water drainage problem - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

nwksremodeler · 06-03-2009, 11:40 PM

I am not an excavation guru by any means, my specialty is remodeling, this is why I am turning to you professional excavation guys for help. I jumped into being a homeowner last October, since then we have had atleast 4 3" rains and a couple wet heavy snows that melted quickly, didn't take me long to figure out that I could turn my garage into a duck pond. The obvious point is that the garage should have been built on a steam wall or an elevated pad, but that is hind site at this point. I live in a very rural area but my parcel of ground is obvisously the low point on the quarter. I looked into making a collection point and running tile but, that seemed a bit out of budget and would require running tile well over 500 plus feet. I'm not sure the neighbors would have went for that. So thus far I have removed about 16 yds of dirt between the house and garage which solved most of the water problem, as the backfill was right up to the bottom of the siding. My rock entryway was the next problem because it was higher than my cement approach to the garage and when it rained heavily it would pond and still work into the garage. So with the aid of a tractor and ripper, a bobcat and dump truck I removed approximately 80 yds of dirt. This created grade away from my garage and sewer system, but now poses another problem as the ground becomes saturated and the water can't get away quickly. I was talking to one local and he suggested making a "dry well" basically consisting of concrete or steel culverts, set vertically and fill them with rip rap at first and finish with smaller rock at ground level. Does anyone have any experience with this type of drainage system? Would a person benifit from backfilling with sand under and around the culverts? Are there any type of calculations that can be used to determin the proper amount of draninage needed? The ground in my area is mostly good silty loam dirt with moderate drainage. Any help would be appreciated.

Vinny · 06-05-2009, 03:44 PM

The problem with dry wells is if the ground cant absorb the amount of flow of water your tossing at it, the ground will get saturated an dthe dry well will back up too. Backfilling with sand would not help.

Are you sure the garage is the only low point in the property?? Is there no way to set a catch basin and pipe it to daylight anywhere?? Even if the pipe had little or no pitch, it may work better than what you are doing.

ampman · 06-05-2009, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwksremodeler

I am not an excavation guru by any means, my specialty is remodeling, this is why I am turning to you professional excavation guys for help. I jumped into being a homeowner last October, since then we have had atleast 4 3" rains and a couple wet heavy snows that melted quickly, didn't take me long to figure out that I could turn my garage into a duck pond. The obvious point is that the garage should have been built on a steam wall or an elevated pad, but that is hind site at this point. I live in a very rural area but my parcel of ground is obvisously the low point on the quarter. I looked into making a collection point and running tile but, that seemed a bit out of budget and would require running tile well over 500 plus feet. I'm not sure the neighbors would have went for that. So thus far I have removed about 16 yds of dirt between the house and garage which solved most of the water problem, as the backfill was right up to the bottom of the siding. My rock entryway was the next problem because it was higher than my cement approach to the garage and when it rained heavily it would pond and still work into the garage. So with the aid of a tractor and ripper, a bobcat and dump truck I removed approximately 80 yds of dirt. This created grade away from my garage and sewer system, but now poses another problem as the ground becomes saturated and the water can't get away quickly. I was talking to one local and he suggested making a "dry well" basically consisting of concrete or steel culverts, set vertically and fill them with rip rap at first and finish with smaller rock at ground level. Does anyone have any experience with this type of drainage system? Would a person benifit from backfilling with sand under and around the culverts? Are there any type of calculations that can be used to determin the proper amount of draninage needed? The ground in my area is mostly good silty loam dirt with moderate drainage. Any help would be appreciated.

over 20" in one week

nwksremodeler · 06-07-2009, 08:17 PM

Ampman you misunderstood me. We have had about 20" of moisture since last October maybe but not in one week. But even at a 3" rain still leaves me with alot of ponding water.

Vinny what are you calling a catch basin, do you use a pump to get it out of the basin then? Give me a little more explanation if you would.

naptown CR · 06-07-2009, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwksremodeler

Ampman you misunderstood me. We have had about 20" of moisture since last October maybe but not in one week. But even at a 3" rain still leaves me with alot of ponding water.

