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Big Pine Canal. Los Angeles City Illegal Diversion Ditch

 
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Title
Big Pine Canal. Los Angeles City Illegal Diversion Ditch
Creator
Black, J. D. (John David), 1893-1960
Description
Diversion ditch from Big Pine Canal, most likely illegally cut by City of Los Angeles employees in August 1924. The ditch is now filled in, and the Big Pine Canal (background, lined with brush) was no longer in use a source of irrigation water for Big Pine farmers and ranchers by the date (circa 1930) of this photograph. The snow-capped mountains in the background are most likely the Sierra Nevada, to the west of Big Pine. The snow pack of the Sierra Nevada, which can be seen here, is the source of water that feeds the Owens River and other streams that the Los Angeles Aqueduct then carries to Los Angeles. Text on back of photograph in hand of J. D. Black: "where City started to cut around Big Pine Canal." Title supplied by cataloger.
Format Extent
1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 13 cm
Subject
Water rights--California--Big Pine; Water rights--California--Los Angeles; Irrigation--California--Big Pine; Land use, Rural--California--History; Irrigation--Canals--California--Big Pine
Note
This photograph is probably of the site where, in August 1924, Big Pine residents threatened violence against Los Angeles city employees to stop their diversion of water from the Big Pine Canal for city use. This attempted--and illegal--diversion of water from the canal to the Los Angeles aqueduct symbolized to Big Pine residents the injustice of Los Angeles' actions in their valley. These actions undermined the source of their prosperity, the water needed to sustain the valley's agriculture. A resident of Big Pine and leader of resistance against Los Angeles, J. D. Black (1893-1960) used this photograph to document the actions of Los Angeles in the Owens Valley.
Collection
J. D. Black Papers, CSLA-15, Series 3: Photographs, Subseries B: Abandoned Properties, Owens Valley, Box 17, Sleeve 33
Type
Language
eng
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