How to improve site drainage

beanohan

Hi I am hoping somebody might be able to steer me in the right direction. I built a house on 2 acres in very boggy ground in the Midlands about 4 years ago. At the time of building I raised areas of the site and put in drains of washed stone running out of the site to an adjacent open drain in the next field. There drain does not appear to be any flow on this drain, the water just stagnates. As a result my site is very wet and all trees I planted have died.

Can someone tell me who could I get in to recommend a solution.

Thanks

Sonnenblumen

beanohan wrote: »

Hi I am hoping somebody might be able to steer me in the right direction. I built a house on 2 acres in very boggy ground in the Midlands about 4 years ago. At the time of building I raised areas of the site and put in drains of washed stone running out of the site to an adjacent open drain in the next field. There drain does not appear to be any flow on this drain, the water just stagnates. As a result my site is very wet and all trees I planted have died.

Can someone tell me who could I get in to recommend a solution.

Thanks

Not sure what you mean by 'put in drains of washed stones' but the solution to removing excess water often requires the installation of land drains to collect water and divert/channel it away to a safe area/soakage pit. The extent of the water problem, site levels and ground conditions all have a bearing on determining what trenching works, pipe size etc is required.

The works procedure is straight forward ie excavate trench, then place a base (minimum 300mm) of drainage pebble at base of trench, lay the pipe (wrapped with a permeable membrane) ensuring good falls for gravity to take water away, encase the wrapped pipe with pebble (minimum 300mm) and finally back fill trench.

Let me know if you require more help.

bbam

Drainage all depends on the water table.
Now from your description you have a very high water table and your main drain is not flowing.

Have you had a walk along this drain you have drained into. Does it just need cleaning or is the whole area swamped with standing water.

I'm presuming you raised areas of the site because the underlying ground is wet. If you are in a very flat boggy area then the natural water table is probably near the surface and so drainage of any sort will be expensive and of little value.

Sonnenblumen

bbam wrote: »

Drainage all depends on the water table.
Now from your description you have a very high water table and your main drain is not flowing.

Have you had a walk along this drain you have drained into. Does it just need cleaning or is the whole area swamped with standing water.

I'm presuming you raised areas of the site because the underlying ground is wet. If you are in a very flat boggy area then the natural water table is probably near the surface and so drainage of any sort will be expensive and of little value.

Any ground no matter how wet, can be drained, even up to a lake. The value is not just in the cost but also the potential use of good ground. What do you mean expensive? I would disagree. To do nothing is the most expensive option.

Also there are plenty of examples all over the country where owners have successfully drained boggy/persistently wet sites. The areas which were prone to severe flooding areas west of Athlone ( Balinasloe, East Galway etc) have in recent years have been substantively reduced as a result of the ongoing program of installing land drains/other drainage works etc.

Localised flooding due to the presence of springs or run-off are typically resolved by similar works.

bbam

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Any ground no matter how wet, can be drained, even up to a lake. The value is not just in the cost but also the potential use of good ground. What do you mean expensive? I would disagree. To do nothing is the most expensive option.

Also there are plenty of examples all over the country where owners have successfully drained boggy/persistently wet sites. The areas which were prone to severe flooding areas west of Athlone ( Balinasloe, East Galway etc) have in recent years have been substantively reduced as a result of the ongoing program of installing land drains/other drainage works etc.

Localised flooding due to the presence of springs or run-off are typically resolved by similar works.

There's no point in selling OP a pup..
Not all sites can be successfully drained to make a garden.

From the first post it showed the site was wet as parts had to be raised..

If the water table in the surrounding area is too high then where is the water to go to without raising the whole garden above the surrounding area ??

The type of drain is important but so is the basic physics of the drain, the water will need to flow downwards to an area with lower water table.. If the surrounding water table is as high as the house site then there is nowhere for the run off water to go.

Possibly in very dry weather the water will dissipate, but in long periods of persistent rain (all of 2012) drainage is off little use.

I suggested checking if the main drain needed cleaning, if there is very little fall on this drain, and the area is of a peat nature then it will clog up quickly, regular cleaning of this may help too...

Sonnenblumen

bbam wrote: »

There's no point in selling OP a pup..
Not all sites can be successfully drained to make a garden.

From the first post it showed the site was wet as parts had to be raised..

