Cascade Canal facts for kids
The Cascade Canal is a special waterway in Oregon, a state in the United States. It helps move water from one place to another. This canal is found in Klamath and Jackson counties.
Its main job is to carry water from Fourmile Lake to Fish Lake. Fourmile Lake is part of the Klamath River area. Fish Lake is part of the Rogue River area. The canal even crosses the Cascade Mountains!
Every year, the canal moves about 5,462 acre-feet (or 6.7 million cubic meters) of water into Fish Lake. About one-third of this water is lost or spilled during its journey.
Contents
Building the Cascade Canal
Why the Canal Was Needed
Long ago, in the late 1800s, farmers in the nearby Rogue Valley didn't have enough water for their crops. This was a big problem for them. To help with this, a group called the Fish Lake Water Company was started in 1898.
The company had a plan. They wanted to make Fish Lake bigger. They also wanted to create Fourmile Lake to store even more water. Their idea was to move water from Fourmile Lake to Fish Lake. This extra water would then help Little Butte Creek, which was important for irrigation.
When the Canal Was Built
The first steps were building dams. The dam at Fourmile Lake was finished in 1906. The dam at Fish Lake was completed in 1908.
Work on the Cascade Canal itself began in 1910. By 1915, a long section of the canal, about 17,000 feet (5,182 meters), was ready. The canal was fully completed in the fall of 1915. The last 7,500 feet (2,286 meters) were built, finally reaching Fish Lake.
Where the Canal Goes
The Cascade Canal starts at Fourmile Lake. This lake is very high up, about 5,748 feet (1,752 meters) above sea level.
From there, the canal travels southeast. It goes around a hill called Rye Spur. After that, the canal makes a big half-circle turn. It then heads northwest until it reaches Ursa Creek.
At Ursa Creek, the canal turns sharply southwest. It follows along the side of Mount McLoughlin. The canal is crossed by two important paths: the Pacific Crest Trail and Oregon Route 140. These crossings are near the Cascade Divide.
The canal crosses this divide right between Mount McLoughlin and Brown Mountain. Finally, it goes downhill to Fish Lake. Fish Lake is about 4,639 feet (1,414 meters) above sea level. Overall, the water in the canal drops about 1,109 feet (338 meters) from start to finish!
