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<br /> <br />1 .' ,. ~-:-:. <br />..l!.j,' <br /> <br />R <br /> <br />METROPULITAN WArEn DISTRICT <br /> <br />Official U. S. Weather Bureau rainfall measurements for Los <br />Angeles are available only since 1877, but earlier records are avail- <br />able from nearby points, including Los Angeles harbor from 1864 <br />and Fort San Diego from 1850. By analyses of old flood records, <br />mission crop reports, miscellaneous notes, diaries of early settlers, <br />and other indirect means, H. B, Lynch, consulting hydraulic en- <br />gineer of Los Angeles, has extended these records with reasonable <br />dependability back to the year 1769.' The results Bhow that there <br />has been no change in mean climatic conditions in Southern Cali- <br />fornia since that date at least, although drought periods are indi- <br />cated that were both more severe (1822-32) and of longer dura- <br />tion (1842-83) than any that have occurred during the present <br />century. <br /> <br /> <br />Early records <br />A few excerpts from some of these old records may be of in- <br />terest. Father .Juan Crespi reports fording the Los Angeles River <br />on January 7, 1770, and "observing on its sands rubbish. fallen <br />trees, and pools on either side, for a few days previously there had <br />been a great flood which had caused it to leave its bed." Captain <br />de Anza entered in his diary, on January 1, 1776, the following <br />experience with the Santa Ana River, llear Riverside: "U was <br />found to be almost unfordable for the people, not so much because <br />of its depth as of the rapidity of its current which upsets most of <br />the saddle animals." In 1780 the annual report of the Mission <br />San Diego recorded: "A few days ago we had a heavy rainfall <br />which filled the river bed and lowlands where the wheat and barley <br />had been planted. . . · The Indians are now working hard to <br />remedy the trouble for the present and to prevent similar disasters <br />in the future." <br />But periods of drought and extreme low precipitation followed. <br />Father Lasuen wrote on April 26, 1796: "In the year (1795) pre- <br />ceding this we saw ourselves compelled to send one-half of the <br />neophytes for some months into the mountains to search for food, <br />as in the manner of the savages, whilst we maintained those stay- <br />ing here on half rations, and a little milk, until the time of the <br />wheat harvest," This period of drought was unusually severe and <br />protracted, causing difficulties at all of the missions. A letter <br />from Fathers Tapis and Miguel, concerning the Mission Santa <br />Barbara, says: "Repeatedly in the year 1794 the water stopped <br /> <br />1 Roinfall ond Slreom Run-ofT in Sf)uthern California; H. B. LYNCH. <br /> <br />" <br />