Friday, June 12, 2009

Sunday stills: Water towers or grain silos





http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

I am stumped. I am married to a water engineer, and I don't have a single photo of a water tower, and I already used my sole photo of a grain silo.

When I was young in Borneo, we did have a lot of water towers, and we even have a  horrifying story. But that was before I entered the world of blogging. I don't have any photo from there.

I looked at my New Zealand archives, No, not one photo.  I ask you all to allow me to by default post these few photos.

Auckland has many volcanoes. Instead of water towers, we have utilised this precious gift of water from our volcanoes. Technically, our beautiful volcanic mountains are our "water towers."

Auckland's volcanoes and their eruptive products have developed some very valuable water resources. Not only have some explosion craters formed lakes e.g. Lake Pupuke, but basaltic lava flows have formed aquifers to become significant sources of water supply.

 Basalt lava flows are very porous and allow water to seep into the rocks. These aquifers are currently being tapped for water supply. For example at Onehunga, water "is extracted from four wells sunk into the One Tree Hill lava flows. An estimated 27 300 cubic metres of water per day flows through that aquifer, reaching from as far as five kilometres away." (Jamieson, 1992). Most of Auckland's volcanic cones support water supply reservoirs.

http://www.arc.govt.nz/environment/volcanoes-of-auckland/water-resources.cfm

18 comments:

Ed said...

Works for me, and very informative..:-)

Tony McQueen said...

very cool Great job thank's for the new info as well me and my wife just watched a show about how there is more water trapped bellowe the earth in volcanic rock than there is above the earth.

zulluzoe said...

good work, You lived in Borneo!!I loved Borneo :-)

Far Side of Fifty said...

Thanks Ann you did just fine! Your story was very interesting:)

thecrazysheeplady said...

Very interesting - thanks!

Holly said...

How totally COOL is that? Great job!

MariesImages said...

Very nice!

Regular Guy said...

You did great. You even educated me.

Anonymous said...

Very good job, Ann. Thanks for all the info on the volcano/water tower.

VioletSky said...

So, a local watertower is obviously a flexible idea. Had never thought about a volcano being a water resource.

flowerweaver said...

Your stories are so wonderful! I have always wanted to visit New Zealand. I am glad to know more about extracting water from volcanoes.

We have a few extinct small cones around here. In fact, most of the nation's volcanic road base rock is mined about an hour south of us.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Creative and interesting post./

~Lisa

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hi Ann I tried my best to answer your question over on my photo blog about the silos. Hope it helps ! Connie/Far Side of Fifty Photos

Kelly said...

Great take on the challenge. And thanks for the information :)

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Hi Ann, a very interesting Information. A great, clean water supply. Lucky you.
I have left you a comment on my garden snake.

SandyCarlson said...

That's interesting info about volcanoes and aquifers. Your photos are lovely.

Unknown said...

Nice post Ann...now go hunt to more water towers hugs/M

Mary said...

Ann,

Your post if very interesting and informative. I'm going to have to visit more often to learn more about your country.

The photos are beautiful.
Blessings,
Mary