Creating the Contra Costa Canal

The last update focusing on agricultural activities in central Contra Costa County, CCC, in areas supplied by the East Bay Municipal Utility District, EBMUD, concluded in central Walnut Creek through the mid-20th century. This south view of Sacramento Northern, SN, MW 302 on May 18, 1948 leaves the central area behind to agricultural areas outside of EBMUD’s service area.

L300-05-Robert P. Townley Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 199149sn, (Image 1 of 40)

In addition to walnuts and pears, the 1939 agricultural map of northern CCC has several markings for grapes. In contrast to the last update, this update will not follow the SN route by milepost, but rather by subject. Ref: G4363 C6J1 1939 C6 Case B

L300-10-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 2 of 40)

This portion of a map from 1908 shows the original ranchos and the landowners in 1908 associated with those properties that will be the subject of his update. Most of the images to follow will center on the area in blue, Rancho Arroyo de Las Nieces Y Balbones, referred to as the Ygnacio Valley by this date.

L300-15-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 3 of 40)

The inspection train stops by the walnut groves at Meinert Rd., today Minert Rd., and Oak Grove Rd. in Concord. This northwest view of MW 302 shows an additional track to the east of the double-track section that had served the Oakland and Antioch Railway, O&A, Walwood Branch beginning in 1911. It was leased to the OA&E, the “E” added to indicate “Eastern”, in 1912. Details about his junction are covered elsewhere, click here.

L300-20-Robert P. Townley Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 199151sn, (Image 4 of 40)

This map from 1914 illustrates the route of the Walwood Branch along the western portion of Oak Grove Rd. toward the north entrance of Mt. Diablo. Note the close proximity to Lime Ridge, supplying a positive soil enhancer for growing grapes. For more general information about the Walwood Branch, click here.

L300-25-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 5 of 40)

This east view down Oak Grove Rd. from Meinert ca. 1912 shows grape vineyards behind the row of walnut trees. George Emanuels “Ygnacio Valley 1834-1970” notes that income from vineyards in the valley reached its peak in 1920, table and wine grapes making up 40% of crop land, with 20% each for apricots-pears-prunes, hay or grain, and livestock grazing.

L300-30-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 216785sn, (Image 6 of 40)

This early 1910s image faces west as the railway proceeded toward Gavin Ranch from Meinert along Oak Grove Rd. Prohibition ended most of the wine operations in CCC, but Emanuels notes that John Cereghino’s winery was still on Oak Grove Rd. in 1982. Walnuts would replace the grapes, for the most part. For more on the CCC Winegrowers Association, click here for images, click here for current summaries.

L300-35-Du Mont Studios Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 216784sn, (Image 7 of 40)

This final view of the Walwood Branch with O&A 1002 and motorman Charlie Holmes was said to be near Gavin In 1911, approximately where Oak Grove Rd. crosses Valley Vista Rd. in 2023. Another branch line up the latter gave the railway its biggest customer, Speckles Sugar Co. limestone quarry. When the quarry closed in 1920, the railway was soon abandoned due to insufficient passenger traffic and other agricultural business.

L300-40-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 216786sn, (Image 8 of 40)

Meinert was best known for its agriculture packing sheds and water tower, shown here with box motor SN 602 and refrigerated boxcars or reefers in a northeast view ca. 1940.  Full details about the agricultural customers and structures at Meinert Junction may be found on this website, click here.

L300-45-Gerald Graham Photo, Harry Aitkin Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 201144sn, (Image 9 of 40)

Another previously unpublished northeast view ca. 1950 shows SN 654 with two reefers in tow stopped by crates containing Brookside Co. fruit crates. By 1957, the SN business at the sheds was reduced to Concord Garden Supply for peat moss fertilizer, and Sears Roebuck and Co. for miscellaneous items according to the 1957 Western Pacific Circular no. 167.

L300-50-Walt Vielbaum Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133410sn, (Image 10 of 40)

Next a series of documents to make a few points about the relationship of the SN to the packing sheds. Shown here are two documents from 1945 describing the addition of a Dept. of Agriculture inspection site being set up to check pears leaving the sheds headed to canneries by truck.

L300-55-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 38606sn, (Image 11 of 40)

These two documents from 1946 note that the SN owned the sheds and leased them out to fruit companies.

L300-60-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 36380sn, (Image 12 of 40)

These documents from 1946 indicate that supplying enough water to the sheds was a challenge even back in those times. Water supply is a perfect segue way to a discussion of water and the Bancroft family.

L300-65-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 38604sn, (Image 13 of 40)

Back on the inspection train on May 18, 1948, MW 302 heads southwest back toward Oakland for one stop to Bancroft, seen here in a southwest view. This discussion of the Bancroft’s farming practices will focus on water use. A presentation showing the railway-farm interface has been provided on this website, click here.

