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View of Mission Creek irrigation flume
as it crosses Gallagher's Canyon circa 1915. Mission Creek supplied water
for pioneer farmers and orchardists in two important ways. First, for those
living on the flat bottomlands and nearest Okanagan Lake, the creek provided
a ready and fairly reliable supply of water for the hot summer monthe. Second,
for those living on the benchlands, the creek provided water delivered through
an intricate and expensive system of canals, flumes and siphons. This water
was stored in the upland lakes (McCulloch, Belgo, etc.) and when the outlets
to these lakes were dammed just prior to World War 1, they stored even more
water. The water was released into the creek and it flowed along that course
until it was captured into the irrigation system at an "intake". From there
it flowed by gravity until it reached the orchards.
Mission Creek supplies Okanagan Lake with the single largest supply of water,
and for the pioneers it meant a ready and reliable supply of water. Without
it the orchards would dry up.
Photo courtesy Kelowna Museum Assocation. |
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