A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Reservoir Embankments of Mesa Verde
Reservoir construction by early Americans at Mesa Verde from A.D. 750 to 1180 utilized embankments to create water storage impoundments. An interdisciplinary team of engineers, geologists, sedimentation experts, and archaeologists has evaluated reservoirs at Mesa Verde National Park. Excavations and test hole drilling have provided detailed reservoir cross-sections that were analyzed as to timelines, side slopes, soil gradation, and volume of storage. Spoil zones for dredged sediment were identified. Thin ash deposition layers provided field evidence of prehistoric forest fires, sandy deposits represented periods of flooding. Testing of ancient pollen told of concurrent agricultural activity in the upstream drainage basin. Six berm-building phases were distinguished using stratigraphic analyses. Failure of the inside face of a too-steeply sloped berm occurred at Morefield Reservoir in about A.D. 900, but was corrected in subsequent years. It was determined that the early Americans of Mesa Verde were successful water harvesters and reservoir builders under difficult conditions. These ancient people were good engineers with innate geotechnical knowledge.
Reservoir Embankments of Mesa Verde
Reservoir construction by early Americans at Mesa Verde from A.D. 750 to 1180 utilized embankments to create water storage impoundments. An interdisciplinary team of engineers, geologists, sedimentation experts, and archaeologists has evaluated reservoirs at Mesa Verde National Park. Excavations and test hole drilling have provided detailed reservoir cross-sections that were analyzed as to timelines, side slopes, soil gradation, and volume of storage. Spoil zones for dredged sediment were identified. Thin ash deposition layers provided field evidence of prehistoric forest fires, sandy deposits represented periods of flooding. Testing of ancient pollen told of concurrent agricultural activity in the upstream drainage basin. Six berm-building phases were distinguished using stratigraphic analyses. Failure of the inside face of a too-steeply sloped berm occurred at Morefield Reservoir in about A.D. 900, but was corrected in subsequent years. It was determined that the early Americans of Mesa Verde were successful water harvesters and reservoir builders under difficult conditions. These ancient people were good engineers with innate geotechnical knowledge.
Reservoir Embankments of Mesa Verde
Wright, Kenneth R. (author) / Pemberton, Ernest L. (author)
Biennial Geotechnical Conference 2008 ; 2008 ; Denver, Colorado, United States
GEO-Velopment ; 99-109
2008-10-28
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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