -"i; cm' iC "5 C> OC* CM ifj ^ -r oeMC5t^e^05e«30'«!"co»oeMeo rH rH e>i ^* -t CO 50 « -^' CO ' CM eMocooococoocoa>ic^-*'r coco"5coi^>0CMOa>C0CMiO coooooco50coooCT>toeM050 CO -^ "O CO t^ i^ CO o co' t^ cm' oi CM ■^COSOOCMOIOOO-^'OCO'S'OC I^0'-jo CM -^ -H -r CO -^ —I t^ •-' •?: Cri— HCM'-<'OCO'6-toicooo''rsi >ccMoooC)•*oe<^t^cDccT^cM^o l^C'-occor^t^iocMaco5-r CrCM'cOCMld'^cdlCO'»'<-<'«1"'-< CO «0 -^ O CO -^ 00 I^ -^ OC t- « CO ^Oco»OcoiCcCcOO^'CiCCO ooocMOooooooosoccocM'-'; — < 05 O ■-< CO "t CO if^ 'O 00 •* CM -^ itj CM C5 I- Cr. CM CM 0> CM CM CO CO iC I- CM --<■ -t ;c 1 ~ I ~ od 1^' — u-i ic CO si lO >0 I- -f ■* 1^ CO -^ Tji T^; I-^ lO •f; CM o 1" t^ Tf cm' CM CM CM CO CO OCM f 1" O 'if O I- 00 CO ci t>^ CO Ol US CO CO '-' CO 1-H CO lO «5 00 CO t^ -^ CO O : "O c: 'd TT" cs I C* CD 1(5 »-4 «0 -M OJO O— ifiM OS "-i-^CMro-T'C'v^i^accJ — «-^ i-i ii^C^.c^^i.l-i.liii^ d; FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 29 « s,5 >2 « £S v. o o > ^5 li 0,02 %^ «7 o .gs CO 5 be t-i •*-* C3 CQCQ Oi>/5 20i— KMOlt^COOJCO-^XXi »OOOOb-303C'-HiO-^T-*'0>tcacc0i-i ot^oc^ooooo«cc«eo^a> a a 050sOCOcD05COt^OO^rtOt^x cso— ' Qr;oociooooooc— "— 1 00C^7^O>O2O^O^^3^C^C^w^C^ t^O00OC0:0Oe^(N(NO0300 » An- 3 C ■ t^ »0 00 t^ O X ■^ O -f OS IM •.~ ■ lOTlJTjSio-^Tt'lCCMJOW-^OC CO •-< -1-5 < 1^ I OS OO CO t^-^-^OOOWOX b- r^odaot^ojt>^oo55050>re;d-^ o t^ o 1— 1 t^ t-^ t^ t-^ si «d x oc id -^ ui •" ^ -r si c»5^o^^o^5'-^ox■^a3CJ(^^Tf< o6odo5ocoocc^'-Hcot>^-»co6id o 5 V s ^^ -H O ic --C --C ro S> X OS lO 0> -f oio-^05e^050-1^t^O>«-^:d eOi050C^iO(Mt^O:005X^(M o6o6o5XC>oC'-HiNcdt-^i.docid 1-H 1— 1 1— 1 'd si Xrocot^«c»3if5Xt^^ OJ CO 1-^ t-^ X rH .— 1 .-1 T-H 1— 1 tH eS 1— 1 i— ( 1—1 C COOS'— lI-XXCvit^cCM-^iCM cdicx"-^o6-^(?4occNi«oioc^J 1— 1 1-1 T-l 1— 1 1— ( 1— 1 C^ T— 1 T-l 1— 1 CS 1-( o as i-i o O'^oi^xioioxo5es'«> 03 03 IOCMCOC^COCC-,OOCM— <- OS X-^-hOi— iX-HOStCOSO-H-^ r-((M(N(MC>qr-li-li-lrHT-IC^l-H o h5 lO -^ X CO iC LT lO C^J CO »0 lO >o c^ cdoot^ot^oosidr^cqocQ-^(N-Hi?qi-l a coxt«a-^ (Ni-l{NCI OS o -H cvi -H-He^cofiioccr-xos-H-H-H 1 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 OS O -- OJ CO "^ lO -.C t- X OS o -^ xoo = = ooc;»oo-^-^ XOSOS05050S050SOSOSOS010S o 1 OS X 30 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 5» fcq &5 S •« 60 03 Sf C3 c X2 3 g >^ '^ R c ^ ■»^ j^ Co c3 9 o >o CO J3 S ^ T r< .^ ii •■-1 > O O C (35 iO iC 00 lO lO (N >0 fO -^ ^ CO o o O -^ I^ TT 'l' cvi t^O OJ OC 05 CO 1^ -H ;c> o 05-H t^ cc id "' 'S" ■^ <>i ^ CO ao 05io CO i-i tt (m' CO -H ^ w w i~ t^ O i^eo «-! t-I t-^ CO i^ CO r^ .H <>J CO 1— I ■'tl 05 Ol •^ CO id es i-H 10 00 t- 00 03 CO C^ cdrH 00 O O 1^ lO t^ id ^ CO i-i CD 00 C» 10 -^ CO (N CO tH ,-i 10 rfi O t^ t^ CO (>i CQ t- C01> -^ CO CO "^ oa >d c*^ CO CD t^ 05 ^ o CO o 10 00 CO CM 1-! I— O <0 CO lO CO id CO .-J ^ I^ CO -r 05 O CO CM r-l " r-< coco 0»0 05 CO CVJ rH 00 10 C^) -t* 10 M c^i CNi ^ ^ a w w a w s •o e^ 00 CO CO •r id CO "T o4 O lO 00 00 10 -* ■^ CNItH 'i-H 00 «* «« CO 0< edeii-i ' r-i 10 00 c^ 0000 T»< e^^ id CO CO T-^ CO CD X CO 10 O i-O CO 30 CO 1-- 05 CO 1^ C5 05 (N 00 lO r^ -^ id CM CO CO ■^ o> lo 1^ o f CO CO 'I' -4 'd 1-H o t^ o e>i .-H CO 05 id t^edoo id ■^ CM C^l 05 o -^ oj CO t-^ -^ 30 id 00 I^ lO -!t< ■* o 30 id CD CO 1-^ 'd O 05 04 0.-I C5 ocdoo CO oi id OS CO 10 CO 05 CO CS CO t~^ CO 00 CO 1—1 CO 10 05 O 00 o id CO id t-^ CM t^ "I" 00 O f r-l c c3 tf 4) o a > C •:! •-"Si ox; •-^ > -^ a w lO lO CO -f o ^ w 'f OlNOsOI- o i-H T— ( t-( i-< tH s si t^OO OOO CO 1^ t^ (N Oi -H 00 00 to ■•£> ►J T— 1 '"' xi o: t- CO OS !N 00 05 tuO -H CM lo o X 1^ _^ W 1— 1 .— I .— I 1^ t^ --I CC Tf- CM *— I O lO O^ o t^ X -^ -^ t^ ^ CO c5 oi x' 00 CO US t^ T»< o -^ e<3 CO ■^ CO Tji CM OS oi ® 05 CO 05 CO oi 00 05 --C --0 l« CO O CM t-H 00 00 x' CO CO -^ CM 05 -^ 'O CO d Ti.o (^ .-H lO t-- ^ lO OJOC CO t^ t^ i r 1 ^ . CO 1^ X a> cb.-H iJ. ci O^ O^ O^ O O) Od o^ d C3 ^ ri- ft < J w w . O O CO oco ' C" ci 00 oi t^ CO CO X O t^ CO C33 00 CO CO t^ lO CM lo r- 00 -ri »o 0J 00 CO ui t^ to X X .-H CM O X oioo t^cd 00 lo X CM 03 lO CM 1-H C OJ t^ CO si CO Si X rH CM .-H X oi 00 b^ CO 00 lO 05 t^ CM 05 CO X ■-i 05 05 CO d CO t^ CO -f (^ X Tf (N d d t-^ ^ 00 X I^ CO O lO 05 1-H O^ C5 t^ O CO O CO t^ Oi ^H T-H T)H r-i —H 00 CO d CD X CO t^ O lO CO i-i ^ d CM d i-H O CO X CO X CO ^ d X' rH 00 CM a> CO t^ t^ o ■^ cm' CM d cm' d CO -* 0.-H ■* X Tf ,-i -H .-J CM t^ CO -^ CM t^ C3> CM CO d d d d i^ r^ lO o ic o lO lO CM cm' ^' CO OS CO 05 t^ CM CO 03 T)! d d r-J d t^ o t^ CO 03 CO -^ t^ CM d d d 00 d d si CO CO 05 'C X CO CO ^H — , CO 'O Ol W ^ r-Ht-H .-- CO CM ' O^ CM t^ X OJ i-H .-H i-H ci t- X oi ct ^ O C3 O O-J -H 05 Oi 05 O-i 05 Oi 32 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. « o 53 e CO •T3 6 >-) < Eh a •^ 2 ^ o u. a> J 2 W ^ W w s a w :^ lo 00 as o 'f o fo 00 'i* 00 « t^ «o ^d 0000 t^ 00 >0 00 <-H ■<*< 00 1^ oj «o -^ 00 cooi -^ c4 (N 00 Oift 'Ot- -^ OS OCO h-fO CO ci ^ 00 (N t^ lO O 'O 1— I CM c4 -^CS 0 00 (M o> t^ oi coco (N Ci '^ (N CO -^ >o -^ c4 Ol lO IN t-i 00 (N (N (N«S •oe> 00 00 oo (N OO 05 00 CO lO CO (N OOOC rHf-l CO r-H T-I (N 1-i OOS t» O5 00 -H O o t^ o CO !N CJ lO OC CO e^i e^ .-( c^j ^ oo> o 05 o -i< eo iM cvi 1-J IN r-i a lO I- ^ O O CO ■^ CS CO (N CO p4 C^ CM 05 LO t^ 03 O 00 00 CM •* CM a lO CM 05 .-< 1-H CO ■»r CM CM CM CO CM CM ^ Tfi -^ .-H 00 CM Oi -f lO CO X> CO o CM Oi « ^ — < O OJ -^ t^ •^ O «5 O "^ «5 •««' to Ol i^ •<«< ic CO «d 00 c> ^ lO lo 05 to -^ UO — I lO -i OS O O lO o -^ •*< O » 00 CO oi t^ CO T-H ^ Tt< to 05 00 i.o to id i^ ic a r-( t- to Tt< lO CO c>i to o 00 -H 03 o 03C0 t^ as t^ ^ i O z d a c -3 (1) Li. a < CO IE c 3 hb 3 < n REBAUGH. -_ i B-r» i-»^ V^ 1 ^ E^ ^ $ 1 1 i 1 p^ ^ \ 1 ^ ^ ^ ^ U7i \LU .11 Fig. 1G.— Mean nionlhly river stages. FT. 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 a CO o O > o z o O c "3 LL 1. a < >• cs c 3 -3 3 3 < LATHROP. i I ^ i 1 i I I I i 1 1 i I 1 I I I 2 I I I 1 1 m- 1 1 Fig. 16a.— Mean monthly river stages. FT. 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 SEP OCT ^OM. DEC. JAN. FES. MAf?. APR. MAY. JUhi. JUL. AUG. y / ' "*^. #* \ V / / / \ — N — . \ ^ / / / • > n • « 1 • -\ \ \ / / • / • • • • • — r / / • * » / 1 • 1 t 1 » 1 • 1 • f / / / r 1 • ""•^x »* / * r •■ ' ^ _jj Fig. 19.— Highest, lowest, and mean stages. Fig. 20.— Highest, lowest, and mean stages. 42 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Highest, lowest, and menn seasonal stages, San Joaquin system — Continued. (In fo:t.) Fig. 20a.