Long before Hetch Hetchy and Lake Almanor, too, there was an episode to use the abundant water resources of northern Plumas County to supply San Francisco with its water. That resource specifically was the numerous springs of Big Meadows, now a part of. Lake Almanor.
The Plumas National newspaper of Quincy on March 1, 1882 contained an article “Lively Times for Prattville.” An excerpt states “For some time past San Francisco capitalist have been making investigations on Feather River with a view, it is said of taking water from that stream to the city. The sources of the river being enormous springs in and near Big Meadows, it is always clear and pure. The character of the country is such that there is no fear of the water ever being injured by mining above Bidwell’s Bridge (located near present day Canyon Dam). These considerations have led to the scheme of starting a ditch in the canyon below the bridge, the ditch is to be thirty feet wide and six feet deep. This would be continued to some suitable point where piping would be begun for carrying the water to the city. Dam and reservoirs would be unnecessary, the volume of water in the river nearly the same at all seasons. This would be an immense undertaking, but it is said that money enough can be had to carry it through. How the projectors will get the water across the bay to San Francisco has not yet been heard.”