First, and foremost I am grateful for a volunteer to scan my collection of negatives. This particular photograph, I do have an original print and negative. I did a light search of this site’s photograph collection, and it did not appear.
Those new subscribers may not be familiar with the Bly Tunnel at Eagle Lake. In a nutshell, Leon Bly, a civil engineer, devised a plan to tap Eagle Lake to reclaim sagebrush lands in the Honey Lake Valley. He succeeded to organize the farmers to form irrigation districts, and they would in turn sell bonds to finance the same.
In 1920, initial construction of the tunnel began on the Willow Creek side. In 1921, a second construction camp was set up on the lake side. One can see the camp, that is the site of the former Chico State Eagle Lake Biological Station. It is my understanding that the property is now owned by the Susanville Indian Rancheria. Anyhow, I thought certain individuals would like to see the layout, and, of course, the high water level of the lake.
Tim
Very interesting piece of local history! When I was a senior at Credence High in the ’84-’85 school year our science class went to the Chico State Camp for 4 days. One of our day outings was to the mouth of the tunnel where, back then, some water still trickled out into Willow Creek (and some fairly decent sized trout lived right at the mouth)