If the water table in the surrounding area is too high then where is the water to go to without raising the whole garden above the surrounding area ??

The type of drain is important but so is the basic physics of the drain, the water will need to flow downwards to an area with lower water table.. If the surrounding water table is as high as the house site then there is nowhere for the run off water to go.

Possibly in very dry weather the water will dissipate, but in long periods of persistent rain (all of 2012) drainage is off little use.

I suggested checking if the main drain needed cleaning, if there is very little fall on this drain, and the area is of a peat nature then it will clog up quickly, regular cleaning of this may help too...

Nobody is selling anything, and why do you persist with your negative conclusions in the absence of no site inspection etc is puzzling? The OP was looking for ideas, strange how you have so far failed to offer any, apart from checking for a blocked pipe?

I think a walk around the nearest bog will be informative.

bbam

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Nobody is selling anything, and why do you persist with your negative conclusions in the absence of no site inspection etc is puzzling? The OP was looking for ideas, strange how you have so far failed to offer any, apart from checking for a blocked pipe?

I think a walk around the nearest bog will be informative.

I'm not sure what you'll achieve by walking through a bog but knock yourself out.
You suggested to OP that Any ground could be drained no matter how wet it was, this simply isn't true.
If there is nowhere to gain a fall for the drained water and the surrounding water table is too high it's just not possible. OP can put in all the stoned and piped drains in the world and if there is no route to get rid of his water then he's snookered.

I'm not being particularly negative, just realistic. No point in OP thinking that ANY ground no matter what can be drained when that's just not true.

Sonnenblumen

bbam wrote: »

I'm not sure what you'll achieve by walking through a bog but knock yourself out.
You suggested to OP that Any ground could be drained no matter how wet it was, this simply isn't true.
If there is nowhere to gain a fall for the drained water and the surrounding water table is too high it's just not possible. OP can put in all the stoned and piped drains in the world and if there is no route to get rid of his water then he's snookered.

I'm not being particularly negative, just realistic. No point in OP thinking that ANY ground no matter what can be drained when that's just not true.

Well if you read my posts more carefully, you will see that I did qualify my comments in so far as falls were concerned. If suitable falls are not available or practical, water in such instances can be pumped.

Why not go off and do some research and come back when you have something realistic to contribute?

bbam

beanohan wrote: »

Can someone tell me who could I get in to recommend a solution.

Thanks

Inquire around and see if there is a local Contractor who does drainage works. You'll need someone who has a good eye for the site and experience in drainage in your area. Maybe ask the adjoining landowner If he knows anyone, at least it may give you am opportunity to mention that the stagnant drain is a problem for you.

The key will be getting the water away from your site, if the surrounding land is all waterlogged it may not be possible.

Don't entertain anyone suggestion to dig soak pits, this isnt a solution in bog ground.

Lastly, google the new connacht agri filtered drainage pipe. For peat ground it works well, regular French drains fail quickly as the heavy stone sinks away from the drain and render it useless. It may seem expensive but for a small area it won't be much and your saving on the stone.

Sonnenblumen

bbam wrote: »

Inquire around and see if there is a local Contractor who does drainage works. You'll need someone who has a good eye for the site and experience in drainage in your area. Maybe ask the adjoining landowner If he knows anyone, at least it may give you am opportunity to mention that the stagnant drain is a problem for you.

The key will be getting the water away from your site, if the surrounding land is all waterlogged it may not be possible.

Don't entertain anyone suggestion to dig soak pits, this isnt a solution in bog ground.

Lastly, google the new connacht agri filtered drainage pipe. For peat ground it works well, regular French drains fail quickly as the heavy stone sinks away from the drain and render it useless. It may seem expensive but for a small area it won't be much and your saving on the stone.

If you're so sure why did you not suggest this at the outset? More likely another example of more 'advice' from someone who clearly has no first hand experience of dealing with such a problem or the potential solution.

bbam

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

If you're so sure why did you not suggest this at the outset? More likely another example of more 'advice' from someone who clearly has no first hand experience of dealing with such a problem or the potential solution.

Will ya give it a rest.
I've done lots of drainage in all types of land. You suggested that ANY land can be drained when that's just not true.
It's a fact that for land to drain, the water must be free to move to an area of lower water level. If ye surrounding land is stagnant and waterlogged at the same level as OP's site then there is little can be done.