Many may not know Leavitt Lake was natural water basin. In 1863, when Government Land Office surveyors came across it, they dubbed it Alkali Lake. The following year, Ben Leavitt located to the west of it. Many consider Leavitt the father of the Susan River Irrigation System. A portion of it still survives as the Lassen Irrigation District.
In 1875, Benjamin H. Leavitt transformed Alkali Lake into a small reservoir by diverting water from the Susan River to that place. In 1889, the reservoir was enlarged. When construction was underway, Victor E. Perry, Leavitt’s son-in-law, worked on the dam. Perry planted a gold nugget there and when it was discovered it caused great excitement with the other workers. Leavitt informed the construction workers that they could keep whatever gold they might find, as long as it did not interfer with the construction. With that incentive, the men worked twice as fast to build the reservoir, in hopes of locating more gold, that unbeknownst to them would never be found. It should be noted that also in 1889, Leavitt was instrumental in the construction of Hogs Flat and McCoy reservoirs.
An interesting footnote, in times of extremely wet winters. it has been documented that the Leavitt Lake receives enough run off from Bald Mountain to fill it.