Unit T1 / T2 - Ft. Huachuca
T-1/T-2 Drinker Repair Fort Huachuca
Cochise County, Arizona May 19th, 2013
What: The Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation repaired the T-1/T-2 water catchment on Fort Huachuca. Over time the walls of the storage tank had corroded allowing water to leak out. The lower portions of the tank were recoated with a tar/roof seal to stop the leaks. Damaged apron supports were replaced. The float level inside of the drinker box was adjusted as well.
When: The date was May 19th, 2013.
Where: The work site was on Fort Huachuca near Woodcutters Canyon. Fort Huachuca is an active military installation in southeastern Arizona.
General Information: Another aging, inverted umbrella trick tank on Fort Huachuca was repaired by the Huachuca Gould’s this past Sunday. The T-1/T-2 water development is located a couple of miles west of Woodcutters Pond in an oak juniper woodland. Elevation at the site is around 6,000 feet.
Eleven Chapter volunteers patched holes in the storage tank with an emulsion coating and parts salvaged from another drinker. The group replaced several metal braces supporting the umbrella apron that sits on top of the storage tank. The float in the drinker box was adjusted for proper water level as well. ATVs and a 4-wheel drive pickup were used to move people, equipment, materials to the work site.
The job took about 4 hours to complete. A satisfying lunch of fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, rolls, and refreshment was provided by the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter. Thanks go to Joey Fuller for ferrying up the lunch!
In the near future the chapter will haul water to the repaired trick tank. Hopefully, a couple hundred gallons will be adequate until the summer rains fill the storage tank once again. The site is important to wildlife as several well used game trails lead to it.
Mark McCabe (Natural Resources) and especially Scott Miller (Range Control) from Fort Huachuca helped the Chapter with planning and access.
When: The date was May 19th, 2013.
Where: The work site was on Fort Huachuca near Woodcutters Canyon. Fort Huachuca is an active military installation in southeastern Arizona.
General Information: Another aging, inverted umbrella trick tank on Fort Huachuca was repaired by the Huachuca Gould’s this past Sunday. The T-1/T-2 water development is located a couple of miles west of Woodcutters Pond in an oak juniper woodland. Elevation at the site is around 6,000 feet.
Eleven Chapter volunteers patched holes in the storage tank with an emulsion coating and parts salvaged from another drinker. The group replaced several metal braces supporting the umbrella apron that sits on top of the storage tank. The float in the drinker box was adjusted for proper water level as well. ATVs and a 4-wheel drive pickup were used to move people, equipment, materials to the work site.
The job took about 4 hours to complete. A satisfying lunch of fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, rolls, and refreshment was provided by the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter. Thanks go to Joey Fuller for ferrying up the lunch!
In the near future the chapter will haul water to the repaired trick tank. Hopefully, a couple hundred gallons will be adequate until the summer rains fill the storage tank once again. The site is important to wildlife as several well used game trails lead to it.
Mark McCabe (Natural Resources) and especially Scott Miller (Range Control) from Fort Huachuca helped the Chapter with planning and access.
The group stages in the morning in lower Woodcutters Canyon. Lydia Mead and Dave Johnston are to the right of the ATV. John Millican and Stephanie Johnston can be seen near the vehicles, also.
Salvaged sections from another site are used to patch bigger holes in the storage tank and reinforce the support arms for the water collecting fins.
Stephanie Johnston looks on intently as work continues inside the tank. She is leaning over the access port. The floor of the storage tank is about 8 feet below her.
Finally, the dirty work inside is done! John Millican wipes off some of the grime before taking a well-deserved break.
Stephanie Johnston (left) and Lydia Mead discuss the work progress. “Berlynn” is more interested in when lunch will arrive.
At the end of the work day, satisfied volunteers from the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation pose for a group portrait. Standing from left to right are Art and Lydia Mead, Randy Keeler, and Joey Fuller. Kneeling below are Dave and Stephanie Johnston, Tom Fuller, Wayne Kaiser, Tyler Kaiser, and John Millican. Not pictured is Tom Deecken.
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Working on top of the storage tank are Stephanie Johnston and John Millican. On the ground are (left to right) Dave Johnston, Wayne Kaiser, and Art Mead. Dave is applying an emulsion coating to the storage tank to plug leaks.
Art Mead drives in small screws to secure the new plates, now covered by a black coat of emulsion.
Wayne Kaiser, Chapter Treasurer, mixes up another batch of emulsion. Grandson Tyler Kaiser watches.
On the outside again, John Millican (front) and Tyler Kaiser apply more emulsion to the tank wall. These 2 served double duty, having just finished work on the inside.
The chow line forms quickly with this group! Dave Johnston fills his plate with fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad and rolls. Art Mead waits his turn. In the background enjoying the food and refreshments are (left to right) Tom Fuller, Stephanie Johnston, and Lydia Mead.
