he water ditch which Messrs. Judson & Brown at the outset constructed, from the Santa Ana river to Redlands, was soon taxed to the utmost capacity to supply the constantly increasing demand. It was manifest, early in the development of this section of the valley, that, if its fertile and many acres were to be brought under cultivation, a very large and unfailing supply of water must be obtained from some source. Mr. Brown, of the abovementioned firm, was a practical engineer and prosecuted a search with this supply in view. In the range of mountains north of towering San Bernardino, he found a valley, at an elevation of 6,500 feet and about twenty-five miles from the present city of Redlands, in which was the source of a tributary of the Santa Ana river and where doubtless a large lake had once existed. By some convulsion of nature the rocky barrier, separating the lake from the steep gorge, down which this surplus water flowed, was cleft and the lake drained to its very bottom. To Mr. Brown's quick and trained mind it seemed no very difficult task to renew that one time barrier in the born of a dam, back of which soon again would appear the ancient lake, formed from the waters which ran to waste in winter. With him to believe was to resolve, to resolve was to accomplish. The result was the organization of a company of capitalists and by it the construction of the dam, according to the plans and under the supervision of is projector. This dam has elicited much praise as an achievement of engineering skill and is famous for the originality of its design - an arch with is apex towards the water it controls. The reservoir thus formed is about five miles long, with an average with of about three-fourths of a mile, and contains sufficient water to irrigate 50,000 acres. The water required to meet all demands is conducted by the natural channel to reservoirs, and thence though pipe lines and ditches to and throughout the city.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, 1897, p. 3)