|
<br />
<br />"If there is magic on this plilnet, it is conLiined
<br />in willer," Stdle$ a nOled philosopher. Whether he
<br />was refem'ng to rain on iI forest, 10 dewdrops on ol
<br />spring nower, or 10 irrig.nion waler flowing
<br />bel ween rows of green suqar beets, the effect is
<br />the same: Wolter is life itself. And where there is
<br />, fe there is beolUty.
<br />BUI for the early piOlle613, life in COIOroldo's
<br />Uncompdhgre Valley W.lS' nOI edsy. It was soon
<br />olppdTenl Ihilt raillfilll was inoldequdle for fdrming.
<br />The settlers illso discovered thai their one river,
<br />the Uncompdhgre, colrried tOO little waler 10
<br />irrigale much of the JVdilab/e Iilnd. To the north,
<br />however, locked ill the olwesome gorge of the
<br />Bldck Canyon, flowed the Gunnison River. All
<br />they needed was a wnnel . . . .
<br />At the turn of Ihe cenlllry, ol 6.mile.long tunnel
<br />of the size needed was virlllalJy unprecedenled,
<br />Most edrlier tunntlls elsewhere in the region and
<br />Ihe nation Wl!f'e short and drilling crews
<br />encountered few difficullies,
<br />
<br />
<br />~:"" ~";jII"on we",. lh. Urw:o'~-"lI'. 1''''10'; '.1, much
<br />'<'l'W'.,.."...
<br />
<br />c
<br />
<br />
<br />. .)Jj~'
<br />.- ~.....,- -
<br />,..;-. - '-..
<br />J' "6L~.'" .... .~.+ ~
<br />--"'~~""":':'7______'~
<br />
<br />,"'883'''''O>vhOIM''h1,,,..pr...M''''.I>'''_.IO''''V
<br />-."".
<br />
<br />,
<br />EXPLORATION OF THE CANYON
<br />
<br />Surveys were made across the rim and into the
<br />precipitous Blolck c.myon olS eMIy.l3 the 1880's.
<br />bUI they were difficult ilnd dangerous. Although
<br />they showed tholt iI rolilroad route through the
<br />Cdnyon was infeasible, the surveys were not
<br />sufficiently complete to select ol tunnel site.
<br />In 1900 a pdl'1y of five men usmg
<br />wood.and-<:ilnvils bodts poorly suiled for the
<br />venture tried to survey the river olnd canyon from
<br />Cimarron, Colorildo. After 4 weeks on Wholl WolS
<br />expected 10 be a s.dilY trip, they g<Jve up-their
<br />boots lost, or ilb.mdoned, their food gone, iII1d
<br />suffering milny injuries, On their climb out of the
<br />canyon. one member, so the story goes, had to be
<br />restrained from leaping 10 his d/Jilth.
<br />Finally. in 1901 an engineer from !he U.S.
<br />Geological Survey. A. Lincoln Fellows, and
<br />Williilm W. TOlTflnce of the Montrose Electric
<br />Light and Power Compdl1y, m.roe a survey using
<br />robber air mattresses and waterproof bags 10
<br />carry their equipment. At many pldCes they had
<br />to swim through the rapids. At the Narrows,
<br />where the five men had given up the yedr before,
<br />the twO exploren shouted "Gocx1by" 10 each
<br />other and leaped inlo a caldron of white water 10
<br />emerge safely downstream.
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />c
<br />
<br />,.
<br />
<br />././
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />.'
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />, ~.
<br />
<br />"'.
<br />
<br />'.
<br />
<br />.y
<br />
<br />Nine doiYs of swimming, hiking, olnd surveying
<br />S<lW Fellows and Torrence through the Colnyon.
<br />They had examined, photographed, .and surveyed
<br />the best sites for iI diversion dam ..nd tunnel.
<br />More detdiled investig.Jtions would be neces,""'y
<br />to determine tunnel size, grade, and eXJct
<br />pLicemenr, but Ihe adventurous river trip had
<br />provided a sound ba1js for fUffher planning.
<br />
<br />,.
<br />
<br />J'
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />-, :'~' ,'"
<br />
<br /><
<br />
<br />,
<br />,
<br />
<br />,.
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />THE RECLAMATION SERVICE
<br />
<br />.,
<br />."', ~ \.
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />Financing WdS one of the biwest obstdeles.
<br />Tunnel constnJction, a diversion dilfn plus large
<br />canals and lalerals would cost many millions,
<br />Local farmers might be able 10 P.1Y (or il all, but
<br />il would lake ffidny decades and, in the
<br />
<br />.,
<br />.>. ~~;. -,'~'1" ", .'_
<br />~i;;" ,:;'''{ i .b ';.;<:~,,"'~
<br />.'.'."~'''#.'*'
<br />~~~\~'f: .~i;"-~-.},~}'J
<br />J.'.'}1;." .."'I:""\'.-_""r;t.
<br />"",,",",' "" ,. }
<br />
<br />',.;
<br />
|