January 2008
18th January 2008
Although we'd visited the Small Quarry in 2006 and 2008, this was our 'EUREKA' moment, when we saw that The Bowl held water, and thought how good it would be if more water could be brought into the site. After a little discussion, we came up with the idea of cutting a channel from the airfield road so that the water would flow into the SQ, as opposed to flowing wastefully down the road.
19th January 2008
Today was the day that we put our theory to the test. Our first practical conservation task at the Small Quarry was to prove, perhaps, the most important: namely, to create a system that would irrigate the SQ at every opportunity, using a method that would work automatically and with as little maintenance as possible. Armed with a selection of tools, such as a pick and some shovels, we cut a channel from the edge of the airfield road to the lip of The Bowl. It was wonderful to see the first muddy water snaking along the freshly cut channel, before surging over the edge of the SQ rim. We went home for lunch, but were so excited about the project that we returned later to check the performance and result of our new irrigation system.
20th January 2008
21st January 2008
I took my first tentative steps in the new 'watery Bowl' to check the depth of the water, but soon had to withdraw as the icy water found a hole in one of my chainsaw boots ! It was worth a cold, wet foot, though just to confirm that our practical work had been so successful.