Confused....Underground Spring?

TigerfaninAR · Mar 23, 2011

Finishing up our new house and in the process if it all have been grading an area in the front yard. Have just about got it like i want but noticed this past weekend there was a wet spot that would have normally dried by now. 2 days later now and that spot is triple in size and we haven't had a drop of rain.

The guys showed up this morning to redo the driveway, bring in the gravel etc and they noticed the spot right away. These were the same men who dug my pond and other drainage things so they were taking a look around. First asked if septic lines there but are none. Then thought might have a waterline leaking, it was put in last week about 15-20 feet where it is wet. They checked the meter and said it wasn't that and final conclusion is an underground spring. Would not be unusual for the area but why all the sudden is it wet now?

Did I grade just enough soil off the top to allow it to get to the surface? Dies that make any sense? I probably gave graded 8-12 inches at this spot. Confused

nike · Mar 23, 2011

Maybe you should try driving a pipe in the middle and see if water comes out of it under pressure....Just spit balling here....

Egon · Mar 23, 2011

What are your surrounding topographic and geological conditions?

johns_dmax · Mar 23, 2011

I've got a spot like that. Way back when we used to get rain the water would perk down until it hit the layer of clay a foot or so beneath the surface. It would then flow downhill until it found a low spot to surface, right in one of our horse paddocks. It took me a while to figure it out. Now when it rains I just go out and clear out the trench I've dug to keep it going downhill. Good luck.

PA hayseed · Mar 23, 2011

johns_dmax said:
I've got a spot like that. Way back when we used to get rain the water would perk down until it hit the layer of clay a foot or so beneath the surface. It would then flow downhill until it found a low spot to surface, right in one of our horse paddocks. It took me a while to figure it out. Now when it rains I just go out and clear out the trench I've dug to keep it going downhill. Good luck.

Sounds about right to me. I have seen this happen plenty of times. I think the OP should see if there is a well or water source near his property, that it may end up at his location as it travels through the earth.

In the mountains in PA, underground springs occur year round or at specific times of the year. I am not a geologist, just talking from years of experience. What I would be curious to know is if there was an old well there. You wouldn't find it with a backhoe unless there was old pipe present. If nothing else, if you go through a drought in your area use some divining rods to see if it shows water there. (almost sorry to bring this old debate up "water witching")

Good luck.

TigerfaninAR · Mar 23, 2011

After looking at it more today it has to be a spring, unless the water line is leaking and water is going uphill.

Thing that confused me was I've owned the property for two years and while it was a low area it would dry out completely; mostly dry the entire summer last year. Don't know enough to think why a spring would just be during certain times

powerstroke444e · Mar 23, 2011

Moved to a new house late last fall and have a 2 other poeple that share the drive and they have been putting rock in 2 spots forever they say. I noticed water runs out of them none stop and there is not a well or anything around must be a spring so I am going to tile them once it drys out enough to get a trencher in with out getting stuck.

TigerfaninAR · Mar 23, 2011

Looks like we are going with a French drain and send it to a nearby culvert. Have no other idea on how to handle it.

boggen · Mar 23, 2011

french drain would be it. it is what french drains do. help drain water away from areas.

wvpolekat · Mar 23, 2011

That is all you really can do. I used to own a house with a spring under it. For years before I got it, people tried everything in the world to stop it. I just gave it someplace to go and it took care of it.

I built a "spring box" that was about 2 foot square and about a foot deep filled with gravel, then ran a drain off it out from under the house and down the hill.

But, in my case, I knew where it was.