Lagoon #157 Update

11:30AM - The excavator was working on the south slope of the embankment. Two laborers were talking to whom I believe is a T&H engineer. Both pumps are "off". Last nights rain contributed a lot more water to the lagoon.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:40AM- Both pumps are "off". Excavator is working on the west and south embankments. The attached photos kind of make me wonder what all the concern, and subsequent hassle, was about getting this lagoon drained-down before the excavation could proceed beyond the 1st day.

The dump truck had just delivered another load of soil to the site.

4;10PM - Both pumps are "off". No activity at this time. It looks like the rough grading of the west bank is completed, and the south bank is well underway.

lagoon #154 Update

3:45PM - I've been informed by one of our consultants that the control structure for this lagoon is a bubbler box on the southwest side of French Garden Lane. However, there is no evidence of any modifications to the weir, which is supposed to be raised 0.2 feet (2.4 inches), at this time.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:55AM - The excavator operator was "fired-up" and the operator was waiting for a load of soil to be delivered (it was late). With luck, he'll complete the soil distribution and rough grading today. There's still a lot of water in the lagoon from the recent rain. Both pumps were "off"

11:30 AM - It was reported that the excavator is at work, soil is being delivered, and T&H engineers are currently at the site.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:45AM- Both pumps are "off"". The excavator was removed from the site sometime yesterday morning. No other activity at this time.

3:45PM- The excavator is back. They did distribute some soil on the south side of the embankment (Col T Heyward side) since this morning. Yesterday's heavy rain added more water to the lagoon. Both pumps are "off". No activity at this time.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:40AM- Apparently the excavator had some problems. There were two workmen that appeared to be mechanics working on it. Both pumps were "off" and there was no other activity at this time. There seems to be a little more water in the lagoon than there was on Friday.

Lagoon #150 Update

8:40AM- Although work on this lagoon appears to be completed, I don't know if the work to raise the control structure to elevation 12.2 ft was completed. In fact, I don't see any control structure in this lagoon. It must be pretty well hidden (either that or I'm going blind).

Lagoon #154 Update.

8:55AM- The ladder is still there and the safety grating is still leaning against the side of the control structure. The slow leak(s) continue.

Lagoon #157 Update

11:30AM- The pumps are "off". They've spread the soil that was dumped at the site yesterday on the east side of the embankment, closest to Col T Heyward. I estimate that it covered about 40-to-50 ft of the embankment. Nothing else appears to have been done.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:55AM- Pumps "off", no other activity at this time. It looks like they are beginning to dump some soil at the site to be used for rebuilding the rest of the embankment. They did use some of the lagoon bottom soil for the embankment work completed to date. It apparently was good enough to use. However, the rest of the lagoon soil was apparently too sandy and/or muddy to continue using; hence, the new soil. Hopefully, this lagoon will be completed soon.

Lagoon #150 Update

9:00AM- The work on this lagoon appears to be completed. The opening in the shrubbery along the Bishop St side has been replanted, the new sod is down, and the new sprinkler system is working and seems to have good coverage of the sod in the common areas. Once the lagoon has filled with water, it should look very nice.

Lagoon #154 Update

9:05AM- Although a ladder is still at the site, repairing the control structure appears to be completed(?). However, the joint between the top of the old structure and the bottom of the addition to the structure appears to be leaking in a couple of places already. The dark areas just below the light colored cement in the top two photos show the leaking areas. Who knows how long it will be before these leaks become larger and "we're back to square one" with a lagoon that won't hold it's designed water level? This work either doesn't agree with the rework process that was explained to the Phase 5 Lagoon Committee and the Neighbor Representatives back in March/April or Pulte needs to find a better contractor. The grating also needs to be put back on top of the structure.

Lagoon #157 Update

10:50AM- Both pumps were "on" and the lagoon seems pretty well drained at this time. Unfortunately, many leaks in the pumping system are still allowing a discharge of turbid/silt-laden water into the wetlands. Pulte has been apprised of this issue but apparently disagree that it is a violation of DHEC regulations.

