Hey fellow Drainage Experts Need help in draining a very flat lawn area 300x200 Has a very slight grade but very wet from weather and its been topsoiled so pretty muddy, customer wanted flat lawn but forgot about drainage , I'm thinking yard drains , But thought somebody had a good design with this situation Thanks KMS I'm inheriting This job
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Question In Drainage
- Thread starter KMSEXC
- Start date
Construct'O
Senior Member
You will have to drain it by changing the whole slope of the yard by add or cutting the dirt,or moving what you have,or ditching it.
Other thing would be get a small trencher and put in some peferated drain tile.They make it in 3" size with fitting to couple it togather ,also t's and y's
You need an outlet deeper then what you want to drain.You could do a pattern trenching job or if is a low spot,you could add a drain.A ground level grit or screen going down to the drainage tile.
You would need to try and keep it on grade for it to drain and function the best.Good luck:usa
Other thing would be get a small trencher and put in some peferated drain tile.They make it in 3" size with fitting to couple it togather ,also t's and y's
You need an outlet deeper then what you want to drain.You could do a pattern trenching job or if is a low spot,you could add a drain.A ground level grit or screen going down to the drainage tile.
You would need to try and keep it on grade for it to drain and function the best.Good luck:usa
Northart
Senior Member
Drainage Issue
One approach, is to let it be, allow the yard to be muddy, to drive the issue home, that a flat yard is not desireable..
Then remove the topsoil and cut the subgrade so it drains properly . A 2% grade is needed for positive drainage.
If you have a sand subgrade, at 1% grade , a real sandy mixed topsoil will allow the rain to just soak in.
And if there is no possibility to alter grade much due to surrounding terrain, then a subsurface drainge system is needed. This can involve many kinds of $chemes.
Just some thoughts.
One approach, is to let it be, allow the yard to be muddy, to drive the issue home, that a flat yard is not desireable..
Then remove the topsoil and cut the subgrade so it drains properly . A 2% grade is needed for positive drainage.
If you have a sand subgrade, at 1% grade , a real sandy mixed topsoil will allow the rain to just soak in.
And if there is no possibility to alter grade much due to surrounding terrain, then a subsurface drainge system is needed. This can involve many kinds of $chemes.
Just some thoughts.
Alan Mesmer
Active Member
All Excellant advice above... If it already has not been said - Every 10' or as required Trench approx. 12" deep and run perf. drain pipe(4" SDR 35 - fittings are available everywhere for 4") towards downhill grade side of lawn using t's to connect ends as necessary to daylight or basin. I like to use 10' sections of pipe instead of black flexible because it makes you hold grade where the flexible will follow the bottom of the trench and leave you with high and low spots. Cover pipe to 2" below ground level with 3/4" washed rock and cover with lanscaping fabric and cover with thin layer of topsoil.
Good Luck
Alan
Deas Plant
Senior Member
Hi's and lo's in pipe
Hi, Alan Mesmer.
Firstly, welcome to the forum.
I have found that having hi's and lo's in perforated flexible pipe is not altogether a bad thing. While it may not get rid of all the water immediately, it does leave small reserves there for when the ground dries out a little. It works on more or less the same principle as the 'S' bend in a flush toilet. In fact, one local council for whom I did some drainage work in several of their parks wanted uneven-bottomed trenches for this very reason. Trouble was, they wanted the irregularities to be more or less regular, which was a PITA for the poor digger operator - - - I was on backfill and clean-upon those jobs. He, He, He.
The councils were using 3" and 4" perforated flexible pipe but I'd reckon 2" would be adequate for this lawn job, unless it is a fairly large area, with perhaps a larger diameter for the main pick-up pipe to the outlet.
KMSEXC, hope this helps. I have parts of my lawn that have 8% - 12% fall on them and they don't drain quickly either, 'cos the grass holds the water within its mat to a surprising degree. Sub-surface drainage seems to me to be the way to go.
Hi, Alan Mesmer.
Firstly, welcome to the forum.
I have found that having hi's and lo's in perforated flexible pipe is not altogether a bad thing. While it may not get rid of all the water immediately, it does leave small reserves there for when the ground dries out a little. It works on more or less the same principle as the 'S' bend in a flush toilet. In fact, one local council for whom I did some drainage work in several of their parks wanted uneven-bottomed trenches for this very reason. Trouble was, they wanted the irregularities to be more or less regular, which was a PITA for the poor digger operator - - - I was on backfill and clean-upon those jobs. He, He, He.
The councils were using 3" and 4" perforated flexible pipe but I'd reckon 2" would be adequate for this lawn job, unless it is a fairly large area, with perhaps a larger diameter for the main pick-up pipe to the outlet.
KMSEXC, hope this helps. I have parts of my lawn that have 8% - 12% fall on them and they don't drain quickly either, 'cos the grass holds the water within its mat to a surprising degree. Sub-surface drainage seems to me to be the way to go.
drainage
Thanks for your input fellas , I think what I'm going to do is start at one end and Grade using a string to make sure theres no puddling and grade areas to yard drains so many feet apart and then sod area if not to wet may have to bring in dry materials KEEPem COMING THOUGH maybe you have better ideas THANKS KMSEXC Just to mention This is surface water only thats puddling it has hard ground under topsoil But very large flat area thats the difficulty Thanks
Thanks for your input fellas , I think what I'm going to do is start at one end and Grade using a string to make sure theres no puddling and grade areas to yard drains so many feet apart and then sod area if not to wet may have to bring in dry materials KEEPem COMING THOUGH maybe you have better ideas THANKS KMSEXC Just to mention This is surface water only thats puddling it has hard ground under topsoil But very large flat area thats the difficulty Thanks
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You've got the right idea. It's always best to surface drain if possible. Perforated tile is designed to capture subsoil moisture. If you install intakes then you have to grade small catch basins to divert water too and you might as well just have surface drained it in the first place.
I can't believe anyone would want to install tile so as to not have complete drainage. Thats the purpose of it. Standing water is a root magnet. In dry conditions the plants roots will grow towards the available water and quickly plug up the tile. I've had to dig up and repair many a plugged tile.
I can't believe anyone would want to install tile so as to not have complete drainage. Thats the purpose of it. Standing water is a root magnet. In dry conditions the plants roots will grow towards the available water and quickly plug up the tile. I've had to dig up and repair many a plugged tile.