794 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. MAY, 1910
they brin e x d n g l y good pr;oeS and the growth of this industry has been very rapid . The present citrus districts, as in fact is most of the land in the citrus belt, are above the existing irrigating canals. which in most instances divert all of the water available from the rivers, and are therefore entirely depcndent on ground waters for irrigation; and, as the profits from this crop warrant a large expenditure. it is naturally the hest market for power for umping purpow. Aside from citrus fruitq, all kinds of high class profuets, such aa deciduous fruits, berrics, vegetables, nuts, vines, and alfalfa, are to some extent also irrigated by pumped ground water. The amount of water required for the irrigation of different products varies t o such an extent in the different communities that it ib inipomilible to get any figures which would be at all accurate. The character of the soil is accountable for the difference t o a large estent, but the cost of water and the personal equation are accountable to a much larger exfcnt. There is usuallv a marked tendency t o the overuw of water. The duty of irrigation water in California is believed to average about, 2 feet in depth in addition to the average rainfall. In the Imperial Vallcy, in 1906, 120,OOO acres were irrigated and a total average depth of 2.04 feet was used, the main crop hcing grain. In H:tn Diego County on land planted to citrus fruits an average depth of 1.5 foot waa used from 1889 t o 1899. Around LOP Angeles it is estimated that an average depth of 2.4 feet is used. In the Modeato and Turlock districts as much as S feet to 10 feet in depth wm used at the start; but in 190s the depth varied from 1.3 foot to 3.6 feet. In the Fmno district very little water iR applied to the surfare of the hind at present, the land being subirrigated by seepage from thc caiials. The San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys arc favorable storage basins for ground waters, as the only outlet is the San Francisco Bay through the narrow straits of Carquinez. The elevation of the Lindsay district, 3rd
miles away, is about 300 feet, and the ground waters must. therefore, of necessity travel very slowly and he in large quantities. In determining the policies and the scope of a proposed hydroelrctric system for the supply of power for pumped irrigation, it is necmary to
determine at the outset the esact territory to be rcrved and thc general policies to be followed a.4 regards charges, contracts, estcnsions. etc., or, in other words, a definite goal must be set, the power company niust do erery-
thing possible to assist devclopnient, and any inhabitant in any wtion of the territory must be supplied with powrr whenever it is requircd. Therr- fore, the power system simply grow up with the country, and whilv this growth is taking place (it of neccor4.v must takv ninny years) it must bc
conwidwed that the powcr system is in couw of construction during the entire period. This is the main feature in diich the power project tlcpmd- ing entirely upon an irrigation market differs from the project supplying ordinary commercial busin- in an already well-settld community, and this is a difference which is scldoni fully understood and the titne elcmcmt not fully provided for.
SPIDERS AND ANTICYCLONIC WINDS.
By FORD A. CARPENTER, Local FOWXM~T.
An article on “ Bird-Flight ancl Air-Navigation ” in the cur-
rent number of Century Magazine ’ states that ‘‘ It, was fount1
by a rigid comparison of the birds’ movements with the weather map that their flights were invariably xtartecl hy winds tmanat-
iiig from cyclonic or anticyclonic winds.” It has been observed in this locality that spiders also utilize the anticyclonic winds.
Whenever the weather map shows a high area over the north- west, the spreading of this area over Washington and Oregon starts the northerly or northeasterly winds flowing down to the
so-called permanent low area in sout hem California, when a
close observer may see flying spider web?. Certain species throw out their thin gossamer silk and,
buoyed in the air, are wafted considerable distances. Almost
the first indication of the northerly or northeasterly winds (which are popularly termed “desert winds”) is the quantity of
tiny lengths of spider silk that float in the air. Until the advent of the glass screen to the automobile, these flying webs
were annoying to the automobilists, causing irritation to the
eyes. The spiders’ silky streamers may be seen on the trolley
and telephone wires in the early morning of a dry day.
HYDROGRAPHIC DATA OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER.
Compiled from the recorda of the United States Geological Survey by W. B. CLAPP, District Engineer.
The Sacramentso River is the largest and most important
river in California. It drains an area of approximately 27,100 - _-- - - . - - - . - __ - - - __ . __ -_ MacMechen and Dienstbach. Bird flights and air navigation.”
