Drainage projects
The 2020 spring rains show a definite improvement in the basement flooding this image talks about. Still some, but ditch digging by Star and friends has significantly improved water runoff to the east. The north side is now where we get more frequent basement leakage, in the wall under the kitchen. This is easy to see visually how it needs to be better sloped. But hard to work on. Rock hard when dry, a gooey mud mess when wet. The three drainage areas split a bit south of the west edge of the house. The current real problem is that the eastern drainage area hooks around the house and soaks into the ground with total saturation, causing basement leakage. The current situation there is exacerbated by the lack of a rain gutter on the porch, but even before that, total saturation rainfall led to leaks in basement.
Of course now want to plan another parking area. This will hold maybe 10 cars crowded. (15 in Massachusetts) Need to layout and then execute some road work here so that there is both more parking and an easier way to get visitors turned around.
Foundation planting full shade
Did get some grading done so that things drain well. However, still have mound of dirt well above the sidewalk. Should I leave it as a garden bed or toss it over to the other side? And what kind of plants should go in here? After laying in the french drain, the amount of dirt needed is quite a bit less than was there to start with. Plus the new foundation line needs to have the dirts sloping away from it. Turns out I had pushed too much of the ditch dirt back toward the ditch. This ground has to slope 6 inches below the siding, so now will need to move that dirt else where and structure that bed to slope away from the house extension. This will end up with a steep slope from the sidewalk and a kind of valley down this bed. Something similar will need to be done on the east side as well.
leak in basement becomes water storage solution
This ditch needs to be widened to at least 3 feet and another 6 inches deeper. Then sheet mulched.
leak in basement becomes water storage solution
This ditch needs to be widened to at least 3 feet and another 6 inches deeper. Then sheet mulched.
leak in basement becomes water storage solution
This ditch needs to be widened to at least 3 feet and another 6 inches deeper. Then sheet mulched. A bit tricky in this place where human traffic has to cross it. Perhaps a gently curved bridge. Note that this would be the official wheel chair accomodation.
The water line going back to the barn left a depressed path that goes right behind the storage shed and puddles near the corner. plus, base of shed is not bermed at all, though that drainpipe has to help some what. Need to put up actual drainpipes and collect the water...
east side of workshop is at bottom of slope. Need to create a contour line swale about30 feet east, up hill. In addition to ensuring there is a good smooth mowable correctly sloped grading up to the shed.
drainage grading on west side of extension
Placement of the new swale should be close to outside of the drip line of the big oak.
Around the south east corner of the house, need a drainage swale to move water away from back of house. Feed it into a countour line swale and/or pond.
These need to be wide swales with grass stripped off and sheet composted. Layout spirals and work out the drainage pattern.
This area to the east of the workshop is downhill from the top of the hill behind the shed and under the barn, so water flows this way and can be captured along a contour line a feet or above the elevation of the workshop.
shape the ground around east and north sides of workshop with a 4' wide mowing path and drainage away from building
Fall colors at the upper pond.
The multiflora rose is gone and lots of branches have been moved to a large pile right under where the rose is mentioned. This pile has resulted in a bit of a pond or wetspot forming under it and almost a little creek going into the pond. So this is now also a drainage challenge.
