Tag: Post-1900’s

CSO / SSO #72 | Widowmaker’s Purge |




Behold the infamous “SSO #72”, the systems most loathesome of all of Baltimore Sewer Systems purge points. It’s the sewers and residents of Baltimore city’s North East corridor, second chance and hope, during times of heavy precipitation.




It was cutting edge at its time and for the time being still serves its purpose well. It sits approximately 200 meters deep inside of the Jenkins Run Drain. Left hand side, not long after the first accessible manhole portal that sits on the right. The flap valve resembles the other observed CSO/SSO discharge points in system, that have this sort of flap valve. Exactly as you see it. The brilliant and strategic design choosing the Jenkins Runs drain to bleed itself. Ultimately, the perfect interceptor to do this job. Already built to accommodate a high volume of discharge, figuratively speaking, Jenkins Run really is like the I-83 of sanitary sewerage, quick release, straight shot into the Underground Jones Falls River.

Oh the news, the press that CSO/SSO #72 receives. Its practically famous. However, after a visual inspection of Outfall No. 72 at 428 East Preston Street, one cannot place blame on it for all the building problems they are having over there. There are reports of cracks showing up on the walls of buildings, lamp post settling straight down into the ground. Well its not Outfall / SSO / CSO #72 thats causing this. Its the settleing of the earth that was never there in the first. That is when the Jones Falls River was engineered to make a sharp bend south and that whole area was back filled with dirt. At any rate, focusing on another gripe of Outfall #72 and that is the discharge of sanitary sewage into the river. Its well known that accumulations of sewage into entities of water does not phase well for life but sometimes rising to the top means taking risks. And that’s exactly what happened through 1904-1912. The city laid the most advanced sewage system of its day. The inherit risk being, the lack of funding and budget to undertake the same sort of advanced momentum that the city once had but during the 20th century.

  • CSO/SSO with the highest volume (>4,000,000 gallons) of underground discharges (ref 1.)
  • CSO/SSO with the highest duration (>600 minutes) of underground discharges (ref 1).

If she opens when your downstream coming up, your in a heap of trouble. If she releases and while your still north of her coming back out, your finding another way out or going to be holed up a while.

Judging by the size of the iron pipe, it most likely discharges at pressure. Slamming against the tunnels wall that sits 12 feet away. The outer iron pipe is approximately 30cm (12 inches) and while peering inside a smaller iron pipe is met approximately 15cm (6 inches) in diameter.

Image is copywrited. Full resolution image available by request and/or persmissions.

Reference:
1) https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/cso-sso-notifications

The Original JF Conduits | Final Flume Chamber

last-chamber-jones-falls-conduit-panoramic
Partial view of the Final Chamber looking south. The daily flow of the river is diverted into a flume (on the left hand side) at velocity. The other 3 flood stage conduits, sit considerably higher.

2000 meters deep within this system ,far from the rivers infall, so cut off from the outside world above. Lies a large magnificent chamber with brick laden floors, walls constructred with Portland poured concrete .  These original JF tunnel conduits were designed to “run under pressure”, with a capacity of 16,750 cubic foot per second (cfs) (ref.a) In here lies a majestic timeless jewel , buried in dark layers of clay, sand and soil. Wrapped in concrete and Baltimore Brick base. A beautiful preserved time capsule of classical 1900’s sewerworks.  Chief Engineer Hendrickson’s ultimate showmanship.

It is here that the conduits now split into 4 conduits. These are the actual Jones Falls Conduits in which the entire system is pseudonymously referred to as. The chamber hosts a number of features to be mentioned. The Guildford Avenue diversion tunnel brick floor widens to form a broad stage like floor, a masonry masterpiece. A true demonstration of utilizing Baltimore’s deep red Bricks in a subterranean art form. The eastern conduit is responsible for handling the Jones Falls river daily dry weather flow via a high velocity flume. The river drops 1.8 meters (6ft) into a flume and is ultimately compressed as it narrows(ref.a). The other 3 celled flood stage conduits actually sit much at a greater height. The floor grades up to an incline. As stated previously the brick resembles a large uphill stage, a large amount of surface area can be appreciated. Two of the three conduits are 518cm x 518cm (17ftx17ft) with the far western conduit sizing in at 243cm x 442cm (8ft x 14.5ft)(ref.a) On the western wall sits a modern day aluminum ladder that has succumb to maybe a decade of floods. Evidenced by its bent and mangled state, simply sheered off near 20 feet up. Offering no real use or service for descent or escape. Now only acting as a gear hanger. Just as you enter the flume chamber a massive iron flap valve is recessed into the eastern wall. It is thought with some certainty that this is the Old Hillen Street sewer or Old Hillen Street combined sewer overflow valve. Apparently the flap itself has succumb to vicious currents and is ripped from its mounting points (much resembling the iron valve flaps seen in Jenkins Run Storm Sewer Tunnel )

final-flume-panorama
View looking north, some 2500 meters from the entrance.