Century, Vol. LXXX, p. 297.
square miles in the north-central part of the State. The boundaries of its drainage basin are determined by the Sierra Nevada and Warner Mountains on the east, Mount Shasta on
the north, and the Trinity Mountains and Coast Range on the
west,. Its length is about 230 miles north and south, with a width of about 150 miles east and west. The Sacramento River has its source near the south boundary
of Siskiyou County, near the town of Sisson, in springs issuing
from the western slope of Mount Shasta. It flows southerly for a distance of about 370 miles, finally discharging into Suisun Ray, near Collinsville, about 50 miles by water from San Fran-
cisco. The Sacramento, above the mouth of the Pit River, ha* a length of only about 50 miles and is a comparatively small stream, but its course is through an exceptionally beautiful
canyon, its flow being continually increased by water discharg- ing from numerous large springs, among which are the famous
Shasta Springs. Below the mouth of the Pit River the Sacra-
mento is a stream of considerable magnitude and is navigable
as far north as Red Bluff, about 250 miles from its mouth and
300 miles from San Francisco. The most important tributaries of the Sacramento River are from the east, anrl they drain the western slope of the Sierra
Nevada. The Pit River is the most important affluent, con-
sidering its drainage area ancl minimum flow. In fact, Pit River is the main stream and the Sacramento River, above its
junction with the Pit, is a comparatively small tributary. The principal affluents of the Sacramento below Pit River, in order
from north to south, are Cow, Battle, Antelope, Mill, Deer, C‘hico, ancl Butte creeks, Feather, Yuba, Bear, ancl American
rivers from the east, and Clear. Cottonwood. Thomes, Stony,
Cache, anrl Puta creeks from the west. A4pproxiniately 84 per
cent of the Sacramento Basin is mountainous, with many high peaks ancl ranges and numerous small upland meadow valleys. The other lG per cent, coniprising the gently sloping areas along
the lower reaches of the Sacramento River, constitutes what is
known as the Sacramento Valley. The inean annual precipitation in the basin varies with the
altitude. It is least on the floor of the valley, where it averages
22 inches, but it increases rapidly in the higher mountain area*,
until atr elevations of from 3,000 to 5,000 feet, occasional annual
falls of over 100 inches occur. In the extreme northeastern
part of the basin the annual precipitation is comparatively
light, even on the higher elevations. The greater part of t.he annual rainfall comes in the winter months, particularly in
December ancl January, when about 18 and 20 per cent, re-
spectively, of the mean annual rainfall is receivecl. February and March each bring about 13 per cent and November 12 per cent, so that about 76 per cent of the mean annual rainfall
occurs in the period November to March, inclusive. April, May, and October furnish 20 per cent more, leaving the other 4
months practically rainless. The precipitation appears chiefly
as snow at the higher altitudes. Ordinarily the snow melts slowly, not wholly disappearing until late summer, thus equaliz-
ing and extending the stream flow. At times the snow line estends to the lower elevations near the rim of the valley, which,
being followed by rising temperature and heavy rains, procluces
floods of greater or less severity. The Sacramento Valley probably furnishes the greatest field
for development in the United States. The possibilities for irrigation are extensive. Considerable irrigation development,
has been carried on and the advantages for further irrigation are attracting the attention of capital throughout the United States.
Many excellent storage reservoir sites exist in clifferent parts of
the Sacramento Basin. The water supply is plentiful, if prop- erly controlled for distribution. The valley suffers from frequent floods which occur in winter and early spring, the
worst of recent years occurring in 1904, 1907, and 1909. The total area of the Sacraniento Valley is about 4,250 square miles,
about 40 per cent of which suffers from floods by overflow.
MAY, 1910. , MONTBLY WEATHER REVIEW. 795
The other 60 per cent is high land, not subject to overflow and muiring irrigation for the most succeasful farming. 12 miles above Red Bluff. In January, 1902, the location of 'the
gaging station was again changed. A point in Iron Canyon, about 4 miles above Red Bluff (where the State Engineering
__ selected and a cable station constructed. Gagings have been
1902.. continued at this location since January, 1902. The wettest
- yeyear waa 1904 and the driest 1898. The greatest flood occurred
6 .~0 in March, 1907. The total flow during the wettest year was
8% about 4 times that of the driest. The mean monthly flow is greatest in March and least in September. The mean annual
IO:OOO flow of all streams in the basin is sufliicient to cover the entire
8;: Sacramento Valleywith water 10 feet in depth.
