Success -- the newly installed water conveyance infrastructure on the day our contractor pulled all equipment
from the job site (I hope to capture some drone footage of the structure very soon!)
Well, except for an ever-shrinking punch list of final to-do's, our single largest rehabilitation project to date is about in the books. While we will wait for the official ribbon cutting, we want to thank everyone who has been involved. It really has been, and continues to be, a great collaboration. And it will provide opportunity to do even more great things on this special corner of land and water.
We are really down to odds and ends now, and as of last week, our contractor decided most everything else needs to wait till spring -- when things finally dry out.
Bay ice heaving onto our shrinking "barrier island"after
multiple freeze-thaw cycles and a strong west wind
The construction team has jokingly dubbed the site "Stand-in Mush," the area has become so sloppy. Every time we think we've finally firmed up (even after a week of sub-zero temperatures), we find a way to hit 50+ degrees for a day or two, watch the snow melt, endure a half-inch or so of rain, and watch it get muddier.
Roy and I affectionately refer to this time period (February through April) as "the mud months." It's sometimes hard to keep morale up because everything takes longer than it should, and some things just can't happen at all (like final grading and grass seeding of the tops of dikes -- two of the final items on our punch list).
Especially with all that has happened (or not happened) in Washington since December, this particular stretch has truly been a season of waiting. Currently, the ripple effect from the government shutdown has impacted us in at least two significant ways: lawyers reviewing our easement process were furloughed (causing delays), and agency personnel reviewing permit applications for future projects were not working (keeping those projects on hold). That said there is never a shortage of work. After all, spring will be hear before we know it.
Last year's lotus bloom, drooped into a seemingly perpetual freeze-thaw-refreeze cycle; the warmth of the sun on its stem
and the residue from last season's vibrant display are a reminder that another growing season is not far off
The construction trailer was one of the last items to go
Blue skies still do happen (occasionally), as do large numbers of ducks and geese; we've been surprised to see the
numbers of gadwall around the marsh -- even after all that bitter cold a couple weeks back . . . tough birds
Prior to our recent efforts on the West Marsh, "free flow" out of the marsh has typically been limited to periodic and
very calculated events that are usually confined to a 24-72 hour time window -- when west winds lower Sandusky Bay
below the elevation of the adjacent marsh; all water (in or out) has been confined to this single 24" pipe
The new pump, being lowered into position
Earlier this week, I read excerpts from The Marshes of Southwestern Lake Erie by Louis Cambell, a 20th century naturalist and highly acclaimed outdoor writer from Toledo. While I've read the text cover to cover several times over the years, I still find myself picking the book up every six months or so.
During this last read, I randomly flipped to a page where I had written the following in the margin of one of the dog-eared pages, probably sometime around the year 2000: Wetlands managed behind earthen levees (diked marshes) can be perceived as starved of the life sustained by Lake Erie but are at the same time provided vital protection from the wrath of high winds and changing water levels.
This note is very apropos to our current management energy and our philosophy more broadly. In a perfect world (and in the natural world before European settlement), marshes of the Western Basin of Lake Erie wouldn't need earthen dikes to "contain" them. Marshes would ebb and flow with changing water levels in the lake -- over a season and over multiple years. Sand bars and silt deposits would move with currents to help hold back water, encouraging wetland habitat development inland. And if a storm blew out the temporary protection, new marshes would form wherever water levels found a new equilibrium.
The challenges arise when the human footprint is delineated and expands. We determine this railroad is going to go here, and that highway needs to run there; our family is going to farm these fields; this town is going to establish itself here (and grow over time). Boundaries are set, property lines are drawn. And Lake Erie no longer determines where the marshes should be (or where they shouldn't).
Pump placement into the new structure; note addition of new guardrails over channel/dike crossing (temporarily covered
in plywood) and a new utility pole
As these lines were drawn throughout northern Ohio, the space left for marshes dwindled. As early as the early 20th century, dikes were being erected -- sometimes by mule, cart, and hand shovel, and best-case by coal-driven dragline -- to preserve some level of consistency to wetland environments. Just as settlement was working to drain much of northern Ohio, a subset of our ancestry established itself as early conservationists. Some were motivated by a heritage of trapping or hunting (particularly duck hunting). Others -- those who derived a livelihood from fishing -- saw the link between marshes and a bountiful catch. But no mater the reason, lines were being drawn and earth was being altered to encourage a desired response from nature.
