I have a customer that wants some river rock installed, but he is worried about it washing. I really do not think it is an issue and suggested staggering some larger rock to slow the flow. He is main concern is keeping the dogs out of the mud. Also what would keep the clay from coming up through the rock? Would landscape fabric do it or would I need some kind of grid?
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River rock drainage question
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Lawnworks
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I have a customer that wants some river rock installed, but he is worried about it washing. I really do not think it is an issue and suggested staggering some larger rock to slow the flow. He is main concern is keeping the dogs out of the mud. Also what would keep the clay from coming up through the rock? Would landscape fabric do it or would I need some kind of grid?
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First you will need to dig out the end there so it will drain off to somewhere rather than just sit there.
Then I would use thick layers of several sized rocks and also big rounded river rock ,here it's called Noiya
and make it a creekbed look.You should not have problems with the clay coming through if it is dug out a bit and graded to drain and use thick 4'' layer of
1&1/2+ to 2&1/2+round first and 3&1/2+ river and larger second
Then I would use thick layers of several sized rocks and also big rounded river rock ,here it's called Noiya
and make it a creekbed look.You should not have problems with the clay coming through if it is dug out a bit and graded to drain and use thick 4'' layer of
1&1/2+ to 2&1/2+round first and 3&1/2+ river and larger second
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Lawnworks,
I'll somtimes install a 4" perforated drain tiled under the landscape fabric and then put down the river rock. I'd definately recommend the landscape fabric to keep the mud from coming up and help keep weeds from growing up through the rocks.
Dave
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I'll somtimes install a 4" perforated drain tiled under the landscape fabric and then put down the river rock. I'd definately recommend the landscape fabric to keep the mud from coming up and help keep weeds from growing up through the rocks.
Dave
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194 Posts
Lawnworks,
I can't remember exactly, but it was somewhere between $60 to $75/yard.
Sheshovel,
We don't have much clay where I work, so I can now see how the perforated drain could clog. One option might be to put a 'sleeve' on the drain and when backfilling, fill the trench with gravel. Then put down somthing that will allow the water to run through and not the clay.
On the job with the pictures we hooked into existing drain tiles that carry the water away.
Are you thinking the water will not penetrate the clay at all?
Just a possible option.
Dave
I can't remember exactly, but it was somewhere between $60 to $75/yard.
Sheshovel,
We don't have much clay where I work, so I can now see how the perforated drain could clog. One option might be to put a 'sleeve' on the drain and when backfilling, fill the trench with gravel. Then put down somthing that will allow the water to run through and not the clay.
On the job with the pictures we hooked into existing drain tiles that carry the water away.
Are you thinking the water will not penetrate the clay at all?
Just a possible option.
Dave
The problem occurs only when it rains hard, and I am thinking that a small 4-6" pipe will not be able to route all of the water. I think it would work if the pipe was much larger. But the customer does not want to go the expense of the larger pipe.Kohls Landscaping Co said:
From your experiences, has the landscape fabric worked or will grid be needed?
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9,201 Posts
I think he needs a irrigation system too.
:laugh:
:laugh:
most definately use a landscape fabric... not the crap you buy at slowes or home dumpo... get nursery mat... it will keep the rock from mixing in with the soil... the clay can bubble up into the rock.. if it is wet and someone walks on it they will push some rock down into the dirt...
the fabric is a soil seperation fabric.... same principal as geotex with paver base.
the fabric is a soil seperation fabric.... same principal as geotex with paver base.
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140 Posts
Lawnworks,
Is there a B.W.I. location near you? They're got DeWitt in 8,12,and 15 ft. wide rolls 300 ft. long.
First thing, don't jack with it at all until it's dry....real dry. Pics indicate decent flow as is, however you should shoot it and see exactly what your fall is. How many feet are we talking?
You can use 4" pref pipe with a sock placed in a shallow trench on top of the fabric, just make sure of your grade. It may not handle the entire flow, but should help move a large part of it.
That will take some of the pressure off your rock.
Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576
Is there a B.W.I. location near you? They're got DeWitt in 8,12,and 15 ft. wide rolls 300 ft. long.
First thing, don't jack with it at all until it's dry....real dry. Pics indicate decent flow as is, however you should shoot it and see exactly what your fall is. How many feet are we talking?
You can use 4" pref pipe with a sock placed in a shallow trench on top of the fabric, just make sure of your grade. It may not handle the entire flow, but should help move a large part of it.
That will take some of the pressure off your rock.
Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576
No BWI near me. It is about 120 feet long. Do you really think the perferated pipe will help when the water is up even w/ the grass? I guess I am probably going to need to take it down a couple more inches to compensate for the rock.
It would be nice to have rock going all the way back from the grass to the back fence, but I think that will be out of the question cost wise. I guess just a wider bed at the beginning would look alright.
It would be nice to have rock going all the way back from the grass to the back fence, but I think that will be out of the question cost wise. I guess just a wider bed at the beginning would look alright.
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With the pref pipe you'll have an unrestricted 4" flow going under your rock bed as well as the water flowing over the rock.
For what it's going to cost in rock, use 2 runs of 4" pref the cost isn't going to be that much and you'll move a lot more water.
Have you got a laser to shoot it with?
Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576
For what it's going to cost in rock, use 2 runs of 4" pref the cost isn't going to be that much and you'll move a lot more water.
Have you got a laser to shoot it with?
Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576
I do not have a laser. What info can I get from shooting it? How much is a good laser? You can never have enough of the right tools.LandscapePro said:
I will give him a seperate price with the perferated pipe. Pipe cost will be little, but it will need a little more grading.
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You can go ahead and listen to these guys and use that perf pipe..then have your client calling you in the middle of a heavy rain wanting to know why his lawn is flooding out.Because you will need a HUGE drop to get the water out of there that way and if it does not move quick enough..it will simply seep right back up out of the holes and under the line and sit there.BY what I can see,in order to get the water out quick you need a creek bed that does the same thing as a pipe except you wont have to get near as much of a drop to get it out like you would if you had to bury a line under rock.This is my opinion.
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Shovel, Perf pipe flows really really well. Plus in that clay the bed the perfpipe sits in will become a channel and the water will flow down that as well.
just make sure its in a sock and then bedded with gravel/drainrock so it doesn't clog up.
just make sure its in a sock and then bedded with gravel/drainrock so it doesn't clog up.
Dirty Water, i agree. Some unknown things are just how much water has come thru in the past. Homeowner might know. Any pics of that? What is the drop from one side of property to the other? Does the water come from neighbors yard having the same situation? If he has dirt and clay it would end up covering the new rock.
Just some other things to consider.
Just some other things to consider.
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