— Highest, lowest, and mean stages. 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 -2 /9;/,' ^ % % M ii^-^ ^ ^ ^ y/ /I Fig. 22b.— Highest, lowest, and mean stages. 44 FLOODS OP SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 5>5 <£ '^ ^ . ?s c s « w -< eS ^ s > >H o w m ^ tf 5^ ^ M e !> "fS c? Sec fLi s w O) .-I r^ r^ rt -J o -rf O 05 «c o o o I I »0 Ol CO o o o o oi ' •o ^ -^ ' -d CO rH OS QO O O 05 1 «e o o 00 eo w CO s ^ : III O C. U5 O O ;^ w bo rH O Cl CO o ■ 'i-i ■ T-J 5S o o o o o r-< CO o c '^ 1111 (Meotoo ;s CO Mill I Ocot-O o I I I CO o o lo t^ I I I I eo rt O --C CO I I I I I COO 0 o c o c) o 7 i T O (N O CO lO CO ,cbJ, q 2 s bC 3 < p. l:^ w oco CO ^ w w ffl s w lO rt lO c^ -^ cs ■^ CO ^ Tp ^ CO I- 005 o.-( ooos 00 i-^ t-^ ■* r^ ^ -a< t^ lO ■<*' (N 00 «C >-< ^ CO ^ 1-H ,-H t^ lo ■>«< o lo •^ ' CO CS CO ^ *l t^ O C<1 » l> e<9 lO -^ — "^ O Tjt IC O ,-1 CO ■<3< .-I «N (N CO 00 CO o r^-^ oi c4 ' 1-1 ■ c^ 05 O O CO X 00 ijQ CO '^ '^ ^ CO 05 -0pO3-H — ^ ^ 03 2R S 5^ 55 5 S FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 45 w c3iS « P. a; ss 11 ® s o.ga t* <3 £ uo ^' C: M t-^ w o oi "^ >o ic r- Tj5 r-< TjJ (N ci t--. o .-H o «c ic a w s w w 1^ a e<3 t^ IN ■* »o •* Tf •^ lo ooo c IN lo -"f IN M CO O CO o ^ c4 ^" CO •^(N 00 CO I ^ Tt^ "^ Oi t^ (N>OOJO -* Oi-i 1-i ^ I I I ooco '*oo o T-H r-^ CO ' r-i I I ■^rH 00500 ■* «o ■* e>i o -^ ■* I I I I I O lO 00 00 o o d * ■ 't-h ,-; I I ■* CO OiOO t^ rti I I -tl •* r-H ©l CO -* I I I I ^ -H lOOO o r-< ^ ■ (N r-H C^ I I ' 0.-I IN C^ t- 00 05 -^ ^ rt ^ ci r^ 00 i o i-H ■ o o o O Oi-< -H o O^ C^ O O^ C^ O^ Oi , CO 00 00 in a> t^ a c3 .-H CO (N ■^ (N 0 o e3 ,2 o 00 o lO "a ^ o (N t^ N ,-1 CO .-1 ^ t- (N-H to -H Hti H^; 1 1 i 1 ^ OOiOCO^Ob- CO M ^ -H T-H (N (N r-( (N W 1— 1 .— 1 T-H '"^ d in^t^oooiOi o c3 i2 ^ <» T^ -^ —nn 00 OJ ^ o h1 ifl CO (M O (N t~- CO tl 0^03^05 rH ^ ^ KO CO lO i^ eo «o o tUO CM-* wooeoos CO H ft r^ y-t d 030»o^ '+0 o C3 1 O CO OS C-- 00 (N t- 00 ^ r-< CO 03 t- t~ ajr^oooto ^ h^l 1 1 ^ lO >0 CO -^ --< t- »o a> .-Hiftooooco ^ w r-H T— 1 T— 1 '"' d T-H (N t^ l>- t^ -^ (N d 0Ot>. 1 lO o ^ CO^OO t>-l> t- S. 00 co(Nin <1 H^l 1 1 ^ Tt4 (M ^ T)< CO OC ■*! W) T-i lo 00 00 03 ^ w ^ ^ ^ -H LO 0 ^ T-H .- ^fe§^^:i ci C3 03 Oi 03 03 o Oi T-H I-H T— H 1-H 1 46 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. I c3) »< 2 B ao O 09 CO n < w ce o © e >>» Xi2 o — a ^ « C u O ss « J- Si > ■u — S^ ea c o — a! ^;| 2c o o w s ifi >d "t t^ '^ t-^ t-^ 1* >o — oi '6 -^ 01 •^o--f-t< — oooi^^c^-fusc^ oi'-HC^co.-lTr^s.-.'ioocoOi-H w -f td CO 10 ^' -^ -^ lo t^ 06 lo lo e^ w to w ifl O -^ O (M (N Ol^ 00 •^ •^ C^OOOOOO^lOeCh-'fM CO -^ ' C4 * I-H T-H * O ' r-i OiOi— iCO»00000(MOrO:0 OiOMco ' o^ -* ^ -I* ec >-< oeoooor^.-i'^Ocof-^ro »CC<5^(NC0 '-^c^i ' c6 ' ^ O00iMO^-OO'^OOO(N O05iooor~-'^a5iot^0iooio OOUtXMOMOOOOOCOOfOCO CO rt ' '06 * t-J T-^ ' rt ' ^' ^ ■ * ■ -^ ■ ■ ^' ■ • ■ ■ I I id CO * * CO ' *-HN©JO00OO-*OO •H ^ * * ' * I-H (N ' ' " rt •OC0O»NC^«CO5OO0CU0 *S ••'•o- -H -H (N CO -J ic o r^ op o» ^ -H ,-1 T-* * » Q 5 i 5 P ^ Q P 5— ' -- § 00C5C^CiO>C5C5O5O>O5C5O^G5 -x* be •3 :^ w a bo 3 a a 0000 • C5 ■>1< 06 t>^ 05 CO t^ (M -,0 O -.£ 05 •*• — t~ C O C 00 eo-*ooicoc«ooo»oocoo tH CO ' ' -4 ' -^ -r ' — ' ' C^' OM050500i^cc;eoooo-,c c4 — J-^^lO(^^lO-r-4•^c^^o — •^•>*-JCo;?-ic^oo«NO o -^ CO c>i CO e^ i> -^ T»< o •^ r-^ 10 0^ ic 0^ :C CO c^ CO — 0: a: coc CO CO -J -i" -1" -^ ■»»< i~ — t- — — 1~ .00Oc0C000t- co;dco"o;dco;cioo^»c"ot- (M>coo»o>ooor^'»ij.ct~-050^iocoo»c^sooo 10 t-^ in JO 06 tfi t^ -^ CNi t- «b (^ c4 b£ a O— <0000C0-^00OO(NOt^'* O5c4-^co'ro>o«o6c6'^iric^ t^oOT» > i^ Pi «i u T3 <1) ■o u C !» s a, > * c flS en •o ■'^ ^ "S g (IH "ro •a eS 0) coS O^ •* I^ 00 ^ •^ lO l^fO rH «e 1 ^ ^ "r^ 'r-; ■ ^ c a d ■ 'rH* ' « ■< S h s C3 03 t- -* CO « t^ CO rH e3 o 00 CO t-O M *rt" 'rH CO d 1 1 jo ^A ^ •* ^ lO C4 •^ VI r^OOOSO^ -t< 05 Cud 3 Od ^ (N CV) -^^ Tt< Tft 1 1 1 IM iCiCOOfO (N C3 »0 »0 00 1-1 •* I— 1 1—1 rH l^ 10 -^ 05 lO >> o h5 10 -^ 05 t^ C^ o3 e3 — 1 1 1 1 S CO «oo CO t-9 xi ■^ ^" t^ »r» oi Oi 1 K 1 fi 00 r- 00 10 t- CO OS 00 CO CV ■ ■ ■ ■ 1 1 iM rt CO CO C3 r^ r~ CO r^ ^ ^ c h5 00 ^o« 1 1 1 d rH C^ir-H CO^ (M Q cc t^ooo-*oo iC 1^ 00 00 CO 00 -; 'rt' '(N ^' 00 M 05 00 o«-i c (N 10 c: o CC ^ o c<: c > OCMr-l-H 1 1 1 (N 1 > ^ r-4 '-' 03 3 C^l rH CVJ rH C<1 ^' IC C3> rH Ttl 10 00 Ui c c3 COrHCOWCOC^ CO u 0) 1^ 1 1 1 1 w d 03 ■* 0^ Oj 0^ 0^ ;7 OS OS OS OS OS 0^ rl 48 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. ^ 5- r< ■^ cs o -« se C3 o O o a § as !~ <£ ^ t-- CO CJi >*> cs c 60 o s ^ r^ > s 'TS s: x: c "^ Xi »B ^ a c o — 3 O- ^« .22 o T3 — t a > .- d w o s CO ^ O r-< t^ O '* • T»< «vi lO M Tji ■ CO a o o o •"f 00 -^ CO cs CO c^' es CC 00 Tf O O 00 O CO 05 -1* c^ rf Tf t^ CM -r -O C^i (N lO TfJ -1< «eoo ic o CM CO -.r; c^i o o o 00 00 CO r- 00 r~- r-i S a a a ^ a 1^ l^ 05 O CM rH 'cOr-< •* to OCM CM ■^ »C O CM CO CO rt' ej CO 00 -^ 1-1 ^ CO O ' CO ' ' lO CO O O CM 'f o o CO o ^ ,-i c:j^ T-; 05 »0 lO CO CM OjHWCM r-H I I OOCOOOCM 05 CO 00 ■* »0 CO O CM ^CM CM r- .-H ■<*< O rf -^t" CM ■ ■ 00 --H I c 2 ^ CI s a ;^ a s a a 1^ a O t>- Tf ic o CM CO CO -.ji CM CO OS loeo CO >o CO CM »r ee ,-1 ^ .-• CM OO COOOO •CCMCM '-^ lO »^ -^ Tf -,C "ti t--^ CM -^ r-J t^ CM OTf^ OCM o lO 1-H CM '-^ ^ CM CM o -.c o o O CO 00 CM O CO to 00 CM f- 00 o> 00 TjS 05 ■^ O ;D «0 CM Oi 00 50 to lo CO cc cm' t>^ CO O -^ Oi to oo CM to r-H 00 CO ^ t^ 00 00 "5 0> t^ t^ "5 t^ t-^ t^ to CM CM rt lO CM -^ to ■^ to lO to Tl5 CM «D O IQ -^ X OI> OJOO C oi lO .-H 05 CM CM CM to iri lO t^ t--^ CO to oc to to -^ ■<*< •^ c^i CO lo irj CM CM«o too to Tt< 00 1- 1>^ oi 00 »o 00 t^O ■* X o to CO ■^ "i to" CM X X ■* CM O -^ CM CM CO •<* ■^ O O to CM o to ^ id U5 06 CM CO FLOODS OF SACKAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 49 o >i to o -^ j3 d c ^ H^^ • •►2 03 r: - 00 OJ M « -s? o - cft *- e s ZD >^H o O «s ^ J3 ^ « rJ M 2S >J n T3 w -i e^ ■* lO o 1— J OS •— I o »o "O 'o I I I I 7TT CO o» t^ O t^ c; r-i cvi Ti5 I I I M T}< lO C5 Oi MM O t^ Ci -r -f CO I- i~ CO M CO c4 00 CO w (N 0(N(N lO O iO N ■* * lO rt' O 00 lO N 05 eo t-^ CNJ oi '« o t«^ .— I Oi OO -H O o t^ 't' .