Water For Wildlife Project March 16-17-18, 2012 Old Woman Mts Essex, Ca report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday morning we set up the camp, helped get the cooks set up and around 10:30 am we headed out to drinker 103.  Ten volunteers were chipping tar pouring concrete, spreading mortar, preparing the apron for the coating that would be applied Saturday morning.  We all worked until 3:30 pm then headed back to camp.  The elk sloppy joes, macaroni salad, chips and dessert was almost ready.  Dinner was superb.

After dinner Dave sang a St Pattie song and received a standing ovation.  Thanks to Dave, Christine, Joel, Lyle & Marie for the donations to our WFW raffle.

 

Saturday morning, great breakfast, then off to work.  Josh took 9-10 volunteers and headed back to drinker 103 and I took another 9-10 volunteers and headed to drinker 104.  The crew and I were sent out to work on 104 & 102, while Josh and crew were going to mix and pour 60 bags of concrete on 103 then head off to 101.  It seems like myself and the unsuspecting volunteers were sent to the two biggest, aprons with the most cracks and tar, while Josh and the other folks went to the easy drinker.  Anyway, I'm done whining.  We all managed to get the drinkers free of tar, cracks filled and ready for the coating. 

 

It was right around 5 pm when we all pulled into camp.  Once again the cooks had our dinner, elk enchilada casserole almost ready to be served.  This night I ate to much, just barely enough room left for the special dessert.  The rain started to come down, just as dinner was ready to be served, then stopped and we had no rain for a couple hours.  I was a little tired this evening so our youth, John and Donnie conducted the raffle, thank guys.  Things went smooth and after the raffle we sat around the fire and listened to Pasty and Marty, had a cool drink then hit the sack.

 

Sunday morning after biscuits and gravy, off to the hills to apply the coating to the concrete aprons.  The weather had changed just a little, it was probably 20-30 degrees cooler then Friday and Saturday.   Around 11:00 am the weather really started to turn cold, little flakes of snow were coming down.   We managed to get the job done and were headed back to camp by 1:00 pm. 

 

This weekend the weather went from 80 degrees on Friday to 40 degrees on Sunday, big change.  All the volunteers braved it out and because of their hard work the four drinkers were restored.  Lyle, Jim, BJ and Frank made it happen by working for four days prior to us arriving, again thanks for your hard work.  I don't want to forget Marie, Lyle's wife, she has to sit in the motorhome while the guys are out working, plus Marie does an excellent job at selling raffle tickets.

 

Thanks to all that made it happen.  The pic's show the work that was done.

 

Sincerely

 

Cliff McDonald

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Clear a large area of Tamarisk.  This job will require, loppers, tree trimmers, chainsaws, electric or gas.   The tamarisk is up to two inches in diameter and is an invasive species on the preserve.  This scrub/tree sucks up an enormous amount of ground water and they do cause harm to the springs and seeps.  I know we have never done anything like this, but it all has to do with water.  If you have an electric or gas chain saw and want to bring it, WFW will furnish the gas and oil needed for the saws.  If you have any loppers, or tree trimming equipment these are also needed.