High Mountain Dams in Upalco Unit, Farmers Lake Tunnel, Ashley National Forest, 5.7 miles North of Swift Creek Campground, Mountain Home

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On the majority of the reservoirs in the Upalco Unit, the irrigation companies created storage by building dams to raise the natural high-water level of the lakes and cut drainage channels below the natural outlets. On only one reservoir Farmers - no dam was built and the lake drawn down by tunnel. For this reason, the Farmers Lake Tunnel is unique among the structures in the unit. With a log grizzly at the inlet and a control gate at the outlet, the tunnel is a picturesque and technologically interesting structure. Inventoried by: Clayton Fraser and James Jurale Fraserdesign Loveland, Colorado October 19, High Mountain Dams in Upalco Unit, * Farmers Lake Tunnel HAER No. UT-42-G (Page 2)

Historical Information

On October 10, representatives of the Farmers Irrigation Company applied for 803 acre-feet of water from Farmers Lake, the largest in the Swift Creek drainage. The application was approved by the State Engineer in April and in September the Forest Service granted a special use permit to impound the water. Rather than build a typical earth-fill dam, the irrigation company drifted a tunnel through the rock of the terminal moraine on the southeast corner of the lake. Approximately 300 feet long and three feet wide, the tunnel lowered the natural lake level by feet. The original shaft, completed in later collapsed, and the access holes were filled and a second tunnel cut nearby.

Although the shaft through solid stone remains in good condition, the outlet tunnel has been inoperable for several years, and the surface structures have been allowed to deteriorate. It is proposed that the tunnel be blocked to return the lake to its natural level.

Architectural Information

Dam length: 300 feet Dam height: 3 feet Construct: Rock-cut tunnel Lake area: 73 acres; acre-foot maximum capacity; vertical foot maximum drawdown Outlet: 0-inch slide gate on outlet side of tunnel BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION "Preliminary Engineering Report: Stabilization of High Mountain Lakes, Provo River Drainage," National Forest Service Report, William F. Gettleman, "Report on the Lakes and Reservoir of the Headwaters of the Uintah, Whiterocks and Lakefork Rivers, Uintah Project, Utah; Feb. page. 27. Farmers Lake Reservoir File, Roosevelt District Ranger Office, Ashley National Forest, Roosevelt, Utah. Field inspection by Robert Righter, July 29, For additional information, see Irrigation Canals in the Uinta Basin, HAER No. High Mountain Dams in Upalco Unit, Farmers Lake Tunnel HAER No.

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