It had to pass across the deep depression of Washoe Valley with water at a perpendicular pressure of 1720 feet, equivalent to 800 pounds to the square inch.
The first operations were so successful that as needs grew the supply flume was extended eight and a half miles to Marlette Lake, thus making the total distance to Virginia City thirty-one and a half miles.

This Lake was named after S.H.Marlette, formerly Surveyor General of Nevada, who was associated with W.S.Hobart, of San Francisco, the owner of the land and one of the original projectors of the Water Company.

The site was a natural basin, the dam of which had been broken down or eroded centuries ago.

A dam was built in 1875, and later raised eleven feet higher so as to afford more storage capacity.
The area of the lake is now about 600 acres (before the heightening of the dam it was 300 acres), and its storage capacity is about two billion gallons.
When the supply was enlarged a second pipe was laid alongside the first with an equal capacity, each being able to convey 2,200,000 gallons every twenty-four hours.

A third pipe was installed later.