Bergmann Water Tunnels: Difference between revisions
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The tunnel is around 14,5 km long and parts of it were bored through an underground cave structures, in which during the initial construction a species of [[Stalburg Mushroom Virus#Green Mushrooms|green glowing mushrooms]] was discovered, which thanks to the water reach of the tunnel, had spread to other parts of the Stalburg. The tunnel was conceived in the first half of 20th century after the second world war, as a response to a lack of potable water in the city due to pollution, and was constructed in under a decade, being the biggest tunneling project in the city to that date. | The tunnel is around 14,5 km long and parts of it were bored through an underground cave structures, in which during the initial construction a species of [[Stalburg Mushroom Virus#Green Mushrooms|green glowing mushrooms]] was discovered, which thanks to the water reach of the tunnel, had spread to other parts of the Stalburg. The tunnel was conceived in the first half of 20th century after the second world war, as a response to a lack of potable water in the city due to pollution, and was constructed in under a decade, being the biggest tunneling project in the city to that date. | ||
After the bankruptcy of the Bergmann Group in mid-February of 1980, the only remaining worker maintaining the tunnel was [[Erik]], where he did work completely alone until another worker, [[Robin]], was also assigned to this tunnel. Erik remained in position until the retirement on December 17, 1997, Robin continued to maintain the tunnel until his departure in 2010s, leaving the tunnel mostly unsupervised. According to the last performed maintenance reports, the tunnel was in a very bad shape, which was speculated to be in an imminent danger of collapsing. On August 8, 2016, a routine inspection of the floodgate controls at the Pine Fell Water Plant, performed by [[Markku Siltanen]], caused this section of the tunnel to collapse, blocking the flow of the water, and starting a chain reaction of unstability in the tunnel that caused multiple more collapses throughout its whole lenght. | After the bankruptcy of the Bergmann Group in mid-February of 1980, the only remaining worker maintaining the tunnel was [[Erik]], where he did work completely alone until another worker, [[Robin]], was also assigned to this tunnel. Erik remained in position until the retirement on December 17, 1997, Robin continued to maintain the tunnel until his departure in 2010s, leaving the tunnel mostly unsupervised. After falling into an disrepair this tunnel along with tunnel no.2 were started being used by smugglers to move various goods, such as moonshine, with a makeshift dock raft from upper Hammery Valley to [[Obenseuer (district)|Obenseuer]]. According to the last performed maintenance reports, the tunnel was in a very bad shape, which was speculated to be in an imminent danger of collapsing. On August 8, 2016, a routine inspection of the floodgate controls at the Pine Fell Water Plant, performed by [[Markku Siltanen]], caused this section of the tunnel to collapse, blocking the flow of the water, and starting a chain reaction of unstability in the tunnel that caused multiple more collapses throughout its whole lenght. | ||
==Freshwater Tunnel No.2== | ==Freshwater Tunnel No.2== | ||
Second tunnel connects | Second tunnel connects Obenseuer's open water canals, that branch off from the Fisch River, with the Freshwater Tunnel No.1 and is around 4,9 km long. The tunnel acts as an auxililary supply of water to the tunnel no.1, however the open canals the water goes initilly through has been contaminated with mining slag, from the past mining operations, and sewage, dumped into the canals directly by the district residents. The tunnel also provides water intake for various factories south of it, splitting into multiple smaller tunnels, and has at least one major facility lengthwise. | ||
Not much is know about construction circumstances of this tunnel, however it is possible that it was constructed during a 20 years gap between the construction of first and third freshwater tunnels, around between later 1950s to late 1970s. This second tunnel is a continuation of supply route used by smugglers to deliver goods from upper Hammer Valley, through the tunnel no.1, to the Obenseuer. | |||
==Freshwater Tunnel No.3== | ==Freshwater Tunnel No.3== | ||
Third tunnel was considered in the 1970's and later approved for construction, the boring work on the tunnel began on May 26, 1979 and the project was expected to be completed in 1983. The tunnel was meant to house multiple hydroelectric power plants, built by Hammer Valley Hydro, and would be 7,2 km long, running from Ilanka to the Freshwater Tunnel No.1, however due to bankruptcy of the Bergmann Group in mid-February of 1980, only a small portion of the tunnel was completed. | [[File:Freshwater Tunnel 3 Workers.png|right|400px|thumb|''Two workers at the construction site of tunnel no.3'']] | ||
Third tunnel was considered in the 1970's and later approved for construction, the boring work on the tunnel began on May 26, 1979, under a new management of [[Jeff Walter]], and the project was expected to be completed in 1983. The tunnel was meant to house multiple hydroelectric power plants, built by Hammer Valley Hydro, and would be 7,2 km long, running from Ilanka to the Freshwater Tunnel No.1, however due to bankruptcy of the Bergmann Group in mid-February of 1980, only a small portion of the tunnel was completed. | |||
The construction of the tunnel sparked several controversies, [[Greenwar]] has opposed the tunnel project since its conception, raising concerns about decrease in water level of the Lake Stalburg and the affect on the groundwater along the tunnel's path. The tunnel construction also raised some concerns among on-site management regarding the possibility of excavation work puttig tunnel no.1 in danger of collapse. After the bankruptcy of the Bergmann Group, two workers shared insight into the poor working conditions, dangerous work site and rushed preparation work during the construction. | |||
Despite the bankruptcy of the main contractor, the city major at that time reassured that the tunnel work will continue, however the actual construction never resumed and most of the excavation and construction equipment was left on the site, where it remained unsecured for years. | |||
==Other Notable Locations== | ==Other Notable Locations== | ||