WATER CONTROLS - BECOME MORE THEN ~ NECESSARY

[MountainManDan]

From Gutters ~ Landscaping

Found Water - had been ~ " Sneaking Under Slab " ~ of 2 Car garage 28ft X 22ft
Water Moisture Flows through Gravel that was Laid Down 50 yrs ago Finds It's Way - all way past this good Size Area up against
Basement Wall - where Fireplace Chimney is Located ..

It all Started with an Investigation into some Cracked Bricks in Siding next to Chimney . .
After Looking at this Area few Times over 4 yrs & Removing Cracked Bricks & Fixing - I went back few Times for some Gutter Work &
Chimney Cap Coating - I Noted what looked like more Moisture in Area at Base

I have Worked on Number of Fireplaces & Installed Inserts - & Installed one in this Retirement Home ..

After several Long Hard Down Pours & few Flash Flood Events in Area - walking around Yard in Down Pours !
I was Building a Picture of this Happening as Back yard is small Bowl Area that Rain Water runs out on Both ends -
1. side to Farmer 2. Other End Down Wide Concrete Drive - there is small Gutter Built into side of Drive . .

OK setting Picture up Right @ Garage Door Exit Door there is small 6ft Long Wall that Needs Repair from Water damage ..
Water has been Pooling Behind Wall then Flowing Down Drive & Small Gutter for 50 yrs - Issues are
Storms ~ Today ~ are Not Storms Our Fathers & Mother Had ..

Finally it Clicked in My Mind Water was 110% Saturating Ground & Back Up into Gravel traveling all way under garage
Concrete Pad to Basement Wall & Chimney Base ..


I did This : Tore Apart Old Wall - where Water was Actually Traveling Under Neither & Into Driveway then Garage Gravel Bed ..

After Bunch of Prep :

Small Pool Collector to Gather & Prevent under Driveway Seepage ..

WALL NOW HAS ~ A ~ CAP

 

[MountainManDan]

Yard Being on Slope Means Water Runs Off but it has to have Place to Go & Fast . .

Today's Storms Present Huge Problem - which only going to get Worst !

Here's Another Water Control Event - that - Took some Planning & Time ..

Before - Broken Down & Water Damaged Rail-Road Ties - Large Oak One

Picture shows Top of Now Built in Water Feature - which was First Water Control Hard Scape ..

We Under Went Next which was Living Fence - that will - Control Water ..

Been Adding Trees & Rock Garden was also done just before Living Fence

150ft as all rest is Level and Not sloping toward Home .. 6 Passes wit Trencher as 545 lb Gravely 11hp Garden Digger
Would NOT Touch Harden Soil as had No Rain for 3 weeks ..

Laid 4 x 6's ~ Which all got special Prep before hand ..

Super Long Rods & Stakes :

Then came Plants we had been Watering & Growing along Driveway for 2yrs & 24" when First Bought ..
Now Good 4ft. Plus

Just see Rock Garden - half way down on right . .

That was started just Prior to this as We Traded a 12ft x 12ft shed for some Nice Large Stone ~ Delivered . .

Some Tools Bringing in Mushroom Dirt & Mixing in Black Cow & Dug really large Holes for Trans Plants & Massive Water
6 Months ..
Burning Old Railway Timbers in Back Ground :

 

[MountainManDan]

Rock Garden as it Sounds Yes has many Big Rocks & well also stops Main Flow as water is Guided down toward Built in Water Feature in back ground of Picture on Left . This Yard ~ During Heavy Events - can be - Over whelmed .. right where
Rock Garden is Placed , so it's also serves as back up .. & .. Full of Plants & Tree's . .

Hired College Grads to Supply Me - I allowed the Load Wagon with Stones & Bring those up Hill - after 2 Loads they they were Beat.
I Started up Tractor - they had Fun rest of Day .. I Laid down all Rocks as Bough them in Fact few Time I was Waiting on them ..
Even with Tractor - I went Beast Mode ..

Got some Of Rocks from Old Barn Foundation ..

 

[MountainManDan]

Bigger Rocks - were Brought in from Shed Trade & Buddy came over to Place them with 90hp Turbo Backhoe . .
As those Large One weighted in @ 2495lbs & 2985lbs

Kids Next Door said Plants were way to Little , i said what Ya want for $2.97 ~$6.95 Elderberry was Imported from Far Far away ..
Moved Later to shadier spot Heat in TN is Massive ..

