Building into an aquifer

[=M$= Oroberus]

... from below with even more aquifer levels above

I've dealt with lots of aquifer scenarios in the past and also the Steam Version but right now I'm face with a special conundrum I've not yet had to deal with, attacking an aquifer from below, while the staircase leading into the aquifer is my main stair case.

Usually, not a big deal, get into the Z-Level, mine it out a bit, wall it off, profit.

But as I tackled this, I noticed that not only the Z Level I'm going up to from below is an aquifer, the one above also is an aquifer (and the 2 above also and the level above those is already surface xD) and therefor the bloody roof starts dripping.

I already tried mining out a bunch and filling the space with walls (as walls should create a roof/a floor above but as there still is an unmined tile above, this can't happen, therefor I can't use this to seal off the aquifer levels above.

Any ideas?

No, tackling it the conventional way, going to the surface and then dig down, is not an option

[Goatseface Killah]

You can't staunch the flow of a ceiling aquifer tile, you only solution is to dig up and out of the aquifer layer and then continue smoothing and walling the rest off. You can also build a wall under a leaky ceiling to plug it up, or just seal off a portion and let the cavity fill up.

[The Trashman]

Originally posted by Goatseface Killah:

You can't staunch the flow of a ceiling aquifer tile

I recently found that mining out the area above the leak floor and smoothing it stops it leaking

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

... from below with even more aquifer levels above

I've dealt with lots of aquifer scenarios in the past and also the Steam Version but right now I'm face with a special conundrum I've not yet had to deal with, attacking an aquifer from below, while the staircase leading into the aquifer is my main stair case.

Usually, not a big deal, get into the Z-Level, mine it out a bit, wall it off, profit.

But as I tackled this, I noticed that not only the Z Level I'm going up to from below is an aquifer, the one above also is an aquifer (and the 2 above also and the level above those is already surface xD) and therefor the bloody roof starts dripping.

I already tried mining out a bunch and filling the space with walls (as walls should create a roof/a floor above but as there still is an unmined tile above, this can't happen, therefor I can't use this to seal off the aquifer levels above.

Any ideas?

No, tackling it the conventional way, going to the surface and then dig down, is not an option

What's the dimensions of your stairwell? Could you extend one stair tile up one level, then mine out the area above the rest of the stairs, smooth the whole area and cover the one tile stair with a hatch?

[=M$= Oroberus]

Originally posted by The Trashman:

Originally posted by Goatseface Killah:

You can't staunch the flow of a ceiling aquifer tile

I recently found that mining out the area above the leak floor and smoothing it stops it leaking

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

... from below with even more aquifer levels above

I've dealt with lots of aquifer scenarios in the past and also the Steam Version but right now I'm face with a special conundrum I've not yet had to deal with, attacking an aquifer from below, while the staircase leading into the aquifer is my main stair case.

Usually, not a big deal, get into the Z-Level, mine it out a bit, wall it off, profit.

But as I tackled this, I noticed that not only the Z Level I'm going up to from below is an aquifer, the one above also is an aquifer (and the 2 above also and the level above those is already surface xD) and therefor the bloody roof starts dripping.

I already tried mining out a bunch and filling the space with walls (as walls should create a roof/a floor above but as there still is an unmined tile above, this can't happen, therefor I can't use this to seal off the aquifer levels above.

Any ideas?

No, tackling it the conventional way, going to the surface and then dig down, is not an option

What's the dimensions of your stairwell? Could you extend one stair tile up one level, then mine out the area above the rest of the stairs, smooth the whole area and cover the one tile stair with a hatch?

3x3 Starfish (so east, west, north and south are solid and only 5 stairs in the 3x3 block)

Taking out the level above is indeed not possible, above the level above is a surface pond and I need such a big space in the level I was aiming for, that it's impossible to mine out and rebuild the level above before my fort is drowned xD

The plan was, going into the mountain, bridgee across a small river chasm, then dig down, extent to the side and there to build my subsurface fortress with a central stairwell. The stairwell should lead into the 2. stage farming level (the level I'm having issues with now) so I can put off going down into the caves for a bit longer.

Guess I'll have to stop going for the secure indoor farming for now and mine out my whole workshop and storage levels (3Z below farming) to have enough space to process all the drip water until I secured the highest sub surface level with hundreds of blocks of ... mhh ... some arbitrary wood

EDIT: Yes, this is a multistage fortress, I'm right in the middle of stage 2, mining out the actual subsurface fortress while still living like a filthy human somehwat above ground

[=M$= Oroberus]

Oh but then again I just could use the downflow to create an artificial farming layer below via mud instead of trying to pacify the aquifer above to build my stage 2 farming on soil ... yeah, that sounds pretty dorfy, gonna do that

[Diarmuhnd]

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

Building into an aquifer

... from below with even more aquifer levels above
...
Any ideas?

No, tackling it the conventional way, going to the surface and then dig down, is not an option

No problemo. I did that in my last fortress and it was surprisingly easy. I dug a 5 wide tunnel to the map edge for drainage. This lets all the water that starts collecting exit the map. Then I started my work upwards.

All your workers will be wet, but they will also have the mist mood buff.

Only problem I had was when to much water was leaking from above, a water depth of 3+ on the ramps will interrupt Hauling jobs from dangerous terrain. I dug a side channel to funnel water to that lower drain along those ramps to fix this issue. And of course, once higher levels of the aquifer got walled or smoothed the level of water leaking gets reduced.

