When we drove out of Cortez toward Mesa Verde National Park the first time, we saw an historical marker and this bridge-like structure that we just had to came back to when we went to town for groceries.
A flume is a suspended trough that carries water over a drainage area and is supported by piers or pillars to keep the water flowing at grade.
McElmo Flume was #6 of 104 flumes in the original 150-mile system and was used until 1991 when a pipeline replaced it. This flume fulfilled an agreement to supply water to the Ute tribe’s Tribal Farm Project. Now a canal is used to replace #6 flume in tribute to the original builders goals.
Abandoned, it stayed in good condition until 2006 when a flash flood damaged the wooden top. The flume was in danger of collapse.
Residents diverted water from the Dolores River and distributed through flumes like this one. They became concerned, however, when the fume was falling apart, and in 2012 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to Montezuma County water history and the settlement of the West.
First they had to assess the condition of the wood and the concrete and steel foundation.
Picture on top right: flume in early 2000s after decommission
Picture on bottom right: flume in 2015 before work was started
history of the fume
water today
To handle scale, some center pivots extend more than 1300 feet from center to the last tower with 680 sprinklers on the line. Control equipment, sometimes operated by cell phone, maintains the exact amount of water the crops need.
We’re so glad we stopped at this historical site since we’ve learned on this trip just how important water is to an area being able to grow and support itself.
