Thanks Tom and Craig for the info....
I have sat at Cumbres and instead of watching the water flow into the tender, I ahve watched the indicator up on the cistern move down and down...I know that at both Cumbres and Sublett, there is a cistern just up the hill behind the plugs. I would assume that there is a similar drain.
I was really more interested in the intake boxes, piping and such.. But you have brought up good info just the same.
As for Lava, I hope that it can be reactivated at some point.
Thanks again