Water History

We knew there was water. The land was sandwiched between two year round “creeks.” One seemed more like a river, but whatever it was called, there was plenty of water.

Someone told us there were water rights. Miner’s inches they said. What does that mean in the middle of a drought? How much water is in a miner’s inch?

Hard to say. But there is plenty of water. And with water, there comes history.

The history of the water took us back to the history of the property. The Childs vs. the Walkers. Lawsuits. Adjudications. Appeals. All the way to the California Supreme Court:

“The father of the plaintiffs, S.M. Childs, purchased the property in 1887 and occupied it until the time of his death, which occurred a short time prior to the trial of this action. He purchased the ranch from a man named Herrick, who had lived on the property since 1872. At the time of said purchase there was a ditch leading from Digger Creek to the property purchased. This ditch was known as the Herrick ditch. It was enlarged in 1887 and 1888. Water was diverted from the creek into this ditch by means of a dam constructed in the creek. This dam and ditch have not been changed since 1888. Mr. Childs conducted a hotel, feed stable, and corrals for feeding stock on the way to the mountains. The ranch was chiefly seeded to clover, alfalfa and meadow grass and produced on an average of six tons of hay to the acre. He also had an orchard and raised considerable garden produce for the hotel. He also raised hogs and cattle and kept work stock.” Morgan v. Walker, 217 Cal. 607 (1933).

The “Childs Ditch” (as it is now known) still runs through the Ranch. There is a weir on Digger Creek about a quarter mile to the east of the Ranch. The water now runs through a pipe and eventually into an open ditch that crosses the property from east to west for half a mile before emptying into the pond by the Main House. The water then returns to Digger Creek.