Does anyone put in their own french drains? One contractor recommended french drains for 2 of my pens and the costs for that alone ran $11,000. I thought I could do without the french drain in one pen as I have ground water from my neighbor’s pond and that area (muddy, water in hoof prints, etc.) takes up about a fourth of the pen (about 1/4 acre guessing). The other pen is a little different, but it ponds at the top and then runs downhill (slight grade) to the end of the property and then runs off into the creek. It also runs into the creek in a major way right next to my bridge and barn. Another contractor suggested drain boxes/pipes. Went to Home Depot last night and am concerned that the horses would break the top of the drain box and become injured with the shards of hard plastic.
Overall, I find the idea of installing a french drain daunting! I may just get separate quotes for that.
Please let me know your thoughts! TIA!
Not sure what you have there, but it sounds like you need grading to have any water going thru there move on?
Have you consulted with your USDA Farm Service Agency people in charge of the Natural Resources programs?
They may have some ideas what to do with that water and some, yes, may be some kind of french or pipe drains, but not necessarily.
When we were going to build our main barn, I started with them once we decided where we wanted it.
They recommended building a terrace above the site to divert the water that flows thru there and even flagged where it needed to go for us, very nice of them.
Previously we had a waterway thru there, that they decades ago also flagged for us.
That would not have carried that much water if we had a big rain, why the diversion terrace was better.
I would want to get more opinions there, as you say.
Environmental protection is an issue since you will want to keep your water in good condition. Talk to your local Farm Services Agency or even an experienced local barn builder.
I guess you have not talked to the neighbor about them mitigating their pond’s run off?
As for drain boxes, those can be acquired in steel… but my concern would be dirt washing into the drain boxes plugging them.
My understanding of french drain system it is all subterranean so why the drain boxes? The ones I have built around our wash rack were nothing more than trench back filled with gravel
That is what we have, our french drains are a 3’ x 3’ x 20’ hole filled with 2"/6" gravel.
It is where our washrooms drain thru the wall to the ouside.
Those are also the kinds of drains used around structures where the roof dumps much water at once, around walls and gutters, to stop erosion from the run-off.
You and I are in dried areas so really once the water is below grade it easily gets soaked up by the surrounding soil
I guess OP is in a boggy area that would require piping to limit ground water from entering the french drain … basically just piping away the excess at the top of the field to keep it from draining downward?
kinds of drains used around structures where the roof dumps much water at once
those I thought are called a dry well
Thanks everyone! Sometime after we moved in, we went to the Natural Resources and Conversation Services (NCRS) office. They were super nice, put me on their mailing list, and sent me 6-7 forms to complete. Frankly, I used to work for the Government and often the legal office and wasn’t sure how to complete them. I was told to go to another office, that office told me to go to another office, called that office and they told me that the original office really should help me complete the forms and that’s where they should be submitted. I guess the different offices serve different counties. Their rep is gone until Monday, so we should get a call Monday and hopefully have an appointment Tuesday. I’ve just been so frustrated that I had given up and even though I had every intention of calling to get it resolved, I didn’t do it. Your posts have really helped start the process again. Hopefully, we’re ready to go with the process the beginning of next week.
All of my pasture land is in flood plain, hence the french drains. I had asked the NRCS rep if I should have the water sheet off the pens into the creek and she said she would need to see the property first. Hopefully, we can get a lot # soon and then NRCS can help us.
I haven’t spoken with my neighbor (haven’t seen or met them). We’ve been here 10 months and don’t know what the protocol is as we bought the property in its existing condition with the pond run-off onto our property.
@Bluey I love that barn. I have two small shedrows and obviously the land was built up to put up one of our barns.
Deep french drains (you can get pipe that is sleeved in something to help eliminate dirt build up) backfilled with rock can “catch” the water before it flows onto your property/paddocks and direct it elsewhere. I have a well easement diagonally across my property and whether it was there before the water easement or not, I now have a seasonal wet area that more or less follows it. There is a low spot that spreads and gets slightly pondlike in the wettest times, and I’d like to address it so that I can put horses out there or get to my arena, which will be going back there, if I so desire, without feeling like Atreyu in the Neverending Story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN1_YfuISmo
You can see the wellhouse at 0:33 and the green house it goes to at 0:36; my house is up the hill. This was a VERY wet winter… I plan on trying out french drain dug deeply and back filled with rock. My dad wants me to dig it out and then let him put a bridge over it, and I’m thinking the chances of getting my horse over a bridge ever is exactly zero, and possibly into the negatives, soooo…
@TheJenners Wow, what a gorgeous dog! Our area is just like a soggy mess. I have one small pond like area, maybe 5’x5’. I’m hoping NRCS returns our call today for an appointment and then technical advice. We actually have a large wooden bridge that goes over our creek. The horses are fine with it! They were a little tentative the first time though, after that a piece of cake! Good luck! Let us know how it works out.
Google ‘swales.’ Their mostly used for catching rain water for irrigation. But, you could likely configure something to work for your situation. It’s just trenches and rocks. I’d also get some more quotes for French drains. Your quote sounds quite high From your description, it sounds like part of your property is in a natural runoff. So, the water flowing into the creek is historically a natural occurrence. Hopefully, you helping it along wouldn’t be a problem.
Our horses love to stand in water occasionally. I’d love if they had the opportunity more often. We’re in the Western Mojave Desert adjacent to the National Forest. I keep my pick axe next to the front door for those rare occurrences.
The Natural Resources and Conservation office (rep and soil scientist) is coming out tomorrow. I’m so thrilled. Hopefully, they can lead me in the right direction and then I can get more quotes. Thanks so much!
thanks so much for the follow up post, often these questions are just left dangling
The previous post by Clanter got me thinking. He/she suggested you might talk to your neighbor. From your original post, I thought your neighbors’ pond was a natural pond. But, if it’s manmade you should be able to ask them to mitigate the runoff. Grading the length of that section to increase the angle of the slope would work as well. You only need about 5 degrees of slope for water to run. If it’s feasible, you could also grade it to create a berm that keeps the water on the other side on its way to the creek.
@TCA Arabians I think it’s a natural pond. Unfortunately, I live in a city with the name Springs in it, so now I know just what that really means. There are two or three ponds on our street, one is massive. Natural Resources came out today. I was so thrilled to meet with them. They were mostly concerned about the creek. The geologist said he didn’t have any concerns about the soil. They said the culvert going under the street was too small plus too high and needed to be replaced. Also, the culvert running under our driveway is too small plus high and doesn’t allow the sediment to pass through. I learned a lot from them. I talked about grading that area and they said it should work. I’m going to try to see what happens. I could just end up moving water-soaking dirt around - LOL. I appreciate your ideas and I’m hoping the 5 degrees work! Thanks!
I can’t tell you how many college students I’ve had to teach “water runs down hill.” I’m on a pretty good slope. The barn and the corrals around it were graded flat. Therefore, the water will pool in the corrals when we get a lot of rain. (I barely remember the concept of a lot of rain here in the west.) So, we dig trenches and bingo… when you reach the magic slope angle… the water just starts moving. Because we’re in the high desert, we’re also subject to flash floods. So, I make sure the natural washes on the property aren’t blocked. I also make sure my berms are holding to redirect water where I want it to go. Good luck. I wish I had the problem of a natural spring.
