Rye Patch Dam - Water Dams on Waymarking.com

The Humboldt River is the primary source of water for the Rye Patch Reservoir. It flows from melting snow off the Ruby Mountains southeast of Elko, Nevada and meanders approximately 265 miles before reaching the Humboldt Sink southeast of Lovelock. The 17,000 square mile Humboldt River Basin lies entirely within the state of Nevada.

Over 600 years ago, nomadic Northern Paiutes lived along the Humboldt River. The first white man to enter the region probably was Peter Skene Ogden, who led a Hudson Bay Company expedition along the "Unknown River" in 1828. Later, explorers, Joseph Walker (between 1833-34) and John C. Fremont (between 1844-45) traversed the river's path, which became known as the Humboldt Trail - a major route to California and Oregon from Nevada. An area at the north end of the present-day reservoir where emigrants rested and grazed their livestock became known as Lassen Meadows.

In the 1860's, the nearby towns of Unionville, Rochester and Star City boomed after gold and silver were discovered in the region, but the towns died quickly when the veins ran out. The town of Rye Patch, located close to the river, processed ore from the mines with a 10-stamp mill built in 1864. Named for a patch of wild rye along the Central Pacific railroad route, Rye Patch had a school, post office, boarding house and, after 1869, a railroad station. The mill processed one million dollars' worth of gold and silver, but after it closed down in 1877, the town gradually declined.

Construction of Rye Patch Dam began in 1935, and was completed the following year. The 78 foot-high, earth-filled dam was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Water and Power Resources Service) to control floods and increase irrigation. The reservior can store 200,000 acre-feet of water to irrigate 38,000 acres of agricultural land. Today, agriculture is still an important industry in Pershing County - providing a solid and steady source of employment. The reservoir is 22 miles long and has 72 miles of shoreline and 11,000 acres of water surface when full. The high water elevation is 4,135 feet.

Rye Patch Reservoir became a Nevada State Recreation Area in 1971. User fees are charged for day use, camping, group use, and boat launching. Current fees are posted at the park. Fishing for crappie, wipers, white bass, catfish, black bass and walleye is usually best in spring and early summer.

Waterway where the dam is located: Humboldt River Main use of the Water Dam: Irrigation Material used in the structure: embankment Height of Dam: 78 feet Date built: 06/01/1936 Fishing Allowed: yes Motor Sports Allowed: yes

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