High Rock Springs, Honey Lake Valley

High Rock Spring, April 1975
High Rock Spring, April 1975

These springs in eastern Honey Lake Valley and near the Nevada border are quite unique. They are an ancient, dating back to the time when the area was covered by Lake Lahontan in the Pleistocene epoch.

The second reason is it is a warm water spring with a constant temperature of 86F.  The springs supports two kinds of fish. First is the Lahontan tui chubs.  This, of course, is rather remarkable that the fish have adapted over the years to thrive in constant warm water in a confined space. Water from the spring then goes underground and re-surfaces 100 yards distant, maintaining a constant cooler temperature at 76F. At this point, again, which is also unusual, is found the Lahontan speckle dace.  However, it has been relayed to me the fish no longer exist, due to an introduction of an exotic fish species in the early 2000s that wiped the tui chub and dace.

A portion of the tunnel outlet of High Rock Springs. April, 1975

It should be noted that in the 1920s, William Dicting was hired by the Rees Jenkins to develop the springs. He spent eight years to hand drill through the rock to develop the water tunnel to increase water flow.

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