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1950 Map of Trinity Dam

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Trinity Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The Trinity Dam and its massive reservoir, Clair Engle Lake, dominate the southeastern portion of this map, representing a significant era of water management and infrastructure in northern California. Before the water rose, the area supported various extractive and pioneer industries, evidenced by the Ridgeville (Site) and its associated Ridgeville Cemetery. Early logging and processing operations like Covington Mill were essential to the local economy, while mining activity was scattered across the terrain at the Globe Mine, Little Anna Mine, and Woodrat Mine.

Recreational and agricultural life is marked by sites such as Bucks Ranch and the Rush Creek Public Camp, located near the dramatic peaks of the Trinity Alps. The landscape is a network of water-moving infrastructure, including the Coffee Ditch and La Grange Ditch, which once channeled water for hydraulic mining or irrigation. This record captures the transition from a remote mountain wilderness to a landscape defined by large-scale hydroelectric and storage projects.