I live on a lake at the end of a down hill road. Water runs down the road, down my driveway and just before the garage veers off into the grass to go around the house and down into the lake. the same thing happens on the other side of the house except that the water dumps off my neighbor's driveway into my yard. Both sides of my house are being eroded by water runoff.

Once the water hits the sunny back yard everything is mostly fine because grass/weeds get enough sun to stay alive. Both side of the house are shaded so the soils does not dry out very quickly and grass will not grow. Seed is washed away before it can take root.

What should I do?

Do you need more info or pics?

TIA!

Don't know how much land you have, but is it possible to dig trenches? The first trench (3" wide should do it) should go across the property and feed into the 2nd trench that runs in the downhill direction will then carry the rainwater into the lake.

At my folks cottage we used pressure treated boards to shim up the trench sides and to install cross braces - we then put down a sheet of plywood to enable us to drive across it. They sold the cottage this year, so I don't have anyway to get you a photo.

C&J the Gas Pirates

I'm the Captain of this ship and I have my wife's permission to say so.

Thanks for the reply. I could dig trenches but I'm leary about lining them with wood. Maybe I'll get some of those plastic boards.....

You could try making emulated creek beds with medium/large gravel. The rocks stay put when the water flows, but allows the water to flow without forcing it to move through erosion prone areas. I see these kinds of storm creeks in parks and fields with gentle slopes around here.

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I've already tried using sb2 gravel to try to slove the problem. It washed away in about 2 years time. Maybe some bigger rocks?

I would try bigger rocks, something suitable for the peak amount of water, otherwise as you've noticed it will eventually roll along with the water.

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Hi Lakedude:

___Schwa is on the right track but if there is enough current during a rain storm to actually wash the rocks away, you might want to consider trenching some 4” plastic flex pipe (the heavy duty construction based - non-perforated black stuff) maybe 2 + ft. deep a few feet away from the foundation and back towards the lake. The flow can be channeled to the pipes inlet and once that is complete, your problems should go away? All my downspouts are channeled away from the house to the drainage ditches in this manner and I live on the top of a hill! I installed ~ 1,000’ of pipe and trenched it in ~ 3’ deep just after our home was built and have not seen a problem … Except for our front stoop where our protected flower garden drains along that stoop and out into the yard. Another Honey-Do scheduled for later on this fall

___In Illinois we have a utility service that comes out and marks where all the underground pipes/wiring are located. Make sure you know exactly where each and every drop is before you begin to play with that trencher as it would cut through a sewer, electric, phone, water, or gas line as quick as you can say “Oh #$%*”! It should only take you 2 or 3 hours with a powered trencher including picking one up and dropping it back off depending on the length of trench (these things are really fun to play with ) and another ½ a day to drop the pipe and rebury. The unsightly disturbed turf above the trench lines will disappear by the middle of next year with proper reseeding and care.

___There are any number of ways to channel the water flow into the piping. Maybe a slight depression with construction grade underlayment and decorative landscape stone/rock leveled to grade all over a slotted inlet cover to the actual pipe inlet just off the corner of the drive would look pretty nice?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

if you didn't want to go sub-surface with buried pipe you could try an erosion control concrete block to build your drainage ditch. (something like: http://www.terraforce.com/terraforce...terracrete.htm) these kind of blocks are designed to prevent the kind of erosion you have as well as prevent compacting for roads that aren't used often- where they want grass or landscaping to grow.

Kate

KLC
2005 HCH CVT 'Verdigeek'