L300-70-Walt Vielbaum Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133702sn, (Image 14 of 40)

After the Bancroft’s cut down their last last walnut orchard in 1971, Ruth Bancroft at age 63 expanded her succulent collection to three acres. She would live until the age of 109, and her garden would become a fixture at Bancroft Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd. The shift to plants requiring very little water would not reflect the earlier generations’ use of water on their farm.

L300-75-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 15 of 40)

A good source of information about the Bancrofts and their approach to water for farming is at the Bancroft Library and is entitled “Politics, Farming and the Progressive Party in California: Oral History with Philip Bancroft” recorded in 1961. The Bancroft’s obtained land in the 19th century close to either Pine Creek or Walnut Creek initially to gain water rights, and focused more on the latter creek as they sold off and bought other land.

L300-80-Courtesy the Library of the University of California, Berkeley, (Image 16 of 40)

Two scenes of flooding on Walnut Creek, the left from Feb. 10, 1922 showing a north view of a recently constructed second generation SN creek overpass, and the right a scene near the farm in 1930. The Bancrofts utilized practices not followed by other farmers in the valley. They irrigated all winter long, dammed up the creek if necessary, and created up to 16 wells, only 3 of which were of use. Ref: Left, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives; Right, Courtesy the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley

L300-85-Multple Attributions, (Image 17 of 40)

A late 1930s northeast view shows SN 1016 and trailer passing a reefer along the Bancroft’s packing shed. As with other farmers, the Bancroft’s experimented with several crops, and although producing dry prunes from 1919-1948 and peaches, they did best with walnuts and pears. Eventually the walnuts in the area developed Black Line Disease, particularly trees over 40 years of age.

L300-90-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 194682sn, (Image 18 of 40)

In the end, the Bancroft’s methods increased pear yields five-fold, and it was unusual for them not to win best pear at the state fair in the 1930s. They made more profit than any of the other farms in the Ygnacio Valley. However, the water supply from the Walnut Creek and the deep wells they dug was still insufficient to carry them through hot summers.

L300-95-Courtesy Walnut Creek Historical Society, (Image 19 of 40)

On a yearly average after WWII, the farm got half of its water from Walnut Creek counting summer. Most of the remainder was from the Contra Costa Canal, herein referred to as the Canal. The Canal had a repayment contract, paid over 40 years with no interest, akin to a loan without interest. It would cost $1000 per month for water from the Canal if used solely. Next to examine a detail from this northwest view of the farm taken ca. 1956.

L300-100-Courtesy the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley brk00017187-24a, (Image 20 of 40)

A detail of the previous northwest view of the farm taken ca. 1956 shows the packing shed, orange arrow, for reference, and the Canal heading through the orchards, red arrow.

L300-105-Courtesy the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley brk00017187-24a, Detail, (Image 21 of 40)

One last look at the farm, a north view from Mar. 3, 1969. In two years or so, it would be mostly gone. The area around the Bancroft homesite, yellow arrow, would become transformed into the Ruth Bancroft Garden. Since this area and the land to the north and east did not receive water from EBMUD or have its waste water treated in the early 20th century, next to explore how the rest of CCC got its water.

L300-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-44, (Image 22 of 40)

The answer is the Contra Costa Water District, CCWD, this service map provided by the agency on the internet in 2023. Although the discussion that follows will mainly focus on the Canal, the CCWD operation and facilities are quite complex and are explained on their website. To start, the agency also has a very useful timeline of its history on-line, click here.

L300-115-Courtesy the Contra Costa Water District, (Image 23 of 40)

For this presentation, a service map from ca. 2015 will be used because it provides more labels, but note it is before Brentwood was included in the service area. To it has been added dates of reservoirs in orange, and in turquoise, a date of 1940 when the Canal first supplied Pittsburg, and 1947 when it supplied Martinez. Next, a series of images of the Canal’s early construction from Dec. 22, 1939 with a review of the timeline of the early years of the CCWD.

L300-120-Courtesy the Contra Costa Water District, (Image 24 of 40)

The first image is a southwest view of the Canal and pumping plant no. 1. This portion to the Rock Slough intake was replaced by approximately 4 miles of underground pipeline in 2007. Initially, three pumping plants were built in Oakley, and one in Antioch. After a long drought in the 1920s, water from the San Joaquin River near Antioch became too brackish to use. For more on the use of pipe to bury parts of the Canal, click here.

L300-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-4, (Image 25 of 40)

The southwest view showing a small tip of Mt. Diablo in the background is of pumping plant no. 3, located by Laurel Rd. and Hampton Way in Oakley. The California Legislature backed a State Water Plan in 1931 that proposed the Canal, in those days the “Conduit”. The Canal became a central part of the California Central Valley Project Act in 1933.

L300-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646, (Image 26 of 40)

Another view documenting the construction of pumping plant no. 3, this time a northeast view toward the Delta. Deep in the Depression, the State had to look for Federal funds, and three years later in 1937, the Central Valley Project became a priority for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, USBR, on Aug. 26, 1937. Canal construction began that Oct. 19th.

