Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site Quarry Contest 2010

When did you check the pH ?

I checked it at various times of the day.

8 a.m.
10 a.m.
4 p.m.
8 p.m.

It never varied by more than .8

There's very little overall mass of vegetation, so there's not much of a respiration/photosynthesis cycle to increase or supress the overall pH of the lake.

My guess, a low of 7.4 and a high of 8.2...

somehow i feel its a trick, but being groundwater fed, and having the groundwater reside in the limestone, i vote the obvious as well.......greater than 7.

i might be able to understand a pH <7 if it is a fast moving aquifer, recharged by highly draining soils, such that the "groundwater" has a low residence time in the limestone, in this case you could have pH's less than 7 in a limestone pit.

Greater than. Abundant vegetation without artificial liming is an indicator. Also the crawdads and the fact that you are getting very little variance during the day.

Have you previously posted the alkilinity?

If that is an average then I would guess the avg is > or = 7.

And the correct answer IZZZ...........

"drum roll, please"




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7.5-8.3

Some of these questions have been purposely vague, and I commend everybody for not complaining about the fact that I've been pretty subjective about the answers and awarding of points.

But here's a question that you couldn't possibly know the exact answer, but I'm going to give three points for a correct answer, and two points for an honest try, so long as the "reason" for your answer is sound.

I went to the Lincoln Home Builders Home and Garden Show last weekend, and to my surprise I ran into the owner of the mining operation on the east side of the road. He had purchased it from the Quarry owners who had mined the west side. He told me that all mining activity had been ceased indefinitely, and that he believed it would never resume.

I asked him why.

His answer was succinct. It was six words long.

In six words or less, speculate why the mining operation had been terminated, then feel free to add any discussion.

I'll tell you what. This has been the most enjoyable thread I've ever been a part of. It combines all of the things that I love about Mr. Lusk's website.

It's informative.

It stimulates discussion.

It has humor.

It has even allowed for some thread drift.

Most of all however, it just shows how a bunch of intelligent and helpful people can combine to make this place an awesome learning experience.

Too much G.. D... red tape. (Other more political versions came to mind, but I know where that would lead!)

Let me clarify "red tape". That could mean more over head in the form of taxes, workers comp, permits, etc. It could also mean more papework, containment pools/barriers and hoops to jump thru due to environmental reasons.

There are quite possibly an endless list of plausible reasons, but I have a couple shots in the dark theories. The one I'll go with for now is simply dust. Whether because of nearby residents complaining of the dust from the mining or vegetation in the area being effected.

dang, do we get two trys?

i'd like to think about it and get back later, gotta split for a training class this morning.

so heres a split second guess:

"we ran out of good rock"

1. Couldn't
2. Risk
3. Invasion
4. Of
5. Green
6. Sunfish.

Or, alternatively,

1. Got
2. All
3. The
4. Good
5. Profitable
6. Limestone

I have absolutely no idea on this one and have not scrolled down to look at the other answers that appear to be already given from the post count that appeared since I last checked this thread late last night. I'll see how far off I am in a second.

Taking a stab based on the way the pit across the road appears to be mined - looks like it's been dug in a very deliberate manner with certain areas being avoided and others being targeted. I know most quarries do mine in a "master plan" sort of pattern, but this one looks like they could have gone into other areas pretty easily but have not. I'm speculating that the content of limestone isn't as high in those areas as the ones already mined and that the lower content makes continued mining unprofitable. As well, given the obvious development of nice homes around the pit, I'd guess there is some concern about blasting damage liability and jerks like me filing suit for repairs to those nice homes from ongoing blasting operations. Also, they may not have any more mineral rights to allow them to mind beyond the parameters of the pit as it's currently defined.

Come on points! (And I've got to remember to wear my tinfoil hat today to avoid detection by the GSA Death Star for my blasphemous comment about GSF!)

Double Dang!!!

DIED had the same initial hunch I did! If he's right, I have obviously missed my calling in life and should have paid more attention in my geology classes in college! I can't wait to meet you in person one day, DIED, since we obviously have so much in common!

I'd like to lodge a formal complaint about the subjective nature of points awards.

Noted.

That's it?

Noted?

Where's my congressional hearings? Where's my Barbara Walters interview? Where's my 20-20 News Expose? Where's my reading glasses?

If you keep up this nonsense I'll deduct 1/128th of a point.

Just try me. You mess with the bull--you'll get the horns, baby.

Does your coffee taste like ear wax?

or...if you're anywhere near Condello, they're probably in your shirt pocket, crushed into a half dozen pieces

My guess would be one of the above, either too much red tape or not enough rock left to make it worth mining anymore... That or they're afraid a giant sink hole will form and all the surrounding homes will cave in to it... HAHA

And THAT'S probably Bruce's biggest fear!

i didnt have a chance to think it about much today, and the only other thing in my mind is.....


"its the gawl dang economy stupid"

water diversion is expensive, regulatory fees have increased, workers insurance skyrocketing, building and development has slowed to a crawl, product/materials costs havent risen to match increased overhead, cost more to mine than you make.

i cant wait to hear the real answer.

Everybody so far has earned two points, but I'll start the process of revealing the answer.

The quarry ___ __ ______ __________.

By the way, it's the most common answer for any business that discontinues operation.