Ram Pumps

While investigating irrigation methods for vineyards a rather unique device emerged. If you remember there are 16 springs on this site. It will be important to move water around the site for many different reasons. Also if this enterprise is to be as energy efficient as possible then any method of moving water that does not involve the used of electricity is desirable.

This brought to mind the fountains at Longwood Gardens. These are completely hydraulic. In other words they operate without electricity.

Enter the RAM PUMP. This description is courtesy of the nice people at Clemson University. It includes a complete description of the components as well as how it operates and assembly. Here's another version probably from Mother Earth News.

Locating the springs and determining their flow will be the first steps. Since the efficiency of a ram pump is only about 1:8 it is hoped that some of the springs are high enough not to require this type of system although, with a bit of creativity, the additional 7 gallons could be used in different ways.