£3 bp "O CO "O Ol O IC ■*' cm' T)5 Tt* lO rH ffq O — I ic O >0 CO "^ O CO O CO O C; CO 1-1 Tt< CO -^ (m' >o -^ CO " C<1 O O O lO 00 CO f-H CO ^ "^ coos OOOOiO io 'li 05 1>^ Oi c4 IS O fN Oi-H O t^ CO — < CO to >o M t^co »cooo CO * Ci CO 1-? I w e>i CO o o o CO oi c^' ■*■ 00 00 »-H o o o o^ ^ O Ci Oi Cl C5 Ob 60 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. O CO g CO O < Eh o c ^1 o (>. w ci S c o 0) la a> £ o > c « a; si 2-59 ■©73 ■° C 03 c S 5 s a s a a t - = --C C3 o >- --r- 00 t^ 00 t^ •-< o o OO O'H OiO o »C CO ;C 1-H lO ' cs i^ e^ t^ lo t^ CO 00 OC l^ CS lO O N O t- cc -^f O — I o >r ■ • ■ I I OOOiM O _^ • C -- N o> 1^ 00 Ol •-< --H ^ l-H o ^ ^ c^ ^ O) o^ < 5 :^ <1 a a a s 30 CO t- O '-'^ O O O -«■ I^ — I Tf Tf CO IC CM C: CO CM CM CO c; •>:»< lO 1^ lO l^ CO OC I- O I- — < CM rf iC t— lO 1- — »C 05 X O 'O OC' C4 ' T-J — ; CM C O 1^ CM lO LO •^ —'—<•-<" CM — X cc >o o o CM ' — ^* " — OOCMCM lOOO CO cm' CM ■a C t^ CO »0 05 -^ rt" ■ (N ^* ,-5 w IC -f ^^ (M O (M i-H C "OOO OCO CJi -t< rH 00 ^ oi w w M " rH I < eo O — I ' 1— I -:)< O lO "O d 'i> ■ " I I o-j o "-H o CO I CM WCVJ r-( 'ill l(N O^ CM 'X) I- (^ di c. >-- o O O^ O^ O^ O) O^ c^ Art D 3 a. t^ lO ■^ I~ O CM d .-! rH r-! * rH 1,,-) ,--|,-H CI O T-H d I I I •H C\J CM e*J i-H O CM c> Ill I lo lo i-< th to o in J^ w or r- o C5 CM t- fo *co *co Tt< CO O t- CO i-H CO rH CO "-H ■*■ cm' -* 1-- O OS O 00 CM *co *fd o -r CO 1— I T-( 00 •*' cm' ■*' CO IC CO K OC -f OCO lO I- CO c^i •*' CO ■*' CO I Oi loocM c:5 CO 00 IC 00 CO CO CO ci CO CO -^ I-* o 0-* cot-co '^^ r-I cm' C^' CM CM t~ CO ■* •* CM c^J ' i-H 1-5 T-5 w C> CM CO O »0 CO e»S "-i CM -:j5 'li 1-H O — < CM 05 t - C/0 CT, — ' .-H -H i-H CC t^ 00 Oi O "-f CC SOOO-^r-t O Oi Oi Oi Oi Ci o^ CO 'C 05 CO ^ CM T-l cm' ' * ' cm' * T-! CO lo t-H oi-o o i-H OC CO CM CO lO CO 1-1 CO CO CO CM cm' rr CM CM 00 lO "O cm' i-H CO cm' cm' T-H \ ^^ J \ •^ \J / N ■1 \ \ s ^ J r \ 1 / \ \ V N s VA / s ^4 f s /V ^ ^. y / V i> 1 \ \ \ k \ "^t 1 \ \ \ 'x... »* , .— -- , ^•.^^ 1 »^ 1 1 \ 1 X k * / ''». R 1 y 1 t \ »** / A 1 Fig. 23.— Hydrographs, March, 1907. M, Colusa; R, Red Bluff. FT. 25 20 15 / 2 3 ^ S 6 7 8 9 /o // /2 J3 /¥ /S /6 17 18 /9 20 T? 22 23 2¥ 25 26 27 28 ?9 30 MAR C H. ^ — ■*-. ^^ / "^ "^ x^ i f ^ •>>, s s 1 ^ Gi / "^ •^ — — — -^ ^ > f^- 'N _ / \ J f V ^ _^_ ^^ ^ H 4 / ■"■ "^ ■"" ■""" ^ "^ "* "1 Fig. 24.— Hydrographs. G, Sacramento; H, Knights Landing. 81870°— Bull. 43—13 5 Hydrographs, Sacramento River system, March, 1907 — Continued. FEET. 25 20 15 10 5 /^ /6 n /8 19 20 21 2223 2f 2626 27 28 ?9 A /^ MARCH. / \ / / / I \ 1 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 1 \ L / \ / S B i V - 1 / ^i f / / '*- ^1 Fig. 25.— Oroville on Feather, March, 1907. FEET. 25 20 15 10 /6 /6 /7 /8 /9 20 2f 22 23 ?^ 26 26 27 28 29 — MAR CH. fL. 1 \ 1 y V- t A r ^ \ i' \ / \ / \ V I X ^ ^_ A r N s. i^ y -N s 4 ^ ^1 66 FlQ. 2U.— Marysvillc on Yuba, March, 1907. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 67 Hydrographs, Sacramento River system, March, 1907 — Continued. FEET. 25 20 15 10 5 /S /6 n /8 /9 Z0Z/?Z23 ^¥ ?5 26 27 ^<5' ^9 MARCI H. A A / I ' \ / \ / \ / ) L / V / \ A \ \ ^ § a o ft o 03 .a o >-> Elevation feet. . 371 154 3,000 321 355 3,945 602 750 19 670 Jan. 9 0.00 .00 .24 1.68 2.16 .50 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .94 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 0.14 .00 .00 .34 .43 .06 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .16 .49 .00 .17 .00 .05 .75 .79 0.78 .20 .00 .95 4.43 4.42 .61 .05 .10 .00 .00 .58 4.04 1.50 .30 .03 .47 .09 .52 0.24 .00 .26 1.65 .74 .49 .17 .00 .00 00 .22 .79 .35 .40 .00 .68 .74 .70 .00 0.42 .10 .00 .38 1.86 .88 .12 .00 .00 00 .00 .34 .96 .26 .26 .00 18 .22 .46 1.78 .00 .00 .77 3.47 3.17 .49 .67 .07 .00 .00 .79 4.18 1.68 .78 .00 .75 .60 .64 1.92 .12 .00 .16 2.90 1.76 .36 .32 .04 .00 .00 .04 1.56 .60 .70 .00 .96 .76 .70 1.96 .00 .00 .16 2.12 4.56 .56 .58 .12 .06 .00 .70 2.10 1.04 .70 .01 .86 1.08 .62 0.52 .00 .00 .32 .54 .24 .04 .29 .00 .00 .00 .33 2.30 .18 .12 .00 .08 .20 .03 1.54 .00 .00 .18 2.56 2.60 1.08 .42 .22 .58 .00 .70 1.64 .82 .50 .06 .64 .30 .42 0.00 Jan. 10 .00 Jan. 11 .30 Jan. 12 1.08 Jan. 13 1.60 Jan. 14 .68 Jan. 15 .24 Jan. 16 .16 Jan. 17 .00 Jan. 18 .00 Jan. 19 .55 Jan. 20 .54 Jan. 21 2.00 Jan. 22 .50 Jan. 23 .15 Jan. 24 .70 Jan. 25 .70 Jan. 26 .30 Jan. 27 .00 Sum 5.52 3.38 19.1 7.43 6.44 19.8 12.9 17.2 5.19 14.3 9.50 72 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Hydrographs, Sacramento River system, March, 1907, and January, J 901. KenneJ-t, Cal. FEET. 33 30 25 20 15 10 5 /f^A ^ /6 /7 /8 /? ZO 2/ 2 2P3 2V 2d>- 26 27 28 [ i 1 1 1 1 1 / I 1 1 / 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I 1 \ ' I ;\ / \ 1 \ ■ 1 w \ \ \ i ' \ \.\/^ 1 \ \ t / / i 1 1 \ \ t 1 \ ^ \ \ \ 1 \ \ s. V \ * / * / V -^ A\ Fiu. 28.— Solid line. March, 1907; dotted lino, Jannaiy, 1909. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 73 Hydrographs, Sacramento River system, Jamiary, 1909. FEET. 28 25 20 15 10 5 / ^ 3 V s 6 7 S 9 /o // /2 /3 /¥ /S /6 /7 /d /9 20 2/ 22 ?v?2V i";* 26 2? 2d 29 30 3/ JANUARY. \ * • H \ \ ^ • ^ \ [ !\ \ A P ^^ \ / \ \ i * *^. — • " t \ \ \ A % < 1 / A V > 1 \ 1 '\ \ \ 1 / ' > > |/ / y L D, ^ \ i \ \ 1 i \ \ \ 1 1 1 / 1 E 1 1 1 J \J \ 1 1 1 \ i f \ 1 1 I \ • 1 \^ t 1 \ / r\ E 1 V ■ \ J / ^- ' \ J // >^ y If If /■ It It / / / ^1 Fig. 29.— Hydrographs, January, 1909. D, Colusa; E, Red Bluff. 74 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Hydrographs, Sacramento River system, January, 1909 — Continued. FT. 29 25 20 15 10 5 / 2 3 *f <5 6 7 8 9 /o // /2 (3 f¥ fS /6 17 /8 f9 20 2/ 72 ?3 ?y 26 26 27 28 2^ 30 31 r\ JANUARY. > \ / \ ^^ 6 i f 'V s. / -^ ^ J k ^ / s i r •\. / s / t f A J / ^ V. C ^ — 1 \J / <- — ) ^ y / / / / 1 ,/ ^' 1 /• *> r 1 J i 1 1 B^ 1 1 y ' 5/ y ^1 Fig. 30.— Hydrographs, Sacramento River, January, 1909. B, Sacramento; C, Knights Landing. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Hydrographs, Sacramento River system, January, 1909 — Continued. 75 FEET. 25 20 15 10 5 /3 /¥ /S /6 17 /8 /9 20 2/ ^^ 23 2^ JANUAI RY. /I ,1 \ / 1 / / f \ \ 1 \ > ^ 1 / ' V / \ / \ i / \ B \ y \ B V \ \ / \ / / M Fig. 31.— Hydrograpli, Orovilleon Feather. FEET. 25 20 15 /3 /^ /S /6 /7 /g /9 20 2/ 22 ej ^y 2<$ JAN UARY. TT / 1 \ \ I \ / ^ \ C ^ s / s 1^ / V, c y "^ ^1 Fig. 32.— Hydrograph, January, 1909, Marysville on Yuba. 76 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Hydrographs, Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems. FEET. 25 20 15 10 /3 /^ ^/^ /6 17 /8 /9 ZOZI 22 23 ^y viANUARY. f\ \ \ > V \ \ \ r B V / I \ V. / \ \ / \ > \ } \ n \ / > V \ / \ r H Fig. 33.