Swamp on my property

I have never had any persistent standing water on my property before. This year the front part of my property, about 1/8 of an acre is covered with water. I don't know how best to deal with this problem.

Last year, a new house came up next to mine. They dump a lot of dirt to build their drive way from the road straight to the hosue. I wish they built it around the hill contour. The driveway is right along next the property line. The land is higher on my side which slopes down slightly towards theirs. The water always flow down along the gutter by the side of the road.

Apparently, the concrete pipe drainage under my new neighbor's driveway at the entrance was over a foot higher than the average water level. So, the water on my side cannot drain and hence a permanet flood.

I really want to live in peace and don't want to start a war with my neighbor. It is clearly a bad design problem. However, I but need to do something to get rid of water before the mosquito season start. And best if I could preserve what ever natural environment left there as much as possible. I discovered a few wild orchids and ferns in that area a few years ago. Not sure if they survive the flood.

Any suggestion what I could do to reduce this damage? (beside taking any legal action)

- Get a few truck load of dirt and dump the flooded area. This means I will lost what ever left of the natural ecology there.

- Dig a pond and use the dirt to fill the rest of the area? Is this expensive?

- Grow some wet land grass there. The place is covered with wood. What species of wild grass can grow in the shady area?

- Does a home insurance usually carry this kind of problem?

Thanks, pac

Reply to
packat
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While you do want to keep in good terms with your neighbor, I suggest you check any local zoning issues about grading. You need to know what that situation is first. Not only is it possible your neighbor (actually their builder) violated them, you may do the same trying to fix the original problem.

It is going to be difficult for someone here to offer a good judgment since we don't know local conditions and nothing beats on site observations.

After consulting a local professional and local legal requirements, then consider your options. I might suggest that you will want to involve your neighbor in this process somewhere along the line. They or their builder may be responsible and they are likely to be affected by the fix. They also may be part of the fix. Working together is likely to be the best for both of you.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Reply to
Linda

Pac,

Mr. Meehan's advice is very good. You need to get a local expert to look at the problem and give you an opinion on cause and on repair. Look in your phone book for a civil engineer or a landscape architect. They should be able to quote an estimate over the phone. I'd guess this will be less than $300US.

Good luck, Dave M.

Reply to
David Martel

If your area is covered by a zoning authority, let them know about this.

My neighbors across the street had this problem when the village installed sidewalks. The village had to install a mini culvert under the sidewalk.

The right thing would be for the drainage pipe under the driveway to be fixed, so that it drains like it was supposed to. IMHO-IANAL it is the builder of the new house/drive that is responsible for this.

Man I gotta stop watching so much daytime TV....

In the short term, get a small pump, and pump the area out. Run the output hose to the drain, making it clear that there is an "oops". The wild plants should survive a single flooding or two.

No but the builder, or who ever botched the drainage and culvert job for your neighbor should have insurance, or the means to fix it.

Reply to
John Hines

Whatever you do, do it on the Q-T.

You may very well now have a protected wetland and, under federal rules, may be prohibited from doing ANYTHING about it - even if it overtakes your house!

Reply to
JerryMouse

I suggest looking to local government before paying for an engineer. The drainage along a road is usually in the right of way for the road / street. If local government doesn't give satisfaction, then pay for a civil engineer. Tom Baker

Reply to
Tom Baker

Since I used to do the drainage inspections for the local health dept, I suggest checking with yours first. They should be able to give direction, and may well have someone that could look at it and tell what to do, or not do. When a person has a minor amount of water, that is simply the result of a low spot, I suggest that they take a bunch of little sticks and push them into the ground so that they are just at the surface of the water. That way, they serve as a marker on how much dirt to put in, to exclude standing water without modifying drainage paths. And your health dept may have some Altosid for mosquitoes, too.

Reply to
Michael Baugh

Reply to
Phisherman

Perhaps, but only if the buyer wants a pond.

Reply to
Phisherman

Haven't they rusted away by now?

Reply to
Michael Baugh

After you have lived in the country for about 40 years you will learn all sorts of solutions to such problems. For instance, most around our area would solve your problem thusly.

Give the neighbors three or four puppies as a present. Then turn a few alligators loose in your wetlands. After awhile, your neighbors will ask YOU what to do about the problem.

Reply to
J.C.C.

This is all the further you really need to go. Just contact the county/state roads department, (by whatever name they may use in your area,) and have them come out. Point at the standing water, and then point at your neighbor's culvert, which is above the waterline. Then, tell them to have a nice day as they go tell your neighbor his pipe is too high.

Mike

Reply to
AlienZen

: This is all the further you really need to go. : Just contact the county/state roads department, (by whatever name they may use : in your area,) and have them come out. Point at the standing water, and then : point at your neighbor's culvert, which is above the waterline. Then, tell them : to have a nice day as they go tell your neighbor his pipe is too high. : : Mike : : :

:) that's why i LOVE this group!

Reply to
rosie

contact whatever agency handles flooding in your town, county, city, etc. show them the neighbors culvert and they should take car of the problem.... its their job to take care of it, if you dont complain then they dont know there is a problem.. so complain, complain, complain..

Reply to
jim

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