78 PROGRESS REPORT, HYDROGRAPHY, 1893 AND 1894. [bull. 131. 
Daily gage height of Sacramento River at Tehama Bridge, Calif ornia, for 1894* 
Day. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May. 
June. 
July. 
Au»\ 
Sept. 
Oct, 
!Nov. 
Dec. 
1 
14.00 
3.58 
7.00 
3.33 
3.00 
1.33 
0.17 
0.17 
0.75 
0.83 
1 
LOO 
2 
14.50 
5.33 
6.83 
3.33 
3.00 
1.25 
.17 
.17 
.50 
.83 
,83 
3 
14.50 
4.50 
6.33 
3.17 
3.00 
1.25 
.17 
.17 
.42 
.50 
.75 
4 
14.00 
4.08 
6.08 
3.08 
3. 25 
1.17 
.17 
.17 
.33 
.50 
.75 
5 
13.75 
3.83 
5.75 
3.00 
4.00 
1.17 
.17 
.17 
.33 
.58 
1.17 
6 
13.65 
4.92 
5.42 
3.00 
3.50 
1.17 
.17 
.17 
.25 
. .58 
3. 92 
7 
13.00 
4.08 
5.08 
3.00 
3.17 
1.08 
.17 
.17 
. 25 
.58 
2.75 
8 
13.00 
4.50 
5.00 
3.08 
3.08 
1.00 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.58 
6.42 
9 
13.00 
5.58 
4.92 
3.33 
2.92 
.92 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.50 
6.83 
10 
12.75 
5.42 
4.83 
3.17 
2. 83 
.92 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.50 
4. 58 
11 
12.75 
4.33 
5.00 
3.08 
2.75 
.92 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.50 
3.08 
12 
12.75 
4.42 
4.83 
3.08 
2.67 
.83 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.42 
2.92 
13 
12.75 
4.33 
4.42 
3.00 
2.67 
.83 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.42 
2.25 
14 
16. 00 
4.42 
4.33 
3.08 
2.50 
. 75 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.42 
1.75 
15 
29. 00 
4.50 
4.25 
3.92 
2.42 
.75 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.50 
1.75 
16 
23.00 
5.08 
4.00 
3.42 
2.50 
. 75 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.50 
1.75 
17 
20. 00 
6.25 
3.92 
3.08 
2.50 
.75 
.17 
.17 
.25 
.50 
2.08 
18 
18.50 
5.92 
3.67 
3.00 
2.58 
.75 
.17 
.17 
.33 
.50 
6.00 
19 
17.00 
5.75 
3.58 
3.00 
2.50 
.75 
.17 
.17 
.58 
.50 
9.00 
20 
21. 00 
5.00 
3.67 
3.08 
2.25 
.67 
.17 
.17 
.92 
.42 
8.42 
21 
19.00 
4.75 
3.58 
3.00 
2.08 
.67 
.17 
.17 
2.42 
.42 
15.67 
22 
19.50 
4.33 
3.50 
2.92 
1.83 
.58 
.17 
.17 
1.42 
.42 
11.92 
23 
19.50 
4.08 
3.67 
2.92 
1.67 
.58 
.17 
.17 
1.17 
.42 
7.42 
24 
18.50 
3.92 
3.58 
2.92 
1.67 
.58 
.17 
.17 
4.33 
.50 
5.25 
25 
17.33 
3.83 
3.83 
3.58 
2.92 
1.67 
.50 
.17 
.17 
2.33 
.50 
4.17 
26 
16.50 
3.50 
4.00 
3.67 
2.92 
1.50 
.50 
.17 
.17 
1.58 
.50 
3.42 
27 
16.75 
3.42 
4.17 
4.00 
3.08 
1.50 
.42 
.17 
.17 
1.33 
.42 
2.92 
28 
16.50 
3.58 
4.50 
3.42 
3.17 
1.50 
.33 
.17 
.17 
.92 
1.50 
2.83 
29 
16.00 
5.00 
3.33 
2.92 
1.42 
.25 
.17 
.17 
.83 
1.58 
3.75 
30 
16.50 
5.50 
3.33 
2.92 
1.42 
.25 
.17 
.75 
.75 
.83 
5.25 
31 
16.00 

6.42 
2.92 

.17 
.17 
.67 
5.08 
SAN JOAQUIN BASIN, CALIFORNIA. 
This great river basin, occupying the southern part of the Great 
Valley of California, is drained by some of the most notable rivers of 
California, important from the standpoint both of irrigation and of 
water power. These streams, rising in the high Sierras, flow westerly 
and, leaving their narrow canyons, enter upon the broad valley, where, 
with lessened descent, each builds for itself a delta, over which the 
stream from time to time shifts its channel or subdivides into numer- 
ous sloughs. The railroads and principal towns of the valley are well 
out from the foothills, so that the principal bridges are at points below 
the mouths of the canyons and the headworks of the important irri- 
gating canals. In order to obtain the full discharge of the streams it 
is essential to go back from the railroads up into the canyons, where 
the rivers flow in a single channel between well-defined banks. 
The Southern Pacific Railroad Company has maintained at its bridge 
crossings series of readings of river height extending over a number 
of years, and although the river sections at these bridges are not 
always favorable for discharge measurements, and the full flow of the 
river, especially in low water, does not pass under the bridge, yet in 
taking up work in this part of the country it was deemed desirable to 
attempt to utilize these long records of river height by making series 
of measurements by which they might be interpreted into quantities. 
As the work expands the attempt will be made to establish stations 
higher up on the river at more suitable localities; but as this involves 
considerable expense, both in time and for transportation, the develop- 
ment must proceed slowly. 
