October 2011: Filling the trench and opening the stormwater pipe

At the beginning of October we were still battling to find rubble to fill the trench. Soon after that, we received loads from many different people.Once it had been dumped, our workers used wheelbarrows to move it along the trench. 

It took an amazing amount of rubble but eventually it was finished.

Our pipes were still draining so the "industrial drain" was working well.

At the end of the trench and at the top of the embankment was  a one meter square brick hole. Further down the embankment we  found and unblocked this pipe.

We then realized we had opened an old storm water drainage system.Runoff from Standard Drive flowed under the school in the bricked tunnel and out through this pipe.

 Out came many years of rubbish which we removed...

And voila -- a new shallow dam!

The old wall needed repairing, so that has been done too.

Now all we need is more rain to keep it full!

August 2011 Top dam -- taking the papyrus out and draining the lane

AUGUST 2011

 Top Dam  

 The island of papyrus was blocking the outlet at the spillway

John Barrow of Barrow Constructions  generously loaned us a TLB for the day.

Moses, the driver, dragged the island slowly to the edge

 A huge heap of papyrus being pushed up the bank

The last little bit!!

The spillway is clear again

The papyrus on the bank where it will dry

Our lovely dam!!

August 2011 Draining the lane below the school

 August  2011 

 After we had finished removing the papyrus from the top dam we moved to the  muddy lane below the school

First  the fallen tree had to be removed

The first "bite"of the trench

  

Within two hours the trench had filled with water

 from the countless springs

Now the pipes had to be laid under the path

The first of three pipes went in

 and the water started draining into the stand of poplar trees

The final job was to flatten and compact the soil to make a road

     All done --  a big improvement!

     The trench will be filled with large rubble and will continue to drain

 the water out.

Enjoy!!

April 2011

April 2011

The bridge at top dam was destroyed after a huge storm. Logs floating in the dam were swept over the wall and crashed into the bridge

                                                

The workers set to cleaning up the mess

A few hours later a smaller but serviceable bridge was in place.

These plants were hanging over the spillway

And a short time later it had all been cleaned up

We moved along the wall to the unruly bamboo

And that too was removed

The piles of logs lying in the river and grass were moved to one place

They were heavy!

But the guys never complained

The last task was to remove the tree that was blocking the path  on the dam wall

10 minutes with a chain saw.......

All gone!!

Autumn leaves in Delta Park

Enjoy the Park, it's looking lovely at the moment with it's autumn finery!

March 8th 2011 Hyacinth top dam and draining the lane below the school

 At the beginning of March we noticed hyacinth  flourishing at the inlet of the top dam. It had to come out!!

                                       

The boat bringing in a load while the weed is thrown onto plastic sheeting

Alan's big fork worked well

Lunchtime and it is looking much better

Hurrah! All gone!!

And that is what we took out!!

Peter at work. In the lane, a trench on the left was dug revealing five springs

Under the walling is a 6m x10cm pipe draining the water to the other side.

A second pipe was put in further down the lane where there were a couple more springs

It should dry out now and hopefully we can walk through with dry feet!

20th February 2011 Draining the quagmired lane below the school.

Work was needed on the lane below the school. As we had more rain so the lane became muddier. We dug channels and they started draining well. There are 4 natural springs , this one was running like a fully opened tap.

 More channels  busy draining the area

The "path" below the school! The bridge has been temporarily disassembled to dig a ditch underneath it.

The channel flowing well under the "bridge"

(5) Jan 2011 Fixing the dam wall at 3rd dam

January 2011

 Peter Hammond volunteered to fix the leaking dam wall

A coffer-dam was built from rocks

Clay soil was stamped down making it watertight

 The hole was cleaned out

15 wheelbarrows of cement were mixed

It was packed into the hole, and along the whole bottom area of the wall

Finished! Within three days the water had covered  the coffer-dam and the dam filling up.

Great job!!