Page:California Highways and Public Works Journal Vols 8-9.djvu/32

 6000 acres, much of which has never been cleared.

The clearing of land which has once been cleared is a maintenance operation and approximately $20,000 per year is spent on this work. It is hoped that eventually those areas in the by-pass which are suitable for cultivation will be put into crop of some sort to eliminate the cost of clearing each year.

Through a state appropriation for new flood control project construction, there has been made aavilable to this office the sum of $65,000 for clearing land in the Sutter, Butte Slough and Tisdale By-pass, and the sum of $27,500 for clearing along the Feather River overflow channel. Up to the time it was necessary to discontinue work on account of flood waters, on December 13, three crews were engaged on clearing with a total of 180 men. These were in charge of our own foremen, and were mostly local people. The opportunity for employment on this work was of very great benefit to the citizens in Sutter County. One contractor is also operating a camp in Sutter By-pass with a force of 50 men. This division maintained two camps of 60 men each, and it is proposed to reopen these camps and continue the clearing work as soon as the weather permits.

The clearing work along the Feather River is all being done under contract, at an average price of $60 per acre. Six contracts have been let covering 60 per cent of the total work to be done, and were all under way during the recent December storm, when work was temporarily discontinued.

It is difficult to picture the varied activities of this division in connection with flood control and reclamation without going into considerable detail. Bare mention can be made here of the numerous things now being done, and no attempt is made to cover the subject of the Sacramento Flood Control Project itself or new construction, in which there is an increasing activity. In this biennium the State of California is expending $350,000 for new construction in a program involving a total expenditure of $721,000, in which the Federal Government and local interests participate.

Flood Gagings and Measurements. During the winter season this division operates 32 automatic water stage recorders in the flood channels and obtains readings from about 50 staff gages. Preparations are complete and the necessary equipment is assembled to send 12 parties of engineers into the field during flood at a few hours notice to measure the quantity of water flowing at certain strategic points in the flood channels. At certain places rating curves are being established and measurements are taken at various times during the winter. Each season the results of these observations and measurements are compiled in a mimeographed report, making the data available to all who are interested. These data are of particular value in engineering studies relating to flood control, and are obtained primarily for this purpose.

Careful watch is kept on flood stages to give out warnings, to determine when measurements are to be taken, and to guide in the operation of the Sacramento Weir. The weir is lighted and patrolled continuously during the time water is against the gates. The gates have not been opened since March, 1928, when all of the 48 gates were opened for the first time.

Bank Protection. For a number of years in the past, the state has made appropriation of funds for the use of the State Engineer in rectifying river channels, protecting river banks and performing emergency flood work. Expenditure of this money was usually made in cooperation with other agencies. During the biennium ending June 30, 1929, this cooperation has been required, in which the state usually paid one-third of the total cost. This was known as the “river fund” and is discontinued in the present biennium. The corresponding work for the rivers in the Sacramento system is done out of the flood control maintenance appropriation, and the work in the other rivers of the state is cared for out of a small appropriation for “emergency flood protection and rectification of river channels in cooperation with other agencies.”

The protection of banks of the river channels is an essential preparation against floods. The division has recently done, is doing or preparing to do, bank protection work on the Sacramento project in cooperation with other agencies, as follows: