Looking for solution(s) to drain water across a rural gravel driveway
Hello, my name is Tom and I just joined this site. I observed that members were recieving good advice and I am in need of that.
I live in central Texas on black dirt. I have a long (700 foot) driveway which was installed in 2010. The driveway is a limestone gravel and has held up well but now needs some maintenance. However, I
want to solve (or minimize) my drainage problem first. I am attaching 3 photos. We have recieved about 5 inches of rain over the past week, with 3/4 inch last night.
The property has a pond and a seasonal creek to the left and behind where I took the photos. The culvert at the road is a higher elevation than the end of the driveway so it backs up. I believe a good solution would be a “french” type drain under the drive with catch basins on either side.
I am looking for advise or what and how to construct a solution.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Tom
Replies
Is the water doing damage to the roadway, landscaping or is just an esthetic thing?
As you know, come Jully / August, in Texas, you will be wishing for water ponding along the road or anywhere else. :-)
Not knowing anymore about the site than what the pictures show, there is not much help one can offer. Yes, some type of drainage system seems to be in order. I'm not sure a french drain is what is needed. It could be a drain with an inlet at the lowest point with a drain piipe exiting into a holding poind or to the existing pond or seasonal creek. Depends on the lay of the land and how far they are away from the intake. Or it could be as simple as a swale that goes around the drive to a pond or someting..
Tom, what part of Central Texas are you talking about.
Bruce, Long ago retired, Ft. Worth
drainage reply
I'm in NE McLennan county. It is starting to deteriorate the driveway whcih is why I want to correct/improve it before I do maintenance. I have considered the swale but think I will just create a new problem.
That said, I believe your idea of running a drain pipe to a holding pond has merit. So happens I have a natural pond and that is where the water is trying to get to.
Appreciate the input, I will look into it.
Tom