These Water-catchments are for wildlife.
From the mighty Bull-Elk all the way down to the tiny migratory songbirds.
They were and are built by the AZGFD and are for the most part maintained by same. years ago I happened upon this catchment which was totally disabled by neglect when I decided to see what 1 person ( me ) could do.
The parameter fencing ( barbed wire ) was in bad shape , but with my Texas fence fixer It was returned to good working order. The Texas gate ...had the same issues and was repaired in about 15 minutes.
The cover for the water-box had been destroyed by nature x , by cattle ( which skeletal remnants) still occupied the box , and silted about up to about 50 %
The apron was cracked up and the joints were eroded. I dug the box clean, swept the apron, and filled the cracks and joints of the slab with a thin sprinkle of high strength mortar <- a few times until it was flush .
And wet down the mortar between dusting of powdered mortar.
The sticky part,,, The only weak point, being the cover for the box. I put 2 layers of 2x12 planks nailed together with cross supports . Rain clouds were threatening so I put off finishing till the next day.
I returned to do any finishing touches.
There was a Texas gate half way to the paved Rd who's latches needed help. On the way in I repaired it and went to the catchment. It must of rained all night because When I got there the rains had completely filled the tank.
Astonished at the change , work was fulfilling and easy. I put a few more nails in the 2x12 cover when a old pickup truck stopped and a old man exited the truck, the driver approached and asked me what was I doing on his ranch? When the questioning ended He told me that it was his ranch, and the catchment had been decommissioned, and that nobody had ever done anything to repair the catchment. He added that he knew that the Texas gate toward the paved Rd had been repaired by me, as the latch had my same look as the one freshly done at the catchment .
He was greatful, polite and a bit bewildered when he asked me who my boss was as he wanted to give me credit for a job well done.
I made him speechless when I told him, I have no boss, and I did everything with my own dime and time. He shook my hand ( Nearly crushing my own ) as we know how hard ranchers work. I thanked him and he Invited me to come back any time.