— Hydrograph, Folsom on American, 1909. Fig. 34.— Uydrographs, San Joaquin Kivor system, spring freshet, 1907 Hydrographs, San Joaquin system, March, 1907. FT. 19 15 10 3 - S 6 7 5 9 /o II 12 /J l¥ /^ /^ /7 / y ^ ^ -^ y •^^ -1^ y / ^^ f ^- ^ /" s, y / '\ / \ ^ Z' X X / / \ I 1 y \ _J ''V t\ r" / ^ ^ K 9 '-v, •^^ r ^ ^ - r^ ^ - 7 V X I ^ ■-- / A\ Fig. 35.— Hydrographs, San Joaquin, March, 1907. A, Lathrop; B, Fhebaugh; C, Friant. l^'EET. 23 20 15 10 5 /2 /3 J^ /^ /6 17 18 /9 ^o 2/22 23 py a^ ^£ ^7 2S ?f MARCI H A \ \ \ \ \ A B. V r vj * V *H, ^* ' '''i 1 / y ' \ 1 f / * ' v^ 1 1 /. 1 ^. "^ ^ 1 / S /; 1 1 S- N A .' ^ V % N \ ^ <- , ]; \ N S, ^ y '^ .^' \ \ V S zJ 1 r\ / V .^ /^ \ ^^ *•«. V "v *-,_ / \ J V. , ^^ — *- f ^1 Fig. 36.— Hydrographs, March, 1907. A, Jacksonville; B, Melones; C, Merced Falls. 77 78 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. Hydrographs, San Joaquin system. FEET. 10 5 /z /3 /¥ /^ /& /7 /8 /? 2.0 2/ 22 23 2^/ ^6 26 27 28 29 MARCH. A / ' i i / A / L I V /^ '\ 1 \f **" s \ J -^ ^ ^\ Fig. 37.— Hydrograph, March, 1907. Jenny Lind. FEET. 18 15 10 5 /3 /¥ /J /6 /7 /8 /9 70 ?/ ^^ ^3 ?y Pd P6 27 78 ?9 30 ?/ / Z 3 ¥ ^ 6 7 rjl 9 /o // n /3 / \ f' s \ > ^ ^ ^ — / ^ ^ "~" "^ j JANUARY. FEBRUARY. 1 1 ^ / jf t. / ^ \ ( N r / \ 1 ' \ h f \ b J \ > 1 I \ ^ ^ .^ / L 1 s £ ^ f • ^ s, __ ' W / / ( < K / \ \ 1 t ' \ / / < / * -^ .8 / '^ ... -. , / r / >-. * -> ._. __ ... • - ^ .-» ^ *■" -' ' '* % v^ A\ Fig. 38.— Hydrographs, San Joaquin, flood of 1909. A, Lathrop; B, Friant; C, Flrebaugh. FLOODS or SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 79 Hydrographs, San Joaquin flood, January, 1909. FEET. 15 10 5 9 /o // /2 /3 /¥ /.S /6 17 /3 / /^ Sfc « *, N *^ J •'/ \ r N L ,'\ 7 1 \, \ t •4 1 1 / V. *^> 1 / ^v \ , ■r A\ Fig. 39.— a, Jacksonville; B, Melones; C, Merced Falls. FEET. 25 20 15 10 5 // f2J 3 /¥ /s /6 7/ /8 /9 20 2 1 22 ?3 2¥ 7^ ?6 27 ^ 29 30 3/ / 2 3 ¥ S 6 7 ' 8 f /o // /2 /3 /i^ fS /6 JANUARY. FEBRUARY. ^ \ \ \ \ \ \ 1 \ \ \ \ j \ <\ \ V \ i / \ P I \ \ \ / \ \ y \ / 1 1 ' \ / / 1 \ . I y T- , ' J t / \ r — \. / V / \ J \ "^ A J \ \ / \ y ^ \ / \ / \ / J A / J ' n \, \ J r^ \ / / \ \ / \ i V 1 "^ ^ /" ^ s / -> s. y ^N \ h f \ •. B / \ s y ■/-- ^ "S- ^ r- V. ^ ^ ^ y r - A\ Fig. 40.— Hydrographs San Joaquin flood, January and February, 1909. A, Bellota; B, Jenny Llnd. 80 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. This I able, in luUlilion to its value in connection ^^'ith flood re- ports of this period, is of interest in sho\\^ng the daily precipitation in the Sacramento watershed during an exceptionally wet month. At Bellota, where the Calaveras is led into Mormon Slough, the river rose from 5 to 20 feet from the 12th to the 13th, and on the 12th reached a stage of 27 feet, the highest ever recorded at that point, resulting in serious floods over a large territory contiguous to Stock- ton, besides flooding portions of the city itself. All rivers in the San Joaquin watershed rose beyond their flood stages between the 14th and 15th and the San Joaquin itself, below the mouth of the Tuol- umne, remained above the danger point until near the end of the month. On the 14th of January the situation in the Sacramento Valley in connection with the great floods that occurred later first became serious. In order that conditions in the valley at this time be un- derstood, it may be stated that the first abnormal swell of the sea- son occurred between Colusa and Sacramento City between the 8th and 11th of January. The southern edge of this swell had barely passed the last-named point before the American River, under the influence of heavy rains and melting snows in the large area drained by its numerous feeders, rose 13 feet in a night, and on the morning of the 14th was carrying stages rangmg from 15 feet a few miles above its mouth to 24 feet near its first fork, a few miles above Folsom. Dur- ing the early morning of the loth the full force of the American flood wave reached the Sacramento River with a volume sufficient to dis- lodge some of the bridges that spanned the American near Sacra- mento. The gauge at Sacramento registered 24.9 feet at 7 a. m. of the 15th, but a higher reading must have occurred sometime between midnight and 4 a. m., or during the period of the passing of the Ameri- can wave. Tlie Sacramento continued to rise at Sacramento City until 12.30 a. m. of the 17th, when it reached a stage of 29.6 feet. This is the highest stage of which there is an authentic record. In the meanwhile the heavy rams throughout the drainage basins of both watersheds had swollen all watercourees beyond their carrying capacities, and many points on the main rivers were being flooded. On January 16, it was estimated that the Sacramento River was carrying a flood wave from 1 to 2 feet above what may be termed the "danger point" from Red Bluff to Courtland, a distance of over 200 miles. ^^y the morning of the 17tli the Sacramento River between Sacra- mento and Wnhuit Cirove felt the relief afforded by the escapmir watei-s through breaks in tlie west side levees, but the flooded area above, especially in the vicinity of MonroeviUe and St. John was mcreasmg. By S a. in. ,.f this ,hite the town of Broderick, just lUToss the river from Saeniniento. had mostly become inundated from the l)aek water of Yolo Basin. 05 o LlJ > z < o liJ UJ > o UJ (D Q (T GO O < Q. lO 81870°— Bull. 43—13 6 d I- z u < o < CO CO o a Q. O z CO < CQ O > CJ> o UJ o o o CD g Li. CD O CT> U. O Q O O < o < CO LlJ H CO O Q. CL o CQ O o O > < < CC o < Q- UJ I t- o CO r- ^ u. