Manzanita Lake Dam and Canal (U. of Nevada, Reno) – Reno NV

Description

Located on the southern portion of the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno is a long concrete dam and irrigation canal that travels east/west through the campus. The dam is located at the southern portion of Manzanita Lake on campus. On the northern wall on the east side of a bridge that spans the canal leading north onto campus is a bronze plaque that reads: ‘BUILT BY W.P.A. – 1940 – SPONSOR – UNIV. OF NEV.’.

No other information about the canal and dam’s history has been located by the Living New Deal. A survey of Google Maps revealed that this irrigation canal meanders NE to the Wildcreek Golf Course (providing the small reservoirs with water), then continuing eastward into Sparks, NV where it becomes what is called ‘Orr Ditch.’ Orr Ditch continues northeastward until it finally terminates at the Redhawk Private Golf Club, providing water for the small reservoirs located at this course. The project submitter suspects that the WPA constructed the irrigation canal to include Orr Ditch all the way into Sparks, NV.

The concrete bridge that spans this irrigation canal is not New Deal. There’s a date of ’26 (1926) imbedded in the sidewalk near the bridge. The canal itself has held up well over the years with slight erosion of the concrete curbing in specific spots. The dam hasn’t held up as well and there is much crumbling of concrete along the whole length of of the dam.