subject: Ways On How To Solve Groundwater Problems [print this page] People in Washington Terrace now pay heed to lysimeters, piezometers and tensionmeters. For these residents, these terms give them a surge of optimism for searching a solution for an underground water problem which caused numerable disease in certain parts of the city for several years already.
The ambitious project which is expected to cost approximately $75,000 has included the construction of an underground drainage system which will eventually be converted into a storm drain. At more than two feet beneath the basement level of homes in the area, segments of 15 inch pipes will be installed due to the construction of that system. To be able to permit the ground water to leak into the pipe, the open fragments will be enclosed by a gravel wrap. It is important to know the amount of water that flows into this underground pipe and the water that slowly drips into the ground which is why measuring devices will be installed with the help of a local university student who will manage the project. An enormous lysimeter which appeared to be cylindrical in shape was put up in the city's Central Park. A cylindrical tank contains a another big tank filled with soil is buried beneath a layer of grass to imitate the layers wherein surface water must flow through before becoming part of the ground water flow.
The amount of water is recorded using a tall measuring device which can be reached by going up the staircase located at a fence near the center field line of the park's baseball diamond where the lysimeter is set up. Piezometers and tensionmeters are the devices used to measure the deepness of water table along the underground drainage system and the amount of surface water respectively. These devices which act some kind of a mechanical root, the piezometers and tensionmeters, haven't all been installed yet.
The tensionmeter pulls water out of the ground and then returns water back to the soil as the turf begins to dry out. These devices are somehow pricey which is why only two sets will be installed in the city park and two more in a private residence area. In knowing whether to water to the turf, tensionmeters are used.
Two different churches, residents, and the city's uniformity and output of sprinklers will be included in other tests for the study. With the help of various tests, identifying whether surface water contributes to the groundwater problem is possible if only a good number of residents will cooperative. According to the primary results, the underground drainage system is a big help in the reduction of the groundwater problem in the area. Scouring to get amounts of water, some people have had a complicated time in pumping out water from their own properties when the system hasn't been installed yet.
The drop of water tables went as much as 2.5 feet between the end of May and the middle of June, based on the studies. The cause of leakage from holding tanks does not have anything to do with the groundwater situation based on a different study. Although the surface water problem has not yet been studied extensively, preliminary results seem to show that among the groups who are contributing to the over watering, is the city.
After conducting the sprinkler tests, residents will know the proper watering frequency and the right amount of water to be used. In conclusion, by attending the meetings, the city mayor hopes that the residents would be able to learn the results of the study.
He said that after the council hears the comments from these residents, they will be in a better position to determine whether they should have extensive bonding for a major project or continue at a slower rate. The installation of subdividers in future land developments was suggested by the mayor in order to help eliminate the problem due to the underground drain's ability to handle both surface and subsurface water.
