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ing away portions of Routes 26 and
187, which lead to Palm Springs and
the Coachella and Imperial valleys.
Farther east Whitewater River,
after crossing Route 26, left its old
channel, destroying a considerable
section of the Southern Pacific's main
line track to the east. Snow Creek,
joined by the Whitewater River,
washed out approaches to Snow Creek
Bridge on Route 187, as well as long
stretches of this highway between
there and Palm Springs, virtually
isolating the town.
In spite of the heavy damage, traf-
fic was again moving over the greater
number of these highways within a
few days following the storm. It ,vill
require weeks, however, to restore
many of those highways in the moun-
tain areas to a safe traversable con-
dition. In this district alone 215
trucks, 44 graders, 48 tractors, 29
power shovels and 1 pile driver, be-
sides hundreds of men, were immedi-
ately placed on the restoration of the
roads. Of this equipment, 122 of the
trucks, 29 of the tractors, 7 of the
graders, the power shovels and pile
drivers had to be rented. Since com-
petitive bids were required, it may
readily be seen how effectively the dis-
. trict was organized.

In District VII

District VII, embracing Ventura,
Los .Angeles and Orange counties, re-
ceived the first brunt of the storm as
it came from the ocean, then its recoil
as the floods rushed seaward back
from the mountains. The San Juan,
Santa .Ana, San Gabriel and Santa
Clara rivers covered the highways,
destroying approaches, undermining
the bridges, and in places carrying
away large sections of roadbed. Here
was a test for the district whose roads
served half of the State's population
and vehicles. That it was met, and
in a remarkably short time, redounds
to the District's credit. A brief
resume of the extent of this problem Upper-Huge boulder deposited by flood on Topanga Canyon Road below Wild-
now follows : wood, Los Angeles County. Lower-Mud cleared from highway near e-ast city limits
of Colton, San Bernardino County.
DESTRUCTIVE FLOOD W A'rERS
The Santa .Ana River, fresh from ing the canyon, it spread wide over on Route 60. .At the former, it took
its destruction of the Prado Bridge the highways and orchards, damaging out the westerly approach, making a
in District VIII, entered the canyon everything in its path. Forced back new channel; and at the latter loca-
leading to Olive. On its way it to its channel south of Placentia, it tion it undermined piers, dropped
washed out some 3000 feet of heavy again took its toll of the bridges. four of the spans, and washed out
roadbed construction and portions of First and last on our highways were some 2000 feet of the pavement.
three county-constructed bridges on the Garden Grove structure on Route This was the only State-con-
State Routes 176, 175 and 181. Leav- 179 and that north of Newport Beach structed bridge lost on the Santa

[Six] (April 1938) California Highways and Public Works