dry well drainage issue. Looking for solution.

[jhb]

I have a large dry well used for property run-off. The ground surrounding the well is saturated.

I would like to fix this and am wondering about putting a French Drain in like spokes away from the center of a wheel. However, this is a short term (few years) need, so I want to make it quick and dirty, and cheap. Crushed stone can be expensive, I was wondering if I can just dig a trench and place cinder clocks together wrapped in landscape fabric, placed so the holes run horizontally. This is not a surface water problem, I just need to get water in the ground moere room to be absorbed, like a leach field.

TIA!

[Ed Imeduc]

I dont know if you have a Lowes and Home Depot there. If so take a look at their drain pipe. They have a black plastic drain pipe now that has like popcorn foam around it for the footings drains. This might work for you.


ED ;)

[jhb]

reallly? I know the pipe, but I thought you had to bury it with stone or something around it. They have it now so you can just bury it? That's great, I'll check it out.

[jhb]

just looked online, and they have "socks" for corrugated drain pipe too. This looks promisingh. I can really just bury this in the ground with no stone? That would be awsome!

[nomind]

Hi Ed and jhb, - maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what you guys are talking about. My daughter's place had a similar problem and we solved it by putting a couple of runs of perforated 4" pvc pipe in. Isn't that a cheaper alternative? :confused:

[Mike Swearingen]

If you put plain perforated drain pipe (aka drain tiles) directly into soil without stone or gravel around it, it will fill up and clog with dirt in fairly short order.
You can put it directly in the ground without stone or gravel of course, but be sure and use fabric sleeves made for the purpose on it. (I would use fabric sleeves for both.)
It will last a lot longer without any maintenance.
Good luck!
Mike

[jhb]

Thanks Mike, that is the answer I was hoping for. Wrap the black, slotted, corrugated pipe in a sleave and direct bury (or use what Ed suggested, basically the same thing?).

[nomind]

Thanks Mike, - we put the pipe in with a bit of drain rock around it , but the sleeve idea sounds like much less work. Next time I'll know better. :)

[Mike Swearingen]

jhb,
No, the foam popcorn only takes the place of stone or gravel, not the fabric sleeve.
The stone, gravel, or foam popcorn just allow the drain tiles to absorb ground water faster. The fabric prevents soil and silt from clogging the drain pipe.
Mike

[Bob Haller]

If much digging is involved I would rather buy the gravel from a builders store,. NOT by the bag anywhere,,, way too expensive.

Digging is so much work I would rather do it ONCE the right way.

[Mike Swearingen]

If much digging is involved, rent a small trencher if you're just going to bury the pipe in a sleeve with no stone.
Mike