Author Topic: Detecting water movement in a crevasse?  (Read 551 times)

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Offline vreihen

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Detecting water movement in a crevasse?
« on: October 20, 2021, 09:30:37 AM »
I recently purchased a five acre wooded lot, with a slight slope.  There is a ~10 foot deep crevasse in the dirt running across the area where I would like to route a driveway.  It appeared to be dry the few times that we've visited it, but I suspect that it was created by a seasonal flow or possibly heavy rains.  Before we fill it in next year, I would like to make sure that it isn't a dry creek bed.  Unfortunately, the lot is 750 miles from home, so it isn't a simple task to check it every time that there's rain.  There's also no electric or Internet access available, not even cellular.

Does anybody have an old-school suggestion for a method to detect water movement in a crevasse or dry creek bed?  I have thrown some branches and leaves into the bottom, but suspect that they could be moved by wind or undermined (not visibly moved) by a smaller water flows.....
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Offline worachj

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Re: Detecting water movement in a crevasse?
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2021, 11:43:30 AM »
Maybe a trail camera might capture any water movement. Not sure how good those are, maybe someone else could chip in.


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Offline ocala

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Re: Detecting water movement in a crevasse?
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2021, 03:05:13 PM »
I understand it's far away but when you visited it didn't you follow it to the end of your property.
Also you say it's on a slope. Does this feature run up and down or across the slope. If it runs across it could just be a geologic feature of the property. If it runs up and down the slope then it could be drainage. Also check out a elevation map of the area. If it is a drainage you might be able to discern that from the map.    Something tells me you are going to have to make another trip to investigate it further. 
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Offline CW2274

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Re: Detecting water movement in a crevasse?
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2021, 04:45:43 PM »
Perhaps a simple white post driven into the ground will leave a water mark. However, being so far away I guess that would depend how often you get there before the mark is removed.

Offline OldAlaskaGuy

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Re: Detecting water movement in a crevasse?
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2021, 10:44:23 PM »
You can purchase dry biodegradable dyes. Put it in a paper bag and weight it down with a few rocks. When you come back you can see the stains.