The story
The Modesto Irrigation District was the second irrigation district to be established in California, in July 1887, under the Wright Act of 1887, which allowed the formation of special-purpose districts throughout California. The voters within the district's proposed boundaries were overwhelmingly in favor of the formation, but a determined opposition to the district's formation and taxing authority carried on a legal battle with the district until the US Supreme Court sided with the district in 1898. Anti-irrigationists continued to prevent the collection of taxes until 1901.
The district initially sought to divert water from the Stanislaus River, but ultimately decided that the Tuolumne River was a better source of water. In 1893, the La Grange Dam was completed, enclosing La Grange Reservoir. This small dam provided a diversion point for water delivered to the Turlock Irrigation District, which provided 2/3 of the building cost. After a long delay caused by legal battles, the district finally started providing irrigation water in 1903.
Between 1904 and 1913 the Modesto Irrigation District, Turlock Irrigation District, and the city of San Francisco were embroiled in a dispute over the use of the Tuolumne River. San Francisco needed more drinking water, and the two districts wanted to continue exclusive use of the river. Despite opposition from John Muir and the Sierra Club, San Francisco ultimately prevailed with the passing of the Raker Act, which authorized construction of the O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River, and eventually turned the Hetch Hetchy Valley into the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. By 1940, San Francisco and the two districts had become allies to develop the Tuolumne River watershed as a source of water and electricity.
In 1911, the Modesto Dam was completed, enclosing the Modesto Reservoir. The first Don Pedro Dam was completed in 1923, enclosing Don Pedro Reservoir. The dam construction costs were divided between the district and the Turlock Irrigation district. In 1971, the second Don Pedro Dam was completed, enlarging the reservoir from 290,000 acre feet to 2,030,000 acre feet.
Electrical service started in 1923, after the Don Pedro Powerhouse connected with the Don Pedro Dam was completed.
In 1978, the district merged with the Waterford Irrigation District.
In 1994, the district started drinking water service to Modesto after the Modesto Regional Water Treatment Plant was completed.
From Wikipedia’s article on Modesto Irrigation District, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4