Wet areas in yard

[jeffinsgf]

Your plan for a french drain sounds good for your "spring". Be sure to use the sleeved perf pipe. It stays a lot more free-running.

For the low spots that have no where to run, you might put in a "sump". At the lowest point, dig down several feet, and 2 - 3 feet square. Line the bottom and sides with geotex fabric (to prevent soil infiltration). In the center of the excavation, put in a 6 or 8 inch perf pipe that points straight up. Fill around the pipe up to 8 or 10 inches from grade with coarse gravel. Cap the coarse gravel with geotex and backfill to grade with topsoil. Put a plastic grate on the top of the perf pipe. Unless you're dealing with a spring or a leaking pond, that should take care of poor drainage at a low point.

 

[Z-Michigan]

LORD NO!!!!! take my word for it, don't invite anyone from the gov's in claiming youhave "wetlands" ...

it's like asking DSS to come see if your kids are being raised right!!!! how do youthink they justify their budget? danger will robinson

I agree too. Look up whatever the definition of wetlands is in your area and figure out if what you have meets that definition. If it definitely is, don't do anything. If it definitely is not a wetland, you're good to go! And if it's in between, you'll have to decide whether to take the risk. You could ask a lawyer in that case, which is $$ but may save you much worse trouble later. I definitely would not expect the local wetland-regulator types to give you an answer that you would like. Legal cases over wetlands get ridiculously nasty considering what is at stake, with both civil and criminal penalties if the government is involved. Not something you want to find yourself in.

 

[archerynut]

Here are the pics that I promised.

I have tried to note where the wet areas are.

The total size of the pond approximately is 30-40 yards wide by 60 yards long. The one area where the pond juts out to the left is a low spot in the dam and some water does run over there when pond is overly full. I am going to hopefully repair that this summer by just adding dirt and then compacting it. Hopefully that will clear up wet spot 2. The overflow pipe that you see in the pic #2 outlets towards area three.

There are places to get rid of the water as far as area #2 and #3 are concerned. There are two small creeks that run on the property, one just into the woods on the left side and one the runs in the woods between the field and pond. The creeks come together right beyond the corner of the yard behind area #3. Thanks again. I want to stay away from any gov't agencies if possible, although I would get to meet some of the people that are getting a paycheck from my tax dollars

 

[jeffinsgf]

You're on the right track on #1.

I would put a sump in at 2 and 3, and raise the grade in both areas to bring it up more in line with the rest of the area.

 

[EddieWalker]

Since you are new to the place, I'd be very interested in a couple of things. Numbers 2 and 3 sure look like the dam is leaking. Number one is probably a spring, but it could also be a soft area along the shoreline.

I wouldn't do anything just yet. Too easy to spend allot of time and money without any results. Does the water level in the pond drop faster than you think it should? Do the wet areas below the dam ever dry up? Do you know anything about hte dam, who built it and if it was cored?

If everything else is fine with your dam, you still have a major problem with your spillway. It looks like it's going right over your dam. This is the absolute worse place for it to be. In time, it will erode the dirt and weaken the integrity of your dam. This is where it will fail. When this happens depends on how much rain you get, and how fast, but it's just a matter of time.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[archerynut]

As far as I know the pond has been here for 25+ years. I am not sure that the circled area is supposed to be a spillway, I think it has eroded like you said and is a weak spot in the dam. I would like to reinforce this area, but not sure of how to do that yet. The white pipe that you see in the back left of the pond is supposed to be the overflow and does work, it is just when the level of the pond gets to the pipe it is also slightly trickling over the circled area also. If I could repair this low spot in the dam wall, I think it;s possible one of the wet spots would dry up. This is all questionable haven;t been here long enough.

Another topic is the sump systems, if you look at the pic #2 there is a creek that parallels just beyond the treeline to the left and it would seem that I could get the lower wet spots to drain into or towards the creek. The creek is on my property so I am not worried about running water through someone elses yard. Would it be easier to drain the low/wet spots rather than put in the sump systems?

All of the conctruction does sound like a lot of good seat time when I get the new tractor!!!!!!!!

 

[Timber]

Eddi knows a lot more about this than I do. That is not a natural wetland but it is a matter of opinion. Is this an area were you can restore your pond without being observed by the public. The only reason I ask is some people are very concerned about what other people do. You might want to put up a silt fence along the creek just in case someone comes snooping around. It will make it look like your responsible and concerned for the environment. It is very simple to do. By the way, Very nice piece of land, your a lucky man

 

[john_bud]

The only reason I ask is some people are very concerned about what other people do.

Well said!

jb

 

[srjones]

What kind of soil do you have? While I agree that draining it the pond is a good plan, if the soil is just mushy you might benefit from adding quick-lime (calcium oxide) or hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide).

There's a lot of information on the net about it, but here's a place to start.

National Lime Association Publications


Also, kind of dog is that in picture #1?

 

[archerynut]

The dog is actually a 3D archery target (fox) that I haven't brought in after the season. Before I go out hunting in the afternoons I like to put a couple of arrows in the target for practice from my back deck. I already took the deer target in because the other deer in my yard were attacking it.

I haven't done much digging here yet, so I am unsure of the make-up of the soil.