Wall made of large rocks, any ideas?

[n01d3x]

My buddy took some pics of an area he has easy access to somewhere near the town of Downieville, CA. Obviously this area is known for huge deposits. While out exploring he found these large walls made of large stack rocks. They form a sort of ditch. At the tallest points he says they are somewhere over 20'. I'm relatively sure there was a drift mine above where they blasted the side of the mountain with water. I've seen flumes made of large rocks before but they have all been made of rounded river rock from ancient channels. These seem to more jagged. I know it's pretty hard to know for sure, but any ideas why they were built?

 

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[n01d3x]

There are signs of material running over the side of a cliff, though a little ways up, its not too far away. Of course it could just be from winter run off. He hasn't been about the cliff to check that area out yet.

 

[arizau]

Maybe a ground sluice? No idea why they would be that tall though but they may have routed water to a reservoir to supply water for a mill or just for personal use.

 

[n01d3x]

Downhill from this area is a fairly good size creek that was dredged pretty hard not too long ago. We've found relatively coarse gold but very little of it in the creek.

 

[GB1]

Maybe a ground sluice? No idea why they would be that tall though but they may have routed water to a reservoir to supply water for a mill or just for personal use.

yea i agree i have something like that on my land

 

[1637]

the chinese where very neat and sometimes they did this to get the rocks out of the way.i worry if this is that??
brad