Ditching & keeping grade or slope

Slippy · Feb 25, 2005

I think I have seen a surveyor use the pee gun your are talking about. He walked through the woods and marked a boundary line with it. I have a small lazer that goes on a little trypod. Uses a couple of AA batteries. Has a level on it. Trouble is it is not very bright. Maybe I should do my digging at night or wear dark sun glasses. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif How much does one of the beeping levels cost. Saw them on tool web sites for about $250 self leveling. Are they worth it?

Highbeam · Feb 28, 2005

I use the pee level for designing septic systems. They are not as accurate as a tripod mounted level but they are a quick and easy deal that you can keep in your shirt pocket. You aren't building a watch here.

The problem is you will either have to climb into the trench or set a rod down there to be able to compare the invert to your reference point. If you don't want to climb in (can't blame you) then you will need another person.

rdbrumfield · Feb 28, 2005

for a beeping unit, self leveling, that is a good price. Mine was close to a grand 5yrs ago and I have to level it. It does have a window on that I can put % grade however. That can come in handy.

Slippy · Mar 2, 2005

Humm, that would be a nice feature so you would not have to move your level or keep track of the changes.

How do you create a ditch for drainage if the area you are trying to drain is lower than the area you want to move the water to? I built a lean too on the back of a barn and have a low spot. Put in a ditch but by the time I got to where I need to be, I was so deep I don't know how to finish off the run. I guess one way to do it would be to put in a tank of some kind and run the water in with an outlet out higher, would that work?

slydog · Mar 2, 2005

( How do you create a ditch for drainage if the area you are trying to drain is lower than the area you want to move the water to? I built a lean too on the back of a barn and have a low spot. Put in a ditch but by the time I got to where I need to be, I was so deep I don't know how to finish off the run. )

"Gravity, it's not just a good idea. It's the Law!"

I'd like to hear the answers to this one myself /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif The only thing I can think of to make water run uphill is a pump.

( I guess one way to do it would be to put in a tank of some kind and run the water in with an outlet out higher, would that work?)

There again...if the water can run in, it's not going to fill "up" from the level it runs in at. But if you can figure this one out someway, please post a few pictures and instructions.

Highbeam · Mar 2, 2005

The tank trick will work if you are only interested in conveying the roof water. Surface water needs to me motivated to run uphill.

If you have a closed depression with no outlet, you will end up with a swamp unless the soils percolate very well.

The answer is to bring in fill to level the depression

aondre · Mar 2, 2005

I use grading stakes that I set with a laser. When I first started I would put a stake about every 5 feet, now with a lot of experience I put them every 10-20 feet.

A long drainage ditch on level land is going to be deep on one end. If you want good drainage you need that slope, the longer the ditch, the deeper the ditch. Most of the cities where I am require at least 1/8" of slope every 1' of run (if possible). So a 200' ditch on level ground will have one end over 2' deep.

If you do get a laser I highly recommend a self leveling one, it will save you an unbelievable amount of time.

drm · Mar 2, 2005

Slippy,

The tank with higher outlet will not work without a pump. There are a couple of ways of draining the water at the end of your run:
1. Install tank to collect water and sump pump to pump water to higher ground. Expensive and a maintenance issue.
2. If your soil drains well you may be able to dig a large pit, line with filter fabric, put in large rock to create a holding area for the water to collect. Cover with filter fabric and topsoil.
3. Same as above with a sump pit type box or culvert box with bottom removed sitting on a bed of gravel.
4. Leach field.

Of course the applicability and cost of these will depend on the amount of water and soil conditions.

…Derek

Slippy · Mar 5, 2005

If you put in grade stakes, how do they work? If you site a line with a lazer from your start point, do you mark the grade stakes level with the starting point and then measure the depth of the ditch from the level point on the stakes making sure that you are keeping a slope as you go along?

My soil does not drain well, so only option would be a sump of some sort. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

rdbrumfield · Mar 7, 2005

Grade stakes are a reference point from which to work. As the ground is not always level or at a constant slope, you can put a stake in every so often as you like to take grade off of. You can put them in, takes two people with a transit, one with a lazer. By putting a "depth to dig" mark on the stake and a number for depth when you get to that point in the ditch or footing, you can come off that mark to keep you at grade. Always offset the grade stakes so that you have room to work your machine, and do not pile dirt in front of them so you can be in the ditch and see the mark on the stake. If you know where some construction is going on, whether it is laying pipe or road building, stop in and see if someone is willing to give you a short lesson on how to do this. Once the light comes on it is easy.