1905 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 288 



tic use in places where it has hereto- sociation, to the end that concerted 



fore been believed impossible to se- action may be taken for the earnest 



cure good supplies. This belief arose presentation of the matter to the IL 



from lack of knowledge of the actual S. Government at an early day." 



conditions. Therefore the proposed Since 1895 the Hydrographic 



study of the seasonal variations of the Branch of the Geological Survey has 



quality of water in the principal kept daily records of the flow of the 



streams will be of immense advantage Sacramento River, and the data ob- 



to the many municipalities in the State tained by observations of the available 



of California in which it has up to this water supply, extending through a 



time been .impossible to secure water term of years, is of great value to any 



supplies of satisfactory quality. scheme of reclamation. Detailed 



The investigation under the cooper- studies are being made of the various 



ative agreement will commence on or streams of Sacramento Valley, reser- 



about July I, and the greater part of voir sites are being surveyed and gag- 



the work will be performed in the ing stations established, 



laboratory of the U. S. Geological About four years ago the Reclama- 



Survey at Berkeley, California. tion Service, through the Water and 



Forest Association, expressed itself 



The Sacramento Valley. , , , 



as anxious to take up a comprehensive 



A committee appointed for the pur- study of the entire situation. The 



pose by the Board of Supervisors, Red state cooperated in this movement, and 



Bluff, California, has forwarded reso- detailed surveys of the entire floor of 



lutions relating to the reclamation of the Sacramento Valley have been 



lands in Sacramento Valley to Con- made, as well as careful studies of the 



suiting Engineer J. B. Lippincott, of forestry conditions in its drainage 



the Reclamation Service, at Los Ange- basin, it being well understood that 



les, California. these conditions vitally affect the char- 



The committee believes that the con- acter of the low water and flood dis- 



struction and completion of proper charge in the streams. Extended 



dams and reservoirs upon the Sacra- studies of the engineering features of 



mento River at points above Red Bluff, the proposition have also been made, 



and upon other streams, tributary Sacramento Valley offers one of the 



thereto, would improve the navigabil- most extensive and intricate problems 



ity of the river, and in connection in development in arid America, and 



with ditches to be built for irrigation the progress of the investigations is 



purposes, would result in making far being carefully watched by the Board 



more productive a large portion of of Consulting Engineers. It is prob- 



the lands in that part of the state, able that special acts of Congress will 



and be of great permanent benefit to be required for an adequate handling 



all lands in Sacramento Valley, and of the situation, both in relation to 



petitions the government to enter upon navigation and overflow, and possibly 



the construction of such works as of state cooperation, 



soon as practicable. The following Owing to the magnitude of the 



resolution was unanimously adopted : problem and the numerous and heavy 



"Resolved ; That it is the sense of demands upon the resources of the 

 this meeting that the Sacramento Val- Reclamation Service, it will be impos- 

 ley Development Association make a sible to work out this scheme in a 

 strong effort to interest the entire Sac- hurried manner. It is believed that 

 ramento Valley in the irrigation of the if the organization of the committee 

 semi-arid section thereof, also in the is continued and the people prepared 

 reclamation of the flooded districts to cooperate with the government 

 thereof; that meetings be called and when the time for action arrives, one 

 arranged for throughout the entire by one the various units of the enter- 

 district interested, and such meetings prise will be worked out, till this 

 reported back to the Development As- greatest problem of the arid country 



