Driveway - gravel/water question

[Tractor_Jim_CT]

Hi everyone. Just finished spreading 130 - 140 tons of 3/4 inch processed stone and it came out great except for on 4-6 foot area that has remained wet or soggy.

This area has been a problem area for pot holes and I dug and repacked the holes. Would some type of small drain pipe help this area? If so, what material pipe would hold best? Would a concrete type 6 inch x 15 foot pipe..not sure where I would get one or any other suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[Lou_B]

A drainage pipe should take care of that wet spot if you have a downhill place that the pipe can drain to. If that wet area is a low spot and there is no place to route the drainage, this will end up being a big project. Others here probably have tackled this sort of job.

Assuming that you have an area that can accept drainage from a pipe, I'd go ahead and install a curtain drain. Basically you dig a trench in the low spot, put down some 3" to 5" gravel (not process gravel) and lay the pipe with the drain holes up. The trench should be about 3' deep. Cover the pipe with more of the same gravel. If uniform appearance is important, finish covering the trench with the same 3" process that you used for the rest of the driveway.

Home Depot caries 5" rigid PVC piping that works fine for this sort of drain. This is a worthy tractor project.

Lou Braun

 

[JimMorrissey]

Jim,

If this area is just damp or a bit soggy, I'd throw down some road fabric (geotextile fabric). Overlap the good areas on both sides a bit. Fabric is wonderful stuff and can solve a lot of problems. If that doesn't work then, I'd look into drains and such.

Most fabric comes in 12+' widths on 300+' rolls. If you only need 50' or so, you might want to give a local excavator / "dirt contractor" in your area a call. Frequently they have some remaining from prior jobs. You could probably get a nice piece for pretty cheap.

Jim

 

[marks]

JIm,

The attached web site offers a fantastic tutorial for erosion and storm water maintenance: http://www.ndspro.com/Training.asp
After determining the fall or slope of the terrain, 2% min, I dig a small trench and line it with a geotextile fabric, a.k.a. weed mat - small rolls are available at Home Depot, then install one layer of 3/4 rock, place the perforated drain pipe w/ sock on top of rock. Then rock the sides of the trench and the top of the pipe, then cap with another sheet of geo fabric, and rock on top of that. This may sound like overkill, yet since the water is contained in the rock and pipe there is no erosion, and the fabric and sock keeps and soil from entering the pipe.

Hope this helps