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAK JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 81 On the 18th the river at Sacramento had subsided to 28 feet, but by night of this date the flood waters of the Sacramento and those of the San Joaquin were rapidly approaching the delta. By the 19th the great volume of water that had accumulated in Yolo Basin began finding its way back into the Sacramento through Steamboat Slough and thence into the Lower San Joaquin through the various sloughs that connect the two rivers in the vicinity of the Lower Islands, so called. From the 19th to the 27th inclusive flood conditions prevailed throughout all districts contiguous to the junction of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and during this period many agricultural tracts and islands were either partly or wholly flooded. (See list of lands flooded in the '^Island districts," p. 91.) The January flood had barely subsided before heavy rains in the upper Sacramento Valley resulted in damaging floods in the valley north of Colusa. On February 3, all low lands lying between Tehama and Hamilton were under water, and the river between Redding and Monroeville, a distance of 99 miles, was carrying more water than during the floods of March, 1907, or those of January, 1909. In the vicinity of St. John, Monroeville, and Hamilton and thence eastward nearly to the town of Chico, it was estimated that fully 100,000 acres of land were submerged. Tehama was almost completely flooded, there being nearly 10 feet of water in some of the lower sections of the town. There was little effect of the upper Sacramento flood felt below Colusa on account of the fact that the river flowed freely into the various basins through the breaks caused by the floods of the preced- ing month. Yolo Basin, however, was fuller than at any time during the previous floods, and it has been stated that the discharge of this sink into the Sacramento River above Rio Vista was sufficient to re- verse the current of the Sacramento for a considerable distance above the mouth of Steamboat Slough. From many reports that have been received from all sections cov- ered by the floods those of 1909 were the most general and wide- spread of any previous inundations. They were as disastrous as any previous flood of which there is an authentic history, and probably more so, for the reason that, in addition to the large number of old levees broken, there were many new districts in process of reclamation which were inadequately protected by levees not yet completed. It has been estimated that over 300,000 acres of land were, at various times flooded during the January and February floods of 1909. The map reproduced in this bulletin as figure 48, p. 90, through the courtesy of the Great West, from data furnished by the l)ureau, shows approxi- mately the area that was flooded in the Sacramento VaUey during the floods of 1907 and 1909. 82 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. THE FLOODS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1911. On January 30, 1911, heavy, warm rains began falling in the head- waters of the tributaries of the San Joaquin^ which resulted in the greatest flood in the history of the Lower San Joaquin VaUey. Daily precipitation at selected stations in the San Joaquin watersheds Jan. 20 to Jan. 31, 1911. [See hydrographs, figs. 41 to 43, for this period.] Date. Fire- baugh. North Fork. Merced Falls. Friant. Yosem- ite Jack- son- ville. Me- lonas. La- throp. Elec- tra. Jenny Lind. Elevation feet.. 154 3,000 321 355 3,945 602 750 19 670 Jan. 20 0.36 .00 .00 .00 .40 .34 .00 .00 .00 .18 1.20 .60 0.85 .23 .00 .00 3.20 2.60 .00 .00 .35 2.12 2.86 1.57 0.17 .91 .00 .00 .74 .77 .04 .Ot .05 .17 2.73 2.30 0.05 .34 .00 .00 .64 1.28 .12 .00 .02 .20 1.84 1.08 0.40 .01 .00 .00 .90 .79 .00 .00 .27 .48 1.20 .06 0.44 1.30 .00 .00 1.04 2.20 .32 .10 .20 .46 3.50 3.06 1.10 1.34 .00 .00 1.28 2.00 .26 .22 .46 .36 4.40 3.02 0.36 .72 .00 .00 .74 .82 .12 .12 .00 .32 .92 .55 1.26 1.34 .00 .00 1.46 1.60 .82 .62 .22 .44 3.42 2.80 0.94 Jan. 21 .00 Jan. 22 .00 Jan. 23 .00 Jan. 24 1.16 Jan. 25 .82 Jan. 26 .46 Jan. 27 .04 Jan. 28 .20 Jan. 29 .40 Jan. 30 2.40 Jan. 31 1.62 Sum 3.08 13.8 7.92 5. 57 4. 14 12.6 14.4 4.67 14.0 8.04 About 24 hours after the beginning of the rains the flood waters of the Merced, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Rivers had practically reached the main stream, and three flood waves of great intensity began moving down the San Joaquin. The combined force of these waves reached the lowlands in the vicinity of Lathrop and San Joaquin Bridge during the day of February 1, and by night of this date many thousands of acres of land became flooded. Many head of stock were drowned between Mendota and Lathrop, and in the vicinity of San Joaquin Bridge there were many residences either washed away or else undermined. It has been estimated that ten thousand or more acres were under water between Firebaugh and Lathrop. By the morning of February 2 the flood waters had spread over a large territory between Lathrop and Roberts Island, destroying a number of levees and inundating several thousand acres of reclaimed land. In the meanwhile the Mokelumne had poured its flood waters into the lowlands, doing considerable damage. During this flood the Calaveras overflowed its banks after reaching Mormon Slough and flooded several thousand acres of land between Bellota and Stockton. The city itself was probably saved from one of the most disastrous floods in its history by a diverting canal, which deflected the water of Mormon Slough and carried it down into the Calaveras proper below Stockton. It has been conserva- tively estimated that fully 75,000 acres of land were overflowed in the San Joaquin Valley between Stockton and Mendota and in the vicinity of Bellota and Linden during the floods of January and February, 1911. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 83 Hydrographs, San Joaquin flood, January-February, 1911. FT, 22 20 15 10 5 20 ?/ 22 23\F¥\2^6\p7)^g ?f ;<7 3/ i ' 2 3 ^ S ^ 7 T f /0|//|/2|/J /^ /J- 16 t7 /^ /? ^tf?/|^^|?J| JANUARY. FEBRUARY. r>. \ N L \ ] s J N •^ / '*«. "S / '^ i«. ^^ A «J / *^ ^, / ^ ^ '^ ^ - / .. ^ / />. t t ' V i A ^-. t ■N J 1 /' \ ■^ * % ^ f ^ / j i *^ \ / B 1 1 ^ -^ 9 \ t ''''* / ; 1 «• •*, ^ / 1 1 /,' » » t *"■ *•' », /> « « J \ S s,^ r; \ «^ __ ^ f ^ \ •s^ ^ — — — — ■"" •S" V ^ ^ — _ ^ ,^ ^ Ld ^ ^ —J — ' ^ ^ — -J '— ' ' ' I— ' ' — ' I— ' '— ' '^ ' — ' ^ Fig. 41.— Hydrographs San Joaquin flood, 1911. A, Lathrop; B, Firebaugh; C, Friant. FEET 20 15 10 5 ■0 23 ?¥ ^,5" ^^ ?7 28 2f 30 3/ / 2 3 ^ s 6 7 8 9 /O // fZ JANUARY. Fl EBRUARY. > 'N / V / \ A / \ A ■ \ M i 1 f\ / i' i '' / \ J / \ / L / / \ f \ ^ 7^ r \ A % \ \^ f i \ V A r A ^ ' \ 1 \ / \ A i B / I \ J \ / / ^> V 1 \ \ J ^ / / \ \ \ i / \\ \ / \ / \^ ^ _ I*-, ^ j ' J ■v \ A I N s] ^N ^ ~i K J fi V k V. J n V V ^ ^ •^ ^ ^ ^ V s^ / j > \, V. ^ 1 s. ^, w^ ^ _z -N / \ £. > / ^*" i__i .mmm -^ ^ T •^^ =BS^ 1 A\ Fig. 43.