ASCE 1193: The Water-Works and Sewerage of Monterrey, N. L., Mexico: The 4th article from the June, 1911, Volume LXXII, Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Paper No. 1193, Feb. 1, 1911.Conway, G. R. G. (George Robert Graham)
Science
ASCE 1193: The Water-Works and Sewerage of Monterrey, N. L., Mexico: The 4th article from the June, 1911, Volume LXXII, Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Paper No. 1193, Feb. 1, 1911.
Conditions at San Geronimo, which is only 6-1/2 km. west of Monterrey,
were investigated by the State Government in 1892, to determine the
depth of bed-rock, the rock on either side of the valley being shale,
with its original bedding planes standing almost vertical. To determine
this depth, borings were made by driving 2-in. tubes until it was
assumed that bed-rock had been reached, a method which, in strata
containing so many boulders, was obviously unreliable. These borings
indicated that bed-rock was from 12 to 15 m. below the surface. If these
had proved to be correct, there is no doubt that a development of the
underground water at this point, by constructing a submerged dam
combined with an infiltration gallery, would have yielded a large
supply.
In March, 1906, the Company commenced operations at San Geronimo by
sinking a well a few meters north of the then dry bed of the river.
Water was found in considerable quantities a few meters below the
surface, practically at the level of the river, that is, 570 m. above
datum. This supply was used for provisional purposes, and will be
referred to later in describing the San Geronimo gravity supply works.
Between August, 1906, and January, 1907, 4-in. bore-holes were sunk in
the river bed and on the high ground to the north with a "Keystone"
driller outfit. These borings showed bed-rock immediately under the
river bed, at a depth of from 15 to 45 m., but dipping gradually as the
borings were carried northward.
Boring operations were also carried on at Santa Catarina, during
November and December, 1906, and in January, 1907, to determine the
geological conditions, and the results are shown on Fig. 7. From the
area of water-bearing gravels found, it was proposed to tap the
underflow water at the 630-m. level by an infiltration gallery. This
would have necessitated a gravitation tunnel 3,000 m. long, and an
aqueduct of 14 km., which it was proposed to carry to one of two
distributing reservoirs at Guadalupe, on the south side of the river,
opposite Monterrey. In May, 1907, the writer, after making a study of
all the available data which had been accumulated, had additional
borings sunk farther across the valley to the north, and these revealed
a considerable area of water-bearing gravels, and proved that, in former
geological times, the Santa Catarina flowed about 500 m. north of its
present position, and to the back of Obispado Mountain, instead of
through the city. This aspect of the subject was discussed with Mr.
Schuyler, who agreed with the writer that, in the interest of economy,
it was better to tap this supply by an infiltration gallery at the
560-m. level, and bring the water thus obtained to a reservoir to be
placed at the western limits of the city, dividing the city, for
distribution purposes, into two interchangeable systems, a high- and a
low-pressure, the high-pressure system being supplied from Estanzuela,
18 km. south of the city. One advantage to be gained from this change
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