What's this guy doing?

[DeanWinchester]

So, on my way down the interstate to get to my gunrange, i've been seeing this set up. Probably about 6 months it's been there. What on earth?

Are they collecting spring water or sluicing for gold or what??? The part on the cliff face is an old gutter. Then it spills from one bucket to the next.

This is on the side of the interstate. Amazing no one has actually messed with it although one gutter seems to have fallen down.
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd371/Reloadingfool/water_zps659045a6.jpg

[BrassMagnet]

Rain catchment water filter.

No Preppers here! Not a chance of that!

[DeanWinchester]

On the side of the friggin interstate? Coulda picked a better place. Then again, best hidin' spot is right out in the open some times.

[RickinTN]

There are actually two of those about a mile or so apart. I've passed it a couple of times but didn't slow down enough for a good look. I"m curious as well.
Rick

[DeanWinchester]

I didn't see the second one. Hmmmm.

840 right?

[RickinTN]

Yep. As I remember they are two to four miles off of I-40 headed toward I-65. I didn't get as close a look as you did but I thought maybe they were some "rigged" way to monitor runoff from the cuts in the bluff there. I would be curious to know what they really are. I grew up with my dad being the director of construction for TDOT and traveled the interstate system all across the state as they were being built, driving on the gravel road beds before they were surfaced and watching piles being driven for many of the bridges. 840 was built long after his retirement. I've never seen anything like this before. I'll ask if he has any idea what it may be.
Rick

[9w1911]

lots of iron in that water it seems

[RickinTN]

lots of iron in that water it seems

Yes there is. It's located in a region of the state known for it's iron furnaces because the stone is so iron rich.
Rick

[mold maker]

Near where I live, there is a pipe driven into a crack in the solid rock bank. It has a pencil sized stream running from it all the time. There is an old aluminum dipper hanging on on the pipe. While I wouldn't use the dipper, I have tasted the water, and its refreshing in the middle of the afternoon.

[DeanWinchester]

Maybe the guy has a leaky radiator, barely gets by financially and this is his half way point to work. :bigsmyl2:

[Col4570]

:takinWiz:Somebody has gone to the trouble of putting it there Stand and all.I first thought it might be a bit of quirky ART.It could be a Water sampling point.Just Guessing.[smilie=w:

[Janoosh]

Ok....I gotta say it.... "Mineral Water"...??

[waksupi]

I know of three similar in this area used for collecting water.

[fryboy]

out here on the god forsaken open plains they make what they call an dew condenser to water the wild game bird populations ( or anything else that needs a drink )

[quilbilly]

Wonder if it would make tasty shine with a little corn squeezings?

[dagger dog]

That is at best ground water run off and I wouldn't drink it unless there was no other.

Those "springs" along the highway cuts are caused by blasting the cuts, rain water runs through those cracks carrying all types of surface contaminants, it doesn't follow the regular path through the many layers of soil, subsoil, and rock strata needed to "purify".

[rking22]

I saw them also. Being a curious sort ,I almost stopped to check out the second one! Hard to tell very much blowing by at 75:) I decided it was a sampling point for runnoff, probably a school project . But then that's guessing, might be for some squeezins!
On the pipe into the bluf, there's one about 5 miles from home , been there for many many years, my Grandfather used to water minnows there ,and he passed in early 1950s. Tastes great, is actually spring water, bluff is natural, never shot.

[wv109323]

It looks like an attempt to collect the natural iron pyrite. I don't know why. This is naturally occurring and sometimes comes to the surface. It is much more exposed when the earth is disturbed. In WV with the surface mining it is very common. Before the water can be released into the streams it must be treated or allowed to settle out. It may be someone's attempt to collect the Iron Pyrite before it runs into a local stream. This is pretty toxic for stream wildlife.

[JWFilips]

Maybe Reversing the Alchemist dream... getting lead from Gold!;)

[Rick N Bama]

Got a mile marker? We sometimes take 840 to skirt around Nashville on our trips to Kentucky, however we normally leave 840 at Hwy 109.

If that was in Alabama the State would have taken it down & fenced it off putting up a "No Parking Allowed" sign. It happened down in Blount County where people would stop to drink from a Spring pouring out the side of a Rock Face.

[rking22]

don't know mm but just west of US31 to Spring Hill

[BrassMagnet]

It looks like an attempt to collect the natural iron pyrite. I don't know why. This is naturally occurring and sometimes comes to the surface. It is much more exposed when the earth is disturbed. In WV with the surface mining it is very common. Before the water can be released into the streams it must be treated or allowed to settle out. It may be someone's attempt to collect the Iron Pyrite before it runs into a local stream. This is pretty toxic for stream wildlife.

A sand filter will filter out almost everything. That sure makes it a good pre-filter. Cheap, too!