word o' the day: flume

i learned this word a couple of months ago when my parents and i were exploring the Botanical Gardens in Dallas, Oregon with one the garden keepers.  she talked about a *flume.  this came up again today while kayaking with a friend on the Willamette River.

a log flume is a watertight flume constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain using flowing water.  flumes replaced oxen or horse-drawn carriages on dangerous mountain trails in the late 19th century.  logging operations preferred flumes whenever a reliable source of water was available. 

*not to be confused with the singer known as Flume.