How to drain out a wet field?

[flenn]

I’m hoping that I could get advice on how to deal with a wet field that won’t dry out. I attached a jpg that might help visualize the problem.

The back field of my property has been wet for the last 6 – 7 months. Almost the entire area is soaked with surface water and there is one small “stream” that actively flows across the field. The previous owner told me (after we had bought the property) that this happens during the winter months and stops during the summer. When we bought in the summer, it was dry as a bone and I had no idea about this issue. The water started around Oct and is still flowing. I can’t find any evidence that the water is running downhill on the surface to me. I did locate what looks to be an underground spring that surfaces at the edge of the elevated side of my property. I doubt that this one spring is the source of the entire problem, but it is evidence that the problem is from water coming out of the ground rather than running on the surface from my neighbors.

Does it make sense to lay some underground pipe in the configuration shown in the attached picture? Lend me some expertise on how to resolve this issue. Thanks.

 

[beenthere]

Where are you located? (fill out your bio please /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

Tiling fields to drain them is a practice that has been done for years. Used to use clay 4" and 5" tile, and lay it 3-4' below the surface, depending on need and slope for flow. Now plastic tile with perforations is used.

Check around your area and find out who does tiling, and see if they can help you too. Local lumber/hardware stores should carry the tile tubing as well, and may have suggestions for you.

 

[Highbeam]

The drain tiles have to have an outfall. Is there a ditch or other low area that the water can be drained to? This is key. The only other thing you can do is raise the site with fill.

Many, many farm fields are flooded in the winter. Either with a high water table or with actual standing water. That's why the fields are fertile, waterflow spreads out and slows down on these flats and drops it's nutrient rich sediment.

In the summer enjoy using your field, in the winter enjoy looking at it.

 

[LarryRB]

I don't know where in Worcester county he is, but, he is right near me and a bunch others here on TBN. We have rocks, boulders, and tons of rock ledge everywhere. In fact, it is our yearly bumper crop.. This said, a simple pipe won't work. Too much heaving in spring, ruins more pipes than I would like to think about... We usually install large piping surrounded with tons of stone, and again, this depends on the exact property location. How far are you from Sturbridge?

 

[GerardC]

Why not just build a pond? That's what I did and am going to be enlarging it we like it so much. I guess if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

 

[flenn]

I'm south of Worcester, in the Northbridge/Sutton area.

The water does have a place to go. It continues across my property and dumps down a ditch and on into the woods which are lower than me. My thought is to let the water arrive at the same ditch, but do it underground through pipes. Again, in the summer, this whole area (including the ditch) is dry.

 

[HuckBB62]

Building the drainage is a great idea. Your picture looks just like the situation at my dad's house. They dug a ditch at the problem, buried galvanized corrugated drain culvert, backfillled, and never looked back. Great place for varmints and such but in the summer it dries up.

 

[aondre]

If you have a spring on the elevated edge of your property that is a good indication that your water table is very high and/or it is under enough pressure to push water up to all parts of your property. Drain tile would be a good solution for this problem. Where on your diagram is the known spring? Make sure your tile runs directly through it.

 

[fig]

That is exactly what I was going to say. My land (approx. 3 acers) slopes similar to his and if I had a spring to supply the water; I would have a lake. Bass, bass, and more bass. Maybe some blue gill and crappie to feed 'em. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Highbeam]

What the heck, run an open ditch. In these parts the fields are crisscrossed with deep ditches in addition to the drain tiles between the ditches. An open ditch will not plug up like a perf pipe and the installation is cheaper. The open ditch will always flow more water too. I would run this ditch at least in to your property as deep as possible so that in the future you will always have a known downstream discharge. You can grade the ditch into your pasture like a swale so thay you can mow it too.

You effectively have a dam built between your flooded field and the discharge. Time to breech the dam.