Wet weather spring in driveway

   / Wet weather spring in driveway #12  
The French drain is the way to go. Use backhoe to dig 2ft wide trench across road into field at lower point. Install slotted drain tile with 57,s on top of pipe. Cover driveway with 21a pugmill stone. This will slove your problem.
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway #13  
You've got a layer of harder rock there, where the water is perking out. That, or a seam of fire clay. Depends on if you have coal in the area.

It'd be handy to have a hoe, and dig in that hole you have, to see just how far down it is to the rock, or clay. The trick is, to go up the slope far enough to catch it, before it has a chance to perk out. Not right there... No less than 36" down to the rock, or clay. It's also nice to know if the layer of material the water is coming off of, is pretty flat, or turned up a bit there, where it's coming out now. A level and rod, or laser should tell you that pretty quick. That will tell you whether to cut straight across the driveway, or allow you to go at a slight angle, but not much to your outlet side.

If it's flat, you can angle. If the material goes deeper, as it goes back into the hill, better come straight across. If the rock is deeper, than where it comes out now, and you dig a trench, and fill with gravel, unless it is able to get away from where your starting point is, all you will be doing is making a collection point. And that water will more then likely soak it's way back out to where it is now. A slight fracture in the rock will let a lot of water flow over a period of time. A collection of water 6 to 8" deep, seeping out through cracks, just gives it more head, and volume.

If it is fire clay, you'll more then likely hit a thin seam of coal, or "blossom coal" as we call it. If this is the case, do NOT dig through that fire clay. At this point, it is your friend. Water has not gone through it, since it was formed, and it a great water proof bottom for a trench. Unless it has counter rotated towards the outside edge of the hill, it should taper downhill. I've seen fire clay as thin as 1/2", so you'll have to be careful, if that is what it is...

A 12" wide trench would probably suffice to catch that, but use your own judgement. I would spring for the 4", double walled perforated plastic pipe. It generally comes in 20' sticks. We used #8 river gravel, or pea gravel. Just make sure to fill as high, as you see water perking out of the upper side of your trench. As mentioned, some geotech, or something similar to keep dirt from washing down through the stone. For my own personal use, I used the higher grade weed barrier cloth. A good sharp box knife will cut the barrier material, and give you double length of the roll. Heck, we used to use straw about a foot thick loose, before the geotech stuff.

If and where the rock drops off beyond that point, it may be an idea to go to solid pipe, to carry it away, ending the stone at the perforated/solid joint. We've found using perforated, and stone beyond the hard surface the water is coming off of, allows it to soak out, and seek the path of least resistance, and have the same problem somewhere on down the line. Just pack some good fine clay around the joint to keep the water in the pipe. Some of the material on, or around the perforated pipe back a few feet from the joint, is a good idea too.

And don't forget a varmint barrier for the end of the outlet. Muskrats, and I'm sure other critters love that stuff... Maybe because some is made from soy based materials...

We always slipped a piece of galvanized perforated pipe over the end, to protect it. But, again that's up to you.
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway
  • Thread Starter
#14  
Thanks DJ54. I am going to have to read that over SEVERAL times before I actually start working on it. I am waiting on it to dry up some before I "dig" in. I did buy me a backhoe this past weekend so now I have something I can really work on it with. It has been worse this year than last so I need to get it fixed before next winter and not just put a band aid on it.

Thanks again.
Nick
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway #15  
You're welcome Nick. Sounds easy for me to say, that was 90% of my type of work for 18 years. Just make sure to take a good shot on the grade exiting the water. As mentioned, if you leave a deep spot, water will collect, so you want it to get away out the pipe, not continue to soak out that seam it's perking through now.

It will be interesting to see what you find. More than likely, hard rock, but we will see.

It will probably take a while for that to completely dry out, but shouldn't take that long to solid up.

Don't forget some pictures.!!

Good luck..!!
DJ
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway #16  
There's no coal in Mt. Juliet, TN to my knowledge. There may be some clay under the topsoil.

If you can identify where the water is coming from, then you have more chance of success in piping it away if it is a wet spring. A wet spring is going to pump water up when the ground is saturated with water. Best time to do this is probably now with all the rain we've just had in Middle TN.

Another thing you might look at is this: http://www.dirtandgravel.psu.edu/Resources/Documents/french_mattress.pdf
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway
  • Thread Starter
#17  
There's no coal in Mt. Juliet, TN to my knowledge. There may be some clay under the topsoil.

If you can identify where the water is coming from, then you have more chance of success in piping it away if it is a wet spring. A wet spring is going to pump water up when the ground is saturated with water. Best time to do this is probably now with all the rain we've just had in Middle TN.

Another thing you might look at is this: http://www.dirtandgravel.psu.edu/Resources/Documents/french_mattress.pdf

Yes I agree, no coal. I would love to identify a single point where the water is coming up but I do not think that is going to happen. It appears to be coming up all over the place in that area. I hope to start working on it soon. I will actually be out ther digging on my basement area some this weekend, may go down and dig on the spring a bit.

Thanks for the link I will check it out.

Nick
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway #18  
You're welcome.

Don't get blown away by the wind doing it, but you might take a few minutes to study the area when the water is flowing to see if you can ID the source.

I have some wet springs, and the water literally bubbles out of the ground like it's being piped in from somewhere.

Could be a wet spot as opposed to a wet spring. It could make a great hazard for a motocross track, but it's not so great for a driveway.
 
   / Wet weather spring in driveway
  • Thread Starter
#19  
   / Wet weather spring in driveway #20  
That water needs a path for leaving the road. Like others have said, putting the perforated drain pipe in the hole with gravel and landscaping fabric will remove the water (kind of like a culvert but really it's a french drain) as long as you dig a trench on the downhill side of the road where the water can drain out. Make sure the holes in the perforated pipe are facing down. With that hoe, you should be able to fix it in no time.

Obed
 

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