In The Tunnel

This is where we have the majority of work - inside the mountain.

We must repair the tunnel wall as this hole reduces the self cleaning power of the pressure of water in the tunnel.

Here is Lucas. The water is steaming with a temperature of 20 degrees, outside it as around 12 degrees C.

The flood water could not come out of this exit owing to vegetation. The result was a failure of the tunnel self cleaning system and we have many tons of stone and sand to remove.

Looking inside the blocked exit. Lucas looking out from the inside.

With our team we expect to move about one ton of gravel and stone from the tunnel per day. That relates to around 30 buckets per day containing about 30 kilos in each bucket. Little by little we will clear the tunnel.

Team work

Lucas striding into action
 

UN - Lucas, Ion, Viktor and Ella. CZ, RO, USSR, GB

Into the tunnels

Into the ditch.

Second day after the inundation. !

 We have covered the slide with black plastic. The earth will need to dry before we do anything.

 Quite a difference compared to yesterday. !

This is the new look where there used to be a little pond and waterfall at the top of the line. !

 and here a new river bed.

We have a blockage at the end of the tunnel. Action tomorrow.

 Looking towards the Nacamiento.

 Looking down stream from the Nacamiento. A river again. !

And the view from my house. Not much canna. !

152 mm of rain in 36 hours. !!

We went "off line" so I am going to have to update my "on line" weather stats. 

Ummmm - I need to think a bit about repairs. !

 Surprising. !

The Irrigation line is almost literally "hanging in". More interesting repairs. !

 Some good river views,

 Maybe we will have to pipe this bit. The wall of the Irrigation line is getting very thin. !

The view from my window.

More adventures on the Irrigaton Line. !

The water was clean this morning so we opened the sluice gate.

The water was not getting through so Errol took the cork out. !

This is the point for releasing air from a sixty meter long tube.

We have water at the next rodding point.

We have an extension pipe for this pipe, reducing the flow into three small holes. This level of overflow shows a strong flow in the line and a probable blockage in the pipe further down. !

So - to the rods and we checked the next fifty seven meters of pipe and the pipe was clean and clear.

The water is not filling the tank, so, tomorrow we look for the hole in the tank. ! The flow down the line is super strong, so I think we will be able to sort this fairly quickly. YESSO to the rescue. !

Next instalment tomorrow.!

Maintaining our Internet Node

We needed to change the battery as it has been cloudy for about a week. Thanks Marina and Mirko - good work.

 It's heavy. About 60 kilos. !

 

Lucas at work clearing infected Agave and a good lunch.

The black beetle plaque killing the Agave is very intense with at least 80% of Agaves in the valley infected. Once infected the beetle lays one egg every day for 60 days as well as excreting a putrefying substance which eats the Agave from the inside. 

 Good work - Good lunch !

 

RAIN

We have had 34.2 mm of rain in the last three days, so, this morning I lowered the "sluice gate" to close the Irrigation Line. It works well. ! The water goes round the corner directly to the river.

This is the small waterfall at the top of the river.

The river is flowing and the land is becoming green.

 

Flood Defense on the Irrigation Line

Today we finished work on our new flood gate.This will divert the water of the Irrigation Line down to the river in times of flooding. This will protect the majority of the line from flood damage.

I am looking for the best line down.

 OK Looking good.

 Into action

 The placing of the wheels.

 Drilling. Lucas and Errol.

 Flattening and sealing the base of the gate. I am the Yesso man. Errol is making the mix and Victor is taking the photos.

Some fine tuning to get the correct flow into the tunnels. Yesso sets hard underwater. It is an amazing building material.

 Looking good.

 Perfect.

So there we are - an installed flood gate - the first on the line for at least four decades. Pray for rain.