Lagoon #150 Update

11:00AM- it looks like most, if not all, of the resodding has been completed. The focus of the work crew at this time appeared to be on replanting the shrubs that had been removed to enable the heavy equipment access to the lagoon.

Lagoon #157 Update

2:30PM - I noticed that, because of leaks in the hoses and also at the hose-end couplings, turbid/silt-laden water was being discharged into the nearest curb inlet just west of L-157 . This curb inlet discharges directly into the wetland area and the flow of this pumped water was clearly evident in the wetland area just across the street from the curb inlet. The water was flowing along the curbing into the curb inlet from the leaks on both sides of it (east and west). The current two-pump set-up was configured to avoid discharging the water into this particular curb inlet! As stated in a previous updats (7/16/ & 7/17), it is against DHEC regulations to discharge turbid/silt-laden water directly into wetlands.

Lagoon #154 Update

8:55AM- No activity at this time.

Lagoon #150 Update

8:50AM- There were 16 workers resodding the north side of the embankment. They were working at a good "clip". I did notice that the "boss man" was also there.
They also had completed the resodding between #5 & #7 French Garden Ln and also the west embankment.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:40AM- A second Pump has been installed at the NW corner of Col. T. Heyward and Landing Lane. It's intake hose is in a curb inlet across the street from the curb inlet that the 1st pump is discharging into. Apparently the two curb inlets are connected since the 2nd pump is re-pumping the discharge from the 1st pump into a 3rd curb inlet about 100 yards further up Col. T. Heyward (west of Landing Ln). The 3rd curb inlet then discharges the water from L-157 into L-235, which is on the south side of Col. T. Heyward. I hope this solution works so they can get on with completing the L-157 work.

Lagoon #150 Update

8:45AM- Twelve laborers supposedly doing some final grading of the embankment. Whatever they are being paid they are not worth it (after many observations of their productivity)!
They had also removed the soil near the culvert pipe in front of the Moore's home (as previously requested by the Moore's and approved by Pulte).
11:00 AM- New sod had been delivered and they were just beginning to put the new sod down on the west embankment.

Lagoon #157 Update

9:00Am- No sign of any activity.
11:00 Am- No sign of any activity.

Lagoon #154 Update

8:40AM- It looks like the repair to the control structure may have been completed yesterday. However, IMHO, it doesn't look like a 1st class job to me and, from what I could tell, it surely doesn't seem to correlate to what we were told by Pulte how it would be done:
1. A groove would be cut in the top of the existing structure to allow for sealing material to be applied between it and the addition to the structure, thereby creating a leakproof seal between the existing structure and the addition made to it.
2. For any addition over two bricks high, a form would be built for controlling the addition of new cement to the existing structure.
My observations: the addition is more than two bricks high. The new cement is very rough and it's hard to believe it was applied using forms. The top of the cement is already cracking.
I also noticed a very small leak on the inside of the structure. Was the groove cut and sealing material applied between the old and new cement? How long will it be before the small leak become a major leak?

Lagoon #157 Update

8:30AM- No sign of any activity. The site remains the same as it has been for several days now. Makes one wonder what exactly is going on?

Lagoon #150

8:35AM - There are 10 laborers that look like they are supposed to be doing some finish grading. They don't appear to be working too hard.

lagoon #157 Update

10:45AM- Pump is "off". No sign of any activity at this time. The site looks exactly the same as it did yesterday.

lagoon#150 Update

10:45AM- No sign of any acyivity at this time. It looks like they may have done a little more grading work with the backhoe late yesterday.

Lagoon #150 Update

8:50AM- No activity so far today. It looks like the backhoe had done some small amount of leveling of the embankment soil since my last visit yesterday.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:45AM- Pump is "off". No activity at this time. The pump's output hose is still routed to the curb inlet at the corner of Col. T. Heyward and Landing lane. As mentioned yesterday, this curb inlet drains into wetlands. Silt-laden or turbid water cannot be legally pumped into wetland areas.

