The spillway is washed out and the water is loaded up with alkali. It looks as if there is much work to do here.
Old farm buildings in the distance
No one has lived here in 30 years.
Facilities out of order
Another building in need of repair
This is a good source of barn wood. I may tear this down and make picture frames from the boards
Bunk house and main house
Bill Kohoutek working
I put Bill to work removing tumble weeds from a barbed wire fence
Canyon at the North end of the property
The Missouri river breaks start in the North end of the ranch. This canyon drains into flat creek which runs to the Missouri river.
100th birthday present
Denny's dad examining his 100th birthday present. He had a wood sign years ago which got knocked down. This new sign was a present from the family.
Another picture of the entrance gate
This gate will not be easy to knock down. The uprights are 12" dia. 3/8" wall steel pipe set in 4.5 cu yards of concrete each. The sign frame is 4" square tubing.
Hooters
This is a pair of burrowing owls which are living in an abandoned prairie dog hole.
In June of 2012 We had Jim Ayers and crew rebuild the spillway on the big
reservoir, a picture of the reservoir appears in the pictures above. A picture
of the rebuilt spillway appears below. On 8-18-2012, Ted Kronebusch and Wally
McHenry of Kronebusch Electric with help from Rachel Clark and Rusty Clark
installed an air pumping
Koenders
windmill to pump air into the reservoir to improve the water
quality and break up the thermal cline.
Unloading the windmill.
Setting up the tower.
Ted and Wally setting up tower,Rachel and Rusty measuring for placement of fence posts.
Tower up.
Installing tail feathers.
Ted and Wally putting the tail on the turbine/compressor.
Lifting the turbine/compressor.
Rusty in the tractor, Ted in the bucket, Walley on the ladder, and Rachel holding the ladder.
Installing the turbine/compressor on the tower.
Rusty in the tractor,Ted in the bucket,Wally on the ladder, and Rachel holding the ladder.
Looking for the deepest part of the reservoir.
Rachel rowing, Ted sounding, Rusty on shore.
Dropping the air stone and air line
Rachel rowing, Ted dropping a weighted bucket with the air stone in it.
Success
The windmill is turning and blowing air bubbles in the water.
A view of the new spillway and windmill.
Rusty and Rachel are building a fence around the windmill to keep deer and cattle from rubbing against it.
The first windmill on the big reservoir worked so well
cleaning the water, we decided to order another one for a smaller reservoir
where Rusty's cattle drink. July 27th 2013, Ted Kronebusch and Wally
McHenry brought the new windmill out to the ranch and with the help of Rusty,
Rachel(our water rights lawyer), and Brigette Clark plus our Grand children set up the new
windmill. All of Rusty's cattle came down to watch windmill being set up.
Our Grand children Emily and Jacob were staying with us for 10 days and had a
great time watching the windmill setup. The Grand kids helped by throwing
rocks at Ted while he was in his boat placing the air line. Ted got even
by throwing a shovel full of water on the kids.
Raising the tower.
Wally, Ted, and Rachel holding the tower. Max looking on. Rusty driving
Raising the tower.
Wally and Rachel holding the tower. Ted in the bucket. Rusty driving
Raising the tower.
Wally and Rachel holding the tower. Ted in the bucket. Rusty driving.
Digging a trench for the air line.
Rusty digging the trench, Rachel looking on.
Windmill up
Ted, Rachel,and Wally holding the tower. Rusty checking the air line trench. Emily posing.
Placing the air line.
Wally holding rope. Ted getting into the boat. Emily, Brigette, and Jacob looking on.
Filling in the trench.
Jacob and Emily filling in the air line trench.
Treats for cows.
Emily, Rusty, and Max hand out treats to some cows.
Feeding cows.
Emily tries to hand feed a cow while others look on.
Feeding cows.
Emily still trying to get a cow to take a treat out of her hand.
The following pictures were taken by Brigette Clark on the day the second
windmill was installed.