Drainage question, unused road

[Sigarms]

Have a road than runs on my property, from one lower field to another field up a hill (this area sort of lays between two little valleys, higher hills to the left in the pic, and a valley to your right to the base of a laying pasture that gets very hilly). Looking at the first pic, water settles on the left side (and going up 300 yards or so, in the second post is a pic of the "pond" where it begins). There is a creek that you can't see to your right of the picture. This road has never been used by myself, but by a farmer using the land (a long story, posted about it in the past, and the farmer will no longer be able to use the property in the near future). The previous owner looks like he laid down some 3" PVC pipe which of course is of no use now (broken). I'm wanting to lay in some pipe, perhaps some stone, but have no clue on where to begin.

I don't use this road at all other to walk to a tree stand I have set up about 100 yards up to the right from the first pic, however, at some time would like to take the truck up to the other fields for various reasons, and in the "wet" season, this section of road becomes like a mud pit where the water sits.

 

[Sigarms]

First pic is of the busted pipe, in the background, the creek (you can see the water running towards it)which sits lower where the water runs to. Keep in mind, near the end of the pipe, there is a good 4' to 6' "drop off.

Farmer will run his 70hp tractor across this, really making the ground soft to boot.

Second pic is of the "pond" that sits off of my property about 300 yards up to the left from the first pic in the first post.

The only thought I have is to lay some culvert pipe (size wise, I have no idea), burry it deep (how deep, no clue), of course, perpindicular (sp?) to the road, and perhaps lay some stone (again, how much, no clue).

Intentions are to keep the road as dry as possible. If I'm going to take the time and effort, would like to do it as best as possible (I could be wrong, but 3" PVC pipe laid a couple feet deep won't do the trick).

Any suggestions or past experience would be grateful.

Thanks

 

[dirtworksequip]

Sigarms, you need to get rid of the water. That is what is making the roadway a mess. Wait til late spring or early summer when it will be the driest. That way you will cut down on your work and not make more of a mess. Start by cutting out the mud in the roadway to get down to something halfway solid.Start at the low point so you can keep the work area dry. Be careful not to trap water or you will just be making more mud. Now grade the swale to the left so it drains. After that dig a ditch across the road for a piece of culvert pipe or two. I can't tell how much water the drainage carries from the pic. Go with the smallest size that you feel will carry the water in a big,big rain. I would suggest putting a 90 degree elbow on the inlet side of the culvert. This will allow you to get more burial and cover over the culvert under the road. Now you need some dirt to fill in over the culvert and build up the roadway enough so it will drain and water will not lay on it. Also grade up the road beyond the culvert so it drains tonce you get the road level built up it should stay dry and hold up. I'll post a drawing of your pic as soon as I get it uploaded and edited.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Black lines are the culvert pipe with 90 degree el.
Blue line is the water flow you want.
Yellow is what the road profile should look like when finished.
Blue dots are water that needs to get drained.





http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q259/dirtworksequip/road2.jpg

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't use this road at all other to walk to a tree stand I have set up about 100 yards up to the right from the first pic, however, at some time would like to take the truck up to the other fields for various reasons, and in the "wet" season, this section of road becomes like a mud pit where the water sits.

Because you rarely use the road, I wouldn't put any money into it at all.

If you wanted a year round road, then you'd need to crown the road with a chanel for the water on the high side and a culvert to get rid of the water. A 12 inche culvert would work fine and cost you around $125.

Based on what you said your use and need for the road is, I'd take out the flatness of the road and make it blend into the shape of the hill better. The water has to have a way to go someplace, or it will sit and create problems. Move the dirt from the edge of the road back to the hill and give it a minor slope to get the water down the hill.

You'll have some erosion, but it shouldn't be as bad what you have now.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[MX5000]

Because you rarely use the road, I wouldn't put any money into it at all.

If you wanted a year round road, then you'd need to crown the road with a chanel for the water on the high side and a culvert to get rid of the water. A 12 inche culvert would work fine and cost you around $125.

Based on what you said your use and need for the road is, I'd take out the flatness of the road and make it blend into the shape of the hill better. The water has to have a way to go someplace, or it will sit and create problems. Move the dirt from the edge of the road back to the hill and give it a minor slope to get the water down the hill.

You'll have some erosion, but it shouldn't be as bad what you have now.

Good luck,
Eddie

I'm with Eddie on this one. Crown the road. One thing you don't want is to make the middle of the road lower than the sides. The rain wil run right down the middle and wash it out or set there and not dry out. I'd also make a ditch on the uphill side of the road and run a culvert under the road. Another thing that you can do is make small piles of rocks or gravel or something and make little piles every 20 feet or so to slow the runoff down the ditch on the uphill side of the road, so when you get alot of rain, the runoff won't be a torrent and wash everything out. I usually make small piles of gravel, but a bunch of small rocks will do. Use a rear blade or something to drag the dirt from the down hill side of the road to the middle of the road to raise up the center and make a crown. You can also use the dirt from the ditch you make on the uphill side of the road and dump it in the center of the road to build it up too. That's how I usually do it.

Howard

 

[BTDT]

Since it is already a wet, spring fed area, why not dig there and create a pond on your property (deers like water). Then find a route through your woods on higher/drier ground to get to your stand. Water can be a good thing.