jacobsdaddy06
Bronze Member
I was wondering If anyone out there has found a way to help with water standing during the spring in low areas of your property, and what have you done to remedy the problem? Thanks
Low areas that stay wet in spring
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dave1949
Super Star Member
That's a pretty wide open question. I guess a lot depends on what you have to work with in the surrounding terrain and what your goal is in drying it out.
Maybe all you need is a surface drainage swale to lead the water away, if you have slope to work with. You might make a pond there if it is wet enough and draining a large area. Watch out for wetlands DEP regs.
To answer your question directly, I had a wet area close to my buildings, too close for bugs, that I put a pond in the low end of, and had the upper end smoothed with a bulldozer. We made a small ditch along the lowest side of that area that carries water to the pond.
It wasn't exactly the most environmentally friendly thing to do, but I did it. The area was full of rocks and what are called "cradles and pillows" that are formed when large trees blow over and get their roots upended. The cradles would hold water til late summer. It was such a rough, wet and rocky area that it had never been cleared for pasture back when in the 1850-1900 period, they just worked around it.
Maybe all you need is a surface drainage swale to lead the water away, if you have slope to work with. You might make a pond there if it is wet enough and draining a large area. Watch out for wetlands DEP regs.
To answer your question directly, I had a wet area close to my buildings, too close for bugs, that I put a pond in the low end of, and had the upper end smoothed with a bulldozer. We made a small ditch along the lowest side of that area that carries water to the pond.
It wasn't exactly the most environmentally friendly thing to do, but I did it. The area was full of rocks and what are called "cradles and pillows" that are formed when large trees blow over and get their roots upended. The cradles would hold water til late summer. It was such a rough, wet and rocky area that it had never been cleared for pasture back when in the 1850-1900 period, they just worked around it.
savageactor7
Platinum Member
We live in such a low area and over the years I've dug 2 ponds and dug a lot of swale holes that drain away.
The swale holes are probably the easiest to do; you can do them with a plow or back blade them with a FEL.
I'd have to say I'm happy with what the drainage improvements did...things are so much better now. I'm thinking we have about 3,000 ft of assorted swale holes that were done over time , 25 years or so.
<---- just happened to remember my avatar was taken from a one of our larger swale hole projects. Removed over a 100 trees over 3 years threw a swamp. Then back-bladeed a meandering swale-hole around the stumps to drain it so heavy equipment could clean out and dress it up so I could get a brush hog in them every 4 years or so to knock out the brush.
The swale holes are probably the easiest to do; you can do them with a plow or back blade them with a FEL.
I'd have to say I'm happy with what the drainage improvements did...things are so much better now. I'm thinking we have about 3,000 ft of assorted swale holes that were done over time , 25 years or so.
<---- just happened to remember my avatar was taken from a one of our larger swale hole projects. Removed over a 100 trees over 3 years threw a swamp. Then back-bladeed a meandering swale-hole around the stumps to drain it so heavy equipment could clean out and dress it up so I could get a brush hog in them every 4 years or so to knock out the brush.
boggen
Elite Member
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pictures, dimensions, angle of hills around, other lower spots possible to drain water to? 1000's of ways to go about it. but the open question ya gave just not enough to go on.
gwdixon
Elite Member
If I understand what a "swale hole" is then that is a good method for concentrating water in a place where drainage away is not possible.
In the California Delta this is accomplished by deep and fairly wide (8 ft. or so) ditches around producing fields. The water drains into the ditches and just sits there until it soaks in or evaporates.
A backhoe or excavator would be a good tool for building these. The ones in the delta are cleaned out of tules and cattails with an excavator every couple of years.
The result is that the water is still there but it is concentrated in a waste area while leaving the rest of the field dry and workable.
In the California Delta this is accomplished by deep and fairly wide (8 ft. or so) ditches around producing fields. The water drains into the ditches and just sits there until it soaks in or evaporates.
A backhoe or excavator would be a good tool for building these. The ones in the delta are cleaned out of tules and cattails with an excavator every couple of years.
The result is that the water is still there but it is concentrated in a waste area while leaving the rest of the field dry and workable.
OP
jacobsdaddy06
Bronze Member
below pond is where it holds, between pond and the road ditch, and towards the right to the driveway, so i guess its kinda flat and a bowl like area, thanks for all the responses
Cat_Driver
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A trick they've used around here is drill a deep hole with a well driller, maybe 8" round. Then fill the hole with gravel to near the top then finish the hole with some sand.
They recreate a drain. The water flows to the hole then drains down through the gravel bypassing what ever clay is holding the water.
They recreate a drain. The water flows to the hole then drains down through the gravel bypassing what ever clay is holding the water.
savageactor7
Platinum Member
jacobsdaddy if the road ditch drains out then I would back-blade in a gentle slope-ing shallow swale hole to the road ditch. btw you can black blade if the ground is moist otherwise you have to plow.
The great thing about swale hole ditching is that you can mow over them...they're low impact.
Here's an existing swale hole I cleaned out this spring by back-blading. Now that the grass has grown you don't even notice it. btw it drains into a swampy area.
The great thing about swale hole ditching is that you can mow over them...they're low impact.
Here's an existing swale hole I cleaned out this spring by back-blading. Now that the grass has grown you don't even notice it. btw it drains into a swampy area.
boggen
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looks like you got map up on computer then took picture of your monitor with map up.
TIP: get map up,
then press "PRINT SCREEN" key (PRT SCRN) top right of keyboard or if on laptop right hand side or across top of keyboard.
on Microsoft window computers goto (start -> all programs -> accessories -> paint)
go up to "EDIT" then click "PASTE"
edit picture to your wants (drawing lines, or circles for area, cropping picture etc...) then save picture and upload to forum.
========================
it looks like pond was dug out, and when it was made they just pushed all the dirt up around 2/3rds of the pond sides. so this 2/3rd area around pond is higher than surrounding area. is it possibly to get a dozer back in there and re-open up a path way, to let water drain back towards and into the pond?
could you get an excavator in there, to dig up to say 10 feet deep if need be. to install drainage tile. or field tile, or kinda like a french drain, through out the entire area, and send the pipe to a ditch or back to the pond?
can you just put in some regular ditches along drive way. and then reshape area some, so water goes to ditch near driveway and from driveway to pond or road side ditch?
make another small pond?
TIP: get map up,
then press "PRINT SCREEN" key (PRT SCRN) top right of keyboard or if on laptop right hand side or across top of keyboard.
on Microsoft window computers goto (start -> all programs -> accessories -> paint)
go up to "EDIT" then click "PASTE"
edit picture to your wants (drawing lines, or circles for area, cropping picture etc...) then save picture and upload to forum.
========================
it looks like pond was dug out, and when it was made they just pushed all the dirt up around 2/3rds of the pond sides. so this 2/3rd area around pond is higher than surrounding area. is it possibly to get a dozer back in there and re-open up a path way, to let water drain back towards and into the pond?
could you get an excavator in there, to dig up to say 10 feet deep if need be. to install drainage tile. or field tile, or kinda like a french drain, through out the entire area, and send the pipe to a ditch or back to the pond?
can you just put in some regular ditches along drive way. and then reshape area some, so water goes to ditch near driveway and from driveway to pond or road side ditch?
make another small pond?