— a, Jacksonville; B, Melones; C, Merced Falls. FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 85 River conditions in the Sacramento Valley again became critical in March, 1911, and a stage of 27.4 feet was recorded at Colusa on the 9th of that month. Heavy rains in the foothills that form the western boundary of Colusa Basin resulted in what is known as the ' 'Trough" of this basin, reaching the highest stage ever before known. The water in this trough continued to menace the back levees that protected it from the foothill drainage, and finally, on April 25, 1911, those which protected reclamation No. 108 gave way, flooding 25,000 acres of land, the most of which was planted to grain, the entire crop being destroyed. From April, 1911, to January 28, 1912, the date of this report, there have been no floods in the central valleys of California. WARNINGS. During all the floods that occurred in 1907, 1909, and 1911 the Weather Bureau issued warnings to every point involved from 12 hours to as much as 3 days in advance of the approach of the flood waters. Advices from the bureau regarding the great floods that prevailed in the delta lands of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in 1907 and 1909 not only indicated the intensity of the floods, but timed their approach within a couple of hours three days in advance. The table below shows approximately the losses that were sus- tained in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys during the floods of 1904, 1907, 1909, and 1911, and the amount that was saved by reason of the warnings that were issued by the Weather Bureau during those of 1907, 1909, and 1911. Losses in the Central Valleys of California During the Floods of 1904, 1907, and 1909. From reliable reports, and from data which have been gathered from time to time during the past four years, it is estimated that losses due to floods in the drainage basins of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys during the floods noted above aggregate over $10,000,000. The losses have been divided as follows: Buildings $200, 000 Lumber 75, 000 Levees 3, 500, 000 Stock 200, 000 County roads 1, 000, 000 County bridges 900, 000 Railroads, including roadbeds and bridges 2, 000, 000 Crops destroyed 1, 250, 000 Damage to lands by erosion 500, 000 Losses sustained by suspension of business 200, 000 From all other causes 500, 000 Total 10, 325, 000 86 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. The amount saved during the floods of 1907 and 1909 by reason of the timely warnings that were issued by the Weather Bureau aggregate close to $2,000,000. This amount is quoted from esti- mates that have been received from all sections covered by the floods. It has been admitted that the amount saved would have been much greater had the warnings been heeded in all cases. THE FLOOD PLANE OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER. In studying the tables of high stages in the Sacramento River at Sacramento City and at other points in the Sacramento Valley, it will be noted that the flood plane has become higher each year; that since the high water of 1850 almost each succeeding flood has been higher than that of its predecessor. In fact, the expression so often heard among river men to the effect that the rivers are rising higher each year has, up to the flood of 1909, become a recognized fact. The ever-increasing flood plane in the Sacramento River at all points above the mouth of the Feather is, no doubt, due (1) to the increased height and strength of the levees along the river banks, and (2) the constant enlargement of reclamation areas. Both of these causes have, at most points, restricted the natural bed of the river to a channel at no time wide enough to carry its discharge under extreme conditions. The same may be said of the Lower Sacramento, American, Feather, Bear, and Yuba Rivers, except that the predominating cause in the raising of the high-water plane in these streams is the amount of mining debris that has been deposited in their beds. Until March 1, 1893, when a law was passed restrict- ing hydraulic mining, millions of cubic yards of debris were annually being dumped into the upper reaches of these rivers; and, as it slowly found its way downstream, the finer particles advancing at moderate stages and the coarser and heavier matter moving farther and farther down with each succeeding high water or freshet, it not only became a serious menace to the agricultural lands on both sides of the rivere by causing overflows at moderate stages, but affected the naviga- bility of the lower Sacramento River and for a time practically eliminated the Feather River from its mouth to its junction with the Yuba as a navigable stream. According to notes kindly furnished by Mr. W. T. Ellis, jr., member of the State I'oclamation board, and for many years president of the Marysville Levee Commission, both the Feather and Yuba Rivers were navigable for a considerable distance above ^larysville in the early days of the State's history. This is evidenced by the fact that in 1849 the steamer Linda came around the Horn from an Atlantic port and made a trip up the Yuba for a distance of 4 miles above Marysville. In notes, also furnished by ^Ir. Ellis, it is stated that the steamer Phoenix made a trip up the Yuba as far as Owsleys Bar Floods of sacramento aIstd san joaquin watersheds. 8Y in 1854. In fact, it is a matter of authentic record that before the Feather and Yuba were filled with mining debris Marysville was the natural distributing point for the northern mining section of the State. It is of record at Marysville that on August 27, 1850, there were 24 sailing vessels in the ''port" of Marysville, and on August 22, 1851, there arrived at Marysville 7 steamers with full cargoes. In the news columns of the Sacramento Bee of February 16, 1862, it is noted that the steamer Defiance made several trips to Oroville with freight during the months of January and February, 1862. As an illustration of the depth of the bed of the river at Marysville before the filling in by mining debris, Mr. Ellis states that it is a matter of record that during the great flood of 1861-62, when almost the entire Sacramento Valley was inundated, including the city of Sacramento, the flood waters did not reach what was then and is still the main business portion of Marysville. While there are no records of the discharge of the flood waters at that time, they were, no doubt, much greater than those of 1907. It is of record that the rainfall at Nevada City during the winter