In 1912, Sylvan Park was opened to protect a section of the Zanja that was threatened by a proposed city dump and as a result, the portion of the Zanja through the park retains much of its original character.  Much of the Zanja outside of Sylvan Park runs through privately owned land and citrus groves, and the Conservancy is seeking to buy and place easements on these privately-owned sections.  The group envisions an 8 mile long park with trails, interpretive signs and pocket parks.  They are also working to get the entire stretch of the Zanja listed on the local register of historic places, which would offer more protection than listing on the National Register.  The organization is in the very early stages of planning, and hope to have everything complete by 2019.

"'We have several options for preserving the Zanja, including creating a linear park with multi-use trails and pocket parks," Leonard said. "We might be able to designate some historic sites along the route.'"

"The Zanja was built during the summer of 1819 to divert water from Mill Creek 12 miles east of Redlands to the Loma Linda area by the Serrano and Gabrielino Indians who needed water for farms. Under the direction of a civil engineer employed by the Mission Padres at the San Gabriel Mission outpost in the San Bernardino Valley, the Indians finished the irrigation channel in time to plant a wheat crop for an 1820 harvest."

 
Source:  Preservation Online, California Town Digs for Ideas for Historic Ditch
By Margaret Foster, 8 January 2008

Source:  Redlands Daily Facts, Conservancy holding Zanja workshop
25 January 2008

Source:  Redlands Daily Facts, Save the Zanja
By Tom Atchley, 10 December 2006