L300-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-1, (Image 27 of 40)

Next, a southwest view of the Canal at the southern edge of what is today the Pittsburg-Antioch border. It required 11 years to complete the 48 mile-long canal from Rock Slough near Knightsen to Martinez. Water actually made it to Pittsburg on Aug. 18, 1940, but by 1942, construction was interrupted until 1945 due to shortages in materials and workers due to WWII.

L300-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-7, (Image 28 of 40)

A view taken west from the previous southwest view toward the hills is shown here. The CCWD was formed on May 9, 1936 to distribute the water provided by the Canal after overwhelming approval by voters four days earlier. No record could be found describing or accounting for the breakdown of water use between drinking, industry, or agriculture, but a few accounts note the latter as being the primary use ca. 1940.

L300-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-5, (Image 29 of 40)

For orientation, the exact location of the the last two images can be determined using these aerials at the Pittsburg-Antioch border. The turquoise arrow marks the intersection of Buchanan Rd. and Meadows Ave. in 2023.

L300-150-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 30 of 40)

Another section of the newly constructed Canal in Oakley is shown here viewed north toward the Delta. Water quality and cost were major issues in 1951, when the District decided to have the California Water Service Co., CWS, a private company, take over water distribution to the entire service area.

L300-155-Copyright, California Department of Transportation, 646-6, (Image 31 of 40)

This final northwest view was taken along a section of the Canal that has been extensively modified by Highway 4 and BART. Voters approved $13.8 million in general obligation bonds in 1959 to allow for the purchase CWS’s Contra Costa holdings two years later by CCWD. Ref: Left, Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-8; Right, Metsker Map of CCC, Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley G4363.C6 1938.M4

L300-160-Multiple Attributions, (Image 32 of 40)

To help dissect the previous image, this east directed aerial from Jan 20, 1951 is provided. The red arrow marks the approximate location where the photo was taken. Bailey Rd. Is marked by the yellow arrow. In 2019 Congress passed the Contra Costa Canal Transfer Act granting ownership of the Canal to the CCWD. For more information, click here, and click here.

L300-165-R. L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 7275, (Image 33 of 40)

Now back to the previous northwest view, a detail of the eastern portion in what is today Bay Point. The right side shows Shell Oil Co.’s facility along Willow Pass Rd., in 2023 occupied by Henkel Corp., and Shell Catalysts and Technologies. In the background just to the left of the water tower three train trestles marking the SN, Southern Pacific, and Santa Fe right-of-ways may be appreciated.

L300-170-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-8, (Image 34 of 40)

The west portion shows the remainder of Willow Pass Rd., the prominent building right in the center is the rear of Ambrose Elementary School, built in 1935, and renovated in 1979 for the Ambrose Community Center. In the background, the area marked by the cluster of trees on the right is McAvoy, and the complex of buildings toward the left or west edge is General Chemical Co. in Nichols.

L300-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 646-8, (Image 35 of 40)

Back on the inspection train on May 18, 1948, MW 302 as it heads northeast to Concord. The train is shown arriving at the station in a southwest view.

L300-180-Robert P. Townley Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 201041sn, (Image 36 of 40)

The 1939 agricultural map of northern CCC shown at the beginning of this presentation shows hay, grain and grazing between Concord and Antioch following the path of the Canal. These tables from the 1957 Western Pacific Circular no. 167 show one supplier of hay at the SN Concord station, and Rossi and Sooner supplying grain and hay at the Southern Pacific station to the west. Industry and Camp Stoneman’s 2841 acres fueling the military-industrial complex, marked by the red boxes, had pushed most of the grazing and ranching out of the area.

L300-185-Courtesy Bruce Eldridge, (Image 37 of 40)

Back to ca. 1956 and the Ygnacio Valley, this time a southeast view from Concord. The intersection of Oak Grove Rd. and Minert Rd. are marked by the red arrow, and portions of the Canal with green arrows.

L300-190-Courtesy the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley brk00017178-24a, (Image 38 of 40)

This northeast view of the north portion of the Ygnacio Valley on Mar. 3, 1969 shows that  development has overtaken most of the agricultural land. The intersection of Oak Grove Rd. and Miners Rd. is again marked by an red arrow, now crossed by the BART test track. The waterway cutting across the left foreground is Walnut Creek. Development has obscured the Canal from this angle.

L300-195-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-37, (Image 39 of 40)

In 2023, much of the length of the Canal is followed by East Bay Park District trails such as the Delta de Anza Regional Trail connecting Concord to Oakley, and the Contra Costa Canal Trail connecting Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and Concord. This southwest view is north of Bancroft Rd., the scene of the Bancroft’s prized pear orchards. The future of the Canal itself is is in doubt, for more refer to an article in the East Bay Times that cannot be linked “East Bay’s iconic water canal may disappear” published on Friday Dec. 8, 2023.

L300-200-Courtesy Google Maps, (Image 40 of 40)