How to drain a plot of land. Drainage in a summer cottage: the easiest way to remove excess moisture

Not all owners of suburban plots are “lucky” with ideal hydrogeological conditions. It is often only during the process of cultivating the land or building that they realize that groundwater lies high and that during flood periods there are puddles for a long time. There is no need to worry, drainage will solve this problem. Agree, building it is much easier than looking for a perfect site.

The drainage system will remove excess moisture from the soil and plant layer, which will ensure the normal growth of cultivated green spaces. It will divert underground water from the foundation in case of contact, and protect the basement and inspection pit of the garage from flooding.

Those who want to arrange the drainage of a garden plot with their own hands or through the efforts of a team of landscape workers will find detailed answers to all sorts of questions from us. Our material describes in detail the options for groundwater drainage systems and methods for their construction.

A drainage system that collects and drains excess groundwater is necessary in the following cases:

1. The plot is flat, i.e. there are no conditions for spontaneous movement of water downhill.
2. Groundwater is noted at a level close to the earth's surface.
3. The site is located in a lowland, river valley or drained swamp area.
4. The soil-vegetative layer develops on clay soils with low filtration properties.
5. The dacha was built on a slope, not far from its foot, which is why when precipitation falls on the site and around it, water accumulates and stagnates.

Installation of drainage is almost always necessary in areas with underlying clay soils: sandy loam, loam. During periods of heavy rainfall and snow melting, this type of rock allows water to pass through its thickness too slowly or does not allow it to pass at all.

Stagnation of water at the level of soil development is associated with waterlogging. In a humid environment, the fungus actively multiplies, infections and pests (slugs, snails, etc.) appear, which leads to diseases of vegetable crops, rotting of the roots of bushes, perennial flowers and trees.

Due to stagnation of water, the soil and plant layer becomes waterlogged, as a result of which plants die in a water-saturated environment and the appearance of the site deteriorates. The drainage system allows you to eliminate moisture instantly, preventing its long-term impact on the ground

If the problem of waterlogging of the soil is not addressed, erosion of the soil may occur over time. In frosty weather, soil layers containing water will swell, which can cause damage to the foundation, paved paths and other landscaping facilities.

To check whether drainage is necessary, you need to find out the throughput of the soil layers on the site. To do this, dig a small hole 60 cm deep and pour water into it to the maximum.

If the water is absorbed within a day, then the underlying soil has acceptable filtration properties. In this case, there is no need for drainage. If after two days the water does not go away, it means that clay rocks lie under the soil and plant layer, and there is a risk of waterlogging.

Due to the heaving of water-saturated rocks, the walls of residential structures may crack, as a result of which the building may become unsuitable for permanent residence

Image gallery

Owners of land in a lowland or on a steep slope are faced with a problem when water stagnates in the lowest place, when the water intake may be located higher. In this case, in the lower part of the territory it is necessary to build a storage well into which a drainage pump must be installed. With its help, water is pumped upward and discharged into a ditch, ravine or other water receiver.

If it is planned to build a absorption well on the site to utilize the collected water, then the work on its construction is carried out in the following sequence:

Image gallery

The presence of water is the main condition for the growth of almost all plants, including garden crops. But if there is a lot of water, then this is a real disaster. This is familiar to many owners of summer cottages and country houses. And you can’t put up with this: in a wetland, not only will flowers and trees in the garden very quickly disappear, nothing will grow in the garden, but buildings will soon begin to suffer. The fact is that in a muddy mess, the foundation of the building will begin to move apart, sink deeper, and over time, cracks will appear on the walls, which will increase after each prolonged rain. A sad prospect. But no owner will expect such unpleasant consequences, especially since there is a way out - you can drain the area.

Drainage is a whole system designed to ensure the outflow of surface water from a site. But before you start arranging it, you need to take into account the following factors:

1. Terrain.
2. The level at which ground water is located.
3. Amount of precipitation.
4. Communication plan.
5. Placement (if any) of a cellar, basement or other buried buildings.
6. Structure, composition of the soil.
7. The presence of shrubs, trees and their number.

