# Digging trench in soggy yard



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I ain't gonna say it can't be done, but it ain't easy workin' in a trench full of water,....

A trashpump might keep up with it as ya go,...

Yer problem needs to be fixed with surface gradin',....


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

If I could solve via regrade I would but I have neighboring fences on all sides and my current grade it at or below street level. I don't know what else to do besides a sump pump.


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

This is what I am dealing with after a heavy rain fall. It stays wet for quite a while after.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I tried in yer other thread, but confusion set in,....

In there, at yer back fence, in yer overhead pictures, does the water flow _From_ behind the fence, into yer yard,..??
If it's yer neighbor's water, comin' in, the Fix starts over there,...

Yer blue arrows say the water flows away from yer side of the fence to the other side,...
If it wants to flow under the fence away from you, cut the bottom of the fence off,...


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Bondo,
My yard is larger, but fairly flat, just a slight pitch towards the street. I installed French drains down both sides of the yard. In my case, I had a trencher that dug a 6" slot. I was able to go about 12" deep. I used 4" perforated schedule 35 PVC pipe and laid it in the trench. Covered with #57 limestone to grade. Raked out the dirt that came out of the hole about 1/2" deep over the gravel and through some grass seed on it. Grass grew, water drains, no problem cutting grass the next day. I used to have standing water for a week after a good rain. I have a shallow drainage ditch next to the street that my pipes dump into. You could run yours just deep enough to bury the pipe and cover with an inch of gravel, as long as the water has somewhere to exit the pipe. If you go to dig, wait for dry weather or you'll have a mess. I did mine in July when it's dry and hot up here in Ohio.
Mike Hawkins


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

firehawkmph said:


> Bondo,
> My yard is larger, but fairly flat, just a slight pitch towards the street. I installed French drains down both sides of the yard. In my case, I had a trencher that dug a 6" slot. I was able to go about 12" deep. I used 4" perforated schedule 35 PVC pipe and laid it in the trench. Covered with #57 limestone to grade. Raked out the dirt that came out of the hole about 1/2" deep over the gravel and through some grass seed on it. Grass grew, water drains, no problem cutting grass the next day. I used to have standing water for a week after a good rain. I have a shallow drainage ditch next to the street that my pipes dump into. You could run yours just deep enough to bury the pipe and cover with an inch of gravel, as long as the water has somewhere to exit the pipe. If you go to dig, wait for dry weather or you'll have a mess. I did mine in July when it's dry and hot up here in Ohio.
> Mike Hawkins


 My issue with that is if I start my trench towards the back of the house and dig down 8" for example, by the time I get my pipe to the street, with a slight downward slop in the trench, I will be well below street level. Does a French drain have to lead to daylight?


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

jabrock1 said:


> My issue with that is if I start my trench towards the back of the house and dig down 8" for example, by the time I get my pipe to the street, with a slight downward slop in the trench, I will be well below street level. Does a French drain have to lead to daylight?


Ayuh,... Have any grades been shot with a laser level,..??


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,... Have any grades been shot with a laser level,..??


I measured best I could with a line/ line level. Had a couple inches of drop from the back corner of the house to the street. approx. 3" over about 75 feet. Got a guy coming this week to take a look at it. Hopefully he can shoot it with a laser level.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

jabrock1 said:


> *I measured best I could with a line/ line level.* Had a couple inches of drop from the back corner of the house to the street. approx. 3" over about 75 feet. Got a guy coming this week to take a look at it. Hopefully he can shoot it with a laser level.


Ayuh,.... With the tiny margins yer workin' with, a string level ain't accurate enough, by a mile,...

Ya need to shoot it with a laser level, 'n story pole, or a low tech sight level, 'n story pole,...


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

'n ya still haven't said whether the water at the back fence is Comin' from the neighbor's, or goin' to the neighbor's,.....

Now ya got 2 threads 'bout the same topic, 'n I'm postin' in the wrong one,....


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

Bondo said:


> 'n ya still haven't said whether the water at the back fence is Comin' from the neighbor's, or goin' to the neighbor's,.....
> 
> Now ya got 2 threads 'bout the same topic, 'n I'm postin' in the wrong one,....


Haha my bad! Lets just carry on in the other thread


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