748 replies to this topic

[sebberry]

95% 

 

We're doomed.

[eseedhouse]

They didnt PUT the reservoirs there. And yes there are many of them. The reservoirs are natural lakes  with dams at the outlets to raise the elevation of the surface.They were not put there by digging some holes and letting rainwater fill them.

 

Lakes are just lakes.  They become resevoirs when you damn them up and put a pipe in to take water to town.  And they actually did quite a bit of digging as well.

 

They chose those particular lakes, for a reason and one of those reasons is that because of your "geological lift" (which the rest of us just call mountain ranges) it rains more there, simply because they are higher up.  The mountains surrounding Sooke lake get a lot of rain and it drains into that lake.  For instance Survey mountain (3000 ft)drains into the Leech river and that drains into Sooke lake.

 

The rain that falls there doesn't rain on Victoria, and that's called a "rain shadow" whether you deny it or not.

[Mike K.]

But what other lakes were there to choose from that were remote and had enough precipitation while in very close proximity to the population? I think our watershed is more about luck than engineering.

[HB]

It is all luck.

 

Victoria water came originally from the Spring Near Vic High, Then from Thetis lake and from Beaver Lake

 

Thetis Lake has a dam which raised it enough to connect Upper and Lower Thetis to make one large lake that we have today.  and so does Beaver Lake. When they dammed Beaver Lake the level rose enough to connect it with Elk Lake.These 3 supplies were inadequate in many ways.

 

 

These Lakes are very close to sea level.

 

What make the current lakes (reservoirs) unique is not only the number of them but more importantly the elevation.

 

The elevation makes great head and with the great  head... the gravity makes for less lift stations and pumps to get it to the people.

 

Sooke lake with be flowing over the spillway very soon.

 

I live in Highlands and it has snowed here all day yesterday and all night. I have a sh*t load of snow here now . My elevation here is 222 metres the same as the south Shawnigan turn off on Malahat. The Sooke Lake catchment will also have a Sh*tload of snow too and when that melts all will be happy in lotis land.

Edited by History Buff, 23 February 2014 - 08:38 AM.

[Mike K.]

Not quite. The media will be quick to whip up fear over spilled water, just you wait.

[Bingo]

Not quite. The media will be quick to whip up fear over spilled water, just you wait.

 

...and spilt milk.

[phx]

.

Edited by phx, 23 February 2014 - 09:32 PM.

[eseedhouse]

Learning from past mistakes is NOT "luck".

[VicHockeyFan]

So on the 16th it was at 89.8%.  Anyone betting that at next report, it's spilling?  Or one more week?

[Mike K.]

Snow runoff will ensure it spills.

[Bingo]

So on the 16th it was at 89.8%.  Anyone betting that at next report, it's spilling?  Or one more week?

 

96.1% as of Feb. 23rd.

[Bingo]

Above average rainfall for February 2014:

February average (1914 - 2013): 191.9 mm

Actual Rainfall to Feb 23, 2014    224.5mm (117% of monthly average)

 

https://www.crd.bc.c...kly-water-watch

 

[Bingo]

Nearly full

[James Bay walker]

In the summer there wil be more announcement that water rates will need to rise due to pEople doing what they have been told in previous years and conserving water by

 

NOT USING AND WASTING SO MUCH WATER BY WASHING YOUR CARS AND WATERING YOUR POT PLANTS AND FILLING YOUR POOLS AND BLAH BLAH BLAH

 

Car washing's not so bad if you've a hose shut off nozzle.

 

When they're getting serious about conservation, rebates for upgrading to low flow toilets will be offered (since that's a Major way to reduce our water consumption). 

 

While waiting for such a rebate plan, I'd a (hairline) cracked toilet in a highrise that I replaced with a (6-litre tank size instead of 4-litre, as I really don't quite trust going from six gallons/flush down to 4 litres), new toilet ($350 + labour / disposal of the old one = ~$600).  A $100 rebate would prompt me to tackle my other toilets.

 

jbw

 

ps.  Meanwhile, I've a 3-liter plastic jug filled with water in my six-gallon/flush tanks and have also inched down the refill level settings by about three liters, reducing their consumption to 4.5 gallons/flush (this hasn't reduced their efficiency).

Edited by James Bay walker, 02 March 2014 - 07:48 AM.

[sebberry]

Nearly full

 

One beaver goes wee in that and it'll be gushing over the spillway.

[LJ]

Car washing's not so bad if you've a hose shut off nozzle.

 

When they're getting serious about conservation, rebates for upgrading to low flow toilets will be offered (since that's a Major way to reduce our water consumption). 

 

While waiting for such a rebate plan, I'd a (hairline) cracked toilet in a highrise that I replaced with a (6-litre tank size instead of 4-litre, as I really don't quite trust going from six gallons/flush down to 4 litres), new toilet ($350 + labour / disposal of the old one = ~$600).  A $100 rebate would prompt me to tackle my other toilets.

 

jbw

 

ps.  Meanwhile, I've a 3-liter plastic jug filled with water in my six-gallon/flush tanks and have also inched down the refill level settings by about three liters, reducing their consumption to 4.5 gallons/flush (this hasn't reduced their efficiency).

Most low-flow toilets are a terrible waste of water as they have such a weak flushing action you have to flush twice or more. There are some vacuum assisted units that flush well but make so much noise I would never have one.

[concorde]

Most low-flow toilets are a terrible waste of water as they have such a weak flushing action you have to flush twice or more. There are some vacuum assisted units that flush well but make so much noise I would never have one.

the early ones were like that, the ones I have which are only a few years old work very well

[James Bay walker]

Most low-flow toilets are a terrible waste of water as they have such a weak flushing action you have to flush twice or more. There are some vacuum assisted units that flush well but make so much noise I would never have one.

They were, but no longer (at least in my experience), though I imagine you can get unlucky if you pick the wrong model.  Does anyone here have some current experience as to which model(s) work well and which do not? 

 

Surely there's a tried and proven ratings site for which models work well and which low flow models are duds?  I think Toronto had such a site (as they were one of our first cities to really push those).

 

jbw

[sdwright.vic]

Look to see if NYC still has something up... they actually paid per toilet in the 90's to get landlords to switch out.

Edited by sdwright.vic, 03 March 2014 - 08:53 AM.

[lanforod]

I replaced one last year with a dual flush model. Use the small quick flush for pee and ... well you get the picture.