Driveway Keeps Washing Out

[CTyler]

Its hard to tell from the pictures but the rock looks very small like 3/4 or less. I'm using 1 1/2 myself on top of a 3" base. Are there any fines in it to pack it hard or did that all washout?

You should have a crown on the drive as well so it doesn't run down the middle. Then grade the shoulders so the water runs off and not down in one spot. If thats not possible then you'll need drains and/or tile down the side(s) of the drive.

On my drive, 600'+ on a hill, I was able to carve several very subtle depressions(gentle waves) at an angle. This lets the water run into the field so it doesn't collect and make ruts.

I've got a 100' section near the top where it can only go one place and not spread out. Consequently it wants to wash out the dirt an rut. Currently several mud fences are installed until the grass grows enough to handle the run off.

 

[Chief]

TractorTeen, I have the same problem as you only much worse. My driveway has over double the slope yours does. The best I have been able to do against "Mother Nature" is to put 2 inch stone down as a bed material, this is VERY course and allows water to flow through it without washing. I then put a 10 inch layer of "crush & run" over top of this. Crush and run packs down well and is very gradable. I keep the grass growing between the tire tracks on the drive and only occasionally have to make repairs with the landscaping rake normally after unusually heavy rain. It has lasted this way for over 7 years so far. The small pea gravely you have in your drive is not a good material for slopes. It will not pack and does not have the mass to resist washing. Good luck on your driveway dilema. I know first hand the frustration you are going through. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Inspector507]

I'm just a dumb ol' Electrical Inspector, but it looks to me like you have no base under the gravel. Lay a mess of gravel on top of dirt......add a slope to the whole mess.....and it all washes down the hill. Just my perception though.

 

[TractorTeen]

The driveway has had a lot of gravel spread over the last 4 years. The water keeps washing the driveway out. I can get the water to the edge of the driveway. It just ruts out the dirt and gravel that is there. The best solution I can come up with is to bring some crush in run in and spread it. Then get a load of rip wrap and put down the sides or any other big rock down the sides. This will keep the water from washing the gravel from washing on the sides and slow the water down. Would this work?

Thanks

 

[snowman]

Seems to me you need to determine where the water is coming from and try to divert it. Are there one or two main spots along your driveway where the water runs into it and then runs down the driveway and washes it out?

If so, it is at those spots (where the water enters the driveway) that you need to either dig some ditches or build up some berms to divert the water. They may not need to be large - just enough to re-direct the flow of water.

I had alot of problems with water washing out the end of my driveway. Even after I paved it, the force of the water during heavy rains was enought to actually start washing away the sides of the asphalt. My initial solution was to mixup and dump a bunch of concrete at the spots where the water was doing the damage; that worked fine at stopping the eroding of the pavement, but it was a short term solution as I still had all of the water going down there.

I built up a large berm and also dug a small ditch to divert the storm water away from the driveway; has worked great ever since.

Kind of a long winded answer, but I think that's all you need - a small ditch and/or some berms.

Good luck.

 

[gmol]

According to the pictures the water is going right down the middle of the drive. This is the lowest point and needs to become the highest point. Use a scraper blade and have some more material brought in so you can crown the road. The middle of the road can be up to 5" higher than the shoulders. I had the same problem and once things got shaped , crowned ,there is no problem.

 

[bnixon]

I have heard many of you talk about "rip rap rock". What is that? Any pics?

thanks,

 

[fivestring]

Rip rap is big rock.... like you see in lakes around bridges and dams.

 

[dmccarty]

TractorTeen,

If the gravel is not ABC then I think you need to get some
in place. I have a steep driveway that is all ABC and I don't
have water problems like this. My drive is also above grade
so the water hits the edges of the drive and move down hill.
The water does not get ON my drive.

You need to prevent the water from getting on the drive in
the first place. Ditch or berm the uphill side of the driveway
to stop the water from getting on the drive.

As someone else said the water is running in the middle of the
drive so that needs to be built up so the drive is not a ditch.

Rip Rap will work but by putting it at the downhill side of the
drive all you are doing is masking your problem. The solution
is uphill not downhill.

The ABC I put down locked up like concrete. It ain't moving.
If you are putting in gravel with no fines the stone is going to
move with water and vehicle traffic much easier compared to
ABC.

I can't tell from the pictures but it looks like the gravel is
spread very thin. Mine is a could 3-4 inches after it has
compacted. I put down geotextile fabric to keep the ABC from
being pushed in to the clay. This helps keep the drive above
grade so the water flows away from the drive and not down
the drive.

Later,
Dan McCarty

 

[TractorTeen]

The reason the gravel looks then is because it has been all washed away. I know now that I need to build up the center of my driveway. Another conflict I am having is if the water washes down the side of the driveway it is going to wash the side of the driveway out. What can I do about that. Another conflict is the little ditch in the picture where water runs down the driveway. I put that in to help divert water down the driveway. Any gravel in that ditch just washes out. What can I put there that is big enought to stop that?

Thanks