Channel Drain or French Drain ??

[NE Snowblower]

Had my driveway paved recently and as the photo shows, water collects at the base of my lawn and then flows down the left side of the driveway and creates a sheet of ice when it gets cold. I'm going to dig a trench from left to right and then down the embankment. Would a french drain work ? Only issue is I won't be able to dig below the frost line and I'll probably need to put put 4 inch riprap on top of the french drain. Other option is a 4 ft long channel drain with grate with 3 inch pipe. But will the grate freeze up with snow and ice ? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated

 

[Redlands Okie]

Not really what your asking but ......... Will a shallow gentle slope ditch heading of to the right and then maybe a bit down hill not work as well? Easy to mow and no maintence or freezing up issues perhaps. No leaves clogging it up etc. Would think the grass would grow back come spring just fine.

 

[CalG]

Had my driveway paved recently and as the photo shows, water collects at the base of my lawn and then flows down the left side of the driveway and creates a sheet of ice when it gets cold. I'm going to dig a trench from left to right and then down the embankment. Would a french drain work ? Only issue is I won't be able to dig below the frost line and I'll probably need to put put 4 inch riprap on top of the french drain. Other option is a 4 ft long channel drain with grate with 3 inch pipe. But will the grate freeze up with snow and ice ? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciatedView attachment 496210View attachment 496211

Any arrangement that has water stay at the surface will ice up over night. I've got a few similar situations around my yard and drives.

But you might be surprised at just how shallow "frost line" can be.

 

[NE Snowblower]

You can't tell from the picture, but as you go left to right, it slopes upwards.

 

[joeyd]

How about something like this? 24 in. Plastic Storm Water Leaching System-FWAS24 - The Home Depot

 

[s219]

If it was me, I'd dig under the turf about 12-16", flip it back away from the edge, then dig a swale/ditch right at that edge (do whatever you have to do to make it flow downhill even with that slight uphill left to right in your photos). Then fill the swale with gravel to bring it back to approximate level, put down 2" of sandy/loamy soil, and then flip the turf back down. The goal is to make it look exactly the same as it looks now but create porous drainage below so that the water doesn't collect.

Whatever you do, be careful that water doesn't get under the asphalt, as that will cause it to weaken and crack over time. Your solution, whatever it is, needs to direct water away from that area. Having water collect in a corner of asphalt like that is a sure source of problems in the long term.

 

[skyhook]

Looks like there's a pothole there where the water collects. Have you tried filling it with dirt to level, with the rest of the grass.

 

[NE Snowblower]

Looks like there's a pothole there where the water collects. Have you tried filling it with dirt to level, with the rest of the grass.

No pot hole there. Compact rocky soil. Just looks that way from the pavers peeling back the turf when creating the driveway edge. That's a new section of driveway that I had them put in. It was part of the banking that you see to the right that has the tree mulch. That area would always be wet since the yard itself slopes to the left towards the driveway

 

[coldsteelva]

I'm thinking the best bet would be to trench along the perimeter of the paving on that side, fill with gravel, and leave the gravel exposed. If that doesn't suffice to eliminate the surface water, then you will likely have to install a french drain with proper pitch to the embankment. You have to get the surface (grass or gravel) below the level of the asphalt or you will have either the sheet of ice or frost heave will crack that blacktop.

 

[EddieWalker]

French drains are famous for failing. There is a limit to how much water they can hold, they clog up over time, and they are expensive to install. The best way to move water is through a wide ditch. The wider you make it, the easier it is to mow, and the more attractive it is. Once done, you never have to deal with it again, the hard part is dealing with all the dirt that has to be removed. Once you get past that part of it, the rest is easy.

 

[lexluther]

I installed a very shallow section of perforated corrigated pipe barely covered by rock hoping to drain and direct the water from my roof and a large patio towards my pond.

Nothing ever discharged from the pipe, so I assumed a clog. Ran the hose on full blast, snaked it all the way through, still no drainage out the end except when the hose came out the other end.

It's very surprising since our soil doesn't "perk" a small french drain could be very effective at just diffusing the water back into the soil.

