Hi!
Is there a way for you to refill the lake if it gets dried up? Or can you do without the lake?
If either of that is true, you could simply drain the lake using a cave-in. This way, you don't need to risk the life of your dwarves. And you can decide how exactly to deal with the alligators (cage traps along the flow path, killing those not going down the drain using your military, for instance).
And even though it is obvious, let me remind you that grates can help a lot when designing a water-gator-separating system. Sorry, I know everyone knows, but it is easy to forget in the heat of battle.
Deathworks
The lake is fed by three rivers, but its a small lake that fits on my 5x5 embark so thats the only thing feeding it. Draining it shouldnt murder my fps too badly, and at the very least let me build some nice pointless constructions there. (the alligator problem was allready caved in on)
As for breaching lakes/oceans/river from below, theres three methods I know for that. (well four if you count suicide miners)
One: The cave-in you suggested.
Two: Breach the lakes bottom with a ramp, from a diagonal square away with a door on it. Once the miner digs his ramp he walks away, closes the door which 'crushes' any water that flows out. Have either drainage shaft or floodgates ready before doing so, obviously. Dont try this with an orthogonal square away, pressure pathing can flood your fortress very VERY quickly.
Three: only tried this with a river, but breaching the bottom with ramps from grates seems to work too. Make it so the water falls through the grates too quickly to rise to 4/7, thus allowing the miners to dig without cancelations or drowning.
Ill just be using the cave-in method though, as I still have some nice cave-in scaffolding set up.
Author
Topic: Gah alligators! (Read 1870 times)