Stagnation of water on the site seriously threatens the integrity of buildings

Now all that remains is to choose the system option that is suitable for the site.

Types of systems

There are two ways to drain the soil - by arranging deep or surface drainage. Although both options are designed to remove excess moisture, their installation and operation are completely different.

Thus, the main purpose of surface drainage is to remove water from the top layer of soil that collects after floods, rain and accumulates near the building, terrace, paths and other objects on the site.

Surface drainage

To dry the surface layers, you can arrange a linear or point system design. When constructing point drainage, water intakes are installed where water occupies small areas. This:

• various natural-type recesses;
• lower parts of terraces;
• door zones;
• entry;
• near drains.

The design of the point system is so simple that you do not need to create a circuit to make it. To equip the structure, it is necessary to prepare storm water inlets, water conduits, storm flaps, sediment basins, and drains.

Surface drainage

To ensure that fertile soil from areas that have a slope of more than three degrees is not washed away, it is necessary to install a stormwater system. It is also necessary in the following cases:

1. When the water washes away the path.
2. To drain the area where the entrance to the garage is located.
3. When there are frequent, long rains and it is necessary to drain a large volume of water from the foundations of structures.

Linear drainage

This is the name of a system of gutters buried in the soil. To cover the gutters, removable grilles made of metal or plastic material are used.

The main condition is that gutters must be laid on a slope so that water masses can move by gravity. Moving along the gutter, moisture enters the sand trap. This element is the simplest filter from which water moves through water pipes into the storm sewer.

Linear drainage

To build a linear drainage, you need to first plan its placement and prepare for installation. In addition, it is necessary to equip a concrete base for laying all elements of the system. If there is a need to make the catchment area larger, the slope can be additionally concreted.

Attention! To improve drainage efficiency, it is necessary to combine linear and point structures in one area. Then volumes of water, even after heavy floods and rainstorms, will be drained from the soil and will not be able to cause harm to buildings or plants.

Deep drainage

This is the name of a system of underground drainage channels. Excess water masses from the site move along them. To collect them, collectors or drainage wells are installed.

Depending on how groundwater is collected, the designs are:

1. Vertical.
2. Horizontal.
3. Combined (combine both previous options).

Vertical structures are built like ribbed wells. They are located in aquifers. Filtering and pumping units are placed inside the wells. Because of this, such systems are considered engineering structures that require constant maintenance. Therefore, vertical drainage is rarely used in private areas. For the same reason, combined structures are not built so often.

Deep drainage

The simplest and most affordable horizontal drainage. And not the superficial type, but the deep type. The main elements for its arrangement are drains. These are perforated pipes designed for laying on crushed stone fill in prepared ditches. Previously, asbestos-cement products were used for this purpose, but they turned out to be harmful to the environment and were replaced with plastic ones.

Advice. Today, PVC pipes are not ordinary, smooth, but corrugated. Such products are less labor-intensive to install and cost less.

To prevent sand and soil from getting inside the pipes through the holes, they are wrapped in a special material. This is geotextile or coconut fiber material. The choice of material depends on the type of soil. If it is loamy or sandy, you can use geotextiles; for other types of soil, material made from coconut fibers is suitable. Non-woven fabric, dormite and other soft materials are used as geotextiles, but hard ones should not be used - they do not allow moisture to pass through well.

Work that can be done with your own hands is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Draw up a laying diagram, which will indicate the location of the drainage well.
2. Taking into account the scheme, dig ditches.
3. Lay sand on the bottom in a layer of 10-15 cm, and then lay geotextiles. There should be enough of it to cover the drains.
4. Lay the drains so that they are located on a slope and lead to the collector.
5. Connect individual elements with tees or crosses.
6. Cover the drains and pour crushed stone on top, and then a layer of earth.

It is necessary to ensure further discharge of water from the collector. Such a place can be the nearest ditch, ravine, and, if possible, the central storm system.

Attention! When laying drains, it is necessary to backfill using crushed stone. For this, it is best to take crushed stone with a fraction ranging in size from 2 to 6 cm. Granite or river crushed stone is suitable, but limestone should not be used: it will be washed out during operation and salinization of the soil will certainly occur.

