Digging a Drainage ditch (Shallow & Narrow)

[Dave5264]

Im starting to plan for the out Door Riding Ring we're setting up in the spring.

We have good spot picked out, Pretty flat...or it will be after im done with the box blade work.

My question is, whats the best way to dig some drainage channels in the area so i can put in some weeping stone and Weeping tile before i back fill with the footing (as in "Horse footing") materials. I have a FEL and a 6' Box blade with tines.. can it be done or....am i going to need to rent a small backhoe/excavator ?

I envision the drainage channel to be 2' wide and anywhere from 1' to 2' deep

the ground is Solid blue clay once you get down 4-6" so water just sits if its not got good Drainage.

 

[dave1949]

I'm not sure about 2' deep, you might end up with a series of gooey stretches above your weep lines. In clay, moisture will pool there won't it?

Usually areas are drained by trenching below the frost line, put down 2" clean stone, slotted 4" drainage pipe, more stone (18"-24"), cover with filter fabric, and then put in your horse footing material. Of course, you will need a low spot or ditch to run the drain pipe to.
Dave.

 

[Mike120]

Not sure how to do it up North but when I built mine I put down 8" of crushed concrete in 2" lifts compacted with a vibratory roller and slightly crowned in the center. 4" of morter sand went on top of the base. Drain off is around the perimeter. Depending on your riding discipline, I'm not sure putting anything under the arena is a great idea. With Jumpers we put some serious loads on ours.

 

[Dave5264]

I'm not sure about 2' deep, you might end up with a series of gooey stretches above your weep lines. In clay, moisture will pool there won't it?

Usually areas are drained by trenching below the frost line, put down 2" clean stone, slotted 4" drainage pipe, more stone (18"-24"), cover with filter fabric, and then put in your horse footing material. Of course, you will need a low spot or ditch to run the drain pipe to.
Dave.

yes, my plan was to layer in 2" of weeping stone, followed by a 4" Weeping pipe (with a sock) and another 1' + of stone. That way it drains off and there is no pooling over the weeping lines(I have a low area outside the Ring to Drain to).

We're not using it for Jumping, more Flat work and a contained area to work with the younger horses.

that being said, I do undertand the concern about shifting footing though, I want to ensure it doesnt contribute to injury, but is still usable after the rain.

Maybe Mike's Idea about having it slightly hidher in the center and I can put the Trench Outside the Fenced area to take the runoff. that way the footing isnt a problem.

 

[dave1949]

yes, my plan was to layer in 2" of weeping stone, followed by a 4" Weeping pipe (with a sock) and another 1' + of stone. That way it drains off and there is no pooling over the weeping lines(I have a low area outside the Ring to Drain to).

We're not using it for Jumping, more Flat work and a contained area to work with the younger horses.

that being said, I do undertand the concern about shifting footing though, I want to ensure it doesnt contribute to injury, but is still usable after the rain.

Maybe Mike's Idea about having it slightly hidher in the center and I can put the Trench Outside the Fenced area to take the runoff. that way the footing isnt a problem.

I thought Mike's plan was interesting too, I guess a lot depends on how high the water table is under your arena area. Are you mostly draining surface water, or trying to dry out a area that lays wet much of the year? Two different problems.

Once your weep line freezes up in winter, it won't be moving any water - assuming it is above your typical frost depth.
Dave

 

[bpattie]

not sure of anyone here in Colorado that has put in drainage. Most times they just maintain it using harrow or drag to break up clots and smooth it out. Not sure what kind of soil you have but proper footing is a very good thing for an arena so you may want to add sand to the area.

 

[Dave5264]

Yes, there will be all new footing going in for sure, lots of research on that. The issue is the underlying material --- pure blue clay that doesnt drain well, and turns to mush in the spring if not drained off well.

putting in the footing material and harrowing etc is the easy part. its building the underlying foundational base so that it stays dry, doesnt pool water or get soggy, but still stays safe for sure footing is the trick.

I will have to drain it, and im leaning towards Mike's idea. the issue now is what to dig my perimiter trench with....

 

[radioman]

Well- what do you have? middle buster? FEL? sub soiler? tiller? backhoe? If you have a fel, you probably can get away with FEL and toothbar. If not, use a middle buster or subsoiler (prefer subsoiler) and use it to break the ground and scoop up the loose soil to start your trench. Sometimes if the job is not too big, you can make do with the equipment you already have.

 

[kthompson]

Dave you said you have box blade and you may can do it with that by lengthen one lift arm or shortening it so one end engages more than the other. In additional to what Radioman suggested have used what we call bottom plows (moldboards are what most call them) and rear blade with good results. If rear blade is available if you rotate it as much as possible both to get one end low and then that same in forward it is made to cut swells that way.

 

[bpattie]

I would think the clay if properly crowned would provide the runoff or drainage........no?

 

[Dave5264]

Yes, per my initial post, i have a FEL and a Box Blade, and I was looking to see how best to use them (im new to this).

so thanks for the Idea on shortening up one side to engage it deeper...i didnt know that.

and, yes if properly crowned (per Mikes idea) the clay will allow it to runoff to the sides (outside the ring, where i want the drainage trench)

water table height shouldnt be a problem, its more the spring thaw/snow melt and the rain fall throughout the rest of the year i have to contend with. And yes your correct that a Mid winter thaw may be a problem with tiled drain pipe being frozen. All the more reason I think the Crown on the clay area is good. If i make the trench ouside the fenced area slightly lower (even after its back filled) it should keep the Ring clear even in a mid winter melt.

Great ideas and questions guys thanks alot for the input !!

 

[radioman]

I would think the clay if properly crowned would provide the runoff or drainage........no?

I am laughing here... no - not making fun . I have clay around here and EVERY spring and fall the clay swells up and gets soft and muddy. There are areas here where it like a bank but I can't drive on due to wet clay. It just makes a mess and sometimes get stuck. The only thing that seems to work is good drainage and 1-2 stones on top and let it sink in. Once the grass grows over, I can drive on it without fear of getting stuck only although it still might make a mess from some clay oozing thru the stones. I am not using it as a drive so its the only alternative I have here.

 

[Dave5264]

Yes, your right, the spring thaw is a whole new issue isnt it. Run off is one thing, but the way it turns soft is a problem..... ive got more planning to do, maybe i have to dig deeper and put in some other fill to keep it firm.

 

[drssg]

Do you know anyone locally that is well-experienced at putting in riding arenas? I think it would be worth-while to at least consult with a local expert that can take everything into account for your particular situation. Just the materials can be quite costly for a riding arena, and if something in the lower layers is not done correctly you can waste lots of money.

I ended up hiring a guy to put in our arena, and I checked out several of his other jobs beforehand. His implements had laser-integrated leveling control, and there is no way I could have done anything close to his quality of work.

Here's a cheap booklet that covers some of the basic ideas of arena building. Underfoot