We are now in the midst of our CBEL project, with both the Lab and AutoCAD groups starting their individual tasks.

The lab group has just begun the process of soil testing in the Environmental Lab in the CEME building at UBC. Although the four group members in charge of lab testing (David, Erik, Shuhan, William) have had little experience with soil absorption testing in the past, we have been learning as we go and making good progress. The lab testing procedure is as follows:

• Sieve soil to remove fines/coarse particles. We chose to test the soil particles between 0.25mm and 2mm.
• Prepare various concentrations of Rhodamine WT dye (we used concentrations between 2-16 mg/L)
• Get initial colorimeter readings for each dye concentration (we used wavelength of 540nm)
• Prepare 27.5g of soil and 30ml dye and place in polyethylene centrifuge tubes. Repeat for each dye concentration
• Place the tubes in a rotary device which mixes at 3.5rpm, at room temperature (~20 degrees). Leave for 24hrs.
• After 24hrs, remove tubes from rotary device and place in centrifuge for 15 minutes. This is to remove the fine patricles which may affect the colorimeter readings
• Extract solution from tubes using syringe, then pass it through a 0.45µm membrane filter to ensure even the finest particles have been removed. The resulting solution is collected in a test tube
• Place test tube in colorimeter to get final reading
• Determine absorption using the colorimeter results

We are very much looking forward to seeing the results! Many thanks to Paula Parkinson, who allowed us to use the lab and provided a lot of help along the way. Without her, this would not have been possible!

The AutoCAD group members have recently had a meeting with Don, who provided some more details on the specifics of what he expects from the model. Kevin and Ray will begin working on the model next week.

We aim the complete lab testing by Thurs 21st March at the latest. The AutoCAD group will also aim to complete their portion by this date, although it will probably be completed ahead of schedule.

Gun Lake, BC (Photo Credit: EcoBC)

The Organization

The Gun Lake Ratepayers Association is a non-profit organization setup that serves the purpose of addressing issues within the Gun Lake community. The purposes of the society, as taken from their website, are:

(a) to promote, support and protect the status, rights and best interests of each person holding a registered interest in the watershed,

(b) to promote the orderly development of the watershed as a natural residential recreational area,

(c) to secure improvements in the best interests of each person holding a registered interest in land in the watershed,

(d) to prevent damage to or interference with the purity of the waters of the Watershed as the source of domestic drinking water for the members of the Society.

(e) to preserve, continue, maintain and improve the ecological and environmental condition of the watershed,

(f) to co-operate with municipal government and other public bodies in the furtherance of the objects of the Society and benefits to the watershed,

(g) to concern itself with the performance as related to the watershed of municipal, provincial and federal governments and agencies thereof,

(h) to promote, develop and foster community spirit and good fellowship within the watershed and adjacent communities,

(i) as time and economics require or permit, facilitate the introduction, development or improvement throughout the watershed of highways, policing, zoning, communication systems, fire protection, sewage, water rights and distribution and any other appropriate elements of a municipal government system, and

(j) to join other societies or associations with similar purposes or purposes beneficial either to the Society or to it’s members.

The Project Scope & Aims

This aim of this project is to determine whether sand from the lava soil at Gun Lake is capable of absorbing bacteria in a manner similar to the lava ash sand found in New Zealand. The leaking of nutrients and bacteria into Gun Lake from the surrounding septic fields has been a source of concern to the GLRA for a number of years already. It has been proposed that a field trench/berm made of the lava sands be built around and below the septic fields. Of course, prior to the implementation of such a project, considerable amounts of research and testing needs to be conducted, of which our project is just one of many.

Our project will involve three main components:
a) lava sand dye/bacteria absorption results
b) design of a column test unit
c) design of field trench design (CAD or physical model)

A number of personnel are involved in similar testing and research for Gun Lake, who we can hopefully consult over the course of our project.

As our group have yet to meet the client for specifics (this will occur next week), it is difficult to establish a plan or agenda at this particular time. Thus, the strategic details will be covered in the next blog post.