Drainage system maintenance

Although both deep and surface systems, if properly installed, do not require frequent maintenance, it is still necessary:

Don't forget to clean your drainage system regularly

1. Inspect wells and sewers regularly. If necessary, clean them.
2. To remove deposits from the walls of drainage pipes, you need to thoroughly flush them. This should not be done often - once every 8-10 years.

To design and install drainage on a site, you must watch a video with instructional materials on the specifics of performing the work. If everything is done correctly, the drainage will work for more than half a century, ensuring that excess moisture is removed from the site all this time.

Site drainage: video

An elevated groundwater level makes it difficult to build and grow plants on a plot of land and leads to regular flooding of the basement or ground floor. Constant humidity and dampness negatively affects the condition of the foundation.

Cracks, rot and mold appear on the structure, as a result of which the walls of the base and the house may become warped. To avoid these problems, experts recommend using drainage of the area. Moreover, it is advisable to do this in advance, before the start of construction work and planting a vegetable garden or garden.

Reducing the water level on a land plot is carried out in several ways. The main method is drainage. In addition, you can organize a pond in the garden, it will be effective and beautiful. When draining, it is important not to overdo it, since groundwater also has a beneficial effect. After all, many wells and boreholes are fed by groundwater. Read about organizing water supply at your dacha and country house. And in this article we will look at ways to drain an area with a high groundwater level.

Groundwater damage

Groundwater is a non-confined aquifer, which is located in the ground at a shallow depth. Each area has its own groundwater level or groundwater level. The close location of the aquifer to the surface of the earth entails constant seasonal changes and fluctuations. So, during heavy and prolonged rain or during a thaw, the level becomes significantly higher, and during drought, on the contrary, it decreases.

A changing ground level is a problem for a land plot. This process causes harm to the vegetable garden, buildings and foundations, and sewage systems.

You may encounter the following problems:

• Flooding of the outdoor toilet and septic tank. This provokes the emergence of dangerous infections, destruction of structures or equipment;
• Negatively affects the sewer system, increases the degree of corrosion of water and sewer pipes that lie underground, and reduces the service life of this equipment;
• Water around the septic tank complicates the cleaning of equipment, leads to overflow of tanks, and negatively affects the operation of equipment;
• Flooding of the basement, cellar or basement, which will interfere with the storage of food or tools. In addition, this leads to the appearance of mold and rot in the underground floor, which can then spread throughout the building;
• High angle and foundation are incompatible things. It is important to properly and reliably protect the foundation of the house from the negative effects of moisture. To do this, they not only reduce the amount of water on the site before starting construction of the foundation, but also provide high-quality waterproofing during installation of the structure. Otherwise, during operation, the foundation will crack, float or warp, and gradually collapse;
• High water angles, which set in autumn or spring, as well as stagnant water poison and have a detrimental effect on plants. They get wet due to oversaturation with moisture and die. In addition, standing water contributes to the accumulation of harmful substances in plants;
• Excess water on the site destroys the blind areas around the house, paths on the site and other garden decorative elements;
• Severe shrinkage of wooden houses, baths and saunas, outbuildings.

You should be concerned about increased moisture levels if the water depth is less than 1.5 meters. Also for owners of flat, flat and gently sloping plots without slopes, cottages with clay and loamy soil, or areas located near water bodies. Pay attention to whether puddles remain on the ground after rain. In each case there is an increased risk of flooding.

Drainage system

Draining an area with a high groundwater level is the most common method to combat this problem. Drainage involves a system for removing excess water from the site by installing pipes, trenches, wells and other similar devices. The drainage system can be open, closed or backfill.

• Open or surface drainage is an easy and affordable method of arranging a system, which involves placing open inclined grooves on the territory without the use of pipes. Along these slopes, water flows into a common drainage ditch. This scheme is quite dangerous, requires regular cleaning and maintenance, and disrupts the aesthetics of the garden plot. However, it is very simple and does not require consumables or financial costs;
• Closed or deep drainage is a safe and aesthetic system when pipes are laid in the ground. These pipes drain excess water into a drainage well. The optimal scheme in this case is considered to be “herringbone”, when the side trenches are collected into one, leading to a catchment well;
• Backfill drainage has low capacity and quickly becomes clogged, so this type is used only for small areas. In this case, trenches are dug along the perimeter of the area at a slope and without pipes, which are filled with crushed stone or brick, and gravel is placed on top. Backfill drainage requires additional filtration and constant cleaning.

