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.

February 15, 2013

At this time in the CBEL project we have met with the client once and with our mentor and teammates a few times. During these meetings we have discussed many aspects of this project. The deliverables for this project are: the dye absorbtion test and a field construction design (CAD or model). Recently, we met up to discuss different methods of approach to complete the tasks required of the project. In addition, we came up with a rough timeline for the project.

During our brainstorming session, we decided that, unfortunately, the column test design was beyond the scope of the project. We would have liked to do it, but because of time and utility constraints, as well as the complexity of column tests, we agreed it would be unreasonable.

We also thought that it would be a good idea to get in touch with a graduate student at UBC that might be able to help us with the process of lab testing the soil for absorption. Because none of us have done testing like this before, we agreed it would be appropriate, and Don has given us the contact information of someone that might be able to help. Untill now, we have luckily gotten in touch with Dr. Ken Hall, and obtained the name of the grad student who would be able to help us with the lab test.

A Photo of the Lava Ash Sand

Lastly, we decided that because this is a project with multiple deliverables that may be worked on a different times, it would be a good idea to divide the work up accordingly. Some group members will work on the field construction design in Autocad, while others take up the task of testing soil in the lab and organizing results of the tests.

A rough timeline for the project:

Feb 17 – Feb 23 (Reading Week)

Review project deliverables, scope, goals, and constraints.

Feb 24 – Mar 2

Get in touch with key contacts. These include:

-The graduate student with whom Don has worked (Patty)

-Dr. Susan Nesbit for details on the use of UBC’s soils lab.

-Philip Read (Pemberton or Squamish)

-Dr Ken Hall, with whom Don has previously worked and has knowledge of the situation at Gun Lake

Mar 3 – Mar 16

Complete project deliverables. This includes doing the dye absorbtion testing in the lab, compiling our results, preparing a record of our findings, drawing up the CAD field construction design. We are trying to divide up these tasks between group members to create an appropriate amount of work for everyone.

Mar 17 – Mar 23

Final details of project sorted out. Final meeting with client and presentation of deliverables. Completion of this by March 25^th at latest.

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.

Welcome to the Community-Based Experimental Learning (CBEL) blog for the “Gun Lake Septic Field Lava Barrier” project. This blog will be updated every few weeks with an update on the progress of the project.

The CBEL philosophy is to give students an opportunity to apply their skills in an environment other than the classroom. Students will be expected to organize, plan, and document the project in a professional manner. In case any questions or issues arise, each group is assigned a mentor to provide guidance where necessary. Our mentor is Thalita Da Silva. She is currently completing her MEng in Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering Program) while working full-time in the environmental engineering industry.

Our group will be working for the Gun Lake Ratepayers Association. Gun Lake is a lake and small community located in interior BC, approximately 5 hours from Vancouver. Since residents are entirely dependent on Gun Lake for drinking water, it is extremely important that the lake is not contaminated by the nearby septic fields. The group will be testing a design made from the on-site lava sands, which would serve the purpose of absorbing bacteria. The testing will initially involve RWT dyes; later testing will include bacteria absorption tests. The results of the test will be used to provide recommendations to the Gun Lake Ratepayers Association.

The “Gun Lake Septic Field Lava Barrier” team is organized as follows:
Leader/Organizer: T.W. David Lu

Secretary: Erik Jacobsen

Document Collector/Organizer: Ray Donghwan Kim & Rui (William) Ma

Mentor Liaison: Shuhan Wang

Client Liaison: Kevin Hamersley

We look forward to working alongside the Gun Lake Ratepayers Association!

The Team

Photo Credit: Thalita Gomes R. Da Silva

(From left to right): Rui Ma, Shuhan Wang, Ta-Wei David Lu, Kevin Hamersley, Erik Jacobsen (Ray Donghwan Kim not pictured)