Historic Resource Evaluation Project - Tuolumne Utilities District

have the right to improve or enlarge the reservoir in any way they thought proper (this
was evidently for construction of the Upper Phoenix Reservoir) (Deed Book 13:364).
The two reservoirs were depicted on John Wallace’s map in 1862, but not the ditches.
On May 1, 1872, the Phoenix Water Company deeded all their real estate, water ditches,
reservoirs, flumes, and personal property to James T. Maclean of Sonora, and George W.
Clark (a San Francisco merchant) for $10,000. The property included the extensive
system of distribution ditches below Phoenix Reservoir: Street’s or Shaw’s Flat Ditch,
the Hydraulic Ditch, Algerine Ditch, and others (Deed Book 16:638). On August 29 th of
that same year, Maclean and Clark deeded the same properties to their Tuolumne
Hydraulic Mining Company (THMC) for $1, as well as mining ground in Peoria Flat and
Mountain Pass (Deed Book 16:518). ). Following the collapse of the dam due to heavy
rains in November 1875, the THMC in turn deeded the properties to the TCWC on
February 24, 1876 (Deed Book 18:248; Lang 1882:295).
Originally supplied with water from the natural course of Sullivan Creek, about 1898 a
penstock was installed from the Main Ditch to the Phoenix Power Station, and thereafter
the Phoenix Reservoir was supplied with water from the tailrace (conveyed by a natural
watercourse), as well as from Sullivan Creek and local streams and stored it until such
time as needed by the distributing ditches below.
In 1909 the reservoir was described as storing the tail waters of the generating station
with the waters of Sullivan Creek behind a dam 1150 feet long and 40 feet high. It was
the main source of supply to the Curtis Creek (Algerine), Sonora, and Shaw’s Flat
ditches, which furnished water to the Shawmut, App, and other mines, as well as Sonora
and Jamestown (Union Democrat 1909:12-14).
Street’s Ditch, Sullivan Creek Water Company, Shaw’s Flat Ditch
The third most important early ditch system in Tuolumne County had its origins as the
Sullivan’s Creek race, which brought water to Shaw’s Flat in 1852. About equal in size
to the Sonora ditch, it carried water for a few weeks only. Miners, however, flocked in
by the hundred to the vicinity of the water and for a short time “infused life and activity
into a section of the country which was afterwards nearly deserted. The company then
extended its ditch to the Tuolumne, and by that means was enabled to hold out much
longer in the ensuing year” (Lang 1882:126; Figure 11).
The Shaw’s Flat Ditch had its origin in the Sullivan Creek Water Ditch, which was first
noted in the archival record on October 25, 1851, when the company was created at a
meeting of a number of citizens in the Arkansas Hotel in Sonora, where they voted to
form a company for the purpose of cutting said contemplated ditch. On August 24, 1852,
the name was changed to the Sullivan Creek and Tuolumne River Water Company. The
company was formed as a joint stock company with shares, a constitution, and bylaws
naming a president, secretary, treasurer, and chief engineer. It was to be the duty of each
stockholder to work nine hours a fair working day, forfeiting his stock six days after
maturity if he did not work. The Constitution was amended August 24, 1852, when the
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Historic Resource Evaluation Report