(c) 2012, Mike Barkley
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http://archive.org/details/cihm_18390 , various formats including pdf and ocr text - this transcription is a cleaned-up version of the ocr page.,
Thomas Rowlandson, F.G.S.L.,
"Notabilia of the Floods of 1861-'62"
pp. 27-33
in
ed. William H. Knight, Hand-Book Almanac for the Pacific States:
[p. 27]
NOTABILIA OF THE FLOODS OF 1861-'62.
By Thomas Rowlandson, F. G. S. L.
-------------
METEOROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES AND TERRITORIES ON THE PACIFIC.
The regions bordering on the equator are the hottest on the
earth, owing to the sun being nearest to their zenith; from which
to the poles, the temperature diminishes, other things being equal,
proportionally as these points are approached. Owing to this
circumstance, an upper current is found constantly flowing from the
equator to the two poles, and a lower one from the poles to the
equator; the latter becoming heated, ascends and returns toward
the extremities of the terrestrial axes.
As the diameters of the parallel circles diminish as they recede
from the equator, and as all parts situated in the same meridian
make a complete revolution round the axis of the earth in
twenty-four hours, it follows that they move with a velocity much greater
as the points are nearer to the equatorial line. In the northern
hemisphere, as the upper and heated atmosphere proceeds toward
the north, it gets more and more in advance of the earth's rotatory
motion; the combination of this motion from the west toward
the east, combined with the original direction from south to north,
occasions a southwest wind.
Within the torrid zone, a considerable portion of the heat
transmitted by the rays of the sun is absorbed by the waters of the
ocean, occasioning an immense evaporation, and consequently
lowering the temperature of that portion of the earth. The rarefied
air of the torrid zone, charged with moisture, becomes gradually
cooled on passing into a higher latitude, and consequently
condensed, thus giving rise to clouds and eventually to rain; contem-
28 HAND-BOOK ALMANAC.
poraneously with this condensation, whether exhibited in the form
of cloud, mist, or rain, heat is evolved; a more equable temperature
is thus given to the various parts of the earth. Such are the chief
laws which regulate climate; but they more correctly apply to
what may be termed oceanic climate. Considerable variations occur
when high mountain ranges or extended plains, singly or conjointly,
contribute to change the normal conditions. In California both
these circumstances are found, as well as others, which have an
important bearing on its climate; one of the principal of which is,
the immense current of moisture and saturated air which flows from
the tropics over the Gulf of California and the low-lying coast of
Sonora, &c.,
into the great plain between the Sierra Nevada and
the Rocky Mountains. In this way the greater part of the
moisture-laden winds from the equator is deflected from California, as
our valleys becoming heated usually give rise to a direct west
wind, which, although charged with moisture, as evidenced by the
great fog banks daily seen on the coast range, is speedily dissipated
on entering into the warmer atmosphere found within the valleys
which lie between the coast range and the Sierra Nevada. The
reverse of this takes place when a southerly wind blows, especially
those ranging from southeast to southwest; in such cases a warm,
saturated atmosphere invades a comparatively cold one, then rain
is precipitated; and this is particularly seen in the torrent-like
character of the rain storms which are witnessed on the Sierra Nevada,
from Mariposa to the Tejon Pass. Unfortunately, no record has
ever been kept of the rain-fall in this region; in some parts it must
have been enormous, probably more than 200 inches perpendicular
for the entire wet season of six months. A correspondent of one
of the San Francisco papers, writing from Visalia, and alluding to
lumber, states as follows :
"The latter article is rather scarce here just now, owing to the
destruction of all the saw mills by the floods, which seem to have
been of a terrific nature on the foot-hills composing the lumber
region. From Mr. Thomas, who with his brother lost two mills, I
learn that the water in many of the ravines rose to a perpendicular
NOTABILIA OF THE FLOODS OF 1861-'62. 29
height of seventy feet, and that hundreds of immense pines, being
uprooted, were so ground up that they reached the plains as fine
as saw-dust. A huge boiler from one of their mills was carried
many miles, and most of the massive iron works have never since
been seen."
