Mill Creek Zanja

The Zanja was originally used to carry water throughout Redlands from Mill Creek to the San Gabriel Asistencia on Barton Road in order for the mission to use the irrigation ditch for agricultural purposes. Planning for the project began in 1819 and it was completed in time for spring planting in 1820. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, after the mission era in California ended and American settlers moved into the area, the Zanja remained the only water source in Redlands. As such, the layout of the early city largely was dictated by settlers choosing plots close to the Zanja. Since the early twentieth century, portions of the Zanja have been hidden underground or diverted for other purposes, such as a portion which was diverted into the Mission Storm Drain in 1936. 

Water rights were acquired on a by-the-hour system in the nineteenth century,. An individual landowner had the rights to a certain number of “ hours” of water, meaning the full flow of the Zanja for each of the hours they owned. This was controlled by a system of reservoirs and ditches on each property that had a gate that could be raised and lowered for the appropriate time. Using the by-the-hour system meant that the amount of water each property would receive was dependent on the water levels naturally occurring in the Zanja due to fluctuations in the weather and climate. Disputes over rights to usage of the Zanja water resulted in twelve lawsuits and a number of other minor injunctions in the early days of Redlands. The by-the-hour system led to some of the water rights conflicts because the system of gates could be tampered with. In 1926, the City of Redlands purchased most of the rights to the water source, compensating individual owners by buying up their “hours”.

By the 1970s, there was a bit of a dilemma as to what the future of the Zanja should be. Flooding along the Zanja had become a problem as parts of it had not been maintained well and debris and vegetation had piled up, which blocked the flow of water. The problem was how to find a way to mitigate flooding while maintaining the historic structure and scenic value of the Zanja. By 1976, a portion of the Zanja was added to the National Register of Historic Places, thus preserving this portion of the ditch, while other portions that were already less visible due to the earlier modifications could be altered to help the flooding issues. Other storm drains outside of the Zanja were added to help the issues with flooding while not altering the Zanja itself.

In total, the part of the Zanja that is included on the National Register of Historic Places is about six miles long; the width of the ditch varies . The path of the Zanja passes through Redlands and Mentone. Currently, the route of the Zanja passes through the University of Redlands campus, Sylvan Park, and the yards of many residential neighborhoods. Brookside Avenue in Redlands was named after not a naturally occurring brook, but the stream of the Zanja which flowed parallel to the street. Many trees were planted along the banks of the Zanja, and as such the path along the Zanja remains a place of diverse plant and animal life. Small bridges cross the Zanja in multiple places. 

"Council Explores Ways to Halt More Flooding." Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, CA) October 1st 1976.

Hein, Erwin S.. "Friends of 'Zanja" Open Campaign." Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, CA) December 3rd 1976.

Hein, Erwin S. . "'Hours' of Water Almost Past History." Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, CA) July 14th 1969.

Hein, Erwin S. . "New Plan Envisions Zanja as Six-Mile Ribbon of Parks." Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, CA) January 31st 1970.

National Archives Catalogue, National Register of Historic Places, Item: California SP Mill Creek Zanja, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123860774