▁World ". ▁ ▁Early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s ▁hydro elect ric ▁development ▁in ▁the ▁upper ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁bas in ▁was ▁not ▁limited ▁to ▁Southern ▁California ▁Ed ison . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Electric ▁Company ▁built ▁a ▁dam ▁on ▁Will ow ▁Creek , ▁a ▁trib ut ary ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River , ▁forming ▁Bass ▁Lake ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁C rane ▁Valley ▁hydro elect ric ▁project . ▁Water ▁from ▁Bass ▁Lake ▁was ▁di vert ed ▁to ▁a ▁power house ▁on ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁and ▁two ▁more ▁power h ouses ▁were ▁added ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁increasing ▁the ▁total ▁generating ▁capacity ▁to ▁about ▁ 2 8 ▁M W . ▁The ▁C rane ▁Valley ▁project ▁and ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Electric ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Light ▁and ▁Power ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁which ▁was ▁in ▁turn ▁purchased ▁by ▁Pacific ▁Gas ▁and ▁Electric ▁Company ▁( PG & E ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁Ker ck hoff ▁Dam ▁was ▁completed ▁on ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁about ▁ ▁south west ▁of ▁Big ▁Creek ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁P G & E ' s ▁Ker ck hoff ▁hydro elect ric ▁project . ▁The ▁dam ▁initially ▁operated ▁with ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 3 8 ▁M W ▁in ▁the ▁Ker ck hoff ▁No .