DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 237 THE QUALITY OF THE SURFACE WATERS OF CALIFORNIA BY WALTON VAN WINKLE AND FREDERICK M. EATON IN COOPERATION WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1910 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 5 Outline of investigation................................................ 5 Acknowledgments. ................................................... 8 Methods of examination................................................ 8 Expression of analytical results......................................... 9 Natural features.......................................................... 9 Geography............................................................ 9 Climate.............................................................. 10 Hydrography............................................................. 11 Drainage areas........................................................ 11 Lakes................................................................ 12 Floods................................................................ 13 Industrial development.................................................... 14 North Pacific Ocean drainage.............................................. 16 Description.......................................................... 16 Western subdrainage................................................... 18 Mad River....................................................... 18 Eel River........................................................ 20 Noyo River....................................................... 21 Southern -subdrainage Russian River................................... 22 Notes on municipalities................................................ 24 San Francisco Bay drainage............................................... 26 Description.......................................................... 26 Sacramento River system............................................. 28 Description...................................................... 28 Tributaries........................................................ 29 Sacramento River at Sacramento................................... 30 Cache Creek........................................................ 33 Feather River.................................................... 36 Yuba River....................................................... 38 American River.................................................. 41 San Joaquin Valley................................................... 43 Description.................. 1.................................... 43 San Joaquin River................................................. 44 Mokelumne River..'............................................... 48 Stanislaus River.................................................. 49 Tuolumne River.................................................. 51 Metced River................................................... 53 Kern River...... 1.............................................. 55 Tulare Lake..................................................... 57 Alameda Greek...................................................... 57 Notes on municipalities............................................... 59 South Pacific Ocean drainage. ............................................ 64 Description......................................................... 64 Monterey Bay subdrainage........................................... 66 Description. .................................................... 66 San Lorenzo River.............................................. 66 3 4 CONTENTS. South Pacific Ocean Drainage Continued. Monterey Bay subdrainage Continued. Page. Salinas River system.............................................. 68 Description................................................. 68 Salinas River................................................. 70 San Lorenzo Creek............................................ 74 Gaviota Creek............................................... 75 Indian Valley Creek.......................................... 76 Estrella River............................................... 76 Huer Huero Creek........................................... 78 Arroyo Seco................................................. 79 San Antonio River............................................. 81 Nacimiento River.............................................. 84 San Benito River.................................................. 87 Carmel River...................................................... 89 Santa Maria River..................................................... 90 Santa Ynez River...................................................... 92 Ventura River......................................................... 94 Malibu Creek.......................................................... 96 Valley of Southern California........................................... 97 Description........................................................ 97 San Gabriel River................................................ 98 Rio Hondo....................................................... 102 Santa Ana River.................................................. 103 San Luis Rey River................................................ 108 Santa Ysabel Creek............................................... 109 Cottonwood Creek................................................. 112 Notes on municipalities............................................ 113 Interior basin and Colorado River drainage.................................. 117 Description............................................................ 117 Sierra subdrainage.................................................... 118 Owens River...................................................... 118 Owens Lake....................................................... 121 Mono Lake........................................................ 123 Lake Tahoe...................................................... 123 Minor Great Basin subdrainage Mohave River.......................... 124 Salton Sea............................................................. 125 Notes on municipalities................................................ 126 Features influencing the quality of the surface waters........................ 126 Influence o,f geologic formations......................................... 126 Influence of climatic conditions........................................ 128 Influence of distance from the ocean................................... 130 Summary............................................................ 130 Economic value of the waters............................................... 131 Summaries............................................................... 133 Index.................................................................... 139 ILLUSTRATION. PLATE I. Map of California showing drainage areas and location of sampling stations.................................................. In pocket. THE QUALITY OF THE SURFACE WATERS OF CALIFORNIA. By WALTON VAN WINKLE and FREDERICK M. EATON, INTRODUCTION. OUTLINE OF INVESTIGATION. On the 1st of July, 1905, the Director of the United States Geo­ logical Survey made a contract with the state engineer of California for the purpose of carrying on a study of the "natural waters of the State of California, their seasonal variation in composition and in physical characteristics, and the damage which they have sustained by reason of pollution." The agreement provided that the work should be carried on by a member of the United States Geological Survey, and Frederick M. Eaton, hydrographic aid, was detailed for this purpose. Through the courtesy of the University of California, laboratory space was procured in the basement of the chemical build­ ing, and all determinations were made there. In December, 1905, sampling stations were established at the fol­ lowing points: Feather River at Oroville; gaging station at bridge. Yuba River near Smartsville; gaging station at Narrows. Sacramento River above Sacramento; 3 miles above railroad bridge. American River at Fairoaks bridge; gaging station at bridge. Mokelumne River at Clements; gaging station near bridge. Stanislaus River at Knights Perry; above power company's dam. Tuolumne River at Lagrange; gaging station near bridge. Merced River at Merced Falls; gaging station above Merced Falls. Kern River at Oil Center; gaging station known as "First point of measurement." San Joaquin River near Lathrop; Southern Pacific drawbridge. Alameda Creek near Niles; above stone dam. San Lorenzo Creek at Big Trees; at bridge. Arroyo Seco near Soledad; gaging station at Pettit's ranch. San ifeenito River near Hollister; above dam. ' Santa Maria River above Santa Maria; gaging station on Dutard ranch. Santa Ynez River near Santa Barbara; gaging station at Gibraltar dam site. Malibu Creek near Calabasas; gaging station on Chapman ranch. Santa Ana River above Mentone; gaging station near power house. San Luis Rey River near Pala; gaging station near mills. 5 6 QUALITY OP CALIFORNIA SURFACE WATERS. At each of these nineteen places some person was engaged and in­ structed to take regular daily samples from the stream at the point selected and forward them to the laboratory at Berkeley. The work was begun on January 1, 1906, with the intention of continuing it, as far as possible, without interruption until December 31, 1906; but the earthquake of April not only interrupted