El Nino Creating Severe Drought Conditions

[TomK]

Well, for many of those times I wasn't born or even for the 1970 events I wasn't quite old enough to be qualified to run a telescope on MK so had to make do growing up in the UK! []

I do remember the strong El Nino in 97/98. That was much worse than the current drought although if this goes on a lot longer it might start approaching that event. Right now it's not as bad.

[PaulW]

Thanks Mimosa, great to hear of your memories.

[Malapuaao]

Aloha Mimosa,

I'm really curious as to how are these are constructed:

>>We have over 50K gallons in 5 under ground tanks

I did something like this by jack hammering ponds with pond liner, but a few of the ponds somehow got duckweed in them and it completely took over...so my thinkingis that I could use a similar technique, but with some concrete riser and cover to let water in but keep bufo's and mosquitos out. Is that something like what you did? Or perhaps you used fiberglass then buried it?




aloha

[geochem]

quote:

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Originally posted by bystander

I noticed the pH of my tank water changed from 6.2 on Friday to 5.2 today. Must be the vog combined with the tiny amount of rain we got. I think this concentrates the acid going into the tank. Either that or it could be all the dust going on the roof.

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You are correct bystander, during dry weather the acidic vog particulate deposits on your roof and, with a little bit of rain, gets washed into the tank as a slug of acid. UH College of Tropical Agriculture publishes a pamphlet on maintaining catchments - www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/rm-12.pdf - and recommends treatment of the tank water to maintain a near neutral pH. The low (acidic) pH can do serious damage to your pump and copper piping and, in older systems with lead-based solder, accelerate leaching of lead from the solder joints. Either baking soda or dolomite can be used to push the pH into the neutral range...

[Lee M-S]

I treat my 10000 gallon tank with 1 lb baking soda and 3 cups bleach on the first of every month (and change out the paint filter on the intake), and was pleasantly surprised that it was full March 1st. I'm in Mt. View, we're getting more rain than lower Puna.

Also, after nearly running dry a few years ago keeping the garden watered, we built an overflow tank out of old roofing and thick black plastic sheeting from HD (6mm, I think). We put an extension on the overflow pipe from the main catch tank, no other plumbing needed.
Our property is sloped, so we use a siphon hose to run water anywhere lower. Since we put fish in that tank, the water is even pre-fertilized!


><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>

[Mimosa]

Our under ground water catch is 5 separate tanks.
10 inch thick concrete held together with plastic mesh and no metal re-bar . They are fully enclosed with baffles .Each tank is on a grade so each valve or set of valves can be opened or closed so facilitate an even level.In addition we have on a slab 3 above ground cinder block round tanks with fero cement lining interiors all under roof like barn .They are open with shade cloth covering so no algae or molds build up .The 3 above tanks are 12,000 gallons each.

It was my husbands idea and has served us well over many many decades.

Mrs.Mimosa

[Malapuaao]

Thanks Mrs.Mimosa, I love your system! Some rough math says that nowadays such would cost about $150k to build and I'm always surprised to hear how well these ferrocement stuctures work through 4m+ earthquakes we've had over the years

quote:

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Originally posted by Mimosa

Our under ground water catch is 5 separate tanks.
10 inch thick concrete held together with plastic mesh and no metal re-bar . They are fully enclosed with baffles .Each tank is on a grade so each valve or set of valves can be opened or closed so facilitate an even level.In addition we have on a slab 3 above ground cinder block round tanks with fero cement lining interiors all under roof like barn .They are open with shade cloth covering so no algae or molds build up .The 3 above tanks are 12,000 gallons each.

It was my husbands idea and has served us well over many many decades.

Mrs.Mimosa

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aloha

[Carey]

Mimosa, I am surprised at your long ago memories of emergency water spigots. I would love to see pictures or news articles on them, as the ones I know of were put in place much later in history...
I do remember that when a 55-gal limit was proposed by Mayor Billy Kenoi in 2010 (HC 189) there was an outcry against it, and his administration withdrew the bill:
http://prgnewshawaii.com/2010/01/page/5/
http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2010/0...pigot-use/
http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9953
http://www.guavabee.com/2010/01/mayor-su...-bill.html

[Guest]

The thing that bugs me is people that drive up in trucks with large tanks, then monopolize two, and I've seen even three spigots while people wait. That is known as selfish and should be against the law.

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You can't fix Samsara.

[MarkP]

Many times I have driven away from Hilo in full sun, only to get home to my place in Eden Roc in the rain. Now, when I need it to rain, I left Hilo in pouring rain, only to get back to a bone dry Eden Roc. Argh.