Hanford Irrigation Canal and Associated Laterals

Hanford Irrigation Canal and Associated Laterals. , The Hanford Irrigation Canal referred to as the “Low Line Ditch” and also the “D Canal” received its water from the Coyote Rapids Pump Station at Coyote Rapids. Irrigation water was delivered from the main canal through several laterals supplying water to local agricultural producers from about 1908 until 1943. The annual irrigation season began on April 1st and continued until October 31st with the greatest demand directly associated with hot weather in July and August., To reduce seepage of irrigation water into the soils, several segments of the canal were lined with cement while other segments remained open earthen ditches. Overall, the canal supplied irrigation water to local agricultural lands until the Manhattan Project took control of the area in 1943. The Hanford Irrigation Canal consisted of the main canal and several laterals (E, F, G and H). The main canal was approximately 25 miles long and perhaps the Coyote Rapids Pumping Plant and extended east past the town of Hanford. , , . The large E-lateral was 5.1 miles long. , . The small E-lateral was 0.7 miles long. , . The F-lateral was 2.2 miles long. , . The G-lateral was 3.3 miles long. , . The H-lateral was 7,800 feet long., A segment of H-Lateral in this display was uncovered in December 2009 during Washington Closure Hanford’s remediation activities for the 100-D/DR Waste Site. At the time of discovery, the segment was about 10 inches under the surface of the ground. A segment about 35 feet long, constructed of tongue and groove wood, was removed from under the gravel road and a portion of the pipeline placed in this display as a representative sample of pre-Hanford irrigation system., [Captions:] , Coyote Rapids Pumping Plant Circa 1910 , Coyote Rapids Pumping Plant Circa 2009