Drainage on the Homestead

Weather isn't climate. Usually around my place when snow flies through it is present and gone within a couple of weeks. Until this year. Now it hits, melts, hits some more and melts again. The driveway has been pretty solid since I added gravel a couple years ago but now it's a mess. It's a combination of abnormal snow levels, prior extended sub-zero temperatures and construction.

All sites have a natural drainage but until you see abnormal weather, it's really hard to predict where and how far those drainage zones extend. I don't have a transit or long range laser so I went with the flow. The new house build has shifted the flow patterns I've learned over the last two years. A new structure means new drift patterns and less melting in certain spots. The weather has also been abnormally cold. To the point my well pressure switch froze 60 inches below ground.

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To allow the water to flow, I'll still need a low spot around the middle of the puddle. I'll have to bring in some rock, sub-base with those, build up above it, and just prepare for events like these. My drive barely had a crown to begin with. After weeks of heavy equipment traffic it has none. Compaction is serious business. Plus there are more cuts to come for water, septic and power tie ins.

The drive will need a crown, sub-layers of significant stone and a top dressing. The drainage spot is going to get 12 inches or more of crushed granite, compacted, and then another 6 to 8 of drop dressing. The ridge point of the drive will be hopefully be 12 inches above grade after some back fill with the excess dirt from the basement excavation.

Fun fact, a family lived in that wee 16' x 16' building for two years before they built the house that used to be on my place. The original dwelling survived. The house did not.