Ranch Project Update: Uncle Gerry

Captain’s Log Star Date: 10/25/2010)

The Clark Ranch update: Very busy and productive last three weekends. The brush pile burning has been completed as of Sat, Oct. 23^rd 5:34 Pm. Ben and Gerry worked together to complete the task. Please have a drink of your favorite beverage and toast the event. I will be contacting our forester to let him know we are ready for his inspection of the work. Ben and Gerry were completing the burning of the piles. Patrick was hard at work around the cabins. He cleaned both the cabins, mowed the lawn, cleaned the yard and chopped and stacked firewood.

Friday the 23^rd, The Engineering firm River Design Group from White Fish came to spot check the elevation survey. They had completed an Arial Air Light Elevation map of the stream restoration area. This construction work for the stream restoration will begin some time late summer 2011. I will keep you posted on the progress and the board will review the final concept plans before the work will start. They will however start putting funds into the Ranch account to cover the startup costs for the project. No, these funds are not to buy beer and whisky. They have to be paid out to invoices for the project such as the Engineering and materials. They will also be purchasing 6,000 worth of fencing materials. Some of the fence I just completed will need to be moved and things will be moved around to provide a protected area around the project. A special large culvert will be placed at the bottom of hill behind the cabins and this will be the route of the stream bed, and also provide the crossing into the lower meadow. A pipe will be buried in the old existing stream bed, and then will be covered at the same time that stream bed is covered up and reclaimed. This pipe will be pressurized from the drop in elevation, and flow to a stock tank in the lower meadow. This will provide water for stock since they will be fenced away from the stream. The placement of an off steam pond is still in the works and no designs are on paper of the project as a whole at this time.

What is next: get some money and fix the Dozer? Maybe.

Pat, Ben and Gerry will be starting a clean up project around the buildings the next few weekends.

Like usual, if you have questions please feel free to contact me anytime.

Your faithful servant , Uncle Gerry