27 February 2009Fire Protection at McDonald Observatory
A rainwater harvesting (RWH) system featuring a 20,000 gallon PIONEER GALAXY™ water tank stands ready to protect lives and important scientific infrastructure at McDonald Observatory in West Texas. The Observatory is a research unit of The University of Texas at Austin and is one of the world’s leading centers for astronomical research.
The area is vulnerable to wildfires and water is difficult to come by. The Observatory sits in the Davis Mountains at 6,500 feet elevation and relies on water pumped up the mountain from wells on nearby ranches, often miles away. There was limited water storage capacity on site, until the installation of the RWH system.
With around 18 inches of rain in the Davis Mountains each year, McDonald Observatory now harvests the rain from its parking lot and the entryway to its Visitors Center to protect the site in the event of fire.
“With a large potential catchment area, we saw a real opportunity to put rainwater to good use,” said Mr Steve Bramlett, McDonald Observatory Fire Marshal.
“It provides peace of mind to more than 75 nearby residents to know the Observatory’s RWH system stands full and ready for fire protection,” he said.
Mr Mike Mecke, recently retired Water Programs Specialist from the Texas Water Resources Institute was instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, and has highlighted its importance in the region. “This working model demonstrates both the safety and conservation benefits of RWH in West Texas, where water is scarce,” Mr Mecke said.
The future of RWH in West Texas is exciting. “With so many uses for harvested rainwater – from drinking, livestock, wildlife, agricultural, landscape to fire fighting water – the potential for extensive RWH in West Texas is tremendous,” Mr Mecke said.
For more information, call BlueScope Water on 877-389-1099 or contact us.
