On this site stood the Luse Ditch Flume, which carried water from Placerville to ranching and mining operations in the eastern Gold Hill area. George and John Luse managed the ditch and flume system from 1920 to 1924. Believed to be the tallest flume built in El Dorado County, the structure stood 153 feet high and ran 750 feet in length between ridges, supported by timbers from immense Doug fir found on site. George and John Luse had inherited the extensive ranch first settled by Izaac and Elizabeth Ober in 1860. In a foothill ranching and mining economy where survival often meant pursuing diverse economic interests, the Luse brothers raised beef and dairy cattle, harvested orchards and vineyards, and mined a gold claim within the American River canyon immediately east of this site. Ditch water was required to support all of these enterprises. This site and the 131 acre forest to the east were gifted by Richard and Arlene Wilkinson to the American River Conservancy on September 24, 1999, so that the land would be preserved for wildlife habitat and educational purposes. After having been ranched and mined, these forested lands were reclaimed by nature and now support an extensive and diverse array of flora and fauna.