Here comes the rain again...

During the rainy season, we monitor the river regularly. If the water starts to look dirty, we close the aqueduct gate (a sheet of metal that goes up and down on the other side of this concrete barrier and prevents most of the water from coming through the opening). We close it to reduce the amount of sediment that flows through the canals and into our ponds. The less sediment that accumulates, the less we have to clean the ponds... makes sense. The cleaner the ponds, the better it is for our fish.

Last season, Kevin would put on his rain gear, his big black rubber boots, his hat and would go up with an umbrella. Sometimes the rain lashes down hard, but Kevin has to put the umbrella down to deal with the gate. He also has to lean against the concrete barrier, which is soaking wet. It's a messy situation. So, with the wet season upon us again (it's been raining on and off for the last three days), Kevin decided he would build a shelter over the aqueduct opening. It's made of wood, a plastic sheet, rubber tubing and staples. The staples go through the rubber tubing to stop them from tearing the plastic sheet: it's more secure that way.

To put it up, we put two ladders in the canal: one on each end. We both climbed up and spread the plastic sheet across the wooden frame that Kevin built. Then, we used one of the ladders and balanced it on the slippery rocks right beside the metal grate. I was shin deep (in my black rubber boots), holding onto the ladder while Kevin climbed up and used a pneumatic stapler to attach the sheet to the frame. It was a team effort and we got the job done.

It hasn't rained since it's been up... yeah, go figure. Remember the barbed wire fence Kevin and Martin build to prevent the cows from coming on our property? Well, we haven't seen a cow in the river since then, either. It's just the way it goes.

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