I now make cheap mist generators with a short ramp and a slow leak from an aquifer in my forts early game. Later on I make fishing spots and wells and all that stuff.

Good luck, have fun

[The Trashman]

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

Originally posted by The Trashman:

I recently found that mining out the area above the leak floor and smoothing it stops it leaking




What's the dimensions of your stairwell? Could you extend one stair tile up one level, then mine out the area above the rest of the stairs, smooth the whole area and cover the one tile stair with a hatch?

3x3 Starfish (so east, west, north and south are solid and only 5 stairs in the 3x3 block)

Taking out the level above is indeed not possible, above the level above is a surface pond and I need such a big space in the level I was aiming for, that it's impossible to mine out and rebuild the level above before my fort is drowned xD

The plan was, going into the mountain, bridgee across a small river chasm, then dig down, extent to the side and there to build my subsurface fortress with a central stairwell. The stairwell should lead into the 2. stage farming level (the level I'm having issues with now) so I can put off going down into the caves for a bit longer.

Guess I'll have to stop going for the secure indoor farming for now and mine out my whole workshop and storage levels (3Z below farming) to have enough space to process all the drip water until I secured the highest sub surface level with hundreds of blocks of ... mhh ... some arbitrary wood

EDIT: Yes, this is a multistage fortress, I'm right in the middle of stage 2, mining out the actual subsurface fortress while still living like a filthy human somehwat above ground

If you're looking to get to dirt to farm, you could always set up farms deeper and flood them with water from the aquifer to create mud

Edit nvm I see you already worked that out haha

[=M$= Oroberus]

Originally posted by The Trashman:

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

3x3 Starfish (so east, west, north and south are solid and only 5 stairs in the 3x3 block)

Taking out the level above is indeed not possible, above the level above is a surface pond and I need such a big space in the level I was aiming for, that it's impossible to mine out and rebuild the level above before my fort is drowned xD

The plan was, going into the mountain, bridgee across a small river chasm, then dig down, extent to the side and there to build my subsurface fortress with a central stairwell. The stairwell should lead into the 2. stage farming level (the level I'm having issues with now) so I can put off going down into the caves for a bit longer.

Guess I'll have to stop going for the secure indoor farming for now and mine out my whole workshop and storage levels (3Z below farming) to have enough space to process all the drip water until I secured the highest sub surface level with hundreds of blocks of ... mhh ... some arbitrary wood

EDIT: Yes, this is a multistage fortress, I'm right in the middle of stage 2, mining out the actual subsurface fortress while still living like a filthy human somehwat above ground

If you're looking to get to dirt to farm, you could always set up farms deeper and flood them with water from the aquifer to create mud

Edit nvm I see you already worked that out haha

Yeah, probably be the least headachy way to get it done but completely ♥♥♥♥♥ up my workshop layer planning as neither farm plots nor farm specific workshops were incorporated in it's conception xD

[Goatseface Killah]

Ah, I didn't know you'd be drilling up into a lake, that does complicate things. at this point I'd hollow out a big basin at the foot of your stairs, then try to find a way to breach the lake such that water has to flow through a diagonal gap, that should stop your miner from getting hydraulically pressed down 50 flights of stairs. Once the lake is empty then i's business as usual, provided your lake isn't taking up half the map.

[The Trashman]

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

Originally posted by The Trashman:

If you're looking to get to dirt to farm, you could always set up farms deeper and flood them with water from the aquifer to create mud

Edit nvm I see you already worked that out haha

Yeah, probably be the least headachy way to get it done but completely ♥♥♥♥♥ up my workshop layer planning as neither farm plots nor farm specific workshops were incorporated in it's conception xD

Haha, no plan survives contact with the enemy

Any chance you could build a waterfall into your plans?

[=M$= Oroberus]

Originally posted by The Trashman:

Originally posted by =M$= Oroberus:

Yeah, probably be the least headachy way to get it done but completely ♥♥♥♥♥ up my workshop layer planning as neither farm plots nor farm specific workshops were incorporated in it's conception xD

Haha, no plan survives contact with the enemy

Any chance you could build a waterfall into your plans?

Unprobable, the idea of this fortress was some sort of Megaprojectfortress but not in the way that there will be several megaprojects but that the fortress itself will be a megaproject with some restrictions.

F.e. I can't have more then 30 dwarves before I'm done with Stage 2 (have a multilevel subsurface fortress with ready to be inhabited, levels needed: Housing, Workshop, Storage, Farming, Nobel/Tomb/Temple and HAVE to abandon ALL surface activity, including surface trade depots, logging and pasturing. The following stages will depend on other achivements and restrictions.

Therefor everything has to be mapped out right from the start and for now, I don't see a waterfall ALTHOUGH later around stage 4 or 5 (stage 6 will be: turn ALL walls into Obsidian, ALL floors into Cinebar and ALL furniture into JET ... I neither have Jet nor Cinnebar on my map xD) I might reconsider and implement a waterfall in my main stairwell (which also leads right through the middle of my tavern).

Have found an even better way btw, the level below my planned storage level also is an aquifer, so I'll just pumpstack water up to create farms, instead of risking to 'poke the ceiling' ^^