Leighton's High Sierra Check Dam Legacy
Leighton's High Sierra Check Dam Legacy

Author: Steve D. Bowman

Publisher: Xlibris

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13: 9781425720957

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This photographic journal chronicles the history and construction of the high Sierra check dams from the first one at Yellowhammer Lake in 1920 through the last one constructed at High Emigrant Lake in 1951, past the establishment of the Emigrant Wilderness in 1975, and through various stages of support and opposition which are on-going to this day. Each major period in either check dam construction or the period after is divided into separate chapters, with each check dam described in detail with historical and recent photographs, many that have never been published. In addition, available historical writings and records of Fred Leighton and others were utilized to provide a more in depth perspective on the check dams from those directly involved in construction and/or maintenance. Outdoor enthusiasts discovering the Emigrant Wilderness of the high Sierra for the first time might easily consider it a pristine wilderness, rich in wildlife, streams, lakes, and scenic views. And yet, this is one area where the hand of man has worked to enrich the natural landscape. One of the most notable changes man has made in this area is the construction of small rock dams at the outlet of selected lakes and meadows. These dams were called check dams by Fred W. Leighton, who developed the concept of raising the water level of natural lakes and meadows for fishery and riparian enhancement. These check dams provide an enhanced habitat for mountain fish by providing additional water flow in the late summer months when natural streams typically run very low or completely dry.

The Ditches of Nevada City
The Ditches of Nevada City

Author: Dom Lindars

Publisher: Nevada City History

Published: 2023-04-07

Total Pages: 884

ISBN-13:

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This book tells the history of Nevada City, California, through the eyes of the men that built it. For its first 100 years, everything in Nevada City revolved around gold. But this is not another book about finding gold. To get gold, you needed water — to pan for it, to wash it in a sluice, to blast away a hillside with an immense water cannon, or to turn the water wheel of a quartz-ore stamp mill. This book instead asks: How did they get the water? It reveals the engineering marvels that brought water to Nevada City’s dry hills from tens of miles away. But what if all the water in every ravine, creek and valley around Nevada City was controlled by just three men? Well, for three decades, every miner, farmer or business could only buy water from the powerful South Yuba Canal Company. What would happen if you got into an argument with them? Or couldn’t afford to pay their water bill? Or even dared to compete with them? The book traces the ingenuity and hard work of the town’s miners and ditch builders, highlighting in detail the history and origins of various local neighborhoods, including Nevada City itself, Hirschman's Pond, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Deer Creek, Scotts Flat, Manzanita Diggings, Gold Flat and various mining camps along Washington Ridge. This vivid portrayal follows the area’s evolution from the chaos of thousands of miners scratching out a living in clusters of muddy tents to a genteel town with hotels, stores, banks, theaters and libraries. What began as a search to uncover a sprawling network of old ditches, turned into a collection of never-before-told stories of the gold miners, the ruthless and greedy ditch company, and the rivals that it crushed. The domineering ditch company later enabled the next generation of monopoly to provide electrical power. The story of PG&E also started in Nevada City. This, in turn, led to the now more forward-looking stewardship of the Nevada Irrigation District. The unique format of this book blends beautiful archival images with more than 35 in-depth biographies of key figures in Nevada City. This 884 page hardcover book includes over 600 photos and illustrations, including 200 historic photographs and 75 hand-crafted maps based on modern lidar technology that reveal the locations of the old mining ditches, flumes, mines and tunnels.