During the mid-19th century, a large number of Chinese immigrants settled in California and played a crucial role in the construction of the Sacramento Delta levees. These levees were built to protect agricultural lands from flooding caused by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, which frequently overflowed during the rainy season.

The early Chinese levee-builders were predominantly from the Guangdong province of southern China and were recruited for their experience in building and maintaining rice paddies, which required extensive water management techniques. They worked long hours in difficult conditions and often lived in crude encampments near the construction sites.

The work was dangerous, and many Chinese workers lost their lives to accidents, disease, and the harsh living conditions. Despite facing discrimination and racism from other groups in California, the Chinese laborers persevered and continued to work on the levees.

Their contributions to the construction of the Sacramento Delta levees were critical to the development of California's agriculture industry, and they played a significant role in shaping the state's history. However, their efforts were often overlooked and underappreciated, and they faced many challenges and injustices along the way.