04-05-2011, 06:18 AM
"Finally, in 1895, a score of different canal companies cooperatively formed the Great Feeder Canal Company. Construction began immediately on a substantial diversion dam and ditch segment that would fill the “Dry Bed,” an old channel that could feed water to numerous component canal systems. As could be expected, the June opening was a well-attended, gala event."
[url "http://sfcompanion.blogspot.com/2010/06/june-22-water-flows-into-great-feeder.html"]http://sfcompanion.blogspot.com/...to-great-feeder.html[/url]
So it isn't quite a man made canal, it is a river bed (that was mainly dry, may have had water in high water years) that they put a diversion dam and head gate on back in 1895. I assume they let it flow all year since it is the natural flow of the river, somewhat. Then they do the maintenance in the spring to fix anything that may have been damaged during the winter.
I found a history once of the men who worked on the head gate in a blizzard because they needed to get it done before the water levels rose in the spring, it was an interesting read.
(Edited to add info)
[signature]
[url "http://sfcompanion.blogspot.com/2010/06/june-22-water-flows-into-great-feeder.html"]http://sfcompanion.blogspot.com/...to-great-feeder.html[/url]
So it isn't quite a man made canal, it is a river bed (that was mainly dry, may have had water in high water years) that they put a diversion dam and head gate on back in 1895. I assume they let it flow all year since it is the natural flow of the river, somewhat. Then they do the maintenance in the spring to fix anything that may have been damaged during the winter.
I found a history once of the men who worked on the head gate in a blizzard because they needed to get it done before the water levels rose in the spring, it was an interesting read.
(Edited to add info)
[signature]