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  • 1.  Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 03-31-2019 09:56 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 03-31-2019 09:56 AM

    I am undertaking a heritage project in my locality where I have to revitalize the traditional and ancient water spout. The major water network and its aquifer have run dry due to haphazard construction of houses in the area. Similarly, its major water outlet <g class="gr_ gr_367 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="367" data-gr-id="367">have</g> also been trapped due to <g class="gr_ gr_366 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="366" data-gr-id="366">construction</g> of houses. The sewage line that <g class="gr_ gr_548 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="548" data-gr-id="548">has</g> been constructed also lies above the floor of the water spout. So we are facing two major issues:
    1) Revitalization of the water spout
    2) Drainage of water
    There is around 10952 sq. ft. land available in the vicinity of the water spout. Since the spout cannot be revitalized by the traditional source, we only have one option i.e rainwater harvesting (considering the sustainable point of view). The spout lies directly below our catchement area. Could anyone suggest me or provide me with drawings on how I could implement the rainwater harvesting in my site. Your opinions would be very helpful. Thank you.



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    Ashish Ganesh
    Kathmandu
    9187 92324276
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  • 2.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-12-2019 12:43 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-12-2019 12:42 PM
    Ashish,

    What is the elevation difference of the aquifer and the average ground elevation at the low end of the land area?  If the aquifer is dray, there might be enough head difference for the collected water to recharge the aquifer with minimal (or no pumping to start with.   The water would have to be "filtered" to remove suspended solids--something like a rapid sand filter or simple centrifuge arrangement?  Maybe a small lake or pond will be necessary to collect the water first.  Maybe the filter could be in the well bore casing above the aquifer?

    I believe something like this is currently being done in California.

    John G Bomba, FASCE, Retired/Life, etc.




  • 3.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-15-2019 10:48 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-15-2019 10:48 AM
    "Los Cerritos Channel Sub-basin 4 Stormwater Capture Project" is currently a 31 ac-ft concrete vault system located underground beneath a portion of the Long Beach, CA airport. The system includes a channel diversion which intercepts and conveys 166 cubic feet per sec (CFS) into two large 18 foot diameter centrifuge systems for pre-treatment prior to entering the vault. The vault is connected to a perched aquifer below via 3' drilled holes (wicks) full of rock gravel. The system is currently in construction, ultimate build out is 130+ ac-ft of storage.


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    Larry Tortuya M.ASCE
    GHD
    Irvine CA
    (562)505-1395
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  • 4.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-16-2019 12:46 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-16-2019 12:46 PM
    A google image with the delineation of the catchment area, 10,952 sq. ft land in the vicinity of the water spout, location of water spout, general topography of the area (if available) would be useful in evaluating the possible options. I grew up in the Himalayas, and I think I understand the general concept of the spout and its traditional significance. I will do my best to match existing technologies to revitalize the spout.

    Hari Sharma
    Hoquiam, Washington




  • 5.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-17-2019 07:24 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-17-2019 07:24 AM
    I would like to share the masterplan of our proposed site. We were working on the masterplan so I could not share this before. 
    The floor of the spout is located -11'3" from our ground level. Thank you all of you for giving your valuable opinions. Hope this image helps. 

    ------------------------------
    Ashish Ganesh
    Kathmandu
    9187 92324276
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-18-2019 01:57 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-18-2019 03:55 PM
    Ashish and Hari,

    Hari, can you help us engineers in the United States understand the translation of "water spout"?  Is it what we might call a natural "spring" or "Seep/spring" or perhaps run as a waterfall when the rains come or the snow melts?   

    I'm also interested to know the historical significance . . wondering if the spout has been focused as a water source for the village, how would people use it historically?   Would this have been used for drinking / potable water and / or irrigation?

    Constructed wetlands are another opportunity to recharge an aquifer and treat the water before it returns, but your site limitations here may not lend itself to that approach.  Do you have sustained periods of precipitation that can provide the quantity of water needed?


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    Lynne Baker A.M.ASCE
    HK Global
    San Diego CA
    (858)832-8844
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  • 7.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-19-2019 04:57 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-19-2019 04:57 PM
    Lynne,

    Yes, typically, a perennial spring with varying flow rates depending on the time of the year. Historically, the elders would tell the kids to avoid any kind of polluting activities in the watershed because the whole area was considered Devisthan (Devi means Goddess, Sthan  means place). Anyone who violated the rule would face the wrath of Devi.

    In the allegorical Hindu/Bhuddhist world, the connection made by the rishis/monks of the past between the pollution and waterborne diseases got lost with the passage of time. Now in the modern scientific age, the age old beliefs have been replaced with scepticism and materialism thus creating a vacuum in the understanding of our watersheds. 

    In order to revitalize the water spout, I believe, we have to understand the drainage basin, and the adverse impact by the developments in the basin. After we identify the problem, we can start looking into the possible solution(s).

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    Hari Sharma
    Berglund Schmidt & Associates
    Hoquiam WA
    (360) 532-7630
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  • 8.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-20-2019 10:08 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-20-2019 10:08 AM
    The rainfall occurs for around at least 3 and half months with precipitation of 1500mm annually. The people around may not use this spout as their primary source of water since they have adopted the way of their own. Our main target is to restore the spout to its original form and since the aquifer had run dry for many years we thought the best we can do is to urge people nearby for groundwater recharge in their home. 
    For now, we only want this tap to provide water during the festival period which fortunately occurs during the rainy season.

    ------------------------------
    Ashish Ganesh
    Kathmandu
    9187 92324276
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Rainwater Harvesting and Revitalization of traditional water spout

    Posted 04-22-2019 12:47 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-22-2019 12:46 PM
    Ashish,
    Subsurface infiltration method of percolating the roof runoff into the ground may be appropriate provided the soils are porous. Topography of the drainage basin, stratigraphy, depth of pervious layers over the confining layer, vegetation cover, structures in the drainage basin and profile of the existing pervious soil layers are necessary to avoid increased risk of landslide due to subsurface infiltration. Is it possible for you to collect some of this data and send it to me?
    Thanks and regards, 

    Hari Sharma, P.E.

    Berglund, Schmidt & Associates, Inc.

    2323 Bay Avenue

    Hoquiam, WA 98550

    Phone:(360) 532-7630

    Fax:(877) 419 9683

     

    hsharma@...