Driveway Drainage Help.....

[BTDT]

That spring water doesn't follow a ditch very well when the temps below freezing. It just keeps piling up and up and !!

Darned -- slipped on the ice again!

Dig a big hole and put in an underground cistern. Sell that water!! "Some" people pay good money for bottled spring water.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Z and Egon,
I will get some supposed experts up there this spring and see what my best option is $$$

Thanks for your suggestions !

Mornin Egon,
Sorry about that post ! I kind of remember looking at your profile some time ago.

Egon = civil engineer = expert......... sorry

 

[Egon]

Correction Scotty, I'm not a Civil Engineer nor am I an expert on anything.

In a very few areas of narrow perspective I know just enough to be dangerous.

 

[Lynkage]

Hi Scott

First you really need to find the source if in fact it is under your road. You then would dig down deep enough to get under it. At this point you will need to pour a concrete trough or a good system of rock so you can drain to either side of your road then cover it up. Always try to keep at least a .25" to .5" slope for drainage per foot. If you do much more than that you stand the risk of etching on the ground. The crown will be very important as well.

One thing to remember is if you just cover it up (with rock or anything else) there will be problems later.


The reason I say the "source" is maybe it is not under your road and you could then divert the natural flow elsewhere. If it is in a line across your hill that will be harder. The thing to remember is give the water somewhere else to go. It will always take the least resistive path. Some more pics of the area in question would be helpful. It is kind of hard to completely understand without some more info.

Shane

BTW I work for an environmental engineer/survey and if I had better pics I could give you better answers

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Shane,
Sorry I didnt see your reply until today Come spring time I will post more pics. In spring you can actually see the water bubbling out of the driveway surface on the steep section !

Guys down south are putting gardens in allready and Ive got to wait at least another month before I can get the shots your looking for

Thanks Again !

 

[Lynkage]

No problem scott.
Just post them to this thread or PM me.
Shane

 

[Highbeam]

In regards to the civil engineer = expert comment, well.... civil engineering is a broad discipline and some don't know diddly squat about roads. I am a civil engineer but will always lean on the experience of the folks that have been there and done that.

Dealing with ice flows is more challenging than just dealing with water. I could easily lay out a ditch system to keep the road dry and solid unless it freezes and the ditches plug with ice. Be sure to follow the advice of someone familiar with your ice problem.

Another good saying I picked up somewhere is "a road without a ditch is a ditch".