FEATURES AND WATER RIGHTS OF YUBA RIVER. 131 



BROWNS VALLEY IRRIGATION DISTRICT. 



Browns Valley irrigation district is located in Yuba County, Cal., in the lower 

 foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, at an average altitude of 300 feet above 

 the sea. It comprises about 44,500 acres, and was organized September 19, 1888, 

 under the Wright irrigation law. 



On October 27, 1888, an election was held for the purpose of voting on an issue 

 of bonds to the amount of $110,000, which resulted in favor of the bond issue. In 

 March, 1892, a second election was held to vote on the question of issuing additional 

 bonds to the amount of $30,000, which was also carried. Both issues of bonds sold 

 for 90 per cent, or a total of $126,000. On August 27, 1893, an election was held to 

 decide whether a special tax of $10,000 was to be levied on the district. One hundred 

 and ten votes were cast, 73 being in favor of the special tax. 



In November, 1899, construction was commenced on the main ditch and the 

 principal branches. They were completed in 1893, and cost about $175,000. The 

 main ditch is 48 miles long, the tirst 7 miles being flume, and 2 miles of the balance 

 being short flumes. It takes its water from the North Fork about 2.5 miles above 

 the junction of the North and Middle Yuba. The original crib dam was about 28 

 feet high and 168 feet on the crest. This dam has since been raised, it being at 

 present 37 feet high and 168 feet on the crest. The water was turned into a flume, 

 which carried it down the north bank of the river to Colgate. This flume was 4 by 5 

 feet, with a uniform grade of 9.6 feet per mile, and is claimed to have had a capacity 

 of 3,000 miner's inches. From the end of the flume the water was carried to the 

 Campbell Divide in a ditch 7 feet on top, 5 feet on the bottom, and 3 feet deep; grade, 

 9.6 feet to the mile, with a capacity of 3,500 miner's inches. From the Campbell 

 Divide it was carried to the vicinity of Browns Valley in a ditch 7 feet wide on top, 

 5 feet on the bottom, 2.5 feet deep, upon the same grade. Besides this main ditch 

 there are five principal branches which distribute water to the difi'erent parts of the 

 district. The capacity of the system was limited to about 2,200 miner's inches. The 

 main ditch was gaged on the west side of Dry Creek August 15, 1900. It contained 

 750 miner's inches. It would not carry more than 2,000 miner's inches At the present 

 time. 



Between the Campbell Divide and Dry Creek there is a drop of 296 feet, which 

 is used to develop power by the Bay Counties Power Company. 



During September, 1890, the district purchased from the Forbestown Ditch 

 Company 29 miles of ditch, with a crib dam 12 feet high and 50 feet long in Dry 

 Creek, and about 1 mile northwest from the Oregon House. Of the 29 miles of 

 ditch 10 miles have been allowed to get out of repair. Twelve miles of ditch from 

 the Finamore Ranch have been enlarged to 7 feet wide on top, 5 feet on the bottom, 

 and 2.5 feet deep, and made part of the main line, and 7 miles compri.se what is now 

 known as the Sicard Flat Ditch. The price given was $7,700 in bonds worth 90 per 

 cent. 



In August, 1896, the district leased to Frank Page for fifty years the use of all 

 the water which the district claimed (10,000 inches) for mechanical purposes, not 

 inconsistent with the Wright irrigation law and its amendments, and not to interfere 

 with the irrigation uses of said water. In return for these privileges said Page 



