Cement Bag Retaining Wall

[Plumber35]

Hey guys,
I read several replies about a cement bag retaining wall and have a question. I'm thinking of using cement bags to form a short wall but have a question. My problem is this: My neighbor has a low area that borders my yard and during heavy rain, his water seeps into our yard. I would like to place a retaining wall made from cement bags but I read somewhere that water will flow between the bags - I need a tight fit as once water gets to my side, it will stay there awhile. I'm looking at a property line that horizontally slopes to its deepest point in the center of the 100 foot property line with water ranging in depth from a few inches to about 12 " at the deepest point, and total length of about 100 feet. Most of the 100 feet is under 6" of water and maybe 15' is from 10" to 12" if this makes any sense. Any suggestions about using cement bags to form a somewhat water proof retaining wall? Thanks,

 

[Tractor Seabee]

only way to stop water migrating is to install an impervious wall like poured concrete. Your bag idea is no better than loose staked blocks of the various types and shapes. Only other option is pile driven steel but that is very expensive unless the water runs deep. Remember too that a solid wall will keep the water on the neighbors side but unless a drainage system is installed at the bottom the hydraulic pressure could push the wall over.

Ron

 

[quicksandfarmer]

If I understand correctly, there is a hollow that collects water when it rains. The hollow straddles the property line. The two ways to deal with a hollow like that are either to fill it or provide a drain. If you're going to fill it, since you can't fill your neighbor's property you'll need a retaining wall. There isn't any practical way to keep water from flowing through that retaining wall, trying is just going to create problems. What I would do is fill behind the retaining wall with gravel or something that will maintain its bearing capacity when saturated with water, and then a few inches of topsoil on top of it.

I would also look into building a drain or trench as an easier solution.

 

[RNeumann]

The idea isn't to make a wall that is water tight. Rather a drain system behind the wall that directs the water where you want it. This is true of any retaining wall- including basements, block walls and your bag wall. As with all walls, the prep work is 90% of it. The last little bit is actually setting the bags.

The typical drainage system consists of a pipe with holes in it, rock and landscape fabric to prevent the rock and pipe from becoming contaminated with soil etc.

 

[Plumber35]

Thank you for all your comments, much appreciated. Ok, the cement bag wall won't work. Since the area that collects water is lower than my surrounding area, there is no way I can create a drain to move the water upwards and away. I was hoping that the cement bags would provide a tighter fit, even thought about making a slit on the sides of each bag so some concrete would escape to create a seal. Since the cement bag doesn't appear to be the solution, then maybe the best bet is to simply bring in about 20 yards of fill dirt and fill the lower area. What about a dirt berm of about 2' wide or so?

 

[bcp]

Bring dirt in so it isn't a hollow, or take dirt out so it is an intermittent pond. The dirt removed can be placed around the hole so the pond is smaller than the hollow used to be.

Bruce

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Is there any possible way to let gravity drain the water if you can outlet it? A 1% slope is all that is needed to carry away water efficiently. Short of that, you could always bring fill in, but that water has to go somewhere. Maybe take a 6pack over to your neighbors and have a friendly conversation?

 

[RNeumann]

If that's the lowest area with no drainage possible- I believe they call a dirt berm a dam. Is that what you are after?

 

[sandman2234]

I have to mention that messing with water on another person's property can bring on problems. If you fill or stop the water on your side of the hollow and it causes problems on his side, it usually isn't his problem, but yours. I had a neighbor clear-cut a lot, dig a very deep hole on the back and fill it in with the cuttings. Then he covered the hole. That made the water change course, and for the first time, I had water in the utility room of my house! I went over, had a discussion with him (after I consulted an attorney to find out where I stood) and he agreed to run a new ditch to replace the one he covered. I hauled in about six truckloads of dirt to make a berm to make sure his ditch was deep enough. Point is, be careful, as according to my attorney, he would have been liable for any damage that might have occurred due to his changing the water flow.
David from jax

 

[Plumber35]

Is there any possible way to let gravity drain the water if you can outlet it? A 1% slope is all that is needed to carry away water efficiently. Short of that, you could always bring fill in, but that water has to go somewhere. Maybe take a 6pack over to your neighbors and have a friendly conversation?

