Ranch History (continued)

Mexican Ditch
The Mexican Dam and Ditch were built to divert water from the Carson River to the Mexican and Mead Mills.

The ditch was most likely built with manual labor. The Mexican Ditch originally was 4-1/2 miles in length, 10 feet wide at the top, 4 feet across at the bottom, and 4-1/2 feet in depth. It had the capacity to supply 4,000 cubic feet of water per minute. It is unclear as to the width of the ditch Right of way.

During the spring of 1860 one of the first mills to be built along the Carson River, to process ores, was the Mexican Mill. It stood where the Empire Ranch Golf Course is currently located.

By 1861, there were 76 mills surrounding the Comstock Lode.

The Mexican Mill was damaged in the floods of 1862, after the floods it was repaired and expanded.

In 1863 the mill burned to the ground, but was once again rebuilt.

The ditch was able to supply 4,000 cubic feet of water per minute. The breast wheel in the mill was 28 feet in diameter, the largest on the west coast, and furnished 200 horsepower. The fall of the water was 22 feet and it ran 44 stamps, crushing 75 tons of ore daily, double the amount of any mill then operating in the territory.

To support mining activities in the Comstock and the surrounding areas, ranches and farms were established here in Eagle Valley .

Since mining and agriculture both needed the same water from the ditch, the two sides went to court to determine who should get the use of the water from the ditch. The ensuing court action was the first judgment of western water law. It was probably a compromise between the two sides.

Today the Mexican Ditch is used to supply water to the Ranch and other users further north. Approximately 1 mile of the ditch runs through the Ranch. The ditch ends up dumping back into the river.

Water rights are owned by Carson City. Carson City employs a company that maintains the ditch and the head gates.