To organize open drainage around the perimeter, ditches are made with a slope of up to 30° towards a common ditch for several areas, which will receive water. Trenches are dug 0.7 m deep and 0.5 m wide. Open ditches do not look aesthetically pleasing and spoil the appearance of the site. Therefore, trenches are laid using decorative gratings, and for decoration, gravel or pebbles are laid on the bottom and/or along the grooves.

To install closed drainage, trenches are made on the site in a herringbone pattern to the main trench, which goes to the catch basin. The grooves are made with a slope of 7 cm and a depth of 70-100 cm. A layer of sand and crushed stone is laid at the bottom of each ditch, and then pipes with a diameter of 63 and/or 110 mm are installed. Cover the products with geotextiles (or buy ready-made models), cover them with sand and crushed stone. The result is a reliable and efficient system.

For the backfill system, ditches are made around the perimeter of the site, filled with half-broken brick or crushed stone, a filter layer is made of geotextile and covered with gravel. This type of drainage requires constant maintenance, as the ditches quickly become dirty and clogged.

How to drain an area without drainage

Another solution to the problem of high groundwater levels without drainage is the organization of a reservoir on a land plot. You can build a small pond with your own hands. To arrange it, you need to dig a pit, put a layer of gravel and sand at the bottom, and then fill the bottom with stones. Such a pond is made in the middle of the site.

In addition, plants that love water are planted at the lowest and most waterlogged point of the site. These are poplar and willow, fluffy birch, alder and ash, maple and larch, plum. Trees or shrubs are planted in a hole about a meter deep and at least one and a half meters in diameter. Gravel is poured into the bottom, then a layer of fertile soil is placed and the plant is planted. The hole is filled with soil mixed with coarse gravel, except for the area near the trunk of the seedling.

“MariSrub” craftsmen examine the soil and groundwater level at the design stage of a country house, calculate and install a high-quality drainage system, and select reliable, durable materials. We carry out a full range of works on the construction and finishing of houses made of timber or logs. We build wooden houses on a turnkey basis and for shrinkage according to a standard or individual project, and we help in arranging a garden plot. We guarantee high quality of work and compliance with construction deadlines!

You can name a huge number of disadvantages that can interfere with the work of a summer resident. Unfortunately, the soil may not bear fruit well and prevent sprouts from sprouting, and dry weather in the summer can negate all the work, destroying the crop, or insects will not leave it alone. The acquired plots may be different, for example, they may be a steep slope and in order to equip them and bring them into proper shape, it will take a lot of time and effort. Flooding of areas can be an important problem.

Flooding can be dealt with only after the area has been drained. In this article we will learn what steps need to be taken in order not to remember for a long time what excess soil moisture is.

Methods for drying an area yourself

There are many different factors that influence the appearance of swampiness, as well as several degrees of flooding. Swampiness can be caused, for example, by a special topography or type of soil, when water does not have the opportunity to flow through the area due to the natural slope. In this case, such a slope must be made manually, carefully calculating the trajectory. Additional soil may be required to fill the excavations. There is also an option that water stagnation occurs due to heavy clay soil.

Then, if it is impossible to add soil, it is necessary to do drainage. Thanks to drainage, you will be able to dry out the swamp on your site. If you still have to build drainage systems, then you simply cannot do without knowledge about this system, accurate calculations and planning. To make your life easier, you can contact us. We can carry out any work related to soil drainage for a fee. Of course, you can do everything yourself, but in this case you need to be 100% confident in your calculations.

A reservoir is created at the lowest point of the dacha, from which water flows into the drainage system. This pond can serve a variety of purposes: it can be used for watering or perhaps as a decorative element in your area with ornamental plants.