Lagoon#154

11:32AM- Pulte has said that their engineers have confirmed the control structure is leaking. Pulte has committed to repair it by Friday 7/24.
(reference Email from Allison Tucker to Jim Lee, et.al. at 10:32AM today)

Lagoon#157 Update

10:30AM- No activity at this time. The hole that was dug on 7/14 as a possible solution to the silt-laden water problem has been filled-in.
4:00PM - Pump is "off" no activity at this time. It was reported that at about 1:00 PM a worker arrived and (conveniently?) decided to shut off the pump that was intentionally discharging turbid water into curb inlet that drained into the wetland area at the corner of Col. T. Heyward and Landing Lane. I don't know if Pulte sanctioned this pumping or not. However, if anyone ever sees water, especially turbid/silt laden water) being pumped into a curb inlet or directly into a wetland area, please notify your Neighborhood Rep. and/or a member of the Phase 5 Lagoon Committee immediately.

Lagoon #150 Update

10:35AM- No activity. No obvious change since yesterday.
4:10PM - Excavator has been removed. It had been used to replace and/or extend the inlet pipe at the northeast corner of the lagoon. No activity at this time.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:45AM- Apparently yesterday's solution to the silt-laden water problem didn't work as planned so today they dug a hole near the pumping area, added gravel to the bottom of the hole, then added the pump's intake hose (wrapped in the filter cloth), then added more gravel on top of that. The excavator then dug away one side of the embankment surrounding the hole so that sufficient water could enter to then be pumped out relatively silt-free. I guess they are expecting the gravel to filter the silt. I wonder how long it will take for the silt to clog the gravel pit?

4:30PM- Pump is "off". No other activity. I can't tell if the latest "solution" worked or not.

Lagoon #150 Update

9:00AM- They now have an excavator and the small backhoe at the site. While I was there they dropped a load of gravel on the north side of the embankment (Bishop Street side) and left. I wonder what the gravel is for? No other activity at this time.

4:35PM -No sign of any activity. Large excavator and small backhoe are still on site.

Lagoon#157 Update

10:00AM- There were 4 PBG workers and a PBG supervisor working on a solution to the silt-laden water problem. They had dug a hole about 12-to-15ft long by 6ft wide by 6ft deep and had placed the filter bag in the bottom of the hole. Two PVC pipes were placed just below the top of the hole to enable surface water to be discharged into the wetland. It looks like the plan is to use the hole as a secondary filter , enabling any silt-laden water that doesn't get entrapped by the filter bag to settle to the bottom of the hole. The (hopefully) clearer surface water will get discharged into the wetland via the two pipes. They had also placed filter fabric over the inlet side of the two pipes as an additional filter. They did a trial run while I was there but didn't seem happy with the results. When I left they were still tweaking the set-up. It will be interesting to see how well this works. I'm sure DHEC doesn't want silt-laden water discharged into wetland areas.

2:40PM- Pump is "off". No other activity. Apparently the solution mentioned above didn't quite work as well as expected. A load of gravel has been dropped off at the site.

Lagoon #150 Update

10:25AM- There were 8 landscapers manually finish-grading the embankment. I learned that they had attempted to use 2 Bobcats for this last week but that the Bobcats got stuck in the soil. The Bobcats had to be towed out. They apparently decided to use manual labor to do the work.

2:45PM - A small backhoe has been dropped off at the site. No other activity at this time.

Lagoon #150 Update

8:55AM- No sign of any activity at this time.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:50 AM- Two workers on site. They appear to be waiting for someone (perhaps they are "Waiting For Godot"). Pump is "off", excavator is idle. There is a lot more water in the lagoon.
3:00PM - No activity at this lagoon so far today. The excavator operator was on site for awhile and he said that the large amount of silt in the soil was the reason for the delay. The silt is clogging the filter bag and preventing them from draining the lagoon. He mentioned that Todd Doupona is trying too come up with a solution. The operator ( a PBG employee) expressed frustration at the delay, since he has many more lagoons to dredge.

