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It is draining water, but I would tend to agree with Frank that it is probably impassible. It is definitely worth investigation, but as we all know, this tunnel was very important for providing drainage for that series of mines. The aquifer in that area was well above the level of the tunnel. I read about many residents who's wells going complete dry after the creation of that drainage tunnel. The location of the tunnel in relation to the ground water would tend to support the steady and strong flow of water coming out of that tunnel.
While we really don't know what the condition of that tunnel is, there are a few possible scenarios on what the condition could be present after the pipe. We've seen caved adits which still drain water. The water either flows through the broken up rocks, or it may fill the tunnel to the roof and flow through the top of the erosion in front of the adit. We've also seen drainage tunnels with falls or caved sections which while still drain, they can collect water up to the height of the caved rocks. So you have a low water section which is passable, and then you hit the "plug" in the tunnel. Everything after that plug is in very deep water.
Now keeping all of that in mind and what Miner Frank said on the heavy timbering, there was a long trench which was used to channel the water into the river. When they built the industrial park, they probably just dug out the trench and put in piping. If the adit was caved but was draining at the time which they laid the pipe, the pipe probably just begins where the caved adit ended. However, if they dug that out and connected the pipe inside of the adit, that would be a different story. Still you have to wonder about the condition of the tunnel beyond.
Miner Greg
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