Created By: Wholly H2O
In the late 1800s, local farmers sought steady water supply from the Mokelumne River to support Lodi’s growing agriculture. In 1889, they formed the Woodbridge Canal & Irrigation Company. In 1891, they constructed a wooden dam to collect and store water for the dry season, channeling it through 24 miles of canals to farms for irrigation. This structure enlarged what had been a seasonal pond into a lake, now known as Lodi Lake. Although the lake was initially designed for agricultural water storage, it quickly became a favorite recreational area for the community.
After a flood destroyed the dam in 1895, the Company built a sturdier concrete dam in 1910, but seasonal water flow continued to be a challenge. The Mokelumne River swelled with snowmelt in spring, then dropped to nearly zero by late summer, leaving farmers short on water during dry months. Realizing they needed more control over water access, farmers formed the Woodbridge Irrigation District (WID) in 1924. WID purchased the dam and water rights but faced many legal disputes with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), which controls the Mokelumne River's flow through its large dams upstream. Ongoing negotiations reflect the complexity of water rights: where shared, finite resources often lead to disputes. Today, WID serves Woodbridge, Thornton, and parts of Lodi and Stockton.
This point of interest is part of the tour: Walking Waterhoods: Lodi Lake
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