The pump, after more than a year of planning
and construction, finally set
Our management efforts are really just a continuation of that momentum. An expanse of wetlands and associated coastal habitats once expanded over a region of northern Ohio larger than the Everglades. More than 90% of that habitat is now gone -- having succumb to a huge array of (often noble) land use changes. But we now have a much better understanding and appreciation for the tremendous role these environments play in natural processes. They are a lifeline to clean water and a critical center to biodiversity, just to name a couple of those I hold nearest and dearest to my heart. Wetlands aren't just cattails and croaking frogs; they truly are something to stand for.
The first test run of the new pump; when water levels do not allow for passive (gravity-induced) "free flow" (see top image and video below), we sometimes have to resort to pumping water to maintain the water levels within the marsh that support the rest of the targeted ecosystem (remember: water levels dictate vegetation and vegetation dictates about everything else)
While we perceive dikes as the only means to the desired ends, considering all the land use changes that have occurred as the human population has increased, there is no question that direct connections to the lake and bay are highly desirable -- especially if there is capability to let the ecologically "good" in and keep the "bad" out . . . to the fullest extent possible. That's really what this entire Water Conveyance Project I've been droning on about is all about. It's hands-on, it may not look "natural," but it allows us to work with nature to some pretty profound ends. I feel blessed to be a part of it all.
The bayside half of the new channel, now surrounded by a safety fence
Pretty thrilling to finally see crystal clear marsh water freely flowing into Sandusky Bay from our newly constructed channel; there should be lots and lots of fish interested in seeing it, too!
Somebody forgot to tell the snake that this red-tailed hawk is gnawing on that it is mid-December in northern Ohio!
Another busy week both at the marsh and at the desk this last week. In addition to the ongoing efforts at what will be the new West Pump site, we are readying two more permit applications with the US Army Corps of Engineers (more on those later), making headway with the USDA on the conservation easement on our East Marsh, and are prepping for some significant developments with how we present ourselves online (again, more on this to come soon, but for all our faithful followers of this journal, the blog isn't going anywhere). These are the highlights among a whole smattering of other day-to-day priorities. Suffice it to say December is FLYING BY!
On the project front, Jason and crew have been concentrating on (1) bringing the surrounding soils up to grade, and (2) prepping the channel crossing for a concrete pour -- a milestone that is supposed to begin in just a few short hours! Photos do better than my words, so here are some recent pics:
Moving dirt (and finally some clean rock!) while Jason preps the wooden form that will receive the concrete
that will ultimately make up the channel crossing
The end of a day's work; the form is more or less complete
Wiring a complex grid of rebar that will serve as reinforcement for the crossing concrete; this bugger isn't going anywhere
Finishing touches last evening; final prep is going on now and the mixer truck is supposed to arrive a little before noon today
Today's efforts are significant in that the completion of this crossing signifies "substantial completion" (a contractual term) for the project. Our contractor committed to reaching this milestone by the end of the calendar year with the contingency that they could use early next year, if needed, to finish everything up. With 2+ (albeit crazy) weeks before the New Year, they "show no sign of stopping" . . . to borrow from one of my favorite Christmas carols. So I say, press on! Once we get this work completed, we can "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" . . . at least until we are permitted to start our next improvement project -- which we hope could happen as early as January of February!
In the meantime, I gotta get myself on the road so I can go watch for a mixer truck.
With much of the heaviest lifting behind us, it is now time to start assembly;
a delivery from Lakecraft just after the Thanksgiving weekend has kept the crew very busy
(Above: Jason installing the steel outer stoplog channels that will receive the aluminum logs
that ultimately allow us to set and change the marsh's water elevation)
Between a Thanksgiving holiday weekend and some seasonably sloppy weather (both rain and dustings of snow), it would be easy for our contractors to get bogged down at this stage in the project. But progress has most certainly continued over this last week and a half. Despite heavy boots and raw cold, morale seems to continue to ride high as the project clips along. There's still plenty to do, but it now feels like we all see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Since the floor was poured, the crew has been concentrating on receiving and installing various components of the actual water management infrastructure. The series of photos below depicts several of these components in various stages of installation.
