Historic Mining Ditches Near Foresthill

This is part of a report/inventory of the mining ditches from the Forest Service, including 40 miles built by the Iowa Hill Canal Company and two 18 mile ditches from El Dorado Creek to Michigan Bluff. The ditches of the Foresthill Divide were used for hydraulic mining and drift mining. As the gold mines began to fade and shut down, towns and ditches were abandoned. The ditches of this region were not maintained for agriculture or hydro-electric power.

The mining ditches might be good sites for potential trails since they usually are on mostly flat routes and are of great historical interest. Most of the trails were hand-built by Chinese laborers and would make an educational field trip for schools and attract visitors. Trails wouldn't be in the ditch itself, but along side. This inventory is an indication of the wealth of paths that were built throughout this area in the mining days, some of which we still may have a chance to preserve. While out on the trails, look for these mining ditches. If we can identify the best candidates, then perhaps we can work on preserving them. The Forest Service would be a good partner to work with on this. They see a need for more trails and launching points that connect the community to the trails in the Forest Service lands.

Name Location Length Capacity Value Owned By
Iowa Hill Canal Company Ditches 1 main ditch and 4 branches Tadpole Creek, Secret Canyon, Humbug Canyon El Dorado Canyon, Shirt Tail Canyon 40 mi 3000 in _ _
McKee's Ditch South Fork of Shirt Tail Canyon to Iowa Hill 18 mi 800 in $5000 in 1861 J.D. Baker and Company in 1861, F. Zurmulcher in 1882
Hill's Ditch Indian Canyon to Iowa Hill 10 mi 400 in $56,000 in 1861 J.T. Hill in 1859, by his widow Mrs. Adalaide Hill in 1882
Jamison Ditch Indian Canyon to Iowa Hill 1.5 mi 150-in $2000 in 1859 _
Rich's Ditch Indian Canyon to Iowa Hill 3 mi 100 in $500 in 1859 _
McGeachin Ditch Forbes Creek to Indian Creek and Iowa Hill (Swidel report on Foresthill District) _ _ _ _
North Indian Ditch Held the first water right in Indian Canyon 3 mi 200 in _ Adalaide Hill in 1882
South Indian Ditch Held the second water rights in Indian Canyon 9 mi 100 in _ Adalaide Hill in 1882
Weisler Ditch From Indian Canyon 3.5 mi 50 in _ William Weisler in 1882
Orion Ditch From Indian Canyon 3 mi 50 in _ Orion Mining Company in 1882
Parkinson and McCoy's Ditch Deep Canyon to Last Chance _ _ $1000 in 1861 _
Hyland and Company Ditch near Last Chance _ _ $500 in 1859 _
Black Canyon Ditch Black Canyon to Deadwood _ _ $5000 in 1861 _
Little Humbug Ditch From North branch of Humbug Creek 6 mi 100 in _ Adalaide Hill in 1882
El Dorado Ditch Company's ditch El Dorado Canyon to Michigan Bluff, Bird's Valley, Drummonds Diggins 18 mi 400 in _ _
Breece and Wheeler Ditch Indian Creek in the east branch of the El Dorado Canyon to the Paragon Mine east of Bath near Foresthill 18 mi _ $240 Abraham Breece in 1863
Poor Man's Ditch Poor Man's Gulch to Michigan Bluff _ _ $800 _
Bird's Valley and Shirt Tail Ditch Shirt Tail Canyon to Michigan Bluff _ _ $400 in 1859 _
Bird's Valley Ditch Volcano Canyon to Bird's Valley and Michigan Bluff _ _ $200 in 1859 _
Preston and Metcalf's Ditch Volcano Canyon to Pine Flat _ _ $500 in 1859 _
Pine Flat Ditch _ 1.5 mi 120 in $500 in 1861 _
Todd's Valley Ditch Company ditch Volcano Canyon near Baker's Ranch to Todd's Valley 12 mi 400 in $14,000 in 1856, $17,000 in 1857 and $10,500 in 1859 _
Brown and White Ditch Volcano Canyon to Todd's Valley 12 mi 150 in $8000 in 1859, $7000 in 1861 Brown & White Co.
Sarahsville and Todd's Valley Company Ditch _ 11 mi _ $10000 in 1859 Brown and White Co. in 1859
Sarahville Ditch _ _ _ $5000 in 1857 _
Todd's Valley Water Company Ditch From Devil's Canyon 12 mi _ $17000 in 1859 _
Independent Ditch Volcano Canyon to Todd's Valley 8 mi 250 in $10000 in 1861 Independent Ditch Co.