Vinny what are you calling a catch basin, do you use a pump to get it out of the basin then? Give me a little more explanation if you would.

\
A catch basin is kind of like a pond. Could become a decorative feature if done right

JDavis21835 · 06-07-2009, 10:53 PM

Catch Basin
http://www.ncp-inc.com/catchbasin.shtml

Simple, water drains to it, pipes are higher than the bottom, it allows any dirt to be caught, it settles out of the water, then the water runs down the pipe. This is your best bet, you need to find someplace to take the water. Move it away, and your problem goes with. You make a dry well it just keeps the problem in the same area. I did one of these in my backyard recently. Its connected to the county storm water system. Mine doesnt really catch surface water. I ran several ads drainage tile runs, surround by stone and geo fabric to catch the water.

nwksremodeler · 06-08-2009, 10:13 PM

JDavis thanks for the suggestion. Is there any type of calculations that can be used to figure the amount of drainage needed or amount given by a purposed system? I will have to talk to the nieghboring landowners to see if someone will work with me on allowing the water to drain onto them. A person could take and use perforated drainage tile to release the water out of the catch basin as well as just running a solid pipe back out to the surface down hill from me correct?

mrmike · 06-09-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDavis21835

Catch Basin
http://www.ncp-inc.com/catchbasin.shtml

Simple, water drains to it, pipes are higher than the bottom, it allows any dirt to be caught, it settles out of the water, then the water runs down the pipe. This is your best bet, you need to find someplace to take the water. Move it away, and your problem goes with. You make a dry well it just keeps the problem in the same area. I did one of these in my backyard recently. Its connected to the county storm water system. Mine doesnt really catch surface water. I ran several ads drainage tile runs, surround by stone and geo fabric to catch the water.

I had this same problem with a detached garage a ways from my house that I used to own years ago.. It was a low spot too & there used to be a pond in front of it when we got alot of rain & it got into the garage,. Solution-I installed a catch Basin like J.Davis suggests. I dug a trench along the lenght of the garage. I put in alot of stone with preforated pipes on top leading to my catch basin & then a pipe going out of that, which was just slightly lower than the incoming line, to lower ground. problem Solved! I installed my catch basin even with the top of the ground & had a storm Grate on the top-so I had access to it................. Good Luck, Mike

mrmike · 06-09-2009, 11:26 AM

My first Reply didn't seem to go- so I clicked again & it did & ended up with a copy- How do I delete one???? Thanks

nwksremodeler · 06-11-2009, 08:43 PM

mrmike thanks for the sucess story. My biggest problem is not gathering the water into a catch basin but rather the disposal of it. It is just one great long length away to a disposal area, atleast 500' or more. That means going onto neighboring properties. Have to get the laser out and do some shooting round this weekend.

ampman · 06-12-2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwksremodeler

Ampman you misunderstood me. We have had about 20" of moisture since last October maybe but not in one week. But even at a 3" rain still leaves me with alot of ponding water.

Vinny what are you calling a catch basin, do you use a pump to get it out of the basin then? Give me a little more explanation if you would.

i was saying we had 20 " in one week so i was following this thred to see what ideas came up

mrmike · 06-12-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwksremodeler

mrmike thanks for the sucess story. My biggest problem is not gathering the water into a catch basin but rather the disposal of it. It is just one great long length away to a disposal area, atleast 500' or more. That means going onto neighboring properties. Have to get the laser out and do some shooting round this weekend.

The idea of the catch basin is like a big holding tank, that will take care of alot of your water. but yes you still have to get dispose of it from there- and since you have so far to go- why don't you just make a leachfield connected to the outflow of that Catch Basin? It would work just like a septic system..............

JDavis21835 · 06-12-2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmike

The idea of the catch basin is like a big holding tank, that will take care of alot of your water. but yes you still have to get dispose of it from there- and since you have so far to go- why don't you just make a leachfield connected to the outflow of that Catch Basin? It would work just like a septic system..............

This is not a bad idea, except for the fact that he is having issues with the ground perking that water now. With a catch basin and leachfield, you will add capacity, but you will not disperse water easily if the ground simply will not take that water.