Yes, speaking to the neighbor would be the appropriate approach and I have done that and we are on friendly terms. A long story but the water originated from a small wetland area filled in that is located in the middle of neighbor's yard. When the wetland area/hollow was filled, rain water accumulation moved from the middle of his yard towards the property line and some into my yard. Since the area is the lowest part of my yard, there is no way it can gravity drain elsewhere. I can leave alone, build a retaining wall to hold back the water or raise my low area with fill dirt. This is why I was hoping to simply make a retaining wall with cement bags to stop the water from coming to my side. I planned to use one level of bags at the highest point and 3 bags high at the lowest point. There would be only 3 bags high for about 15 feet, about 2 bags high for about 30 feet and the remaining 50 feet at 1 bag. So at this point I definitely would not want to construct a solid concrete wall. My only option appears to be fill dirt or leave alone. I think I may leave alone as I think I would need about 25 yards of fill dirt along with tire ruts on my grass from the dump truck and the work to level the dirt.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

When it rains, most of the water doesn't sink into the ground, it flows over the ground until it hits a body of water, or it pools and sinks in slowly and evaporates. So if the area that is pooling is the lowest spot of your yard, water that is falling on your yard is flowing there. Setting aside the considerable challenges of building a waterproof wall, even if you were to do so it wouldn't solve your problem, water from your yard would still pool on your side of the wall. To prevent that, you need to either give the water somewhere else to go or keep it from pooling in the first place.

 

[Plumber35]

That is exactly what happened on my neighbor's side. The hollow in my neighbor's yard was the lowest point in both yards - that is where the water used to accumulate during heavy rains, not at the property line. Since the hollow was filled with soil and is now higher than the area along the property line, water is flowing to the lowest point which is towards my neighbor's property line. Once his area accumulates a lot of water, the water then moves into my yard. My only solution if I wish to do so appears to make my area higher than his area so the water remains on his side.

 

[Rara Avis]

That is exactly what happened on my neighbor's side. The hollow in my neighbor's yard was the lowest point in both yards - that is where the water used to accumulate during heavy rains, not at the property line. Since the hollow was filled with soil and is now higher than the area along the property line, water is flowing to the lowest point which is towards my neighbor's property line. Once his area accumulates a lot of water, the water then moves into my yard. My only solution if I wish to do so appears to make my area higher than his area so the water remains on his side.

You could help your neighbor dig a dry well on his property with french drain...

 

[Plumber35]

Actually that is somewhat what he previously had; a large hollow that collected and retained the water in the middle of his yard. The solution at that time, and suggested by a contractor, would have to simply enlarge the hollow and have a pond - he did not want the standing water in his yard. So the hollow was filled and accumulated water now simply moves to the lowest point.

 

[EddieWalker]

Cement bag retaining walls are a cheap way to hold up dirt on a small area. They will crack and stuff will grow in the spaces between the bags. They last forever, but they will not keep water out or look pretty.

 

[s219]

What is the soil like? If you can dig down to a sandy base layer, you should be able to help the water percolate down quicker and avoid standing water and puddles. I know of a couple folks that have done that in low spots on their property. One guy dug it all by hand and went through 6' of clay before he got to the sand (I don't have the fortitude to dig that deep in clay and would have rented a backhoe).

On my property, we have 2-4' of clay and then it is really nice sand below that percs very well. If I had a low spot somewhere that was collecting water, I would wait until the area was dry enough to get a backhoe in, then dig a hole down to sand, line with septic paper, refill with #57 gravel, and then cover that with septic paper and replace the sod layer.

 

[Plumber35]

Good ideal - will investigate. Thanks,