Imagine a waterway snaking through Denver. This is the High Line Canal. It is not just any ditch. It’s a story etched in earth and water.
Hello everyone. I am excited to share the history and beauty of the High Line Canal.
More than a century ago workers built this canal. They likely didn’t imagine it would become a recreational outlet. Back then it was a commercial idea. It would bring South Platte River water to settlers and farmers. This followed the gold rush in 1859.
James Duff envisioned the biggest irrigation canal in the American West in 1880. He wanted to move water from the highest elevation possible. This is the high-line principle. Duff believed Waterton Canyon was the best place to start the High Line Canal.
Construction began in the spring of 1880. Ditch diggers worked with shovels and donkeys. They had no machinery. They completed the High Line in 1883. It cost 650,000 dollars. It was the largest irrigation canal built in the West.
The High Line Canal meandered through Douglas Arapahoe Denver and Adams counties. It ran alongside farms and ranches. Railroad magnate Jay Gould spurred the project. He wanted to attract settlers to his land east of Denver.
The South Platte River proved unpredictable. Duff’s water rights were weak. The High Line only irrigated 60000 acres. This was half of what Duff hoped.
The canal had problems. Seepage and water evaporation were a challenge. Gophers burrowed into the banks. This weakened the walls.
Farmers were angry. Their crops were failing. In 1892 a farmer sued Duff’s company. The company became entangled in lawsuits.
Denver Water took over the canal in 1924. They wanted to deliver water along all 71 miles. But they estimated losing 60 to 80 percent of the water. This loss was due to evaporation.
In 1970 the High Line Canal opened for recreation. Today it is a National Landmark Trail. About 60 miles of the trail have been improved. They are open to hikers bikers and joggers. Some segments are open to equestrians.
Deer ducks geese and other animals live on or around the High Line Canal.
The High Line Canal Conservancy was founded in 2014. They preserve protect and enhance the canal.
The High Line Canal may not have succeeded as an irrigation project. But it became one of metro Denver’s greatest amenities. It is a testament to how ideas can evolve. The High Line Canal is a unique blend of nature recreation and history.