|
<br />c..'OO"IId....r".monT_,"ii"._..'..~...,,, 0<1"","01 'M
<br />P..-bIO(COiOl_IS'...Jou......s."'._n.\!lOII..._.,''''i
<br />do<l,t'''on__'''''llOII''.G"""",,"T,,''...I,
<br />
<br />
<br />GET READV
<br />BOYS
<br />SHE '$
<br />_. "
<br />~ C,OMIN ._,:
<br />
<br />J
<br />
<br />~
<br />.'
<br />c
<br />c-
<br />
<br />On July 6, 1909, crews ~t the /3St two heddings
<br />met and the tunnel WdS "holed through." It WdS
<br />the longest irrigation runnel in the world.
<br />
<br />
<br />A"".II<l"t19th'O""",OI''''G""",oon T,,""oi. Ju'y6, 1!lO11
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />
<br />S""'....bo.13_'909.'....'b_""'.""".''''..n__.....'"
<br />Mon"""'".
<br />
<br />President William HowdI"d Tafr arrived by
<br />railt'Odd on September 23, 1909, to oWciJ1ly
<br />dediC4le the Gunnison Tunnel. Because the
<br />djVlN':l!ion ddm WdS not yel builr across thfl
<br />Gunnison River, none of the river W~ler could be
<br />sent through the tunnel. I1lf1refore, workmen
<br />hidden in lhe tunnel buill d small dam ro hold
<br />b.tck seepage. Then when President T~ft rapped
<br />the silver bell, the workmen broke open the ddm
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />
<br />P,..,"""'T.I''P"_ine..'''._,,'''OI,''.Gu"",IOffTu"....'-
<br />o"".."ghl..C_E A<Mm' Ton','.h...MOj",J a.A'''"
<br />."dFr....~OCOl""_Pno'o'...."s.I"_,2J.19O!1.S..'.
<br />H..,oroca'SOt...yo.ColO<..:lON_'....NoF2441
<br />
<br />dfld ~ smi1l/ flow of wdter emerged to the delight
<br />of the dedicafion audience. At thar eXdct moment
<br />bells dlld gongs were sounded ,ill over the
<br />Uncompdhgre VolIley.
<br />Sixty-three ysars [.Her in J 972. fhe Gunnison
<br />Tunnel was accldimed by the Americclfl Society of
<br />Civil Engineers dS a Ndfional Hiswric Civil
<br />Engineering wndm.u-k. The /Unne/ becdme only
<br />the 26th nructu~ of mdn's ingenuity 10 be
<br />accorded the honor.
<br />
<br />IRRIGATING THE UNCOMPAHGRE VALLEY
<br />
<br />While work was underway, ledders In the
<br />Uncompahgre Valley ofl}dnized and incorporated
<br />the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Associdrion.
<br />This group would serve as d distribuwr of water
<br />to individudl fdI'm6n.
<br />Some older dams and C<lnals dlong the
<br />Uncompahgre River were Llken over by the
<br />Government 50 they could function as
<br />coordinalCd units of the UncompiJhgre Pt-oject.
<br />Some construcrion items remdined even dfter
<br />thll Gunnison Tunnel was finW1ed. In f.Jct, if WdS
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />j
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />"'- "./'>,
<br />"~,.- _.~\..,
<br />
<br />,
<br />:-;",'"
<br />
<br />.,
<br />
<br />" ~
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />{
<br />
<br />..
<br />
<br />;l:,'rs-:/.~/ - ," " "'~~,
<br />~!- '<, ~ .,~: '"":-tQ; tf.~!.''''.,~,
<br />z.->--" .~,+..< '"'>t".,..,r...,
<br />t':'iiP'i'?.'I'-1-.;:""~" "
<br />"."h',.- ",~..y_ ~f' ,.;,:Z...
<br />... ,,'.., [' " ~"""".
<br />y ~.~,. .;, -'
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />';'~'"
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />,
<br />,
<br />1~~ .~, iii; #,
<br />.'\ ~"'<"r J~
<br />.....,':
<br />
<br />; .~~ f ~
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />..
<br />;,.;., '_w\: ...\-(';'.~<
<br />... .'... .-..-t. ;-. i~ ~ ~:t.)<,..~
<br />t.'.. ....",,, ./,..'
<br />'l:'. '1"-1;. .<;.:~t"~'*'-r .
<br />';" .'l:.,~, .,t~ ft'/!;:;{'!'
<br />l-' -~:,}.f;~,)..~' ',~. f. ..-j
<br />. , '.
<br />
<br />. .
<br />
|