[Terre]

I'm redesigning a landscape for a home that has an existing French Drain. Homeowners bought last year, and were told the drain was there to prevent basement flooding.

The drain extends from the front corner of the home to the street, and is a massive eyesore. It is a 5 to 6 ft wide gravel mess, with bindweed overtaking the gravel.

Since the homeowner wants xeriscape, I was thinking more along the lines making it into a dry riverbed with plantings on the sides.

I certainly don't want to screw up the drainage, but I'm reading conflicting information. I've read everything I can find about French drains, and most of what I see indicates that it's ok to put 2-4" of topsoil over the gravel and grass.

Does this thing need to be this wide? Again, my research indicates 12 to 24" wide? Surely they didn't dig a 5 foot wide trench?

Input anyone?

[TrickyDick]

Unless this thing is there to catch an enormous amount of surface runoff I can't imagine why it would be that wide or why it couldn't be buried. Is it draining water from around the house to the street or is it between the top of a mountain and the house or something?

[Terre]

No mountain. From around the house to the street, on a gently sloping lot. I have a digital picture I'll post this evening.

[VoodooChile]

I would break out my shovel and determine the depth of the trench, and the number, type and condition of tiles, if any, in it.

With enough depth and functioning tiles, I don't see a problem replacing gravel with more decorative cobbles or stone, and creating a meandering dry stream. In this design instances, the excessive width is an advantage, because it allows more meander.

Maybe it was just overbuilt for insurance, or maybe the site calls for it. It's tough to tell until a significant rain event, when you should don your rain gear and observe the water flow.

Knowing how many builders cut corners around here, I would assume this overbuilt eyesore is there for a good reason...

[Raj Venugopal]

Drain tile and french drains are not meant to replace proper foundation backfilling, lot elevation and tying into municipal storm sewers (if the house is within city limits).

If your client's house is relying on a french drain to prevent a wet basement, it sounds like a landscaping solution is a bandaid solution...if I'm understanding correctly.

Do they/you know who did the foundation?

[Terre]

Since the home was built in the 50s, and the homeowners just bought last summer, they have no knowledge of the who or how of the foundation, or the drain other than what they were told. In my limited experience, the only homes I've know to have basement water issues were close to a stormwater drainage gulch. There is an underwater aquifer in the general area of this home but I'm not sure where, and apparently no other neighbors had the need for a drain of this nature. Also, as you may or may not be able to tell from the picture, the drainage definitely is away from the home.

[PSUscaper]

Looks like a old gravel driveway to me with a lot of 'history'.

I went to house a few weeks ago where the ENTIRE backyard was coverd with about 100 tons of 3/4" gravel. The people who lived there explained to me that the previous owner (they lived there for 20 years by the way....go figure) did it to take care of 'drainage'

If anything, it could be a giant drywell.

Is there a sump pump in the basement????

Is there any sign of water damage in the basement, or have they seen water in their basement????

Hek, does that house even have a basement!.....lol.

If there isn't water, signs of water, or a pump, then I would seriously doubt this is a drain. If there is water and a pump, does it run constantly? Does it run only when it rains? These are signs that there may be water issue and that there may be a need for such a massive drainage system.

My gut tells me its a bunch of gravel that no one felt like cleaning up. Maybe they actually did put in a french drain that is only 1 ft wide x 1 ft deep, but ordered about 10 tons too much stone (probably had a contractor 'friend' do it who needed to empty his truck out that day) and like many lazy & cheap people, just left all the extra stone there becasue they got tired of pushing their metal handled wheel barrel with the plastic rim tire around the yard, their short handle pointed shovel got busted, and their 'friend' who said he would pick up the extra doesn't answer his phone anymore.

If there appears to be a water problem in the basement, I would bring a backhoe there and do some digging to see what is really going on.

That or give them a price to dump a tandem of 3/4" stone on the front yard, drop a few boulders in it, and call it a day.

[cutntrim]

Originally posted by PSUscaper
Looks like a old gravel driveway to me with a lot of 'history'.

That's exactly what my first reaction was on seeing the picture.

[Terre]

Well good. It looked to me like an amateur DIY project, but since I'm no expert, I figured I'd ask. Thank you again for your help.