Miner's Ditch Company Shirt Tail Canyon to Yankee Jim's and Michigan Bluff 18 mi 400 in Cost to build: $40000, Value: $7000 in 1859 _
Priest's Ditch Held first water rights to Shirt Tail Canyon 12 mi _ $900 in 1857 Priest and Scellen in 1857, Adalaide Hill in 1882
Union Water Company Ditch From Shirt Tail and Brushy Canyons _ 400 in $15,000 in 1861 Adalaide Hill in 1882
Shirt Tail Union Ditch _ _ _ cost $5,500 Priest, Brown and Company in 1857
Yankee Jim's Water Union Co. Ditch Shirt Tail and Brushy Canyons to Yankee Jim's 15 mi 400 in $25,600 in 1856, $15,000 in 1857, and $12,500 in 1859 _
North Shirt Tail Ditch North Shirt Tail Canyon to Wisconsin Hill and Elizabethtown 11 mi 300 in $5500 in 1861 _
Grizzly Ditch Grizzly Canyon to Wisconsin Hill 4 mi 200 in $900 in 1861 Priest and Company
Vaughn Ditch From Snail Canyon. The 1887 Uren map of Placer County shows the Vaughn ditch from North Shirt Tail Canyon to below Prospect Hill. 9 mi 400 in _ Ah Tom and Company in 1882
Pea Vine Ditch Pea Vine Canyon to Oak Grove _ _ $600 in 1859 _
Young and Company's Ditch North (Middle?) Fork of the American River to Ford's Bar 2.5 mi 300 in $4000 in 1859 _
Tripp's Ditch From the Middle Fork of the American River _ _ $400 in 1859 _
Horse Shoe Bar Ditch was built in 1906 by miners of Horse Shoe Bar, Eagle Bar, and Channel Bend on the Middle Fork of the American River _ 500 in _ In 1910 the Horse Shoe Bar Power House began using the ditch
Manzanita Hill Ditch _ _ _ $500 in 1859 _
Canada Hill Ditch From Screw Auger Canyon 7 mi 250 in _ J. White in 1882
Lowry Ditch _ 5 mi _ $500 in 1856, $3000 in 1857 and 1859 _
North Fork Canal Company Ditch _ _ _ $130,000 in 1857 _
Patterson Ditch _ _ _ $1000 in 1857 _
Oak Valley Ditch _ _ _ $500 in 1857 _
Pickering's Ditch _ _ _ $2500 in 1857 _
Buffalo Ditch _ _ _ $500 in 1857 _
Buncombe Ditch _ 5 mi _ $300 in 1857 _
Denton's Ditch _ 1 mile _ $100 in 1857 _
Eureka Ditch _ 4 mi _ $400 in 1859 _
Eureka Ditch Company Ditch _ 6 mi _ $500 in 1859 _
Furguson's Ditch _ 5 mi _ $5000 in 1859 _
Oak Cottage Ditch _ _ _ _ _
Spring Creek _ _ _ _ _
Whiskey Digging Ditch _ _ _ _ _

Name	Location	Length	Capacity	Value	Owned By
Iowa Hill Canal Company Ditches 1 main ditch and 4 branches	Tadpole Creek, Secret Canyon, Humbug Canyon El Dorado Canyon, Shirt Tail Canyon	40 mi	3000 in	_	_
McKee's Ditch	South Fork of Shirt Tail Canyon to Iowa Hill	18 mi	800 in	$5000 in 1861	J.D. Baker and Company in 1861, F. Zurmulcher in 1882
Hill's Ditch	Indian Canyon to Iowa Hill	10 mi	400 in	$56,000 in 1861	J.T. Hill in 1859, by his widow Mrs. Adalaide Hill in 1882
Jamison Ditch	Indian Canyon to Iowa Hill	1.5 mi	150-in	$2000 in 1859	_
Rich's Ditch	Indian Canyon to Iowa Hill	3 mi	100 in	$500 in 1859	_
McGeachin Ditch	Forbes Creek to Indian Creek and Iowa Hill (Swidel report on Foresthill District)	_	_	_	_
North Indian Ditch	Held the first water right in Indian Canyon	3 mi	200 in	_	Adalaide Hill in 1882
South Indian Ditch	Held the second water rights in Indian Canyon	9 mi	100 in	_	Adalaide Hill in 1882
Weisler Ditch	From Indian Canyon	3.5 mi	50 in	_	William Weisler in 1882
Orion Ditch	From Indian Canyon	3 mi	50 in	_	Orion Mining Company in 1882
Parkinson and McCoy's Ditch	Deep Canyon to Last Chance	_	_	$1000 in 1861	_
Hyland and Company Ditch	near Last Chance	_	_	$500 in 1859	_
Black Canyon Ditch	Black Canyon to Deadwood	_	_	$5000 in 1861	_
Little Humbug Ditch	From North branch of Humbug Creek	6 mi	100 in	_	Adalaide Hill in 1882
El Dorado Ditch Company's ditch	El Dorado Canyon to Michigan Bluff, Bird's Valley, Drummonds Diggins	18 mi	400 in	_	_
Breece and Wheeler Ditch	Indian Creek in the east branch of the El Dorado Canyon to the Paragon Mine east of Bath near Foresthill	18 mi	_	$240	Abraham Breece in 1863
Poor Man's Ditch	Poor Man's Gulch to Michigan Bluff	_	_	$800	_
Bird's Valley and Shirt Tail Ditch	Shirt Tail Canyon to Michigan Bluff	_	_	$400 in 1859	_
Bird's Valley Ditch	Volcano Canyon to Bird's Valley and Michigan Bluff	_	_	$200 in 1859	_
Preston and Metcalf's Ditch	Volcano Canyon to Pine Flat	_	_	$500 in 1859	_
Pine Flat Ditch	_	1.5 mi	120 in	$500 in 1861	_
Todd's Valley Ditch Company ditch	Volcano Canyon near Baker's Ranch to Todd's Valley	12 mi	400 in	$14,000 in 1856, $17,000 in 1857 and $10,500 in 1859	_
Brown and White Ditch	Volcano Canyon to Todd's Valley	12 mi	150 in	$8000 in 1859, $7000 in 1861	Brown & White Co.