All Soil that was in Spot to start was Removed - into - Pile then Hand Sifted ..

Before being Moved back onto Control Cloth Fiber :

Today We have Better Water Controls & More Shade - as it all - Has become Shade Garden - which
Controls
Water ~ & ~ Temperatures . .

 

[MountainManDan]

Hedge Now is Wall that of - Shade -&- Silence __ got there Fast !

 

[MountainManDan]

Did I say just few Water Controls are Necessary Today , I Meant to Say Water Controls are Fast Becoming
One Major Concerns in Purchase of any Home . . Major Concern for Place to Even Look to Live !

Triggered Land Slides , Mud Slides - Flooding are Becoming Common Place . .

We are in County - that - I made some Suggestions to about Amount of Water Being Dropped on 4 Acres of Land Here &
20 Acres of Land there - Amounted to Over 1 Million Lbs of Force Pushing Down into Valley ( Only 120 ft Lower ) but spread out
Over 1.5 Miles - has Started Major Improvements Over Last 7 Yrs County changed every Road Under Pass - Increasing Flow Capacity 3X & Still are Working on this & Yet just had Under Pass 90% Washed Out this Past Week from Small Flash Flood ..

Just Imagine this Valley Goes for over 100 Miles . . Sure Glad were Very Close to Ridge by some 50-55ft ..

 

[MountainManDan]

Picked this Up about 9 yrs ago - It's in Perfect shape from Electrician . . that Built is Own Home
He Bought Himself a Tractor Like 15K so was just selling Off some of His Tools ..

Even came with Extra Loaded Blade - say that as Today Sell Blade with No Carbides Cutters - as - Loaded Doubles $$$
$989 or More ..

Runs Great - You'll see where I have Used this :

 

[MountainManDan]

This was First Water Control Project : Water Basin what We call " Built in Water Feature "

Didn't Own Trencher - at - this Point - this was Done By Hand . .

As I have Discovered approx 70yrs ago Farmer wanted more Water for His Heard
This was allowed when Few More Homes went in Right Behind Us ..

In Last 40 yrs No One had taken Proper care or had Redone Drainage Area
In Last 25 yrs Rain Events have Gotten Worst to Down Right Dangerous . .


We Started Planning & Planting : Removed approx 6 Old Dead stumps & 1 Ton of Brush & Over Growth ..

7 Yrs Made Huge Difference . . Burning Bushes above are now 6.5ft Tall & 6ft Wide each . .
Example how Fast this Went .. 40 inches to over 55 Inches of Rain .. I'm able to recall Droughts
Happened back in 70's where Ground here just Cracked Wide Open & Farmers Lost Animals & Crops

We Only Trim back around Face of Rock Garden once every 2 yrs . . Also Less to Mow . .

 

[MountainManDan]

We did Southern End Home to Keep Water from Seeping into Gravel Under Garage & Better Flow Down Drive way to Ditch ..

Now Here Northern End of Home - Out Past Shop & Pop Out which we added on ..

Trenching :

Laying Pipe & Adding Sod to Help Control Flow & Increase Drainage Capacity . .

Landscaping :

This All to Lead Water ~ Past Pop Out ~ Even added Concrete Pad at End of Old Side walk
Now We have Side walk that Goes somewhere . .

But Much Prep went into ~ Water Control ~ Before - Concrete was Added ..

End of Pop Out was Treated - Yes - But don't Stop there - Next Oil Based Red Barn Paint 2 Coats then Tared week Later
then Asphalt Expansion Joint placed in Tar ..

Then Flashing Added :

 

[MountainManDan]

Proper Water Controls - Never Stop

 

[MountainManDan]

Then We Up Graded Gutters & Added New Gutters to Pop Out on shop ..

Doing Plan & Lay Out - seeing Got Quoted $2695 for New Area's Only ( WHAT ? *#$$ ! )

My Corners :

HD BRACKETS :

 

[MountainManDan]

Had to Do Gutters Before ~ Concrete Work ~ as it would get Damaged - sure use some Covers , but Not Taken
Any Chances on that Too Much Prep Involved already ..

Blessed Fact I have Nice Helper : Finishing Up Fascia First ( Gif for Gutters - this - Site says too Large )