No, that doesn't ring a bell. I can't tell you the author or the date.
I read it in the Sunnyside branch of the Fresno County library system. Sunnyside is an unincorporated community on the edge of the city of Fresno. The Fresno County library system could probably help you find the book. It had a light blue cover.
I remember the name as being something very boring and straight forward but open to misinterpretation, like "The history of the normal canal" where normal sounds like a description but was really the name of the canal (but normal is probably not the actual word in question and it may have been irrigation district or similar instead of canal).
Consolidated district is a vague possibility, where it sounds descriptive but is actually the name of the thing in question.
I am seriously bad with names and titles. My mind is a sieve for such.
https://www.worldcat.org/title/alta-empire-the-story-of-conq...
Otherwise, I'm trying some keywords:
https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=kw%3A+fresno+water+canal+h...
Author or date would help a lot.