# Water Under Driveway



## Still learnin

This isn't "exactly" grass related, but it certainly does effect my grass.

This is new construction (completed last spring) and I have had water issues on the outside corner of my driveway ever since. The whole lot slopes towards the corner and a lot of surface water drains there. The driveway guy saw this and placed a 12X12 basin before the driveway and ran a pipe under the driveway. It has a pop up in it and almost always has water in it.

The dilemna is that this outside corner is constantly wet and it's right on the property line so it affects the neighbor as well. There have been several times where it's way too wet to mow. Can't even walk there.

So I decided it wasn't a leak from the irrigation and we don't have a water line under the driveway that's being used and I really don't think there is a leak in any water anywhere. But we have a problem.

Yesterday I started digging to place a basin and pipe there to collect and disperse the water. But I believe it's apparent that the water is coming from under the driveway. So I am at a loss on what to do. Any ideas?

Pictures are of the slope, basin, trouble area, and the water that collected in the trench that was dug. The hole is 24 inches deep with 12 inches of rock that I placed in there. It's filled up 3 times already.


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## Eric

Where does your water main to the house run? Anywhere close to this?


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## Still learnin

It's on the other side of the driveway, nowhere close.


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## g-man

In Western KY there are caves with underground springs. Are you close to one? Could you have a spring running underground?

Do you have a basement? Is the sump pump running all the time? Discharge to front?


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## Still learnin

No basement and no sump pump. I'm not close to any caves either. 
When I asked the concrete guy about it early summer, he called back and said he was told there have been natural springs uncovered in my area. However, the driveway had, for all intents and purposes, been cut in 8 or 9 months prior to it being finalized and poured.


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## g-man

Water is coming from somewhere. I'm guessing your water bill is not super high, so either a spring or a water main.

If it is spring, the you might have the choice of a well pump for irrigation.


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## Still learnin

It's high, but from irrigation.

I'm concerned that it really is a spring under the driveway that was disturbed. Not sure what I'll be doing if that's the case. In the meantime, to attempt to help the issue, I bored some large "aerate" holes in the area that slopes to there. Ok the event that maybe it'll help soak some water up before it travels that way. Probably a wasted effort.


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## Still learnin

I've sucked probably 45 gallons of water from the trench today. Just keeps seeping in there.


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## g-man

Where does the water normally goes? Street?


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## TC2

Keep an eye on on fast it keeps filling up. I'd have thought it would be fairly constant if it's a spring or pipe but should be responsive to rainfall or irrigation if it's a build up of water due to poor drainage.


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## ABC123

If you get cold enough this winter you might know where it's at if it freezes.


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## Still learnin

We haven't had a drop of rain in a week and I've now pumped out 90-100 gallons of water that has drained into the trench. It would be more, but I can only check it twice a day.

One concern is it causing a problem under the driveway. Another is the fact that it's a marshland on the side of the driveway in about a 15X15 area.

Guess I'll jsut keep letting it drain for a while and see what happens. Hopefully it will eventually stop. No water lines leaking that I can find or anything.


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## TC2

If you haven't already done so, you need to get the builders in on this. As you say, it might cause structural problems with your drive, if nothing else and I'm not sure it's acceptable building practice to leave a swamp in your front yard.


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## dfw_pilot

I hope you get this issue sorted out. Then, you can say that this water under the driveway has become water under the bridge.


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## g-man

100 gallons is a lot. Time to call an expert.


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## Ware

Have your contacted your water provider to have them come take a look? My guess would be a broken water line upstream of your meter. It happens.


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## Colonel K0rn

TC2 said:


> If you haven't already done so, you need to get the builders in on this. As you say, it might cause structural problems with your drive, if nothing else and I'm not sure it's acceptable building practice to leave a swamp in your front yard.


 It seems like nobody told that to the builders of my house, except the swamp is in the back yard if we get more than 0.5" of rain :lol:


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## Still learnin

I sure would like for this to be "water under the bridge".

I talked the contractor and he doesn't have a clue. And neither does the concrete guy. But, we did fire our contractor halfway through so....

Up to close too 100 gallons. Doesn't seem to be filling up quite as fast now.


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## Still learnin

So I decided to do a 3 pronged French drain (without the pipe). Dug out about 7-8 feet along the driveway, where the problem seems to be. Now I'm digging three fingers out in different directions with a deeper hole at the end of each finger. I'll sort fabric down and fill with rocks and cover with fabric in the channel along the driveway, each three fingers, and the holes.

Interesting thing, as I dug, I ran across three holes or voids that were all underground. One was full of water and I could shove a PVC pipe down about 3 feet easily. Pic hopefully attached. Anyone have a clue what this could be? It wasn't on the surface, but underground after digging a while.


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## dfw_pilot

How well versed are you at spelunking?


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## Still learnin

Minimal. I'm not a fan of dark, wet places with scary monsters inside!


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## Darkshadow

Have you found any answers about the source of this water yet?

About those three holes you found while digging--are they in line with each other? Only reason I ask is because when I had a leak in the water supply to my house, it looked like a hole similar to those pictures.


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## Still learnin

No definitive answers. Cannot find a leak anywhere and there are no water lines except irrigation that come even close. And the closest ones are below grade of the problem area. I'm strongly considering it's a serious case of runoff from the driveway.

So, I dug a three fingered French drain with large holes at the slopes ends. I'll give it the winter to see how it does. Then figure something else out if it isn't sufficient. I also replaced the clay soil in that area with a topsoil/sand mixture, hoping the sand portion will help the pass through of water.

And no the holes were not in any sort of line that I could see. They were seemingly random.


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## ken-n-nancy

I've been following this thread with curiosity and interest. Hopefully your changes will resolve the problem -- it sure is a puzzling one!


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