of 1861-62 was 115 inches, and assuming that the same amount occurred at corresponding elevations in the Feather- Yuba watershed, makes it almost certain that the discharge of 1861-62 was far in excess of the 1907 and 1909 floods, when Marysville experienced considerable difficulty in pro- tecting itself from overflow. According to reports of engineers during the first 20 years of unre- stricted hydraulic mining, from 1849 to 1869, the low-water plane of the Sacramento River at Sacramento City was raised 2.9 feet; that during the next 10 years, 1869 to 1879, the rise of this plane was doubled. Some engineers claim that the low-water plane from 1849 to 1900 was raised fully 7 feet. Col. Mendell, in his report, states that as a consequence of the elevation of the bed of the Sacra- mento River the tidal influence which in 1849 extended up as high as the mouth of the Feather, 25 miles above Sacramento, and was quite 2 feet at Sacramento, is now no longer noticeable above Han- cock Shoals, 9 miles below Sacramento. Capt. Thomas H. Jackson, United States Corps of Engineers, in connection with his examination and survey of the Sacramento River from its mouth to the Feather in 1908, states as follows: A comparison of this survey with that of 1895-96 shows that the river is improving as a navigable channel; that it is recovering from the effects of hydraulic mining. It is estimated that the river bed for a distance of 14 miles below Sacramento has lowered 2 feet within the past 12 years. The American and Feather Rivers, however, are still full of debris, and the effect of the sand deposits in the American River on the Sacramento River are noticeable for a considerable distance below the mouth of that river, and the fact that these two rivers contain probably more than 500,000,000 cubic yards of material, all of which must eventually pass down the Sacramento River to Suisun Bay, must be borne in mind in any consideration of the improvement of the river. 88 FLOODS OF Sacramento and san joaquin watersheds. It is quite evident, however, that there has been a further improve- ment ill the bed of the Sacramento Kiver in the vicinity of Sacramento City and, no doubt, for some distance below, since the rioods of 1909, as during the low-water period of 1910 it was noted that the tides extended quite to the mouth of the American Kiver, and at times swelled the Sacramento River m the vicinity of Sacramento City as much as 0.4 foot. During August and September, 1912, when the river at Sacramento probably reached the lowest point in the history of the city, tides exceeding 1 foot were noted. Flood Basins of the Sacramento River. Numerous basins on both sides of the Sacramento River have at all times exercised a modifying influence on the floods in this stream by freely admitting the overflow, either through weirs constructed for this purpose or through breaks in the levees. On the east side of the river are four distinct depressions known as Butte, Sutter, American, and Sacramento Basins. In a report of the commissioner of public works to the governor of California in 1894, which report is quoted in a paper before the American Society of Engineers, by W. B. Clapp and others, the following areas and capacities of these basins are given: Butte Basin is north of MarysviUe Butte and has an area of from 30 to 150 square miles, depending upon the river stage, and a capacity of 460,000 acre-feet at flood stages. It discharges through Butte Slough into Sutter Basin. Sutter Basin is south of MarysviUe Butte and north of the Feather River. It has an area of 138 square miles and a capacity of 890,000 acre-feet at flood stages. It discharges through sloughs mto the Sacramento River above the mouth of the Feather. The American flood basin is south of the Feather and north of the American. It has an area of 110 square miles and a capacity of 571,000 acre-feet at flood stage. It discharges into the Sacramento River north of the city of Sacramento. This basm is of considerable depth at its lowest point, and even during the extreme low water of 1912 contained a large amount of water. At the present time practically all of the American Basin is being leveed with a view to its complete reclamation, and it is expected that it will eventually be eliminated as a flood basui. The Sacramento Basin, so-called, is a narrow depression south of the American and extends thence south- ward nearly to Walnut Grove. Its area and capacity have not been determined. In fact this basin, if such it may bo called, has long ago been reclaimed although its lower or southern end is liable to overflow from the Mokelumne River, when this stream is out of bank, and from the Sacramento in the event that its east side levees give way. Yolo Basin, on the west si(h^ of the SacranuMito River, wjis originally one unbroken de])ressi()n extending from vStoiiy C^re(^k on tlu^ north to the FLOODS OF SACKAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. 89 mouth of Cache Slough on the south, but it is now divided into two well-defined basins by a ridge that was formed by overbank flow and sediment deposit from the original channel of Cache Creek, which at one time discharged direct into the Sacramento Kiver. This ridge terminates just north of Knights Landing and extends back toward the foothills. North of this ridge is now known as Colusa Basm and south of it is Yolo Basin. Quoting from the Report of Public Works in 1894, Yolo Basin is 50 miles long and 7 miles wide with a capacity of 1,115,000 acre-feet. It discharges into Cache Creek and thence into the Sacramento River through Steamboat Slough. Colusa Basin is some 45 miles long and from 2 to 7 miles wide, w^h a capacity of 690,000 acre-feet at flood stage. Until within the past few years Colusa Basin discharged into the Sacramento through Syca^ more Slough, but the various processes of reclamation have alto-, gether altered flood conditions both with regard to the water that flows in from the western hills and that from the river. A back levee protects the basm from the hill water and a canal between this levee and the hills now carries the hill drainage into the Sacramento near a point where the lower Sycamore Slough once joined the river at Knights Landmg. During the floods of 1907 and 1909 the water that escaped into Colusa Basin from the Sacramento side, where many levees broke, flowed