Plan to fix leakage problems on Carol Lane, Sunset Road and Highland Drive

7/6/2015

We have not been able to put and keep water in the North Carol Lane ditch, both ditches on Sunset and the South Highland ditch due to water encroachment in the street, crawl spaces and basements.  What we feel is happening is that a perched or “false” water table, which has always existed, is being overwhelmed by leakage from ponds which have lost their seal.  Where we can, we have identified problem ponds and had the owners line them with shale.  However we are at a point now where identifying specific ponds is getting almost impossible.  For example, recent seepage in the road on the SOUTH side of Carol Lane stopped when we shut off the NORTH ditch.  Similar examples exist on Sunset and Highland.

We have experimented with a relatively quick method of lining ponds on north Sunset.  Using a bottom layer of Kaolin clay and topping it with shale we were able to decrease the leakage in this particular pond by about 50% over a 24 hour period..  Our goal was not to 100% seal the pond but to decrease the amount of leakage  into the perched aquifer and that we accomplished

The plan is to organize work parties from each street, identify 3 to 4 ponds on each street to line and take a Saturday for each street.  The tentative schedule right now is 7/18 for Sunset, 7/25 for Highland and 8/1 for Carol.  What we are looking for is a crew of  2 – 3 people for each pond so we need six to 12 people per street.  It will take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours to do a pond.

The goal is to get water to everyone on the street.  This can only be done if we have neighborhood participation.  Please drop me an email at bishopcreekwaterassoc@yahoo.com or call or text me at 760-920-4611 with your comments, suggestions or commitment to volunteer.  I’m willing to work these Saturdays to try and do something to get water in these ditches.

Rock Baker