Monday, Jul 24, 2006
A 4-inch discharge in at Lift Station # 1 in Buckhorn Campground broke over the weekend, according to Tim Jarrell, Chief of Facilities Management at Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
Jarrell said “It couldn’t have happened in a worse place. We have had to lay back the ground to open a 13 foot hole just to get access to the lift station pipe.”
The Lift Station is the primary sewer mechanism for all of Buckhorn Campground, the park’s largest campground on Lake of The Arbuckles with 134 campsites potentially affected.
“The maintenance staff was able to use a hand vacuum unit and pump all weekend, avoiding the closure of the campground. So far we are keeping ahead of it,” Jarrell said.
“The guys have worked overtime to serve the visitors. We are looking for a replacement part and hope to have the station fully functional by this weekend,” Jarrell said.
The cause of the break is shrinkage of the ground due to the extreme dry conditions. Jarrell explained, “The earth is just drying and pulling back. When that happens the ground shifts and the lines break. The dry weather is pulling sidewalks back from buildings and affecting foundations every where”.
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