Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Get half a life.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


     

Please log in.
Before you can vote, you need to register. Please log in or create an account.

Underground Flood Meadows

Connect disused underground mines to the river system via sluice gates
  (+1)
(+1)
  [vote for,
against]

Queensland has recently experienced an increase in mining activity.

As part of the rehabilitation process once those mines are mined out, dig a connecting pipe or trench from the nearest river system, with a sluice gate to be owned by, say, the State Emergency Service. In high-rainfall conditions, open the sluice gate and divert part of the flood-water into the underground mine.

Depending on the characteristics of the country rock, the intervening drought periods (southern Queensland has just been through a seven-year drought) will see the water either seep into the surrounding water table or become available for pumping out for irrigation (or a bit of both). These are both better outcomes than evaporation or flushing out to sea.

pertinax, Jan 17 2011

[link]






       Compared to the volume of water in the floods, mines would only be able to sink a tiny amount.   

       Drilling many, many small, deep "dry" boreholes to allow water to sink into permeable strata during flooding might, however, have some benefit in containing runoff.
8th of 7, Jan 17 2011
  

       Have we done solutions involving jello? There are some polymers which will gel at very, very low concentrations. A few tons dumped in a line parallel to the river would slow the flood down impressively. It could even be flavoured.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 17 2011
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle