What to do with spring fed cistern and trough?

[ZetorShaun]

I recently returned to Iraq from two weeks leave. While I spent a lot of time securing my farm due to the recent vandalism I also examined two of four man made water features. I have three spring fed troughs and one cistern.

The cistern is about 12' x 12' x 12' and has a pipe at an upper corner that feeds the water from what I presume is a spring, there is always water in it. There is a pipe visible in the picture. I do not know what the pipe does. The cistern is pretty far from the house. I looked at aerial photos from as far back as the 50s and do not see a structure but somebody spent a lot of time and effort putting this thing in!

What is the pipe for? What should I do with this very nice water source? I was considering capping it and putting in a hand pump or something. Maybe clear the dirt and build a brick spring house over it. Any idea what it may have been used for originally? The water is crisp and clean.

Next I have this concrete trough. Again, not close to the house. It is only visited by deer now. The fish I put in there have been living there for three years. The water is crisp and clean but there is allot of muck in there from many years of abandonment. It goes back into the hillside very far, beyond four feet...I stuck a shovel handle in there. Not sure what it was originally used for either. Any thoughts on original use, the odd concrete design, or future use?

Thanks for your thought and advice, regards-Shawn

 

[schmism]

solar powered water pump and water the garden with it, wash cars, water the lawn....

 

[tommu56]

Shaun
If there is any flow look at a ram pump to move the water.
Use it to flush the toilet too saves you other sources.

tom

 

[MarkV]

My guess would be that both features were used to water livestock at one time. The pipe would be part of a pump system to fill watering troughs.

Shaun be safe. Hope your tour is over soon.

MarkV

 

[2manyrocks]

I'm not sure that we have enough clues to figure out what this was used for. Somebody went to a lot of work to pour that concrete as you have described it. I wonder if you could pump the muck out with a septic pump out truck or if a trash pump would work?

Stay safe. Hope the vandalism issue is being resolved.

 

[RadarTech]

Shawn,
Thanks for serving..
be safe!

Semper Fi,

Radartech

 

[Redbug]

Shawn,

That's pretty neat to have those water resources. Thinking about the cistern, (just an idea, when you get the time later on), maybe siphon off the sediment from the bottom, let it refill and stabilize, and get the water tested. The trash pump idea is a good one. That would be great if it's drinkable!

 

[MotorSeven]

Is there any outflow from the cistern? If is is spring fed, assuming the spring is running, the water should be moving thru or overflowing. Having a useable spring fed cistern is awesome, put a solar pump on it & have totally free water. Where does the water come from at the farm house?

I agree, the other trough looks like it was for cattle.

Take care over in that desert "H" hole........

RD

 

[ZetorShaun]

Thanks, as far as the cistern, it has about 2-3 inches of sand at the bottom, water flows out of a pipe near the top, it has water 2-3 feet deep and it seeps out through cracks, the concrete is no longer 100% sound. Just too farm from the house to use!

The trough has lots of muck but the fish haven't seemed to mind. It is downhill from the house!

I am attaching another picture, it is of another feature. A good bit of water runs all year from the base of the tree above it. It seems to have been protected by walls and a roof at one point. It is close to where the old farmhouse and barn were. My thoughts are that it may have been where they kept milk and butter cold? Would that have been likely?

As for my security issue, did not want to beat a dead horse but....I will...
No news is good news. Spent lots of bucks securing the property and setting up my surveillance systems. Good in that nothing further has happened and my wife is satisfied with the results of the steps we took, bad in that no evidence was ever collected to secure a warrant against somebody that led to an arrest or restitution. I feel prepared for any further issues.

Thanks for the kind thoughts, not too much longer on this tour, this is my second and I am certain there will be more.

 

[The Dougster]

Quite possible that one or both were hand dug water wells at some time in the past... It was quite common to protect a hand dug well from birds and animals.. Most folks aren't so lucky as to have a ready source of water like that.. Good luck..