The essence of draining a site is to remove water from its territory. The best situation is when the site has its own water drain, but there are various obstacles to this. For example, the location of the dacha plot is lower, relative to others, or when there are obstacles in the form of some buildings or a fence at the water drainage site. A way out of this situation could be centralized water collection. It can be arranged using a system of canals and ditches.

Water from ditches needs to drain somewhere. The drainage location must be determined on site, looking at the positions of adjacent areas. The drainage is done below the level of ditches and canals.

When it has a relatively flat surface and a pronounced slope, then the drain is arranged parallel to the fence and placed as low as possible. The width of the drain should be up to half a meter, its depth – up to a meter, and its length – about two to three meters. The excavated soil must be spread evenly over the lowest parts of the site.

Throughout the year, you need to regularly compact the gutter with various debris; construction waste is perfect. It must be carefully compacted, adding more and more new debris until the ditch reaches the lower level of fertile soil. After this, a similar one is created near the filled ditch, which becomes, as it were, an addition to the previous one.

The excavated soil from the newly created additional drain is compacted into the previous one. By following these steps, you will become the owner of a high-quality drainage system that will work throughout the entire site. Then what is the point of creating drainage at the highest point of the site? This is left to your discretion, because the meaning of such a ditch is for those whose plot is not the first, that is, another one may be located higher, then such a ditch will catch the water of this plot and not allow it to flow through your territory.

We can summarize all of the above. To properly and efficiently drain your area, the best solution is to combine several methods. That is, fill up the soil, equip drainage and create a network of canals and drainage ditches. But ? There is another way that has not been discussed. This is a biological method, the essence of which is to grow special plants that consume a lot of moisture.

How to drain an area without drainage using different types of plants?

Wetland soils have a high water level, which means that not every plant will be able to take root. These plants include those with a tap root system, because the roots are located quite deep, and excess moisture in the soil can contribute to rotting of the root system. For example, willow, birch and maple can be safely planted on the site, since these trees are very fond of moisture. There are many more such plants that can be named. The advantage of this method of draining the soil is that by removing excess water, the plants also decorate the site.

If you prefer the smell of coniferous plants, then you can advise planting spruce trees around the area, but then it is better to build mounds on the soil for them in order to protect the root system.

You can also use the idea of ​​creating a hedge. For such purposes, you can use plants such as rose hips, hawthorn, spirea, serviceberry, and bladderwort.

We can also offer alder or poplar. But you probably won't want to grow them on your property if there are alternative options. Because poplar fluff can cause allergies.

A good option would be hydrangea or mock orange, but such plants are only suitable for soils that are not very waterlogged. If flooding does not occur very often, then Amur lilac can also cope with them.

It is better not to consider fruit trees to combat soil flooding. Such trees do not take root in overly wet soils. It is best to choose tree varieties that have a shallow root system. But it is still better to plant trees on small embankments up to one meter high. If we consider berry bushes, then we can, for example, choose a blackcurrant bush.

If you want to decorate your garden with flowers, you can grow perennial asters, swamp iris, aquilegia and others. These flowers, among other things, are natural soil dryers.

It is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the soil, because excessive moisture can negatively affect its condition and turn normal soil into acidic. To prevent this, it is best to combine the drainage procedure with liming the soil, which can increase soil fertility. As a result, we can say that despite the complexity of draining a plot of land on your own, anyone can do it. How to drain an area without drainage? Now you know the answer to this question. Yes, this will require a lot of time and effort, but the result will pleasantly surprise you. Don't forget that you are doing all this exclusively for yourself and your family.

Wet soil can cause significant nuisance both on the construction site and in the backyard. You can use lime to dry out very wet soil quickly, but if you are interested in a more natural solution for slightly damp soil, it is better to use traditional ameliorants or aerate.

Steps

Lime

1. Collect trash. Before any soil treatment, it is necessary to clear the area of ​​interfering debris.

   • If you skip this step, the process of using lime will end up with all the unwanted materials in the ground. In addition, the presence of surface debris can help retain moisture because the sun's rays will not be able to penetrate underneath the layer of foreign materials.
   • It is necessary to at least collect wet leaves and last year's mulch. Also remove any remaining debris from the area that strongly absorbs moisture.
   • It doesn't hurt to cut off dead flower stems, overgrown bushes and tree branches that create shade and don't allow the soil to dry out.