 

[NE Snowblower]

I installed a very shallow section of perforated corrigated pipe barely covered by rock hoping to drain and direct the water from my roof and a large patio towards my pond.

Nothing ever discharged from the pipe, so I assumed a clog. Ran the hose on full blast, snaked it all the way through, still no drainage out the end except when the hose came out the other end.

It's very surprising since our soil doesn't "perk" a small french drain could be very effective at just diffusing the water back into the soil.

I might try the french drain using the NDS EZFLow system first. It doesn't require any gravel and is supposed to last quite a long time. I think it will be the cheapest and easiest solution. I'll have to rent a trencher & Demolition Hammer from Home Depot since my land is very rocky. Hopefully the first 12 to 18 inches I dig won't have to much rock

 

[Snobdds]

I would add a catch basin right in the corner with an open drain that connects to a french drain that runs down the permiter of your drive way. Then have it discharge off into the yard somewhere.

 

[HCJtractor]

Curious . Can't see from the photo, but what's the elevation on the left of the drive going uphill? in other words, is the drive acting as a dam, preventing the water going left? If so, could you either cut a chanel in the drive across it, place a grate style drain behind your parking pad and across the drive, to divert the water that direction? Or tunnel under the drive, doing the same thing. I think you need to consider the overall elevation on both sides of the drive, and ask where the water would go without the drive. Then create the drainage channels to allow for its natural flow.

I would want to be sure any drainage channel i made wouldn't create a gully over time.

 

[NE Snowblower]

Curious . Can't see from the photo, but what's the elevation on the left of the drive going uphill? in other words, is the drive acting as a dam, preventing the water going left? If so, could you either cut a chanel in the drive across it, place a grate style drain behind your parking pad and across the drive, to divert the water that direction? Or tunnel under the drive, doing the same thing. I think you need to consider the overall elevation on both sides of the drive, and ask where the water would go without the drive. Then create the drainage channels to allow for its natural flow.

I would want to be sure any drainage channel i made wouldn't create a gully over time.

Actually yes, the driveway does act as a dam. As the water accumulates it overflows where the orange driveway marker is. That's the issue during winter when it freezes and becomes a sheet of ice. But tunneling under the driveway will be a tough task. There are irrigation pipes across the driveway, so hitting one pf those wouldn't be fun. But the entire contour of the land tilts to the left and down and that's the way the water wants to flow. So I think my only option is try and divert it right and then down

 

[prichard]

Why not raise the ground level up so driveway is lower than grass? Let the driveway carry it down the hill?

 

[NE Snowblower]

Because up here in God's country, when it warms up and melts during the day, it freezes when the sun goes down and it become a sheet of ice. That's what I'm trying to circumvent

 

[Woody65]

You could install a drain tile a cross the driveway like the ones used and the entrances to garages. Just cut the asphalt to the width of the drain tile, about 4 inches, and install it level with the driveway. They are made to be driven over. Also, you say the slope of the land goes in that direction, so just an outlet at the other side of the driveway will allow it to drain out harmlessly.










Like these......

 

[lexluther]

I might try the french drain using the NDS EZFLow system first. It doesn't require any gravel and is supposed to last quite a long time. I think it will be the cheapest and easiest solution. I'll have to rent a trencher & Demolition Hammer from Home Depot since my land is very rocky. Hopefully the first 12 to 18 inches I dig won't have to much rockView attachment 496313

This seems like a great idea, I just used what I had around, and was surprised by the results

 

[HCJtractor]

You could install a drain tile a cross the driveway like the ones used and the entrances to garages. Just cut the asphalt to the width of the drain tile, about 4 inches, and install it level with the driveway. They are made to be driven over. Also, you say the slope of the land goes in that direction, so just an outlet at the other side of the driveway will allow it to drain out harmlessly. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=496377"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=496378"/> Like these......

That looks like the best solution. Ive seen these made of plastic and also a ceramic made to embed in concrete. Regardless, thus should solve the problem . Perhaps also incorporate a catch basin into this system to collect the water below the parking pad. The out flow end could if necessary continue through a standard buried black plastic corrugated pipe