A rather lively - and brand spankin' new - spring... Just where it isn't wanted.

So I seem to have to do something about a spring that's appeared. The garden's got a bit of a slope to it, with fields next to it, and a semi- derelict area directly above. There's been a couple of large and old trees down over the winter, which probably used to slurp a lot of the excess water up.

That bit of the garden's always been a bit boggy, I'm told, but has never done anything like this in the last seven years.

The lawn's squelchy, the flowerbed's boggy, and the paving slab path is awash. A temporary measure's seen a hosepipe lain next to the path, with the worst rivulet running straight into it, and off into the handy drain outside the kitchen. Without that, it was running down into next door's garden (about a metre and a half lower level) and flooding their garage. There's still plenty missing the hose, but what's going through is probably a litre or so a minute.

The water company have investigated, and there's no pipes that could possibly be responsible for the leak. It can really only be groundwater.

So... Suggestions?

I'm thinking in terms of pulling the slabs up, digging out, and laying something to pull the water towards the drain - about 6-7m away, and mebbe half a metre (at most) lower.

But what?

Shallow trench, perforated plastic pipe at the bottom, surrounded by gravel, with the slabs relaid back on top? Would that be adequate?

Reply to
Adrian
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Go with the flow and make it a water feature?

Reply to
John Williamson

That suggestion was not very warmly received...

Reply to
Adrian

Now remind me ... who was the bra-less bird that always put water features in garden make overs ?

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

You're thinking of Ms Dimmock's Charlies.

But, to try to head back to topic, this really would be a crap location for a water feature.

Reply to
Adrian

All you can do is put some sort of culvert/pipe in and conduct the water away to a place where it causes no problems. Dig down where the water has appeared and make a catchment filled with rubbble. Make sure you leave facitilty to clear out your pipe if it silts up.

Reply to
harryagain

Adrian scribbled...

How old is the house? I had a place once in Wales, loadsa water and the gardens up the road were criss crossed with basic land drains leading into one another. A couple were blocked and caused problems further up. One created a large hole, deep enough for a neighbour to fall into when she was putting out the washing.

Reply to
Jabba

Bottle it. Peckham-like spring water.

No idea; I don't do drains and won't post bollocks. I consult this site when I need information about such things;

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Reply to
Onetap

Go for your own brand of spring water?

Reply to
Capitol

using a dibber on a very long pole to avoid footprints, mark out an image of the Madonna overnight then invite the local vicar round for morning coffee.

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

PavingExpert suggests membrane as a filter should prevent that. Not good 'nuff?

My thinking was that going deep is going to leave it too deep to get into the drain. Plus I don't want to dig too deep, because I'm idle and unfit...

The main issue is the surface water.

Yeh, it's clay.

Reply to
Adrian

Sorry, I missed out the smiley.

Reply to
John Williamson

If it's like here, you can do all of that & at about the time you're sitting back & congratulating yourself on a job well done - the spring will shift to another spot & you'll have to start over.

Good luck.

Reply to
Sam Plusnet

The correct answer is to put a land drain across the highest point of the garden and run that down to your drain. It will intercept the water that is feeding this spring and dry out the land below it.

Colin Bignell

Reply to
Nightjar

That makes a lot of sense. Sort the problem, not the symptom.

Digging a test hole or two should show whether it'd be effective, right?

Reply to
Adrian

Thanks... It sounds like I'm going to need it...

Reply to
Adrian

Just to double check, turn off all taps dont use the loo for a period and check the water meter before and after to see if water is being used.

Reply to
F Murtz

During all that rain at the start of the year, I had water actually bubbling up near a shed, so I can understand where you are coming from. Luckily its stopped, but the difficult part is to find where its coming from Hear we are on clay not far down, and it seems to be saturated pretty well and I guess the water just tried to run off and found the path of least resistance. If you are also on clay, then this might be a similar issue, and so I reckon your idea is quite good. No need to go overboard as it might not be there all the time, after all. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Went down like a damp, erm... Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

The amount of water does come and go with rain, and there's no household water anywhere near where it's surfacing - or uphill...

Reply to
Adrian

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