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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Feasibility Study Pine River Canal Company Tunnel Hill Project Introduction (Need for the Project) The Tunnel Hill project is located on the Pine River Canal, south and east ofIgnacio approximately 8 miles, adjacent to and along the east side of Colorado Highway 151 as shown on the location maps on pages 8 and 9. The ditch is owned and operated by the Pine River Canal Company (PRCC), The tunnel was constructed in 1904 with minor maintenance work performed on the interior of the tunnel in the early 1930's, During the mid 1980's new timbers were installed in the floor and sides of the tunnel at the intake, The tunnel length is 600 feet with a tunnel opening of approximately 6 ft, x 6 ft. The tunnel is lined with timber supports; cedar supports for the uprights and 2 x 12 flooring with split cedar as roofing. There are currently six cavities along the tunnel roof, each approximately 3-4 feet wide and extending upward approximately 20-30 feet. These cavities were formed by the erosion and partial collapse of portions ofthe overburden, There has been periodic maintenance performed on the tunnel over the last six years consisting mainly of installing metal angle braces along the sidewalls to keep them from caving inward. Overall, the tunnel is in poor shape with paper-thin timbers, sidewalls caving inward, upright timbers rotting off at waterline, and deterioration of the overburden. The project proposed in this report involves relocating the existing canal channel approximately 150 feet to the west of the existing tunnel and laying a six foot diameter reinforced concrete culvert and covering it with earthen material. This will increase the length of this segment ofthe canal about 100 feet for a total length of 700 feet. Project Sponsor The Pine River Canal Company (PRCC) was incorporated September 23,1907 for the purposes of: (1) managing the ditch for the landowners whose properties are irrigated from the ditch, and (2) maintaining, repairing and, when necessary, reconstructing the ditch, Dues are assessed based on pro-rated ownership or use of water rights in the ditch, Under the by-laws of the Corporation, "No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation.., unless authorized by the Board of Directors. The purpose of said loan must have been approved by a vote ofthe membership," Members of the Corporation are property owners, in good standing, who own water rights or own or lease shares in the PRCC and whose properties are located in the service area of the ditch. Pine River Canal Company Tunnel Hill Project Feasibility Study January 1999 Page 6 of 15