June/July 2021 – 6th Fairway Drain
On Tuesday June 29th Tony and Ron got to work on the drain to take water from the low spot at the beginning of the 6th fairway into the bottom dam. A trench was hand dug to get some the water away and then Brutus got into the act. He did the deepest section of the trench, from the dam back to the pool of water. However, the remainder to the low spot where the water pooled, had to be dug by hand, way too slippery for Brutus. Bruce brought the 100mm pipe and the pit.
Clive arrived with the dumpy and we set about hand digging the final ~five metres then making sure the drain had enough fall to get the water away. Freebie arrived and he and Ron finished the hole for the pit and took measurements for the outlet. Then we all got on with checking and lowering any high sections of the drain. Took a while and a very muddy, slippery job but eventually we had it done. We decided to let the area dry out a little and fit the pit, the pipe, the 25mm scoria and then backfill on Thursday morning.
The 1st drain takes off much of the surface water
Brutus has done his bit and the water begins to flow as Ron & Tony clean up the trench
A few metres to hand dig through the surface water, way too slippery for Brutus.
We have moved most of the surface water, now to get the fall all the way to the dam
Clive measures then he and Tony gradually lower the high sections of the drain while Ron & Freebie get the pit sorted
The drain finished ready for the pit, pipe, scoria and then backfilling. A good day’s work.
Thursday July 2nd, well, the forecast said basically dry on Wednesday but another ~10mm of rain and the surface had moved to soft to very ordinary. However, with the 25mm scoria on site all was ready to go so Freebie, Tony, Ron, Clive and Bruce got down to work. Cut the outlet into the pit and then fit both pipes and pit into the trench, measure and cut the shorter, final length.
A bucket or two of water into the pit to make sure the water flowed and so we could set the final height of the pipe as it reached the dam. Trim the pipes and then down to the slow business of laying scoria into the trench and moving the soil to cover the scoria and pipe. A slow, messy business. Lots of chipping grass clods down in size so that they fitted as well as possible on top of the soil giving the trench a good chance to grow back as quickly as possible. Also a spot of levelling here and there with the excess soil from the trench
Pit and pipe in, and a bucket of water shows the drain works
A layer of 25mm scoria goes in, around and on top of the pipe
Some scoria around the pit to hold it in place, backfill with soil
Soil in the trench then level off, as best as possible, with grassy clods
Now, move that slosh around to level out the trench & fill a few low spots close by.
What a lovely, clean pit. Freebie, Clive & Bruce (Ron had to head off a little earlier), Job well done gents