over KJiights Landing Ridge into the Yolo Basin. Colusa Basin has, however, been almost entirely if not quite reclaimed and has practically been eliminated as a flood basin. Plans have been made for the cuttuig of Knights Landing Ridge which, in con- nection with the west side canal, will make a branch river to which aU hifl streams will be tributary, leading them down into and eventuaUy through Yolo Basin. During the 1907 and 1909 floods the protecting levees on the west side of the Feather River, about opposite Marysville Butte, were destroyed by an enormous rush of water which flowed overbank at Hamilton Bend. This water came across the plains to the north of the buttes with such force and volume as to rush directly across the flooded Sacramento River, and after tearing out the west side leveed it continued down through Colusa Basin, leaving destruction in its wake. During the 1907 flood the water in Colusa Basin was level with the crest of Ejiights Landmg Ridge, but in 1909, according to measurements made by Mr. G. B. Herington, consulting engineer, Sac- ramento, CaL, it flowed 4 feet deep over the ridge into Yolo Basin. It was the backwater from this overflow that flooded Knights Landing during the 1909 flood and that kept that town under water for about 41 days. Massive levees have now replaced those that were demol- ished at Hamilton Bend, and it is not thought that Colusa Basin will again be menaced by the Feather River. (For map of overflowed region; see fig. 48, p. 90.) 90 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. FLOODETD JAN 1909 FLOODED MARCH 1907 Fi(i. 4.S.— Inundated region in Sacramento Valley. • floods of saceamento and san joaquin watersheds. 91 Delta Lands of the Sacramento and San Joaquin. In the lower reaches of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers are numerous low tracts of land and many islands, all of which have been built up by silt from both streams. Some of the islands are composed of a combination of silt and peat. The reclamation of these lands, which are the most productive on earth, has necessi- tated the erection of levees not only strong enough to withstand a long siege of high water, but also to resist the action of winds and tides, both of which are strong factors during periods of high water. On account of the numerous islands that are separated from the mainland and the many tracts that are dissected by sloughs and other waterways, and the wide range of tides in the lower districts, no Weather Bureau gages have been established in the delta below Rio Vista. Mr. W. E. Meek, a prominent citizen of Antioch, with large agricultural interests in the island districts, made measurements in parts of the lower San Joaquin River during the floods of 1907, 1909, and 1911. In comparing the floods in the delta of 1907 and 1909, Mr. Meek states that the highest water reached in 1907 was exceeded by that of 1909 in all of the lower districts. In the San Joaquin River above Stockton, however, the crest of the 1907 flood was about 0.5 of a foot higher. During the 1911 floods the water in the lower San Joaquin between Stockton and Mendota was between 2 and 3 feet higher than ever before recorded. But, as stated by Mr. Meek, it did not come within 18 inches as high in 191 1 as it did in 1909 on the foUo wing- named islands : Andrus, Bradford, Jersey, Sherman, and Twitchel. The foUowing-named lands in the delta were flooded in 1907: An- drus Island," Bethel tract," Bouldin Island," Brannan Island, Burke tract, B3rron tract, Clifton Court tract, Coney Island, Elmwood tract, Franks tract, Jersey Island," lower Jones tract, Lower Sher- man Island," Moss tract, Ridge tract, Ryer Island, Sargent Burn- hardt tract. Statin Island, Stone tract, Terminus District, Twitchel Island," Tyler Island, Venice Island," Victoria Island, and Webber tract, aggregating 130,744 acres. Conclusion. During the past few years large interests have recognized the ultimate value of all reclaimable lands in the central valleys of Cali- fornia. In the Sacramento Valley especially millions of doUars are now being applied to the work of reclaiming the various flood basins heretofore considered as waste land. According to the Report on the Control of Floods in the River Systems of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, published in 1911, there are 48 reclamation o Also flooded in 1909. 92 FLOODS OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHEDS. districts in the Sacramento Valley itself. Reports on 41 of these districts, with an area of 217,904 acres, showed on July 1, 1909, that 205,423 acres have been completely reclaimed and 99,376 acres partly reclaimed by the construction of 521 miles of levees. To these figures should now be added nearly 200,000 acres, as since 1909 the reclamation of Colusa Basin has been practically completed, about 12,000 acres on the west side of the river opposite Sacramento City have been reclaimed, 90,000 acres, comprising the American Basin and other low lands east of the Sacramento and between the Bear and American Rivers, are in process of reclamation, and tenta- tive plans are afoot for the reclaiming of 60,000 acres within Sutter Basin. Immense levees, practically impregnable, now skirt the Feather River from Vernon to a point near Marys ville, and on the south side of the Bear River from its mouth to a point near Wheatland. These levees will not only confine the flood waters of the Bear and Feather Rivers, but will result in a reduction of the time it formerly took them to reach the main stream. During the floods of 1907 and 1909 the overflow waters of the Feather, Yuba, and Bear Rivers escaped freely into Butte, Sutter, and American Basins, which not only tended to flatten out the flood wave of the Feather River below the mouth of the Bear, but delayed its approach to the mouth of the American River until the crest of the flood wave of this stream had passed into the Sacramento below Sacramento City. Under present conditions it is estimated that flood water in the lower Feather River will reach the mouth of the American at least two hours earlier than heretofore, provided, of course, that it is not drawn off into Yolo Basin either by the breaking of the west side Sacramento River levees or through artificial by-passes of sufficient width and capacity to materially lower the water level m the main stream. o