Early evidence indicates that the Fremont Indians practiced basic ditch irrigation as well as flood irrigation.
Interest in Emery county heightened in the mid-1870's when stockmen began moving their herds into the region.
Ranchers and farmers were drawn by the wide-open territory and looked to relocate their herds from the crowded ranches.
In 1877, Brigham Young, president of the LDS (Mormon) church, asked a group of saints to go and
establish colonies in Emery county. They settled along the Huntington Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Ferron Creek.
A saw mill in Huntington Canyon was set up as early as the Spring of 1878. By 1890 the population of Emery county
had risen to 2,866. In an effort to help support the growing communities, several canals were built: Huntington
Canal (1884), Emery Canal (1885), Cleveland Canal (1885) and the Wakefield Ditch (1880). Many of these canals
are still in service. In addition to canals, there were also ditches that were geared towards water delivery for
limited and small areas.