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Tieton Main Canal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tieton Main Canal
Original, open canal in 1912
LocationNear Tieton, Washington
CountryUnited States
Coordinates46°40′11.43″N 121°0′11.28″W / 46.6698417°N 121.0031333°W / 46.6698417; -121.0031333[1]
Specifications
Length12 miles (19 km)
Total rise−1,000 feet (−300 m)
History
Current ownerYakima Tieton Irrigation District
Date completed1907
Geography
Start pointdiversion dam 46°40′17″N 121°00′29″W / 46.67127°N 121.00802°W / 46.67127; -121.00802 (Tieton Canal diversion dam)
Connects toTieton River

Tieton Main Canal, also called Tieton Canal, Yakima-Tieton Irrigation Canal and Yakima Tieton Main Canal, is a 12-mile (19 km) long irrigation canal on the Tieton River in Washington state. It was cut by hand in 1906 with federal funding, one of the first canals created under the 1902 Reclamation Act, and opened in 1907.[2] The canal was shut down for 19 days due to ash from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and again during the Rimrock Retreat Fire in 2024.[3] Two miles of the canal are through tunnels, including 3,810-foot (1,160 m) long North Fork Tunnel.[4]

The canal is managed by Yakima Tieton Irrigation District.[4]

As of the 2010s, the canal was "at risk of catastrophic failure" according to its owner,[5] and in need of replacement, with a $200 million estimated cost for building a new canal.[6]

References

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  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Yakima Tieton Main Canal
  2. ^ Bridget Turrell (March 1, 2019), "An Engineering Marvel: The Yakima-Tieton Irrigation Canal", Yakima Magazine, Yakima, Washington: Yakima Herald
  3. ^ Tomas D'Anella (July 30, 2024). "Crews working to protect 115-year-old irrigation canal from Retreat Fire". nbcrightnow.com. Yakima, Washington: KNDO.
  4. ^ a b "HISTORY". Yakima Tieton Irrigation District. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "Tieton River Canyon - Main Canal Upgrade Facts". Yakima Tieton Irrigation District. 2013.
  6. ^ Kate Prengaman (October 26, 2016). "Living on borrowed time: Canal is more than 100 years old, but replacement won't be cheap". Yakima Herald. Yakima, Washington.
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