Riverwalk District in Reno in Washoe County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Sullivan & Kelly Ditch
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 7, 2026
1. Sullivan & Kelly Ditch Marker
Inscription.
Sullivan and Kelly Ditch. . Constructed in 1872 by James D. OSullivan and Patrick J. Kelly, the historic Sullivan and Kelly Ditch was built to irrigate their ranches located in the northeast Truckee Meadows. Enlarged in 1877, the ditch originally measured three-and-one half miles long, six feet wide, and four feet deep. A low dam and flume diverted water from the Truckee River into the ditch. This dam spanned the north channel of the river by Belle (Wingfield) Isle, west of the Chestnut (Arlington) Street Bridge. As the City grew, the open ditch proved hazardous, and in 1940 it was modified and buried as a concrete conduit. In 1956, when another nearby ditch closed, additional improvements were made to increase water capacity. New installations included an intake valve, outlet structure, reinforced concrete pipe, manholes, and drain pipes. The last record of water diversion was in 1971 with only 500 yards of the ditch still in use. In 2003 the dam and diversion structure were removed as part of the river channel modification for the Truckee River Whitewater Park.
Constructed in 1872 by James D. OSullivan and Patrick J. Kelly, the historic Sullivan & Kelly Ditch was built to irrigate their ranches located in the northeast Truckee Meadows. Enlarged in 1877, the ditch originally measured three-and-one half miles long, six feet wide, and four feet deep. A low dam and flume diverted water from the Truckee River into the ditch. This dam spanned the north channel of the river by Belle (Wingfield) Isle, west of the Chestnut (Arlington) Street Bridge. As the City grew, the open ditch proved hazardous, and in 1940 it was modified and buried as a concrete conduit. In 1956, when another nearby ditch closed, additional improvements were made to increase water capacity. New installations included an intake valve, outlet structure, reinforced concrete pipe, manholes, and drain pipes. The last record of water diversion was in 1971 with only 500 yards of the ditch still in use. In 2003 the dam and diversion structure were removed as part of the river channel modification for the Truckee River Whitewater Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features
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• Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1872.
Location. 39° 31.487′ N, 119° 49.021′ W. Marker is in Reno, Nevada, in Washoe County. It is in the Riverwalk District. It is on W 1st Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: W 1st Street, Reno NV 89503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Sierra Nevada and in the Lake Tahoe Basin. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Also see . . . Sullivan and Kelly Ditch - Reno, NV (Waymarking.com). The current marker replaced a previous brass plaque at this same location (visible here on Waymarking.com). (Submitted on August 13, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 7, 2026
3. Truckee River
View of the Truckee River looking southeast towards Wingfield Park.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 13, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
