Water "Re-Routing" project

   / Water "Re-Routing" project #1  

DH44

Bronze Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
50
Location
North, Texas
Tractor
Case DX45
With the addition of a 24x60 barn, we now have considerable rain-catching capacity with the structures in place. We are going to use some of the rainwater to supply the "barndominium", but will have plenty (hopefully) of excess. I'm thinking of trenching 700' to the stock tank and running the rainwater directly into the pond. I can do it with one straight run of 100 feet and then a right-angle (or close) turn and then straight another 600 feet. The elevation drop will be about 40-50' so no pumping necessary. Looking at the flexible rolls of 4" PVC they are 15$+ a foot!. The 4" corrugated pipe is 59$ a 100 foot roll but I'm not sure that the piping could support being buried 15" or so. A friend suggested rolls of electrical conduit as being cheaper. Has anyone made a piping system run this long? What did you use?
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #2  
Look for 4 inch schedule 30 downspout pipe, it comes in 20 foot lengths for less than $10.
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #3  
With the addition of a 24x60 barn, we now have considerable rain-catching capacity with the structures in place. We are going to use some of the rainwater to supply the "barndominium", but will have plenty (hopefully) of excess. I'm thinking of trenching 700' to the stock tank and running the rainwater directly into the pond. I can do it with one straight run of 100 feet and then a right-angle (or close) turn and then straight another 600 feet. The elevation drop will be about 40-50' so no pumping necessary. Looking at the flexible rolls of 4" PVC they are 15$+ a foot!. The 4" corrugated pipe is 59$ a 100 foot roll but I'm not sure that the piping could support being buried 15" or so. A friend suggested rolls of electrical conduit as being cheaper. Has anyone made a piping system run this long? What did you use?

If your defination of 4" corrugated pipe is the same as mine, this is what it is made for. It can be buried 15" with no problem. You can bury it 6" or 6' it doesn't matter. And if you shop around, it is cheaper than $59 per 100 ft. roll. I seen just now that Lowes has it for $35 a 100 ft.
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #4  
I recently bought a 100 ft roll for $30 at a culvert supply store. I've buried that deep with no issues at all. It is made to carry roof rain water to wherever you want it.
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #5  
Have you calculated how much water you can actually get? Sounds like a lot of trouble and expense for a "drop in the bucket."
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project
  • Thread Starter
#6  
According to the Texas rainfall calculator, the amount of roofing I have will average 41,100 gallons per year.
That's a big bucket. A trencher for the day and 350$ or so in piping?
I think it's worth it.
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #7  
yikes you have a lot of pipe length there.

different options for ya....

=================

OPTION 1. filter + corrgated pipe, + (optional clean out TEEs/WYE's)

filter....
get say a 30 gallon drum or heavy duty trash can (not cheap thin plastic trash can). and burry it up near the shed. and run your downspots / gutters into it.
you can use "toilet flanges" as a cheap bulkhead, to connect the 4" long length of pipe to drum/heavy duty trash can.
for a screen, take sch 40 PVC pipe 4". and set table saw blade, so you cut almost half way through, and make multi cuts 1/4" to 1/2" between each cut. roll pipe over and do other side. this will be like a "well screen" or foot valve screen. and just attaches to the toliet flange inside the drum/trash can.

you have long enough pipe run. that installing a clean out tees at the (90) at least, and perhaps a couple places in the 600 feet run. would be advised, for just in case scenrio of a clog happening. other words if a clog happens, and you can not remove clog, you may have justed wasted a bunch of case.

if you come out the bottom or on side near bottom, it should place ya 2 to 3 feet below ground. keeping ya from needing 6" pipe for that initial 100 foot run.

===============
OPTION 2.
sch 40 PVC pipe with BELL ENDs, and installing clean outs every 100 foot or less.

corrugated pipe, has all them ribs / bumps inside, that love to catch sticks and leaves. and a clog will happen. PVC pipe has a nice smooth inside surface. that will more likely allow twigs, leaves, etc... to just flow right through and on out of the pipe, having clean outs every 100 feet should allow you to get something down the pipe and clean out the clogs. if something does happen.

the BELL ENDS, vs using a cheap "coupler" fitting. and placing the BELL ENDS in correct direction should also reduce chance of any sort of clog happening

you may want to go down an initial 3 feet near shed. and then once ground starts sloping downwards. allowing pipe to come more near surface of the ground if you want. that way if there is a clog near shed. there will be more water build up within the pipe, and in that (weight of water) to push through the clog or push the clog out. this should also get you away from needing 6" pipe for that initial 100 foot.

==============
clean outs, are just TEEs or WYE fittings. with a pipe running up to surface of the ground, in your case, you could install a generic threaded plug, or use more expensive surface run off connection point (forget technical name). that most large hardware sale.

with above, just do not connect gutters/downspouts directly to pipe and say good enough. or you may end wasting a bunch of cash and time. due to a clog. it may be next heavy wind/rain storm. or it could be 10 plus years from now. but when that clog happens, you will be SOL! you just have to much length of pipe. not to put something extra in.

on a different note: putting the pipe "deeper" into the ground. will more likely "save" the pipe long term for driving vehicles / tractors, etc... across that area. for myself this is a big one, due to grain trucks to dump trucks with 16ton plus of rock or dirt in them, to other running over my property. i rather install deeper, so there is no issue. and not having to warn someone of being careful in a given area when they will be driving something heavy across the property.

with length of run of pipe, you might be better off getting a ditch witch, "RIDE ON" machine, were you physically set on the machine. and has a chain saw blade but for dirt on one end and a backhoe on the rear end. and a backfill blade on it as well. or just renting a mini EX (small excavator). most small size trenchers just do not dig a wide enough trench for 4" pipe.
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #8  
Just to repeat what Boggen said, you definately need inspection chambers along the straight runs, as well as on the bends... It's surprising how much debris a roof catches, and if it finds it's way into the pipe you need to be able to get it out! I also like the idea of a home made filter - but this doesn't stop the need for inspection / rodding points, as you may over time get roots drowing into the pipe etc.... It would be a great shame to go to the trouble of installing all that pipe, and then have to dig it up again in 10 years to find a blockage!

When we've laid drainage pipe, we usually install a 45 degree t-piece every 100ft or so, with a short section of pipe rising to the surface in the direction of flow with an end cap on it - if you get a blockage, you can then jet or rod back up the pipe towards the shed to clear the debris. On sharp bends I would always install an inspection chamber, possibly including a sump which can be cleaned out each year....
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project #9  
With 40 feet of drop could you just build a swale ditch say eight feet wide and a foot deep at the center and let the water run overland? No worries about clogging up and better able to handle cloud bursts but flat enough to drive you tractor over when needed. Or if you want to reduce evaporation on the way to the pond bury your pipe in the bottom of this ditch and have the ditch just act as overflow spillway.
 
   / Water "Re-Routing" project
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Lots of good stuff- thanks guys. Since I'm located in scenic north Texas, there is nearly zero chance of any leaves/twigs getting in the system unless they fall out of a passing airplane! The roots may be a problem, though as the dreaded Mesquites are prevalent along the way to the tank. The multiple clean-outs is a good idea, though.
 

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