And the West is History: Cascade Flume construction – 1924

Constructed between 1903 and 1904, the Cascade Flume transported water from Cascade Creek to Electra Lake. A separate section then conveyed the water from Electra to Forebay Lake, where it was stored before being released down the Animas River canyon to power the electrical generators at the Tacoma Hydroelectric plant. By the 1920s, heavy leakage in the original structure necessitated a replacement. The new flume featured a semicircular, 10-foot diameter design made of creosoted Oregon fir, replacing the original boxlike construction. This photograph captures the new flume, with Engineer Mountain visible in the background. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum (Catalog Number: 16.21.35, La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)