A 36" "screw gate" being bolted to a steel mounting plate that will then be bolted to the precast concrete
A debris and carp screen mounted on the marsh side of the precast with the 36" screw gate mounted
to the interior of the "pump pit"
That same 36" screw gate as seen from within the pump pit
(carp/debris screen frame visible at top of image on other side of precast concrete)
A second series of carp/debris screen, precast, and then screw gate photographed from the bay side shows one side
of the precast pump pit nearly completed; work has continued on the 24" side (to the left of the 36" above)
A current view from the pump pit looking back toward the bay; all of the cap welding that creates the top
of each wall is now complete
The snow-covered area with the vertical pins (above) depicts the 12'-wide, 12" deep area that will receive a final concrete pour . . . if all goes well, later this week. This area will serve as our dike crossing and will be another milestone for the project.
I left the site yesterday with the crew working on two excavators. One was moving clay while the other was compacting it up against the sheet pile walls. They are working toward a finished grade, and we are seeing what was just a drawing on paper three months ago come to life at the site. The real fun will come when we can reconnect the waterways and let the life from each intermingle. Won't be long now!
Jason's crew included four on the ground, two working the crane and bucket, a mixer driver, and a QAQC technician;
Roy and I took pictures, smiled at the progress, and just tried to stay warm
In spite of periodic sleet, steely skies, and a stiff wind off the bay, last Friday proved to be just good enough to allow the crew to get the channel floor installed. Our "big pour" has been weeks in the making, but all the prep culminated in just 2-3 hours of actual concrete work. It was quite a transformation. The crew was very efficient, and as the photos below depict, very effective in achieving a beautiful finished product -- despite less than ideal working conditions.
13.5 cubic yards of concrete were systematically lowered into the channel
one hopper bucket at a time
The finished product ended up looking better than my garage floor
A good perspective of progress, taken from atop the precast concrete boxes
(facing the bay with my back to the marsh)
A floor-level perspective looking the other direction
(facing the marsh with my back to the bay)
The marsh-side concrete apron, just after the pour was completed
I'm not sure which was more exciting: the view of the first full mixer truck creeping down the muddy path to the project site,
or the second (empty) mixer truck pulling away -- access is always dicey this time of year, so it was great nobody got stuck
Last week marked the first measurable snow falls (several "dustings") and the first time the marsh froze over completely. Skim ice extended to full coverage only briefly though. Temps have remained well below average (highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s), but sustained wind makes any accumulation of ice difficult.
I always say when duck hunters are happy with the weather, everyone else seems to be miserable. That's certainly been the case for much of these last few weeks; plenty of cold, wind, and cloud cover. Unfortunately, there just haven't been too many ducks in the area (not just in the marsh, but more regionally -- on "our side" of Sandusky Bay). Deer activity, by contrast, seems to be on the increase with lots of sign around the property and the rut likely in full swing. We'll see what this holiday week brings. In addition to some of my favorite time of the year with family, I'm hopeful to find some time in the blind and/or in the tree stand.
Mike underway on the first support strut that will help maintain the top width of our newly formed sheet pile channel
Much of the last week or so at the project site has focused on preparing for the highly anticipated concrete trucks that -- weather permitting -- will be delivering the material that will serve both as the base (or floor) of our newly installed sheet pile channel and as the 12'-wide dike crossing (or bridge) for what should be decades to come.
Scott, lining things up just right
Weather has by-and-large been very cooperative thus far with this project. We've definitely had hot days (although not in the last few weeks), some windy days, some chill, and some rains, but the guys have only had to miss a couple days due to weather since we started back at the very end of August. I've learned not to take weather for granted in this work. (More on that subject below.)
I've also learned that even a little rain on a job like this makes for a lot of mud and mess -- especially when working in our environment. Much of last week was spent fine-tune adjusting the sidewalls of the steel channel. The sides could be subtly pushed or pulled using an excavator or payloader positioned on either side, but the guys still do their fair share of walking. So with excessively heavy mud the consistency of peanut butter, it gets taxing. I have been pleased to see them backfilling on the back sides of the sheet pile, and I was even more excited to see some fresh (clean), crushed limestone delivered yesterday. Not only did it serve to make the bottom of the channel somewhat navigable, it also allowed for somewhat easier walking around certain areas of the project site.