Whilst it seldom rains in Lower California, in Oregon and
Washington Territory tremendous rains occur, and the ordinary rainy
season commences sooner and terminates later, both in the sister
State and the northern Territory; in fact, the northern portion of
California, so far as rain is concerned, possesses a not dissimilar
climate to that of Oregon. When the northeast winds bring rain, it
is probable that the northeast parts of California are deluged with
heavier rains than the sister State or Washington Territory. No
return nor any estimate has been made of the rain-fall last year in
Washington Territory, but general rumor has described the fall as
having been very heavy. Perhaps, on the average, a greater fall
took place there, than in either Oregon or California; though
probably in no place so low or high as that of some localities in the
latter State, where, doubtless, the extremes have occurred, the
lowest probably being on the plains of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin, and the highest at about 5,000 feet elevation above the
level of the sea, on the Sierra Nevada, lying westwardly from the
line of Mariposa to the Tejon Pass.
The great plain and morass watered by the Sacramento and San
Joaquin, is the recipient of all the waters which fall upon an area
whose extent is equal very nearly to that of England proper, and
in geographical position appears to be placed, when taken in
connection with the southern counties, as intermediate between an
extremely dry (Lower California) and an extremely wet country,
the latter being composed of the northern counties of California
and the United States Territories to the north. It may easily be
conceived that, from this peculiar position, the amount of aridity
or humidity between any given years may be exceedingly
discrepant. Thus a tradition exists among the Indians, that during one
year not a drop of rain fell in central California, whilst the con-
30 HAND-BOOK ALMANAC.
verse of this is also reported, namely, that heavier rains and floods
than have been witnessed during 1861-'62, have been known. The
truth of the latter is greatly corroborated by the fact, that marks
exist on trees, growing in the San Joaquin valley, showing that a
former flood had been fully six feet higher. Mr. Robert B. Randal,
of Crescent City, has kindly informed me "that the first flood
(1861-'62) was some forty feet higher than the usual stages of
water at Bradford's Ford on Smith River. From the bank at that
place, the ground has a gradual rise in a northerly direction, and
was overflowed a mile or more; from this high-water mark, and a
quarter of a mile in the same direction, are several drift logs,
evidently deposited by a former and still higher flood. * * *
The Indians have it that this former flood occurred about forty
years since;" --possibly contemporaneous with that, the evidences
of which are still to be witnessed in the San Joaquin valley. The
latter fact has been attempted to be explained away as imperfect
evidence, and attributable to the growth of the trees; this,
however, is a fallacy, because trees grow by cellular elongation, and
the addition of new cells.
According to the rain-gauge kept by Dr. Ayres, near Stockton
and Clay Streets, San Francisco, for the season 1861-'62, the fall
amounted to 40.674 inches; the one kept by Mr. Tennent indicated
49.27 inches, and the one observed by Dr. Logan, at Sacramento,
showed 35.549 inches for the same period; while at Fort Gaston,
Hoopa Valley, Klamath County, according to the published
statement of Dr. C. A. Kirkpatrick, the fall from Sept., 1861, to June
18th, 1862, amounted to 129.16 inches. Dr. Logan has further
advised me, that according to the observations of W. A. Bigoli, of
Red Dog, Nevada, there fell for twenty-four hours ending 9 A.M.,
Jan. 10th, 5.82 inches; for twenty-four hours ending at the same
period of the day on Jan. 11th, 5.50 inches were collected in the
rain-gauge; from which, and the amount of snow which was
observed on the Big Tree Road, it is a fair inference that at
least an average of four inches of rain fell within the great central
watershed of California. For, according to the published statement of
NOTABILIA OF THK FLOODS OF 1861-62. 81
Mr. Richy, from observations made four miles west of the Sierra
Nevada, on the Big Tree Road:
The total fall of snow from Nov. 11, 1861, to March 23, 1862,
being 50 feet 2 inches.
Dr, Logan remarks that, on the occasion of the first inundation
at Sacramento, on Dec. 7th, 1861, " It commenced raining at 12 M.,
and ended at 9 A.M. on the 9th; amount in inches, 2.570; the
flood commenced at 10 A.M. of the 9th Dec, and at 10 P.M. had
reached 2 feet 6 inches in my office; by daylight it had all
subsided. At the second inundation, on Jan. 5th, 1862, rain
commenced at 10 A.M. and ended at 1-1/2 A.M. on the 6th; during
that interval there fell 2,690 inches. On Jan. 8th, rain commenced
at 11 A,M. and ended at 7 A.M. on the 10th; between which
periods there fell 2.840 inches. On January 10th the flood reached
my floor at 2 P.M., and at 8 P.M. came to a stand, at 3 feet 11
inches above my floor. The Sacramento River rose during this
night to 24 feet above low-water mark. On the 14th, the water
had receded from my floor."
