Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
San Diego County Recorder Water Claims
RCC/OFR20  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition Information
  • Scope and Content of Collection
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: San Diego County Recorder Water Claims
    Dates: 1883-1950, bulk 1883-1928
    Collection Number: RCC/OFR20
    Creator/Collector: San Diego County (Calif.). Office of County Recorder
    Extent: 4 cubic feet (5 oversize boxes)
    Repository: San Diego County Archives
    Santee, California 92071
    Abstract: Per the California State Water Resources Board, California law recognized appropriative rights, the diversion of surface water as early as 1851. Water Claims were the legal instrument utilized to appropriate this water usage. The collection consists of five volumes dating from 1883-1928 and a single document dated 1950.
    Language of Material: English

    Access

    Please contact the San Diego County Archives staff at archives@sdcounty.ca.gov for access information.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item]. San Diego County Recorder Water Claims . Collection Number: RCC/OFR20. San Diego County Archives

    Scope and Content of Collection

    Water Claims consists of four volumes and one index. They are recorded notices submitted by claimants asserting water rights for various purposes, often involving the diversion of flowing water for manufacturing or agricultural purposes. Materials have been divided into two series, Indexes to Water Claims (1883-1928; 1950) and Water Claims (1883-1928; 1950). Series 1, Indexes to Water Claims, consists of 4 volumes. Space is available for name of claimant, date of recording, book and page number, and file number, though not all information is always present. There is no distinct place to record a description of the claim, however, the space reserved for a second name was sometimes used to record this information. Materials are arranged alphabetically by the claimant’s last name. Series 2, Water Claims, notes a description of the land on which water was found, at which it would be diverted, and the volume of water in miner’s inches that they were claiming. Note: A miner’s inch is a measurement of water flow. California Water Code General Provisions 24 defines a miner’s inch as “equivalent to one and one-half cubic feet of water per minute, measured through any aperture or orifice.” Claims are listed chronologically by date of recording.

    Indexing Terms

    Claims
    Water rights--California--San Diego County
    San Diego County (Calif.)
    San Luis Rey River (Calif.)--Water rights
    Indexes (reference sources)