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Downspout Washout

9K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  daniel3507  
#1 ·
I need some advice on what to do with this downspout location. It dumps out right in front of a flower bed (that needs new edging) but isn't able to run down hill. It ends in a low spot so water just pools and washes out the soil. In order for it to drain I need the water to go uphill a short distance. I have a splash block to help temporarily but I'm not sure of a permanent solution. I thought about a catch basin but I don't have anywhere for it to drain into and I would have to dig through tree roots. Obviously this is my least favorite part of my lawn since its so difficult to deal with but I would like to avoid the drainage issues.



 
#4 ·
krusej23 said:
Your only real option is to go underground with a pipe to daylight it to an area it can run downhill.
I agree with this! It may take a little bit of work depending on how far you have to go but it will be well worth it in the long run. If you post some wider area pics you might get some better suggestions :thumbup:
 
#6 ·
My thoughts would be to maybe add a catch basin and then tie it into a French drain on the left side of the picture as a permanent fix. It holds water in heavy rains. That project could be a ways off though. The tree roots could be a problem and I'm not sure if that would be too long of a run? The problem area is the base of the white post next to the porch for reference. This was taken earlier this week after one of many storms.

 
#7 ·
I bought corrugated pipe last year and buried it. That being said my property goes down hill instantly. I would also consider bringing in dirt and building it up by the down spout it's a cheap option and then you don't have to worry about water pooling by your house.
 
#8 ·
Typically I've heard you don't want to put above ground water into a french drain, it's better to run any above ground drainage in a solid drain. If you're planning on doing a french drain though, you could dig it wider and run solid pipe for your downspouts and catch basins, then perforated drain pipe beside it for the french drain. I think I would only do a french drain if you have problems with soggy soil for a long time after a rain. See the references below, and give a read through on the attached pdf and you might be able to come up with some ideas. Most of the time people use the wrong type of corrugated pipe for surface drainage situations.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OzGcpmD3DtsaZlePj11KVDNjfP09GNPc/view?usp=sharing