Projects

KAN STEP Nemaha County RWD 1 at Bern

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Friday, August 10, through Monday, August 13, 2001
Friday and Saturday, Aug. 10-11, brought cooler weather. On Saturday, more volunteers showed up than were even signed up to help! As of Monday morning, Aug. 13, approximately 11,880 feet of 6-inch pipeline had been installed.

On Monday, installation also began on the 4-inch pipeline west of Bern that will intersect with an existing 4-inch pipeline northwest of Bern. Edelman Construction also moved a track hoe to a rocky hill west of the District's water standpipe west of Berwick to install more of the 6-inch pipeline in areas that were not trenchable.

The above photo shows Keith and Deb Meyer's John Deere farm tractor backfilling a trench along the 6-inch line than runs alongside the Meyers' milo. (Deb also happens to be the RWD's bookkeeper.)

Raymond Bucher, 88, also volunteered his help. Raymond is proud of his 1948 TD9 International dozer. Raymond did a great job of leveling through terraces to help the trencher have a flat surface to travel over. Raymond purchased this machine new for $7,200 from Nebraska Tractor Co., Omaha. "Equipment was hard to get after the War," Raymond says. The old dozer has 48 hp and was first used to pull a 4-bottom plow on the farm. His son Ralph kids his father - but dad dishes it right back. Ralph says, "Yeah, dad won't let me drive it; he thinks I'll break it." Raymond responds, "Well, he's just too rough with it."

It was great to have the help regardless of the debate about who's going to tear up whose machine. Everyone is working together, and everyone is appreciating the cooler weather. Now, if it'd only rain to help the soybean and milo crops.

It appears that the pipeline will be installed by Friday, Aug. 17. We'll be posting more photos then.

Thursday, August 9, 2001
The project remains on track for the district's very aggressive goal of having all seven miles of pipeline installed in two weeks. By 6 p.m., more than 7,500 feet of 6-inch pipeline has been installed. Marilyn Graham, KAN STEP coordinator with the Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing, paid a visit to the project.

Unable to resist getting involved, just as in Formoso, Marilyn helps apply pipe lube as volunteer Tim Steinlage holds the next joint. Connection was also made on another half mile of 2-inch line.

The basement meeting room in Lortscher Ag Service in Bern is a respite from the heat as local volunteers on the project gather there for noon lunch. Serving the meal on Thursday were Laura Baumgartner and Janet and Deb Meyer.

Barbecued beef, rolls, potato/cheese casserole, fresh watermelon from a local patch along with numerous homemade desserts give workers new energy for another afternoon in steamy heat. They say this is sweat equity; there's been lots of sweat on this project, with the high temperatures.

KRWA's Greg Duryea, trying to save some time, makes what would have to be considered a "wet tap!" This is what happens when a valve somewhere along the line is not quite all the way closed. Only a 2-inch tap into an older 4-inch line installed in the mid-'60s - there was lots of remaining pressure and water.

Greg's attitude: "Well, this was just okay as hot as it is today . . ." Greg says it's great to be able to work alongside local systems in partnership to help them save money. But every now and then, you get wet.

Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Another very warm day on the project, but good progress is being made. Here, KRWA's Steve Richter is directing "trench traffic" from the seat of the backhoe as Greg Duryea from KRWA is joined by Wayne Edelman, Earl Meyer and Robert Meyer to install service across a township road. Tomorrow, the three homes along this new 1.5 miles of 2-inch line will have water service - none too early either, as one farmer is hauling water.

The project includes 17,800 feet of new 6-inch pipeline. Aaron Young is operating the trencher here as the new pipeline heads west from the Berwick standpipe. Extra care is taken to salvage farm crops, as John Strahm has cut corn, milo and beans that were on the easements. Nearly half a mile of 6-inch was installed on Wednesday, along with a major stream crossing bore and a road bore. The project is using yelomine pipe under all these crossings. As of Wednesday evening, just over 9,000 feet of 2-inch pipe, 3 services, .5 mile of 6-inch, two stream crossings and six road crossings have been completed in three days of work.

RWD 1 bookkeeper Deb Meyer keeps track of the project and the crews. Here she delivers a jug of cold drinking water to Director Wayne Edelman and KRWA's Greg Duryea.

Yes, it's a photo op . . . we couldn't help it if the water and the camera arrived at the same time.

Monday, August 6, 2001
It was a bright day near the Apostolic Christian Church southeast of Bern where the first pipeline was being strung along a dusty county road. Here, John Baumgartner, RWD Chairman, and Director Wayne Edelman are joined by Neil Hartter, rear left, and operator Robert Meyer as the project begins in earnest.

The new John Deere backhoe is under rental agreement by the RWD. Hartter, long time board member and former director for Kansas Rural Water, takes out the first scoop of dirt to access the boring machine on a road crossing.

Soil conditions are great for trenching, which is being completed under an agreement by Young Trenching of Seneca. By 6 p.m., nearly one mile of new 2-inch pipeline was installed with a mainline valve and connection made, a 60-foot road bore and another open-cut road crossing near the Curtis Strahm residence.

No accidents, other than one cut phone line. (That's what happens when they install three lines in a nest . . . as they say, "Not our fault!") Tomorrow, the goal is to continue on the 2-inch line, and receive and begin to string the larger pipeline.

Friday and Saturday, August 3-4, 2001
It's a hot day and the natives are restless to get going. Sorry, there's no photo of the work by Nemaha RWD 1 operator Robert Meyer and RWD Board Chairman John Baumgartner as they excavated a 6-inch Tee at the point where they hoped to begin bright and early on Monday morning. With the fitting not allowing space to connect the new valve and new transmission line, plus having a slight leak on the Tee, the Tee was replaced with a new ductile iron pipe Tee. KRWA's Greg Duryea got in on the repair too.

Monday, July 30, 2001
Marilyn Graham, KAN STEP coordinator at KDOCH, visits with Dennis Meyer, John Baumgartner, Robert Meyer and Dan Feldkamp from Nemaha RWD 1 about the future project.

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