Several inches of crushed limestone beneath newly fabricated and installed rebar mats
A close-up of the two-tiered rebar mats, spaced 6" on center
(click to enlarge)
Work was progressing both on the floor and at the top of the ever-evolving structure. Just fabricating the rebar mats (that will ultimately reinforce 8" of concrete throughout the channel and 12" of concrete directly beneath the dike crossing) takes a lot of time, effort, and craftsmanship. They were put in place yesterday.
As I left the project site late in the afternoon, the crew was busy wrapping up the third upper support strut that was installed for the day. I believe they have a couple more to put in place before turning their attention to the structural steel components of the dike crossing. If we can get the weather to cooperate -- which is a BIG if, considering the current forecast -- we should be ready for those rolling concrete trucks to work their magic. Fingers crossed.
So much fun seeing conceptual plans evolve to engineering drawings
and then witness the vision taking shape on the ground
A view from the bay as the sheet pile channel finally takes shape
It's been nearly two weeks since I've updated on progress at the West Pump -- or where the West Pump will ultimately reside . . . sooner than too much later, the way things are now progressing. Except for a couple curve balls, things have gone pretty smoothly (easy for me to say, as I'm not the guy on the equipment or lifting the cables). But as of the start of work this morning, 53 of 56 sheets have been driven.
If all goes well today, the rental hammer (the "Vibro" equipment that gets suspended from the crane to drive each steel pile section) will be returned, and we'll be moving on to pouring the concrete floor, beginning the cap that will serve as the top of the steel wall, installing the bracing struts that will maintain the top width of the channel, and backfilling on the outside of the sheet pile walls. All of this is in preparation for the installation of a 12'-wide channel crossing (which, when complete, will be another key milestone for this project). That makes for an ambitious week, but we're optimistic. Weather conditions continue to look ideal -- both for construction and for duck hunting (highs in the 50s and lows in the mid to upper 30s and generally dry) . . . more on the duck side of the equation soon.
We ultimately decided to "buy local" and work with Lakecraft -- this 15HP system will move a lot of water when it needs to,
and having the manufacturer 10 minutes away certainly has its advantages
Speaking of milestones, last week Roy and I also got the opportunity to check in with Lakecraft Corp, a longstanding pump and fabrication company out of Port Clinton that is handling most of the key water management components of our new system.
Debris/carp grates
The pump and motor have been tested (we got to see video of it in action). Now, it just awaits installation day. The shiny paint and stainless (rust-free) pump impeller jumped out right away. But what caught our eyes first was probably the relative size of the motor -- miniature by comparison to the hulking dinosaur we've been relying on (especially when you take away the fish box that we needed for weatherproofing our old system!)
It was really exciting to see the pump itself, but it was equally fun to see the other pieces and parts in various stages of completion. The debris/carp grates (at left) are just about complete. They are extremely heavy duty and are beautifully fabricated. The structural steel that will bear the weight of the pump (below, top) is finished all the way to paint-to-match green. The aluminum floor grating (below, middle) has arrived and is ready to be custom cut to serve as the surround for the pump. A good number of the aluminum stoplogs (below, bottom) have been fabricated and will soon be installed into a custom-built framework that will reside upstream of the gate structures (which are currently en route from California). It has been a long time in coming, but it is all starting to come together!
A bird's-eye view really shows the progress of the last week -- the sheet pile now extends about 20' toward the bay
(right side of photo); for reference, this image shows about half of what will be the final structure
Much of our contractor's last week was spent meticulously setting the "corners" of the sheet pile that now reside between the base of the temporary access ladder (above) and the precast concrete. With the corners set, they serve as the transition between the precast and the steel corridor to the bay. I was fortunate enough to get this perspective yesterday -- from about 40' above -- and it really helps to demonstrate what is taking shape to the north (right) of the newly installed concrete boxes.
