Photo by Greg Zirbel
Photo by Dave DePuy
Driving down Interstate 80 from Truckee to Reno I’ve often wondered about the wooden boxes that hug the road and Truckee River. Some look abandoned while others look like they are still being used. What I found is that these are “flumes” and have been here for over 100 years. But what were they used for?
Flumes have been used around Truckee for many purposes. Early on ‘V-flumes’ were used as a replacement for oxen, horse and mule power, and “donkey steam” engines to transport logs to the various mills found on the Truckee River, Alder Creek and Trout Creek. Flumes were also used to transport lumber, ice and wood cords. But one of the most important usages of flumes had to do with providing power to where it was needed most.