The completed project. In the foreground is the drinker box with its float properly adjusted. Behind it sits the storage tank with a fresh, black coat of emulsion and new apron supports. Compared to the repair of the T-2 water development last year, more materials and volunteers were needed to make T-1/T-2 functional again.
So Tom Deecken was not pictured in the main group of 18 photos, but he was being watched from a far.
Tom in photo to the left. |
Randy Keiller, Chapter Vice President, sets up a ladder for the equipment and parts relay.
Meanwhile inside of the storage tank, John Millican, Chapter President, applies a coat of emulsion to double seal the walls.
Another job was repairing the apron fins and supports. Tom Fuller gets all the holes aligned before bolting the apron pieces together.
Wayne Kaiser adjusts the float level in the drinker box. Some water was left after the storage tank was drained. The level will have to be checked again once the summer rains start in July.
Two Board Members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter munch and chat in the shade of an Alligator Juniper. Joey Fuller, Web Master, is on the right. To the left is Wayne Kaiser, Treasurer. Joey brought lunch to the group. Wayne along with Tom Fuller planned the project and worked with Fort Huachuca personnel on the logistics.
A view of the T-1/T-2 catchment, surrounding habitat, and the San Pedro Valley below. The top of the development is the silvery, metal object in the left foreground. The Mule Mountains are seen in the background with the more distant Chiricahua Mountains behind them. In front of the Mules and below the catchment sits the San Pedro Valley and Sierra Vista.
Words can not thank Tom Deecken for his wonderful talent. 
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Drinker Salvage, Fort Huachuca,
Cochise County, Arizona, April 26th, 2013
What: Five members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation salvaged parts from a water catchment on Fort Huachuca. The storage tank and attached collection fins had blown over recently. The parts will be used in the repair of similar developments on the Fort in the future.
When: The date was April 26th, 2013.
Where: The work site was on Fort Huachuca near the West Gate. Fort Huachuca is an active military installation in southeastern Arizona.
General Information: Personnel at Fort Huachuca have installed several inverted umbrella trick tanks over the past 40 years for the benefit of wildlife. These devices have connecting fins attached to the top of 2,000-gallon storage. Rain and snow falling on the fins drains into a tank underneath much like an inverted umbrella collects moisture in the center. Water from the storage tank is then piped to a small drinker.
The tank near the West Gate was recently blown over. A combination of damaged fins, ripped out plumbing, and deteriorated storage tank made it beyond repair. Five members of the Huachuca Gould’s, working with salvaged parts for maintenance of other similar tanks on the Fort. Over a 4-hour period, the storage tank and collection fins were disassembled. The remains were neatly stacked on site. Despite a very rough and steep road, the group was able to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles to the site making removal of the parts easier.
A satisfying lunch of grilled hamburgers, chips, and soda was served afterwards to the hungry group.
When: The date was April 26th, 2013.
Where: The work site was on Fort Huachuca near the West Gate. Fort Huachuca is an active military installation in southeastern Arizona.
General Information: Personnel at Fort Huachuca have installed several inverted umbrella trick tanks over the past 40 years for the benefit of wildlife. These devices have connecting fins attached to the top of 2,000-gallon storage. Rain and snow falling on the fins drains into a tank underneath much like an inverted umbrella collects moisture in the center. Water from the storage tank is then piped to a small drinker.
The tank near the West Gate was recently blown over. A combination of damaged fins, ripped out plumbing, and deteriorated storage tank made it beyond repair. Five members of the Huachuca Gould’s, working with salvaged parts for maintenance of other similar tanks on the Fort. Over a 4-hour period, the storage tank and collection fins were disassembled. The remains were neatly stacked on site. Despite a very rough and steep road, the group was able to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles to the site making removal of the parts easier.
A satisfying lunch of grilled hamburgers, chips, and soda was served afterwards to the hungry group.
Wayne Kaiser and Dave Johnston separate pieces of the storage tank.
With the job done, the group sits happily on what is left of the drinker. The San Pedro Valley provides the backdrop.
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What’s next? The work group ponders the next step in the disassembly of the storage tank. They are standing on the upside down collection fins. Pictured from left to right are Wayne Kaiser, Tom Fuller, Dave Johnston, Wayne Cottrell, and Bob Pourier.
Another view of what was left. The remaining fins have been cut off of the top section of the storage tank. The section of tank on the left was once the bottom.
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Tom Fuller (left) and Bob Pourier move the salvaged fins to nearby vehicles,
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Pictured (lower right) is a working inverted umbrella catchment from Woodcutters Canyon on Fort. The Split Rock drinker used to look like this. During a work day on June 23rd, 2012, another group of Huachuca Gould’s volunteers recoated the lower portion of this storage tank to plug leaks. The black band around the tank is the outside coat. A similar coat was applied to the inside.