Jason, suspended in a bucket truck, carefully adjusting the Vibro
to hammer one in a series of four discrete sheet pile sections;
Mike, in the background, controls the actual hammering
(click any image to enlarge)
As of early Monday afternoon, our three-man team had installed almost a third of the steel. With an orange chalk line set as a visual guide, each pair of sheets hammered (or "vibrated") into the depths gets us about four feet closer to the bay.
I continue to be impressed with the coordination that plays out when watching a competent crew. Whether spoken or not, it's choreographed.
Yesterday's sequence: Mike on the ground lassos a ~675-lb section of steel (30"W x 20'L); Scott in the crane gently swings it into approximate position; and then Jason in the bucket truck coordinates with his ground crew (largely through subtle hand gestures) to fine-tune adjust. By the time the "Vibro" (yellow hammer affixed to the top of the sheet pile) is actually engaged, the hard work is pretty much complete.
Despite its name and hulking size, the Vibro has proven to be surprisingly quiet,
especially when driving pile in our relatively soft clay -- the project noise
essentially blends into the subtle drone of SR 2, but we'll still be
suspending work in the next day or two to rest the marsh before
the start of duck season
I'm pretty confident that Scott, our crane operator, could do this in his sleep. I'm not sure what the Vibro weighs (a lot), but it is being suspended from maybe 70-feet of cable from the boom of a 35-ton crane. And he is putting this unwieldy appendage just where it needs to be -- using only his fingers and someone else as his eyes -- to drive the individual pile sections straight and true.
Because the discrete sections are all linked together by a folded seam, a minor adjustment to a single section has repercussions not only to the adjacent section but to the entire wall as it takes shape. But yesterday, with all the moving parts, I witnessed the walls continue to extend right before my eyes. It's exciting -- and with the main duck season opening this coming Saturday, very timely.
Couldn't resist this view of the Rest Pond from the bucket truck -- amazing what getting 40' off the ground
does to change perspective
_______________________________________
SIDEBAR: This past weekend, my kids and I had the distinct privilege to participate in a historic fish release on the Maumee River. While a couple watersheds away from the marsh, we are all working toward very similar ends. Congrats to the USFWS, the Toledo Zoo, our friend Dr. Jessica Collier, and everyone else involved in the lake sturgeon release at Walbridge Park. It was a highlight of the year! Truly an awesome project.
Two of our boys, poised to release "their sturgeon"
Our daughter, proudly showcasing her
"Maumee River Sturgeon Restoration" bucket
Our fourth, posed with a replica of what he hopes his release might someday become
Never did I think 56 sections of steel could make me so happy. But the photo above, taken just before 5:00 pm last Friday afternoon, has been a LONG time coming. Grant writing, conceptual designing, permit applications, grant planning, RFP development, project advertising, budget revisions, contractor selection, grant administration, design modifications, project mobilization, old structure demolition, rain, heat, more rain, humidity, geotechnical analysis, structural engineering confirmation, precast concrete delivery . . . and this week, near completion of precast installation (see below). And finally, the steel has arrived at the project site.
#2 of 4 being lowered into place
It's already starting to "look like something." But over the next week or two, our new "water conveyance structure" should really start coming together visually.
We only ended up loosing one day to weather in the last week (Tuesday). And considering the forecast at the start, that wasn't too bad. We might have gotten 0.75" over 24 hours, but the way the clima-terrorists started talking, we could have gotten 3"+. Some did around us, so they were right and we felt fortunate to have dodged a bullet. Weather can never be taken for granted, especially this time of year.
Fittingly, much of the week focused on the placement and waterproofing of the four precast concrete structures. They need to be able to hold water so that they don't destabilize the substrate around them. They need to be waterproofed top to bottom. This is accomplished with two beads of tar tape between (above and left) and a finish wrap of tar around the exterior (below). This week, they will also be waterproofed (more or less) in between with the final addition of some filler grout. Roy and I have been very impressed by our contractor's attention to detail thus far. From measuring and remeasuring to checking and rechecking to confirm all is plumb and level, they should have a solid and accurate reference point from which they can build out the sheet pile. Hopefully by this time next week, I'll be able to document the build-out in another photo update.
Finish tar seal being placed around seam between #1 and #2
#3 of 4 being lowered into place
#4 of 4 in place (yet to be finish sealed to allow for final settling as #4 compresses tar on top of #3)
