# Concrete drainage ditch



## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

Flooded drive to backyard


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

Taken off deck


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

Existing temporary pump to help. 1.5" discharge, 70gpm, still can't keep up


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

from the top of the drive, out to the end of the drive = what is the grade difference ?


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

Not sure, it's about 130' from end of drive to street culvert. Street culvert is about 16" below drive


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

RLovec said:


> Not sure,
> 
> it's about 130' from end of drive to street culvert. Street culvert is about 16" below drive


you need to find out. don't need to be exact. just need to know that "if" you had a culvert/gutter/french drain that water would flow down it.


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

Yes, I agree. I have a friend bringing over a transit next weekend to help me shoot some grades. But let's just say it is a 16" drop over 130'. I am not concerned with the grade. The culvert at the street has a grate that sits below, and the basin goes down a good 3 feet. The yard is already draining that way. Shouldn't be an issue.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

how are you with the neighbor on that side ?
does he/she have anything close to your drive ?


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

The house next door was repo'd and another neighbor bought it to flip it. I already tried to get him to go in half with me on fixing both yards and he said no. I told him I was bringing in dirt and grading towards his property, and if necessary putting in my own ditch.

My yard already (kinda) drains out onto his property and to the street. His property has the natural ditch that gets water from both our yards to the street. The only problem is it doesn't work. His side does not drain and he won't cut down the tree that has grown so large it is completely blocking the path that water flows.

So I want to contain my water and get mine out regardless of what his side does


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ok. does anyone live there now. and/or is there a lot ?


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

There is a house. Noone living in it. He plans to sell it here in a couple months so I need to get my work done while he still owns it


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ok. hows about a french drain down the side of your driveway ?
cheap, easy, fast. and no one but you would know its there = the future owners could not have an issue with something they don't know about.


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

I still need to be able to use that side of the driveway. ie if I cut a section out to place in a drain or ditch, I sill need to be able to cover it back up so I can drive on it


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

RLovec said:


> I still need to be able to use that side of the driveway. ie if I cut a section out to place in a drain or ditch, I sill need to be able to cover it back up so I can drive on it


no no. i am talking about going down the side of the drive as it is now = you won't be touching the pavement.


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

My property ends about 4 inches or less from the driveway. I'm not spending money on drainage to put on his property


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

yeah, well. it would be cheap easy and probably effective. and the only real problem with doing it that way = if they wanted to put a fence there, "if" they could put a fence there.

and while i DO NOT advocate using other peoples property. its only a couple inch's and, it could not be seen. 

anyway
the only other sensable solution i see is a concrete swale on the side of the driveway = remove about 1 1/2' down the side, built the swale. you would be able to drive on this, but most likely wouldn't. and no expencive grating.


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

So, along the driveway right on the property line there is lots of trees that would have to come down in order for me to just install a french drain. Therefore, I'd have to cut down trees that aren't mine. It just wouldn't work. I thought about the swale too!
I just thought it'd be easier as a novice to make 3 pours. 1 for the bottom, side, and side. Concrete man told me a swale would Crack if driven on.

Also, I'm not sure a 4" french drain would be big enough to drain the entire bckyard. The pump takes out 70gpm and still can't keep up when it rains hard. There is a 1.5inch discharge on it. I doubt a french drain will keep up.

By the time I wait for a french drain to get the water out, the water will all soak in and become subsurface water. An issue that I am trying to fix.


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

I don't mind spending a couple (probably few) grand to do it the right way. I need something that will work, which may not be the cheapest way to do it.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

RLovec said:


> My property ends about 4 inches or less from the driveway. I'm not spending money on drainage to put on his property


You are going to have a hard time controlling water that wants to go to its natural wetlands, which is pretty much what the back of the properties are.

Pull the flood plain maps from usgs.gov. It should also give you some grade info.

The best way to attack this is to just put a Dry well in the back to let the water drain into it, then run at least 8-12" Black Corrugated drain tile under the ground. That way you do not have to deal with all of the work and hassle of building a culvert that you do not even know will work at this point.


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

Water does not go toward the back of the property. It wants to flow out toward the front via the side of the property where the driveway is.
The questions remains, any cheaper alternatives or ideas for a cover over the culvert down the side of the drive such that a vehicle can't get stuck? I was maybe thinking of cutting rebar and placing in the concrete mold across the top?


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Why a ditch instead of a drain pipe?


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

I don't have a lot of room on that side. The amount of water that needs to get out is large, it would need to be a large pipe (8+inches). I still want to be able to use that portion of the driveway. Make cleaning it easy, we have lots of leaves overhead. Easily bring surface water into ditch without regarding entire driveway.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

RLovec said:


> Yes, I agree. *I have a friend bringing over a transit next weekend to help me shoot some grades.* But let's just say it is a 16" drop over 130'. I am not concerned with the grade. The culvert at the street has a grate that sits below, and the basin goes down a good 3 feet. The yard is already draining that way. Shouldn't be an issue.


Ayuh,.... Ya can't really plan much of anything, til ya know exactly, 'n for Sure the amount of pitch ya got available,.....

This may, or may not be something you could use,....


















I kinda doubt yer guesstimate, as an inch in 10' usually drains faster than in yer pictures,....


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## RLovec (Jan 7, 2014)

1" to 10' is the pitch I am going to try to accomplish. Not what I already have.


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