Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
Gunnison Tunnel
Gunnison Tunnel
SETTLING THE WEST
An early pioneer in Colorado faced many hardships. The land is rugged and the climate extreme, and as settlers to the Uncompahgre Valley soon realized, there is not enough water for farming. The Uncompahgre River just wasn't enough water to support irrigation of the valley, but just miles to the north there was the Gunnison River, locked within the walls of the Black Canyon. Could a tunnel be built to unlock that water from the canyon, and to irrigate the Uncompahgre Valley?
SURVEYING THE CANYON
In 1900 five men set out to survey the canyon, and select a site to construct a tunnel. A trip they planned to last five days carried on for four weeks. Their wooden boats were smashed, food gone, and men at the end of their rope. They finally climbed their way from the canyon, without a site chosen for the tunnel. A year later, however, William Torrence, one of the original five explorers returned to the canyon with engineer A. Lincoln Fellows. This time better prepared the two men brought rubber air mattresses and waterproof bags. After nine day of surveying in the formidable canyon the men returned with photographs and several sites chosen for construction of the tunnel.
PAYING FOR A TUNNEL
The construction of a tunnel began in 1901, but very quickly the funds were exhausted. The project was made possible in 1902 when U.S. Congress passed the Reclamation Act which allowed the farmers and water users to pay back the project over a long period of time, interest free. The funds for the project were allocated by the Secretary of the Interior as one of the first projects of the Reclamation service, now known as the Bureau of Reclamation.
BUILDING THE TUNNEL
Construction of the tunnel began again in early 1905, and it was finished in September of 1909. It was one of the largest tunnel projects to be attempted at the time, eleven feet wide by twelve feet high stretching almost six miles through hard rock, clay, sand, and shale. The construction itself was very treacherous work and the average stay of men working on the tunnel was about two weeks. The tunnel was steamy hot because of hot water seepages, underground streams often flooded the tunnel, and there were many other dangers to face.
THE TUNNEL TODAY
The tunnel is still in use today, and it is evident when you drive through the green Uncompahgre Valley. The Bureau of Reclamation has since taken on another large water project on the Gunnison River. Three dams, together known as the Wayne N. Aspinall storage unit, have impounded the forty miles of river directly above the tunnel. These dams are used for water storage, hydroelectricity, and are the reason for the existence of Curecanti National Recreation Area.
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison In Depth
News from the Parks
Civil Rights Leaders Declare Fundraising Success for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
December 4, 2008 - 3:10pm
Civil rights leaders gathered Wednesday to declare that they had finally overcome their money obstacles and raised more than $100 million to build the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall.
December 4, 2008 - 3:10pm
Civil rights leaders gathered Wednesday to declare that they had finally overcome their money obstacles and raised more than $100 million to build the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall.
Wildlife Biologist Cites Reasons Behind Bear Attacks
December 4, 2008 - 3:08pm
Great Smoky Mountains National Park wildlife biologist Bill Stiver said bear management and education of the public must take place in order to decrease harmful bear and human encounters.
December 4, 2008 - 3:08pm
Great Smoky Mountains National Park wildlife biologist Bill Stiver said bear management and education of the public must take place in order to decrease harmful bear and human encounters.
Park Develops Plan to Preserve Outcrops
December 4, 2008 - 3:05pm
Shenandoah National Park asked for comments on a study it did on how people affect rock outcrops and the rare vegetation that grows on them. Visitors have damaged some popular rock outcrops and the park is trying to decide how to best protect pristine areas while still allowing visitors to enjoy them.
December 4, 2008 - 3:05pm
Shenandoah National Park asked for comments on a study it did on how people affect rock outcrops and the rare vegetation that grows on them. Visitors have damaged some popular rock outcrops and the park is trying to decide how to best protect pristine areas while still allowing visitors to enjoy them.
White House Christmas Tree Lighting Closes Streets, Limits Parking
December 4, 2008 - 3:04pm
D.C. police are warning travelers of street closures near the White House during the afternoon rush hour for the lighting of the National Christmas tree.
December 4, 2008 - 3:04pm
D.C. police are warning travelers of street closures near the White House during the afternoon rush hour for the lighting of the National Christmas tree.
Officials Prepare for Chronic Wasting in Deer
December 4, 2008 - 3:01pm
Chronic wasting disease, a contagious neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, could devastate local deer populations, and National Park Service officials want to be prepared if the disease makes its way inside the boundaries of Monocacy and Antietam national battlefields.
December 4, 2008 - 3:01pm
Chronic wasting disease, a contagious neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, could devastate local deer populations, and National Park Service officials want to be prepared if the disease makes its way inside the boundaries of Monocacy and Antietam national battlefields.
