# Bulkhead Drainage Concern



## Enigma007x (Sep 3, 2012)

Hey guys. This is my first time posting here. Hopefully you can help me out! 

I have attached a picture of the little area that I am dealing with. I recently found that the previous home owner had piled some dirt up against the bulkhead to prevent water from collecting in this little strip between our pool pump slab and the bulkhead. This was working fine, but the bulkhead was beginning to rust because of the constant moisture from the soil contact. 

In the picture, I dug out all of the soil until I had a bit of the concrete from the bulkhead sticking above the ground. Now, I have a trench that water will likely collect in. The yard to the left in the picture has a pitch towards the bulkhead, and the rest of the yard is pretty much level with a very subtle grade to the right of where I am standing. If I dig the trench any deeper to create even more of an angle away from the house, it would be below the level of the rest of the yard.

Is there any recommended way to deal with a situation like this?

I appreciate any help that can be offered!

Thanks,
Enigma


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Your land needs regrading.

The metal bulkhead may not be partly buried or have dirt piled up against it. Otherwise you get rust as you did.

Water must not pool up against the foundation.

It is okay to have a trench to carry away water but water must not accumulate in the trench next to the foundation.

While a pit or dry well can be dug to collect the water, if this is within a few feet of the foundation then it has to be deep enough and equipped with a sump pump to get rid of the water should the water level rise above *basement floor* level.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

One reason that bulk head is rusting is because it looks like it never got painted. There shipped primed.


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