Sarahsville and Todd's Valley Company Ditch	_	11 mi	_	$10000 in 1859	Brown and White Co. in 1859
Sarahville Ditch	_	_	_	$5000 in 1857	_
Todd's Valley Water Company Ditch	From Devil's Canyon	12 mi	_	$17000 in 1859	_
Independent Ditch	Volcano Canyon to Todd's Valley	8 mi	250 in	$10000 in 1861	Independent Ditch Co.
Miner's Ditch Company	Shirt Tail Canyon to Yankee Jim's and Michigan Bluff	18 mi	400 in	Cost to build: $40000, Value: $7000 in 1859	_
Priest's Ditch	Held first water rights to Shirt Tail Canyon	12 mi	_	$900 in 1857	Priest and Scellen in 1857, Adalaide Hill in 1882
Union Water Company Ditch	From Shirt Tail and Brushy Canyons	_	400 in	$15,000 in 1861	Adalaide Hill in 1882
Shirt Tail Union Ditch	_	_	_	cost $5,500	Priest, Brown and Company in 1857
Yankee Jim's Water Union Co. Ditch	Shirt Tail and Brushy Canyons to Yankee Jim's	15 mi	400 in	$25,600 in 1856, $15,000 in 1857, and $12,500 in 1859	_
North Shirt Tail Ditch	North Shirt Tail Canyon to Wisconsin Hill and Elizabethtown	11 mi	300 in	$5500 in 1861	_
Grizzly Ditch	Grizzly Canyon to Wisconsin Hill	4 mi	200 in	$900 in 1861	Priest and Company
Vaughn Ditch	From Snail Canyon. The 1887 Uren map of Placer County shows the Vaughn ditch from North Shirt Tail Canyon to below Prospect Hill.	9 mi	400 in	_	Ah Tom and Company in 1882
Pea Vine Ditch	Pea Vine Canyon to Oak Grove	_	_	$600 in 1859	_
Young and Company's Ditch	North (Middle?) Fork of the American River to Ford's Bar	2.5 mi	300 in	$4000 in 1859	_
Tripp's Ditch	From the Middle Fork of the American River	_	_	$400 in 1859	_
Horse Shoe Bar Ditch	was built in 1906 by miners of Horse Shoe Bar, Eagle Bar, and Channel Bend on the Middle Fork of the American River	_	500 in	_	In 1910 the Horse Shoe Bar Power House began using the ditch
Manzanita Hill Ditch	_	_	_	$500 in 1859	_
Canada Hill Ditch	From Screw Auger Canyon	7 mi	250 in	_	J. White in 1882
Lowry Ditch	_	5 mi	_	$500 in 1856, $3000 in 1857 and 1859	_
North Fork Canal Company Ditch	_	_	_	$130,000 in 1857	_
Patterson Ditch	_	_	_	$1000 in 1857	_
Oak Valley Ditch	_	_	_	$500 in 1857	_
Pickering's Ditch	_	_	_	$2500 in 1857	_
Buffalo Ditch	_	_	_	$500 in 1857	_
Buncombe Ditch	_	5 mi	_	$300 in 1857	_
Denton's Ditch	_	1 mile	_	$100 in 1857	_
Eureka Ditch	_	4 mi	_	$400 in 1859	_
Eureka Ditch Company Ditch	_	6 mi	_	$500 in 1859	_
Furguson's Ditch	_	5 mi	_	$5000 in 1859	_
Oak Cottage Ditch	_	_	_	_	_
Spring Creek	_	_	_	_	_
Whiskey Digging Ditch	_	_	_	_	_