TABLE l.-Eelimated mean monthly Bluff, Cd., jot diecharge period 1896-1908. Of sae*ome?dO R h near &d ~~~~*~~~t had made gagin@ in 1879 and 1893-4) , w88
I flln
__
1897, b Month. 1896.. 1 m .b
I--1-
1898.
6,120 12 600
6,870
6.830 6.670 4,700 4,280
4, a80 4,630 4,780 4,990
6.350
__
9: 74Q
14,300 36 100
22.800 13,700
7, 6,700 4,780 4,600
7,790
12,600
11:800
tE
J r a r y ................ 47,880 bruary ............... 26.800 YMh ................... 32,600~ A& ................... 39.600
13,w6 80.700 21,000 6660 11 700 34 100
6.910 9:670 9:800 6200 6480 6600
4 :W 4'210 4'360
3880 3 w 3Oao
6:MO 6:380 4:lW 14,500 8.300 7.740 14.600 16,800 12,100
m'm $3'300 20'000 1o:m 12'100 10'800
3,880 3 :m 3 :w
24. 100
aa. 800 30,900 14.200
7,590 6,3W
12,000 22,300
%
Hw .................... J&. .................. July .................... 7,240 A w ~t ................. esptdmtxz., ............ occober ........ : ....... 6.880 i:G TABLE 2.-Mdhly discharoe of Sacramerato Ricer near Red Bluff, Cd., fq petial18M-1808. 19,800
17,600
Noveibber ............. k r n h ..............
Drainage ma, 9,300 .quare mi1es.d 17.700
~ yearb mean.. ........
I
-1-
I Disaherge in cubic feet per second. 14-year monthly mean.
Minimum. Mean.
~~
$E 31,600 18.800 10,800
6,970 6,690 4, eo0 4 810
a: 360 21, 000 13,100
21,000 23. 500 16, 000 12, 000 10, 900 7,720
2% 4,670 6,180
6, OM)
6.420
10, ago
31 800 14 700 21
18'700 26'300 3d200
8'620 18'100 12'200 6'0W 8'W 7'500 6'260 6'330 6'170 6'W 8'020 6'710 6'llW 6'870 6'760 5:620 6'570 6'100
26'800 23'm 4s'U)o
ao'w 4 2 ' m tis'700
12'800 19'm 16'100
6,100 16:m 11:m
22,200
30.700 m. 200
January..
November ..... December.. ....
.................... ................... ................... ................... ....................... ........................ ... "'.....(..'.... .................. .................. .................. .................. ..................
I
InCk8.
2.76 3.16 3. Bo 2.48
- 1.96 1.16 .76 .a "
.61 .72 1.16
1.61
20, 600 16,700 9, 610 6 170
6.070
6.830 9.670 12,200
14.W
6: 180'.
131.000* 185,000~ 196,000' 71.0000 76, l00b 33,8000 11.OOo' 7,6000 14.5000 46,300~ 119,oOOb 93, OOOb
4.7W 22.200
6.6600 28,200 6,520b 30,706 6,520b 20 600 6.380b 15:700 4 ,7 m 9.610
3,800b 6,170 3,800b 6,180 3 63ob 6,070
4.360b 9.670 4,700b 12,200
3 :m b 5,830
2.39 3.03 3. bo 2.22
1.69 1.05 .Ma .1 7
.w .em 1. oa 1.31
13,600 16 100 18,800
I * i ................ 113,900
Branch of the United States Geological The period.. ... .....I 196,000
gang On the Sacramento During 1895 the &ng
the weon bridge at the tom Of Red poor channel conditions, this station was
ion WtabliShed at Jelly's F e w J Some
*Record kept at highway bridge, Red Bluff.
b Record kept at Jell
0 Record kept at cabgutatioh, Iron Canyon, 4 miles above Red B l e .
d Represents drainage area above cable station, 4 miles above Red Bluff. This area used
NoTn.-Dmharple in cubic feet pereecond,completed to t h (8 significant fi.una only.
j since 1895. Ferry 12 milea above Red Bluff.
for computingru-off per square mile.
Maximuma repreaent the mean maximum for the day and not p e d maximum.
3.830 I 14,300 1.63 I 20.69