Almost Finished

[PurpHaze]

Was out at one of our high schools doing a TBOS to WVC conversion. The football/soccer field irrigation system was being installed by a contractor. This is the field that I was asked to design about six months ago so it could be contracted out to what we wanted. I didn't get to spend any time taking pictures but snapped this one on the way out. I'll take more in the next couple of weeks when the field is turned over to us and I perform a walkthrough.

[Critical Care]

Hard to get that water to bend around corners so that the track doesn't get wet. Someone needs to come up with "curve throwing" nozzles.

[PurpHaze]

It'll bend if the wind is blowing the right way... but then again we know this isn't the way to do it.

Actually, the temp was around 93 but a decent breeze was blowing. The contractor had zones firing for long periods of time in order to wet the trenches down good. They had one guy doing arc setting and it looked like he was doing a good, patient job which is a lot better than those guys I see that just do a cursory set. This zone was probably on for better than an hour.

[CAL-LANDSCAPER]

Big question would be, is the installer going to come back and fill in those trenches after they get enough water or does that area then become the obsticle / hazard course also.
Which is easier ? Moving dry dirt back into the trench
OR moving wet mud back into the trenches.

As to the coverage, didn't you say you designed the system ?

[PurpHaze]

Originally Posted by CAL-LANDSCAPER

Big question would be, is the installer going to come back and fill in those trenches after they get enough water or does that area then become the obsticle / hazard course also.
Which is easier ? Moving dry dirt back into the trench
OR moving wet mud back into the trenches.

When I was there they were working on the zone between the long jump running lane and the south side of the track. They were moving dry dirt back into the trenches but I wasn't watching them too closely. Besides... I don't speak much Spanish. If there's sinkage then that is someone else's responsibility.

I was tied up replacing almost 40 bubbler nozzles along the star jasmine fence zone on Tulare Ave. Lots of mud and PVC shavings that were never properly flushed out a couple of years back when this was put in. Then there's 120 1/2 GPM bubbler nozzles on one 1-1/2" valve. The math does not work out very well.

As to the coverage, didn't you say you designed the system ?

LOL, smart a$$... I only designed it. If everything is put in correctly (including the nozzle numbers I indicated) then all should be well. If not... guess I'll be changing things around after we take it over.

[Critical Care]

Originally Posted by PurpHaze

Actually, the temp was around 93 but a decent breeze was blowing. The contractor had zones firing for long periods of time in order to wet the trenches down good. They had one guy doing arc setting and it looked like he was doing a good, patient job which is a lot better than those guys I see that just do a cursory set. This zone was probably on for better than an hour.

Better than an hour in 93 degree weather with super low flow nozzles?

Now here are some good pictures of the sinking track and field out here. This is only six years old and there’s 18 acres being affected. Estimates to repair this run from 5.5 million to 12 million dollars – which the cost alone will probably cause debate for years to come. Unfortunate for the district, but they can’t blame the irrigation contractor for not backfilling his trenches.

[tylermckee]

whats causing that to happen?

[PurpHaze]

If I remember correctly it's lava tube sink holes. They look like they've gotton much worse.

[Critical Care]

It was built right on top of the lair of some huge underground monster.

Actually, it was just a very poor site, an area with a lot of pumice. A humdinger of a rainy season also didn't help matters.

[PurpHaze]

... and since pumice holds water like a sieve and compacts so well.

Any problems up around the buildings? I know in our area the site/pads around school buildings have to be compacted to something like greater than 95%.