References:
a.)I-83 Construction from Gay St to Fleet St at President St, Baltimore: Environmental Impact Statement , 1979

Jones Falls Conduit System
Jones Falls River Infall Stage
JFX Intake/Infall Tunnels
JFX Triple Barrel Junction Chamber
JFX Diversion Tunnels
Guilford Avenue Junction Chamber
Old Guilford Avenue Diversion Tunnel
The Original JF Conduits Proper


Many of the environments & areas presented on this website are hazardous, and were only entered on the basis of extensive training, experience and planning. Do not try to access these sites / tunnels / storm sewers , they should not be trifled with.   The intent of these pages are to provide historical documentation.  An explorer already risked their life, so that you can explore virtually from home… so stay safe, and stay away! Consider this neither a disclaimer, nor a recommendation.

Edit History //
Article Generation – Nov 26, 2016
Photos added – December 12, 2016

Hendrick’s Folly : Old Guilford Avenue Diversion Tunnel



Jones Falls Conduit Old tunnel


After leaving the Goliath Chamber : Junction Chamber II , the explorer enters into an ancient like vestibule, only seen by few.  A passage into another outset, a unseen threshold of buried time . It is as symbolic as it is literal. Because at this point of the journey, you have crossed into the original, old Guilford Avenue Diversion Tunnel.

Upon entering Hendricks Folly, the air quality almost immediately changes. Almost like 2 distinct different atmospheres or gradients. Pockets of old, un-circulated air back in there. The explorer would push forward with much caution, as the air becomes thick, heavy and humidity laden. The explorer is concerned about this. It is assessed to be old air, stagnant air. The explorer continues to carefully assess the conditions. The mission could be aborted at any time. The density of the air in this section is evident when using flash photography.
jf conduit old hendricksProceeding forward, the tunnel landscape takes a drastic change. The floor is convex and brick laden, laid hundreds of years ago. For the first time, the explorer is one with the river. They walk in the river and not separate from it like the previous sections. The brick floor, is extremely slippery and the explorer ends up embracing the river, walking straight down the center. There is too much risk and energy expended by attempting to creep the sides of the sewer. The explorer finds that convex shape of the floor coupled with the ultra slick surface is difficult to remain up right. Water is leaking from the ceilings but the drops go unheard over the resonance of the rivers hum.

 

 

“The heading of the tunnel,under Guilford avenue, has been extended from the entrance of the retaining wall between Biddle and Chase streets to a point 25o feet beyond Preston street a total distance of 8oo feet” (ref. 1)

Jones Falls Conduit tunnel 3

JF Conduit

Approximately 100 meters deep inside this section, there is a massive storm drain outfall that draining a number of large buried streams into the diversion tunnel. It is always pushing out a high volume of air. A drain within a drain. The internal outfall tube is concrete with a brick laden bottom . After some research, it is concluded that this is “Jenkins Run”. Which means this massive tunnel leads into another network of century old storm sewers. In fact, as of 1909, it was draining 900 acres of area. Another excerpt from the Sewerage Commission of Baltimore City Report dated 1912 page 12 states:

“The heading of the Jenkins tunnel has been extended through to meet the large tunnel a distance of 430 feet The rock excavated from this tunnel is being crushed and used to form the concrete conduits in the bed of the Falls below Preston street”.

Jenkins Run Storm Sewer – AVOID remains with us and reminds us of the ideal plan of action.

10 foot outfall storm sewer

approaching jenkins run

Approaching the Outfall of Jenkins Run (left side) heading south.
As soon as the explorer navigates past this massive outflow,  a strong wind is pressing on their back. Again, this is a comfort to the explorer. In contrast with the previous stagnant air pocket, this fast moving stream of air enables further penetration.  Travel past this point continues to prove slow and strenuous. The sides of the tunnel remain convexed and angled upward. What feels like an eternity, the tunnel continues straight forward. Eventually, a slight bearing to the left is noted which obscures an possibility to assess what lies ahead. The tunnel wind begins to fade. After some time, the distant sound of rushing water is heard. The explorer is apprehensive in what lies ahead as the LED’s of the explorers lamps are only piercing the darkness so far. The tunnel finally straightens out again. The explorer finds themselves in the precursors of the Original Jones Falls Conduit…Jonesy’s Last and Final Run.

Jones Falls Conduit System
Jones Falls River Infall Stage
JFX Intake/Infall Tunnels
JFX Triple Barrel Junction Chamber
JFX Diversion Tunnels
Guilford Avenue Junction Chamber
Old Guilford Avenue Diversion Tunnel
The Original JF Conduits Proper

References:

(ref.1) Annual Report of the Sewerage Commission of Baltimore City, 1913 , page 12

Many of the environments & areas presented on this website are hazardous, and were only entered on the basis of extensive training, experience and planning. Do not try to access these sites / tunnels / storm sewers , they should not be trifled with.   The intent of these pages are to provide historical documentation.  An explorer already risked their life, so that you can explore virtually from home… so stay safe, and stay away! Consider this neither a disclaimer, nor a recommendation.