Lagoon #150 Update

8:45AM- No activity at this time.
4:05PM- No activity at this time. No evidence of any work done on this lagoon today.

Note- French Garden Lane and Botanica Court have not had a Street Representative for a while now, so Donna Williams has volunteered to be the Acting Street Representative until a resident from one of those streets "steps up" to fill the vacancy. If interested in volunteering to help keep your neighbors informed, please contact Don Alexa, the Murray Hill representative on the NRC (Neighborhood Representative Council).

Lagoon #157 Update

8:40AM - Pump is "off". No other activity.
4:00PM - Pump is "off". No evidence of work done on this lagoon today.

Lagoon #150 Update

10:45AM - No activity at this time. It looks like they've completed preparing the soil between #5 & #7 French garden Lane in preparation for re-sodding.

Lagoon #157 Update

10:40AM- The pump is "on" but pumping mostly silt. Heavy rain has added more water to the lagoon but there isn't much output from the pump. It possible that the intake hose is mostly buried in mud. No other activity in progress.

Lagoon #157 Update

9:00AM- Rebuilding of the embankment continues. Worker had built a small barrier across the center of the lagoon (north-to-south) and was using the excavator bucket to remove remaining water in the east side of the barrier to the west side. The pump was "on" and pumping silt-laden water. There was no "feedback loop" into the lagoon.

Lagoon #157 Update

2:30PM- Rebuilding of the embankment has begun. PBG is currently working on the far side (NE corner). A 2nd PBG worker was removing the Bobcat away from the site. A T&H engineer was also on site. He briefly explained the compaction process to me and TJD. The pump was "on" but about 50% of the water being pumped was going back into the lagoon. However, the lagoon is pretty well drained-down at this time. The attached photo was taken at about 2:30 PM today

Lagoon #150 Update

8:40 AM - There were 10 workers removing the sod between #5 & #7 French Garden Lane that was damaged by construction vehicles, and preparing the soil in preparation for re-sodding.

Lagoon #157 Update

8:30 AM Equipment is still on site but no activity yet. The filter bag is set up again so they must plan on doing more pumping, even the lagoon depth seems very low. Supposedly there's a deep hole in the middle somewhere that may contain some large bass.
4:00PM Update- The pump was on and the water is very low. About 20% of the water is being drained back to the lagoon, but even with the "feedback loop" the pump seems to have no problem draining the lagoon. About 1/2 the lagoon bottom is already visable through the shallow water.
Two workers were at the site for a brief time. One of them told me that they planned to drain down the lagoon as much as possible since they needed to get to the center of the lagoon. They plan to start rebuilding the embankment sometime this week. Both workers left shortly after I arrived.

Lagoon #157 Update

at 8:40AM The water is very low. The filter bag (deflated) and traffic cones have been moved to the side of the road. Apparently pumping has been completed. A Caterpillar Bobcat has been added to the site. Estate Management has their fish holding tanks on site. There are no fish in them yet. Filter fabric has been set up along the wetland edge boundary.

Lagoon #157 Update

at 8:40AM The pump was "on". Water level is down considerably since yesterday. The filter bag is only partially expanded (approx. 1/3 to 1/2). I can't tell if they were able to "dial down" the pump flow volume and/or the intake is partially buried in the mud. They also added some boards near the filter bag to prevent water flowing back into the same lagoon. It seems to be reasonably effective, as a lot less water is being fed back into L-157. The excavator is still on site and two days ago they had added the skid mats (large timbers connected together to form a mat to assist the excavation process).

Lagoon #157 Update

at 8:30AM The pump is not operating (it is turned "off", as opposed to being out of gas). An excavator is now on site. The water level is down approx. 18"-24" since when they started pumping yesterday.

At 5:00PM today the pump is "on" and the filter bag is expanded. I don't know if the filter bag is working properly or not; however, approximately 1/2 of the water being pumped from the lagoon is being routed back into the lagoon (a "closed loop" system) via the curb inlet that is west of the filter bag.

Lagoon #150 Update

at 8:40AM All equipment has been removed from this site. The last excavator was on the truck.