newell] SACRAMENTO BASIN, CALIFORNIA. 75 
SATAS STATION, ON SATAS RIVER. 
This Station is located at the crossings of the Northern Pacific Rail- 
road north of Satas station. There are two of these crossings at low- 
water, three at high water, and seven at extreme floods. Gages were 
placed on the first three mentioned on November 24, 1894, by Messrs. 
Samuel Storrow and Arthur P. Davis. The observer is Mr. A. L. Wil- 
liams, section foreman. These gages are distant from the observer's 
house 200 to 2,000 yards. They are marked with notches, nails, and 
black paint on a vertical pile. All can be read from the bridge. These 
gages are considered temporary. Mr. Storrow will place painted gages 
at all seven of the bridges and make connection with bench marks. 
Measurements of discharge were made on the two channels carrying 
water, at points a few hundred yards above the crossings. 
SACRAMENTO BASIN, CALIFORNIA. 
This basin includes the northern part of the Great Valley of Cali- 
fornia, and is drained by the largest rivers of the State. The problems 
of water supply and of water control are of the most varied character, 
on account of the peculiar topography and the character of the indus- 
tries concerned. The rivers, rising in the high mountains, discharge 
enormous volumes of water, especially in times of flood, and descend- 
ing rapidly from the mountains, they have great possibilities in the 
way of power. This power is utilized to a small extent for manufac- 
turing, and in the past was largely employed in hydraulic mining. 
The debris resulting from these operations, swept down by floods, accu- 
mulated in the lower valleys, choked the waterways, or was carried 
over the low-lying farm lands. As a result, the aid of legislation was 
invoked, and further dumping of mining debris into the streams was 
prohibited, which resulted in the practical cessation of hydraulic min- 
ing. Many of the flumes and ditches erected for this purpose have of 
late years been utilized for irrigation, especially in fruit culture, and 
questions are arising continually concerning the amount of water flow- 
ing in the streams and its possible storage and utilization on a larger 
scale for irrigation works or power plants. 
In the lower part of the valley of the Sacramento, and in the central 
portion, where the waters of the San Joaquin and its tributaries are 
received, other problems of the reclamation of swamp areas are brought 
prominently to the attention of the people of California. The State 
engineer and various commissions have collected data upon the sub- 
ject, and during 1894 the commissioner of public works began a further 
examination, including surveys and measurements of volumes. The 
data thus obtained have not been published in full, those published 
relating mainly to flood volumes of the larger streams. At higher 
points a few measurements have been made by this Survey for the 
purpose of obtaining general information applicable to the smaller 
rivers. There are given herewith descriptions of stations at Red 
Bluff and Tehama, on the Sacramento River, and the heights of water 
