Our daughter, Kimberly, and son-in-law, Cliff had never been to the East Portal of the Black Canyon so last Sunday Terry and I gathered them up and drove to see where our irrigation water begins.
The Diversion tunnel took ten years to complete, in awful conditions with very basic tools and the technology in the years 1899-1909
Everyone is always amazed at the road just getting to the bottom of the canyon, which is pretty much the road the team and wagons traveled way back when. (It’s a tad scary, just so you know)
The engineering was stunning in the fact the tunnel is almost 6 miles long, through solid rock and soft unstable ground meeting within inches in the middle. The town of LaJane (no longer here) was on the end with the soft soil. (LaJane is pronounced Lu-wan)
Besides the amazing undertaking to get the irrigation water from the Black Canyon to the farm grounds in Montrose and Delta
The views and the history of the canyon are astounding.
The management of the Diversion Tunnel and the water that flows through it is by the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users
One of the ditch riders and his family live in the house in the canyon. He takes care of the dam, the water flow, and other specialized requirements.
The sound of roaring water, the magnificent black walls
Made for a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Then to round out the fullness of the day, we saw a Rainbow!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
