Since Spring of '05 Barker Field has had problems with mud around the watering area.  The 'morning regulars', led by Stan Horner & using funds collected by Mindy Loiselle, our Treasurer at the time, dug a proper drainage ditch, lined with gravel, and installed a PVC distribution box under the water bowl, which should lead water to a perforated drain pipe and away from the watering area.

This worked fine for a few months, but water was soon backing up into a puddle around the water bowl, and leaking into the area between the double-gated entrance to the park and around the watering area.

We've been digging around to see what the problem is, and there have been discussions with Board Members, Advisors, and whoever has been interested around the dog park.   Apparently, the ground has subsided under the water bowl, so that excess water has not been reaching the drain at all.  It has been running around & under the strainer into the distribution box and leaking into the park and entry way.

What we proposed to do is to dig a sink with a pond-liner bottom that empties directly into the distribution box's strainer, and build a trunk of treated-wood to hold heavy plastic grates through with excess water will be directed to the distribution box.  We'll build up the sides to the box around the watering area to help keep chips from mixing in with the river rocks around the trunk.

The grates on the corner over the distribution box can be lifted to gain access to keep the sink cleaned out and to keep the distribution box's strainer clear.  The current layer of rocks that covers the distribution box must now be dug up to clear the strainer, and there is a lot of smelly, organic matter there that makes it a tough job. The new 'sink' will be quite an improvement.

We don't believe that this is a permanent solution, and that there is probably more drainage work and concrete involved in the longer-term.

But, this can be done with donated materials and labor and we don't have a lot of money in the treasury this season.  Maybe when this wooden trunk gives out, we'll have more money, will know more about the drainfield, and can make a permanent fix then...