[pct-l] Barrel Spring (mi 101) still contaminated

[AsABat]

News alert: there are dead things in most natural water sources. This one
may or may not be worse, but dead critters are everywhere, and if they
aren't dead, they certainly still pooped in the water.

At Round Valley on San Jacinto (not on the PCT) there is a backcountry
ranger station with a faucet nearby. That faucet is signed saying filter the
water. Few do so, including at least some who work up there. But, the spring
source has been found to have critters in it consistently.

Last year I reported when dead things were found in water holes. The list
got long. I fear such reporting leads many to believe that if dead things
are reported, then that source has no dead things and therefore is safe to
drink untreated. Not true.

The work done at Barrel Spring, even if it traps critters, IS an
improvement. Before the work was done, the pipes would constantly clog,
causing the pipe to stop flowing. The clog was typically oak leaves, which
are high in tannin. When that happened, hikers would either go without,
filter (or not) from the trough (which unfortunately a few think is a
bathtub), or go up to the source spring, resulting in more contamination and
siltation there.
 The intro page to the water report does mention that dead critters are
found in many water sources. The sign at Barrel Springs does say to treat
the water.

On a related note, taping a paper sign to a tank or official sign about dead
critters may be ok, but writing directly on an official sign, tank, etc., is
not. That dead critter may be removed, but the ink marker will remain beyond
that.

AsABat


On Sun, Apr 4, 2010 at 12:08 AM, Eugene <atetuna at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> I think the water report will reflect this soon, but I wanted to let people
> know that Barrel Spring is still contaminated.  The whole thing is
> contaminated from the source to the pipe at the bottom.  There are 5 dead
> rodents floating in the source that are trapped due to the design of the
> "improvement" installed just before kickoff last year.  According to the
> greatest water resource in this area, Barrel Spring will remain contaminated
> until the previous improvement is fixed.
>
>
>
> As to those that installed the improvement, gratitude was expressed by the
> person I talked to, but unfortunately the help that was offered didn't work
> out as expected.  I feel the same way.
>
>
>
> Anyway, if you want to drink it, treat the water very well.
>
>
>
> Sir Mix-a-lot
>
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