Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We're having the worst drought in 40 years out here (No CA), so I was worried about the lush green weeds growing in one spot close to my irrigation line. I thought I had a leaky pipe.
I dug up the weeds and found instead two concrete boxes, one 16" sq and the other 18" sq, separated by about 8 feet. They both have heavy concrete paver covers. They both have 2" - 4" PVC pipes on three sides and both have standing water in them. I believe they are connected by the 4" PVC pipe, but I haven't dug out the 8 ft between them yet so I'm not sure.
Does anyone have any ideas about what these things are, why they are there, and why there's water in them? Why have two boxes? They are located very near the property line fence, so I can't explore too far. There are no similar oases of green vegetation uphill. The adjacent property is also unirrigated pasture and the nearest house is at least 1/2 mile away, so I don't think I'm getting runoff from someone's septic tank (yuck). My own house and septic are downhill several hundred feet.
I posted some photos in my cross post in the Rural Living Forum -- CD won't let me post them again here.
It sounds like, and somewhat looks like a spring water collection "system".
And because of the various fault lines/impervious rock found in CA- it wouldn't surprise me. Yet when there are droughts, they can easily and quickly run dry.
Just a guess, but they might be distribution boxes designed to distribute water to the areas the 3 pvc pipes lead to. Either the boxes collect the water, or someone with a tanker truck of water could pipe water into them.
It sounds like, and somewhat looks like a spring water collection "system".
And because of the various fault lines/impervious rock found in CA- it wouldn't surprise me. Yet when there are droughts, they can easily and quickly run dry.
Thanks K! I looked up pictures of springboxes on line, and they do look similar. I can't imagine why there are two boxes, though. I'm going to dig around a little more on the high side and see if I can figure out where the water is coming from.
Just a guess, but they might be distribution boxes designed to distribute water to the areas the 3 pvc pipes lead to. Either the boxes collect the water, or someone with a tanker truck of water could pipe water into them.
I'm pretty sure I know where the east (lowest) pipes go -- an area directly downhill that always stays green even in summer. The other downhill pipes (heading north) I'm not sure. It looks as though I will have to do some more digging!
Perhaps this is part of an old farm irrigation system.
Is your property old farm land ?
Is there an irrigation canal or river (in-use or abandoned) nearby ?
Perhaps this is part of an old farm irrigation system.
Is your property old farm land ?
Is there an irrigation canal or river (in-use or abandoned) nearby ?
Possible, reed. The property was originally rangeland, subdivided into 5 - 10 ac lots back in the 60s. The irrigation canal is about a mile away at the top of the hill. Currently, the irrigation water is pumped. When I inquired about putting in a gravity system I was told that the elevation difference isn't enough to give me good pressure, but maybe there was one at one time. The water flow is very slow, more like a seep than a spring. I tried to dig out around the upper box yesterday to see where the pipe goes, but the ground is too dry and hard.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions -- I'm enjoying trying to figure this out!
Divining Rods!
I know there are naysayers, but they certainly work for me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
