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Yard Grading Issue: How to establish good grades in new drainage swale

Spiritof76

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May 20, 2020
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600
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Just moved into a new house, and was chatting with new neighbor. Neighbor explained that when it rains, my front yard will flood majorly. Working through the issue with sellers, but in the mean time, I need to fix it before the rains come this fall.

The attached pic shows the rough plan: a 'dry creek' (dirt, lined with rubber, covered with stone) where the red line runs, a catchbasin (orange) and then a buried tile ( blue--either corrugated or PVC) to the concrete drainage swale in the back yard.
InkedHouse_LI.jpg


Here's the really basic question...I've done some PVC and corrugated tiling on obvious grades, where establishing slope wasn't an issue. What's the easiest way to reliably establish grade so I can ensure that the dry creek portion flows properly? Separately, is there an easy way to check grade from front to back of the lot (beyond eyeball) to ensure I have enough drop to make this work?

I'd rather not have to hire an engineer to do what seems relatively basic, but I've not done this before. Thoughts?
 
Should be able rent a rotary laser or transit from any decent tool rental place.
 
Make a water level. A jug of water,100ft clear tubing, food dye if you want to get fancy, a tape measure and get to work.
 
Make a water level. A jug of water,100ft clear tubing, food dye if you want to get fancy, a tape measure and get to work.

I do this a lot. It's a 100% accurate way to get stuff exactly level. You can also do it with garden hoses and just hold them so each end has the same distance of water down from the end. Better still if you make an adapter to a piece of clear tubing at the ends. I've borrowed an auto level transit to do what OP is talking about on longer distance projects where being off by a 1/4" didn't matter.
 
Another vote for leveled string line(s) + tape measure. Cheap, quick, & accurate to the limits of your ability. Leave your stakes & string lines up while you work, intermittent sanity checks w/tape measure can calm the OCDemons :laughing:
 
T
Should be able rent a rotary laser or transit from any decent tool rental place.
His example is spot on, also spirit levels, string and spirit, grading to around 1 \16- 1\4" pf fall should be simple nuff.
do cleanouts and access ports, along with annual cleanings.
 
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What's the soil like? Maybe try replacing the rubber with fabric and a lot of the water may soak into the ground like it's supposed to.
 
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