There are two circumstances which will almost invariably be
found the accompaniments of extremely heavy floods, namely, that
of occurring early in the season, previous to the early fallen snow
on the mountains having become hardened and compact--in the
former state being more easily percolated, and consequently
dissolved by warm rains; and secondly, the direction of the winds
being continuous for some time from the southeast to southwest,
by which means the tidal waters of the Bay of San Francisco
become elevated beyond their normal condition, and to that extent
impede the outflow. At the first flood, the former cause was the
32 HAND-BOOK ALMANAC.
chief one; at the second one, each cause had its influence. A slight
reflection, however, will convince any one acquainted with these
subjects, that all these phenomena will in future, as we have
witnessed in the past, be likely to be coincident with great floods that
may occur hereafter; in fact, may rather be viewed as their cause,
instead of an accidental accompaniment, and should, consequently,
in any suggested palliations or remedies, be taken into calculation
as a constant element. From tradition, it would appear that we
may anticipate a flood once in about eight years, or twelve in a
century; including in the latter number, about three more than
usual heavy ones, an estimate which is in a great measure
justified by the geographical position of California.
Assuming the entire water-shed drained through the Straits of
Carquinez as occupying an area equal to 50,000,000 [sic] square miles,
and that the rain-fall averaged over the entire area a depth equal
to four inches in twenty-four hours--and for some days in January
last it certainly must have exceeded that amount--it would be equal
to 5,377,785 cubic feet per second, or four times the highest gauge
ever made of the Mississippi at its highest floods. The whole of
this immense volume has no outlet, excepting a passage not greater
than 300,000 feet sectional area, with the further disadvantage
that this outlet is subjected to tidal influence. Under such
circumstances, that the low-lying country to the east of Carquinez should
become inundated, and that for a long period, is not surprising.
The inundation thus caused, extended over probably more than
6,000,000 acres; the remedy for which evil can only be sought in
mountain impoundage, for which purpose the physical character
of the district surrounding the great central valley affords
singularly great facilities, and in positions remarkably favorable for the
utilization of the proposed imprisoned waters for mining,
manufacturing, and irrigating purposes, which, if placed under proper
regulations, and combined with a judicious improvement of the lower
Sacramento and San Joaquin, these rivers could, at no great
expense, be made susceptible of floating an ocean going steamer to
Sacramento and Stockton. The arrangements made for leveeing
NOTABILIA OF THE FLOODS OF 1861-'62. 33
the swamp lands under the existing law, may be sufficiently
effective during small floods; but should the same policy be pursued
over any considerable area, it will be found to aggravate the evil,
and the first large rain-fall will demonstrate its insufficiency. It
will be for the Legislature to determine, whether the balance of the
swamp land fund should be frittered away in fruitless and petty
expedients, or form the nucleus of a fund, to be expended in
permanently shielding the low lands from the disastrous consequences
of future floods, and at the same time greatly enlarging the general
productive powers of the State.
Among other curious phenomena connected with the late
floods, was the fact of considerable breadths of tule floating in
the bay, on the surface of which there was generally found a
number of land snakes, some of which floated into the Pacific, others
got landed under the wharves, and for a long time after the floods
had in a great measure subsided, numerous snakes were to be
found about the wharves of San Francisco. Most singular of all,
however, was the fact that the bay fishermen frequently caught
fresh-water fish in the bay; for from two to three months, the
surface portion of the entire waters of the Bay of San Francisco
consisted of fresh water, to the depth of from eighteen to
twenty-four inches. Dr. W. O. Ayres gave to the California Academy of
Science the following list of fish so found:-- Archoplitis interruptus,
Catostomus occidentalis, Catostomus labiatus, Orthodon microlepidotus,
Algausea formosa, Laomia compressa, Ptychochcilus grandis,
Mylopharodon robustus.
The oysters placed on oyster-beds fattened and died; mussels
became fresh and flavorless, but, as far as my observation went,
did not perish. At the Golden Gate, for nearly a fortnight, the
stream on the surface was continuously flowing toward the Pacific,
composed entirely of fresh water, the tide not affecting the surface
flow, and the water was brackish at the Farallone Islands.
2*
--Mike Barkley, 167 N. Sheridan Ave., Manteca, CA 95336 (H) 209/823-4817
mjbarkl@inreach.com
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