While a lot of folks are familiar with the Bly Tunnel, some of the earlier tunnel attempts were north of that one. What was deemed Tunnel Bay was Captain C.A. Merrill’s preferred tunnel location. However, in the early 1880s, Merrill focused on the Willow Creek side of Eagle Lake with his tunnel construction.  In 1891-92, Susanville attorney and promoter, E. R. Dodge, formed the Eagle Lake Land & Irrigation Company and took over Merrill’s operation. Dodge had worked done at Eagle Lake with the construction of an inlet, and also limited tunnel excavation. Some people now referred to this as Dodge Bay. It was at this location, that a pumping plant was constructed. It was Dodge’s contention that this plant would provide water for irrigation in the Honey Lake Valley and in turn generate revenue until his tunnel was completed. Water was pumped from this location and transported by various ditches, along with Willow Creek being one of the conduits that Eagle Lake water flowed all the way to Amedee in the Honey Lake Valley in the fall of 1892, and a portion of 1893. However, the nation’s financial crisis of 1893, put a halt on everything at Eagle Lake, and eventually the pumping plant was sold off as part of a liquidation process.

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