What to do with leaking hillside?

[extrakt0r]

During the construction of our house we had to excavate down into the earth about 12' to get the walkout basement we wanted. In the process, we created a modest hill, which is about 70' from the back of our house. Ever since they cut the hill, it has been running water non-stop since April 2012 - 24/7/365 even when we had our drought last year.

Long term plan is to hopefully tap a well, short term I want to do something to clean it up, as we are getting ready to move in and I need to get grass down, and I am tired of the mud.

I plan to dig a 4-5' hole deep where the main leak is, and use black plastic culvert with a bunch of holes drilled in the sides, drop it in the hole standing up. Fill the bottom few inches with gravel, and wrap it with black road tarp. I'll need to figure out some sort of lid for it..

I am then going to drop a sump pump of some sort down into it and pump it uphill, about 100' away to a 1500 gallon tank I have. Once that is done hopefully I can use to to water my garden we will be getting in.

Would like any input on this plan, thanks.

 

[stuckmotor]

Apparently you tapped a spring when you made the cut for the basement. Do you think you'll draw down the storage tank faster than it's refilled? If you don't you'll still have to dispose of the excess water.

 

[Ehanson]

What about driving some big sand points into the hill, seal the top with a clay soil and pipe the water downhill to a fountain or water feature, or drinking tap and then to waste?

 

[Depmandog]

Hey Mike

Wondered a few times how your build was going. Figured I would have had the need to cruise past your place this last year, but the need never arose.

Concerning your spring, I think what you plan to do is fine, but once your tank is full..then what? Instead of a sump pump, you could use a windmill - if it fits into your landscaping decor.

Have you considered a French drain? Excavating a trench with a slight pitch, partially filling with rock and gravel, then covering with soil and grass. Extend the drain to a ditch or area away from the house.

Or perhaps incorporate the French drain with your idea. Pump the water when you need it, allow the overflow to be wisked away by your subsurface drain.

BTW, would love to see pics of the house.

 

[Kyle241]

I agree with the French drain idea. If you can get it dug correctly on the hillside or perhaps at the bottom, it will take away a lot of water. It's tough to tell in the pictures where you can lead it off to but I think this would work well and there are no mechanical things involved.

 

[Egon]

Maybe have a Geotechnical Engineer check it out.:

You could be looking at soil slippage, frost heaves or excessive pore pressure on basement walls.

Check the sump pump for head pressure and flow rate.

 

[extrakt0r]

I thought about the french drain, my only concern is that I would be "wasting" all that water when I can use it for irrigation. My plan is to water more than the garden, but grass around the house to. I will do something with the overflow of the tank temporary until the irrigation is 100% up and running.

The water stays far away from the house. All the dirt around the house was put there by the excavators and no water gets around the house. In fact, just a few feet away from the spring the clay is super hard.

 

[extrakt0r]

Couple more pics to help with perspective. It is a good distance from the house.

One pic from immediately after a good downpour

 

[Depmandog]

If you continue with your idea of using the 1500 gallon tank as a holding tank for your irrigation water, make sure its located higher than any area you plan on irrigating, and use the tank for the head pressure in your system. This will keep you from having to pump the water twice - and running electric to the backside of your property.

I suspect you will have to have some sort of float switch in the tank that shuts the sump pump off. Perhaps this can be done using low voltage line...??

1500 gallons, sounds like a lot of water, but it depends on how large an area you plan to irrigate and how often.

 

[kevin37b]

You people need to remember when you dig these big holes , you are dealing with MN. She will find a path for thiswater . You are creating a negetive pressure area and here comes the water . You need to arrange good surface drainage .