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PHYSICAL INFORMATION <br />The Laramie Poudre Tunnel originates in Water Division 1 District 48 in and terminates in <br />Water Division 1 District 3 in Larimer County. <br />Construction on the Laramie Poudre Tunnel began in 1902 with the rock work and construction <br />being completed in 1911. The first diversions through the tunnel were made in 1914. The <br />mostly rock-lined tunnel was historically used to provide irrigation water to the Eastern Slope. <br />Improvements to the tunnel have been made from time to time to repair cave-ins. In 2000 and <br />2001, maj or improvements to the tunnel were conducted after the tunnel had a maj or collapse <br />one mile from each portal. The collapsed area was re-mined and other sections of the tunnel <br />were re-supported using modern methods. Improvements were completed in time to convey <br />water for the 2001 irrigation season. <br />The Laramie River System of the Tunnel Water ~ ~: ~ <br />Company consists of three parts: the Rawah and ~ ~ ~' ,~ ~ . ~p <br />Lower Supply Ditch, a headgate on the Laramie ~ ,,, ~ ,._ ~.~w,~ ~ <br />River, and the tunnel itself. The Rawah and ` ,~ ~ ,~~,~ <br />Lower Supply Ditch collects water from the east ~a '~~` `~ ~"_~_ ~ `~~` ~ ~t~ ~ ~~ _ <br />~. <br />slope of the Medicine Bow Mountains and ~`~ - ~';~`~ <br />,~ <br />delivers this water to the Laramie River just ~ ~ ~"+~a ti~ ~ ~ ~,~~ <br />upstream of the tunnel diversion headgate on the ti ~~ > ~ ~ '& "F` ~?-~ "`~ ` ~'~ ~ ~ , <br />Laramie River. The Laramie Poudre Tunnel ~ `~a~~° '~ ~, <br />-~ ~; ~`+ <br />~. z . <br />headgate diversion structure is located ~~r,; ='-~~ ~~'• , ~ ~ `~ -' <br />downstream of the Skyline Ditch on the east ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ - ~ ~ - ' ~ `~ ' w -- <br />s <br />bank of the Laramie River. Water is conveyed ~ _ ~.,. eW, " ~" ~ -~ <br />approximately 1,100 feet east from the river to Opening Dedication ceremony ax west Portal of <br />the 7,aramie Poudre Tunnel early 1911 <br />the inlet of the tunnel. The tunnel outlet is a <br />quarter mile from the Cache la Poudre River and approximately two miles downstream from the <br />mouth of Joe Wright Creek. Where the tunnel exits the mountain, water is deflected back to the <br />North to an existing creek. Water is conveyed down the existing creek until it flows into the <br />Cache la Poudre River. <br />The headgate on the Laramie River consists of a concrete structure equipped with mechanical <br />and hand cranked wooden gates. Water diverted at the headgate on the Laramie River is <br />conveyed to the west portal of the Laramie Poudre Tunnel through a 1,100 foot long, earth-lined <br />ditch. The west portal of the Laramie Poudre Tunnel is equipped with three large mechanical <br />gates to control the flow of water through the tunnel. The tunnel extends in a general easterly- <br />southeasterly direction through the Green Mountains. The Laramie Poudre Tunnel is 9.5 feet <br />wide, 7.5 feet high, and 11,300 feet long. <br />Length: Approximately 2.14 miles (length of physical tunnel. Length does not include supply <br />ditch, conveyance ditch to tunnel inlet, or conveyance ditch from tunnel outlet to Cache <br />la Poudre River.) <br />Capacity: Less than 1000 cfs (Design capacity of tunnel) <br />LaramiePoudreTunnel.doc 4 of 10 <br />