FEATURES AND WATER RIGHTS OF YUBA RIVER. 149 



Ditch. It took water from the South Yuba and joined their Deer Creek Ditch about 

 3 miles from Sniartsville. It was built with a grade of 10 feet to the mile, was 8 feet 

 wide on top, 6 feet wide on the bottom, and 2.5 feet deep, and had a capacitj- of 

 2,500 inches. Its cost was about ^500,000. The South Yuba Ditch was not finished 

 until the fall of 1859. The length was about 16 miles from the South Yuba to Deer 

 Creek. This ditch tapped a perennial stream reinforced by stored water, so it was 

 very soon decided to carry it through to Sucker Flat bj- a different I'oute from the 

 original one. This lower part is about 10 miles long, with about five-eighths of a mile 

 of flume. It was built on a grade of 10 feet to the mile, was 9.5 feet wide on top, 

 7 feet wide on the bottom, and 3 feet deep, and had a capacitj' of 3,000 inches. The 

 cost was $260,000. It was known as the China Ditch, and was finished in 1860. 



In the summer of 1857 what is known as the Bojer Ditch was commenced, and 

 finished early in 1858, by David Boyer. The Boyer Ditch took water from Deer 

 Creek and discharged into the Boyer Reservoir. It was 18 miles long, and had a 

 gi-ade of 15 feet to the mile and a capacity of 1,500 inches. Its cost was about 

 $120,000. In 1859 the Boyer Ditch consolidated with the Triunion Company and the 

 name was changed to the Union Ditch Company. 



Early in 1861 the Excelsior Ditch and the Union Ditch were consolidated under 

 the name of the Excelsior Canal Companj'. In 1857 it became the Excelsior Water 

 Company. Up to this time the business of the company had been to sell water to the 

 various miners in the vicinitj' of Sniartsville. In 1876 it consolidated with some of 

 the mines between Timbuctoo and Smartsville, and became the Excelsior Mining 

 Company. In 1877 it became the Excelsior Water and Mining Company bj- taking 

 in additional mines in the vicinity of Smartsville. The company has not done an}' 

 mining since 1896, when their permit was revoked by the United States engineers. 

 Nearly all the water at the disposal of the company is at the present time used for 

 irrigation. 



Besides the above ditches the Excelsior Water and Mining Company at the present 

 time has the following ditches: 



Rough axd Ready Ditch. 



This ditch was constructed in 1850. It takes water from Deer Creek, about 5 

 miles east of Nevada City. It is 16 miles long, with a grade of 14 feet to the mile and 

 a capacity of 500 inches. The cost was $60,000. There is a small diverting dam in 

 Deer Creek at the head of the ditch, 8 feet high and 117 feet long on the crest. The 

 ditch delivers water at Rough and Ready. All the water was formerly used for 

 mining, but it is now used for irrigation. 



New Towx Ditch. 



This ditch is 8 miles long, and has a grade of 10 feet 8 inches to the mile and 

 a capacity of 300 inches. It takes water from Deer Creek below Nevada City and 

 runs to Kentuckj' Flat. 



Woods Ravixe Ditch. 



This ditch was built in 1850. It is 4 miles long, on a grade of 8 feet to the mile, 

 and has a capacity of 200 inches. It heads in Woods Ravine near Nevada City and 

 runs to Rush Creek. 



