Towards the end of the 18th century, the expanding settlement of Los Angeles recognized that it would need more water than what was available in Los Angeles to support the future second biggest city of America. The two masterminds behind the plan to divert water from a nearby settlement, Owens Valley , were Frederick Eaton, the Mayor of Los Angeles and owner of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and William Mulholland, its superintendent. The United States Bureau Reclamation was already making plans to use the water from Owens Valley to irrigate the farm there. However, after Eaton managed to get hands on classified information that led him to buy land strategically to make profits, as the land would be worth much more after water was made available to it, and after much bribery , Los Angles was able to claim
enough water from Owens Valley to build an aqueduct . After deceiving the citizens of Los Angles and using the water from the aqueduct, funds for which were earned through much lying and bribing, to irrigate private land, the Owens Valley started to dry up with the strenuous increase in demands. After much protestation from the farmers in the Valley, including a blowing up part of the water system, the Valley suffered as Los Angeles reserved the rights to the water.
enough water from Owens Valley to build an aqueduct . After deceiving the citizens of Los Angles and using the water from the aqueduct, funds for which were earned through much lying and bribing, to irrigate private land, the Owens Valley started to dry up with the strenuous increase in demands. After much protestation from the farmers in the Valley, including a blowing up part of the water system, the Valley suffered as Los Angeles reserved the rights to the water.