Senile Texas Aggie - comic relief for the rest of you

[Baymule]

On the road washout, like @Bruce, I would suggest raising the road and placing culverts under it. I would also line the sides of the road with bags of cement to check erosion.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. I called the water department early this morning and they just now (10:27 AM) called back. They said that they do not have the equipment to locate a leak like that. They said that there are companies in Fayetteville (~ 3 hours away) that have sonar equipment that could locate the leak, but that the companies would charge A LOT of money. They recommended that I simply dig up the line about halfway between the water meter and the house and install a water shut-off valve, then turn off that valve and turn on the water at the meter. If the water is still flowing, then the leak is closer to the meter. If it stops, then it is closer to the house. If I rented a mini-excavator and dug up the lines in several places then I could install the cut-off valves at the same time. I'll think about how to solve this problem. In the mean time, if you folks have any ideas, I will gladly listen.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[CntryBoy777]

Sounds like a good suggestion to me.....and it could be a benefit in the future.....install the cutoff on the meter side of the area that ya feel is the right area of possible leak.....also, if ya are that far away from the meter....ya need a cutoff closer to the house....in an Emergency ya won't be ridin in your Gator with housecoat flappin in the breeze behind ya to cut water off..... .....sure hope ya can find it and a simple repair is all that is needed.....

About the erosin on the road....I do realize much of my idea is with ya having a tractor to assist some...water will Always "seek" level and will flow towards that....if ya prefer to not "raise" the road as much, then ya can "lower" the side where the water flows from and place about 3-4 smaller pipes across the road....I would trench about half the size of the pipe used across the road...use level to assure proper flow direction...and get a load of gravel over it.....ya can use some gravel instead of the sacks....and if bigger is needed, I'm sure rip-rap should be fairly cheap out your way....

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

ya need a cutoff closer to the house

That was something I installed right at the house when I repaired the leak back in February. But your description of me driving to the gate in the Gator is spot on. Did one of my neighbors tell you what happened?

I do realize much of my idea is with ya having a tractor to assist some

I am hoping to have my tractor back either this week or next week. Then maybe I can address my water issues. Thanks for those suggestions.

Yesterday I called the man who installed the driveway for our place and told him of our problems with the water leaking. He stopped by on his way home. Once he got here I learned that he did not install the water line, but that someone else did. The water line installation was probably before the driveway installation, so that meant that there was no culvert for the water line to cross. It was most likely buried beneath the creek. Here is the approximate path he thinks the water line follows from the near the gate to the house. The waviness of the line is my lack of ability to draw a smooth curve:

Here is an enlargement of where he thinks the water line crosses the creek. Again the waviness of the line is caused by my inability to draw a smooth curve:

The two "X"s in the first picture, one near the gate in the upper right and one along the lower center, identify the places where water appears to be coming up out of the ground and thus where the leak may be. I plan to dig up those areas by hand to see if I can find a leak there. The problem is that a lot of places on our farm has water coming out of the ground, which is caused by a layer of shale just below the surface of the soil, and when a lot of rain falls (like here recently) the water will flow along the top of the shale and back out onto the surface. Once it dries out, these wet weather springs dry up. So the digging may be a waste of time.

As for the rest of the route for the water line, it sounds plausible, but I hate to put a lot of trust into it. The reason is that the person who visited used dowsing rods to locate the water line. In scientific studies under carefully controlled conditions, dowsing has proven to be no better than chance. Yet the path he chose does seem plausible, since the water line was probably put in before the driveway and where he thinks the water line crosses the creek could be where a bridge once was. Also, that is where I dug out the creek when I had rented the mini-excavator to dig out the water line near the house. I may have cracked (but not busted) the water line then and it has been leaking into the creek. So the next few days should prove interesting.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[farmerjan]

I realize you are a more "scientific type person" than some others of us, but please don't discount the dowser's input. They are highly relied upon and regarded in many places in this country for being able to find water and for bringing in wells etc. They have been used often here in Va for finding water. If he says that is where the water line, I would bet a paycheck that he is pretty darned close to being spot on.

Any news on the tractor?

I am in a holding pattern for the house situation, waiting to get an appt with a mtg person, they are getting the survey recorded and stakes in and all. Not going to happen very fast. Our stupid Gov just decreed that as of Friday we have to wear a mask in all public businesses.....after he was seen out in public without one, as he made this stupid decree. what BS and who is he to dictate to private businesses. Guess I better go do any shopping I have to do before Friday, as it isn't going to happen with me. I feel that is part of the problem with preventing the virus from running it's course and the herd immunity..... I have to wear one now for PT for the hour and it is not helping my breathing at all..... That may change me to go to 2 x a week instead of 3 and just do more exercises at home. People who have possible compromised systems should wear masks, but those that do not, should not.

 

[Bruce]

They recommended that I simply dig up the line about halfway between the water meter and the house and install a water shut-off valve, then turn off that valve and turn on the water at the meter.

A binary search is the most efficient but you could be putting in a lot of "cut the distance in half" valves! I guess if you put 1 in at the 1/4 mile mark then one at the 1/8 mile on whichever side the leak is on, then one at the 1/16 mark you wouldn't have TOO much pipe to dig up. Would be seriously difficult to spot if it happens to be leaking into the creek.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Just a brief post here -- I have a LOT to post once I get done with the water line. I rented a mini-excavator on Wednesday, but didn't get home until after dark (more on that later). Yesterday, with a 60% chance of rain in the forecast, I decided I would not try digging up the line until today, as I did not want to get started and have it start pouring down raining. We received no rain, but I got some useful work done any way that I had planned to do once I repaired the water line. My Beautiful Gal and I have an appointment in town this morning at 9, but I plan on starting once we get back. I plan on digging in two spots while the water is off: (1) in the pasture closer to the house, where I have a high degree of confidence the water line is, as it is on the green line visible from the house, and (2) on the other side of the creek toward the gate, but fairly close to the creek. I have less confidence the water line is there, but it is plausible, since the water line was put in before the culvert across the creek was put in, and that is where I would run the water line were I to be putting it in. I'll let everyone know how it goes after I dig them up.

More later on water dowsing.

Regarding the tractor, the parts were expected to arrive today, and they planned on working on it next week.

I hope your mortgage goes through without any problem.

Regarding the wearing of masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19, below are two different videos regarding wearing masks, one pro and one con. I know nothing about either of these two doctors and thus have no opinion as to whether or not they know what they are talking about or are full of bull.

For wearing a mask:

Against wearing a mask:

I will update my journal when I get time.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[rachels.haven]

to your waterline issues. We're cheering for you, but man, that's tough.

 

[Bruce]

Regarding the tractor, the parts were expected to arrive today, and they planned on working on it next week.

Is this someone other than the tractor sales/service place? And what sort of price did they give you? Apparently good enough to get it fixed rather than replacing it.

Good luck on the water line, hope you find it quickly.

 

[drstratton]

I hope that you can find the leak quickly and don't have to spend to much time digging around for it! What a daunting task, I do not envy you!