2. Select suitable lime. There are many types of agricultural lime for different purposes. It is better to use quicklime or slaked lime as a means for drying the soil.

   • Standard agricultural lime is a lime powder that is not particularly effective in this application.
   • Quicklime is calcium oxide and slaked lime is calcium hydroxide. The chemical structure of both materials allows the soil to dry out successfully.
   • Of the two options, quicklime will generally get the job done faster, but slaked lime can also solve your problem.

3. Scatter the lime. Put on gardening gloves and spread the lime over an area of ​​damp soil in a layer of at least 5 centimeters.

   • If you need to cultivate a large area of ​​land, it is better to use mechanical means such as a spreader or seeder. In the garden and small areas, it is best to spread lime by hand.
   • Before the next step, you need to leave the lime for a couple of hours. During this time, the lime will absorb a significant part of the excess moisture.

4. Mix lime with soil. Use a rake or hoe to work a layer of lime into the soil to a depth of about 15 centimeters.

   • In particularly wet areas it may be necessary to work the lime even deeper into the ground.
   • When preparing large construction projects and similar areas, use a milling machine, front loader or disc cultivator to mix the lime into the soil. In small garden areas, use a rake, hoe or bayonet shovel.
   • Make several passes to work the lime into the ground. After about an hour, you will notice a sharp decrease in the amount of moisture in the soil. If the ground is not yet dry enough, you will need to use additional lime.

5. Compact the soil. Use a hand tamper to compact the soil in the treated area.

   • For small areas, a hand tamper will suffice, but larger areas will require a pad or pad roller.
   • Thanks to compaction, the soil retains lime better. As a result, the soil will remain dry even after significant rainfall.
   • By compacting the soil, you will complete the process of drying the soil.

   Natural reclamation substances

   1. Collect trash. Dead plants, waste and other debris prevent sunlight and air from penetrating into the ground. As a result, the natural drying process does not occur and the earth retains moisture for a long time.

      • Also, during the drainage process, foreign materials may accidentally end up in the ground along with reclamation substances. For this reason, the soil may become even more waterlogged.
      • Collect damp leaves, old mulch and other organic and inorganic materials that absorb moisture. Trim excess tree branches and shrubs, and remove dead flower stems.

   2. Dry the soil in the sun. Before processing, dry the soil a little in the sun and also under the influence of wind. You don't have to wait until it's completely dry, but try to get rid of any large puddles.

      • Wet soil is heavy, while dry soil is much lighter, so it is easier to add the necessary ameliorating substances to the dried soil.
      • If time is running out or the puddles do not decrease, then you can work with the soil as wet as possible. The main disadvantage is that you will need to use significantly more muscle strength.

   3. Scatter gravel over the soil. Scatter 5-8 centimeters of fine gravel over the moist soil.

      • Adding gravel will create a non-absorbent space between the soil particles. The more separated the particles, the lower the soil's ability to hold moisture.
      • Instead of fine gravel, you can use sand if the site does not have clay soil. The sand and clay are drawn together, causing the soil to look like concrete.

   4. Scatter organic material. Spread a 5-8cm layer of compost or similar organic material on top of the gravel layer.

      • The amount of organic matter should be approximately equal to the amount of gravel.
      • By adding gravel, the volume of land occupied by non-nutrient components increases. The organic material is designed to increase the nutritional value of the soil to compensate for the addition of gravel. If the soil in this area is not suitable for growing plants, then this step can be skipped.
      • Also, the addition of organic material makes the soil lighter, resulting in improved soil drainage properties.
      • In the case of clay soil, it is necessary to use approximately 1 cubic meter of ameliorating substance for every 10 square meters of soil. For non-clayey soils, the ratio of material to soil will be approximately the same, and in other cases slightly different.

   5. Mix compost with soil. Use a rake, hoe or spade to dig up the soil and mix in the compost to a depth of 6 inches.

      • Dig up the soil to complete the drainage process. The remaining water in the soil will dry out much faster. Moisture problems should not recur in the future.