Backyard River + Swamp, Ever Heard of J-DRain SWD?
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Backyard River + Swamp, Ever Heard of J-DRain SWD?
There is a swale between mine any my neighbors property, established by the builder. In the backyards, the land is semi flat and is essentially a swamp, then leans towards the front of our properties where the swale is more pronounced. The issue is that runoff from a group of houses behind my and my neighbor's backyard flows our way turning the swale into a flowing river. We were thinking about putting a drain basin at the edge of our properties to catch this runoff from the other properties and maybe run some of this J-DRain SWD stuff in our backyards to absorb some of the sub-surface water. All water will be taken down hill, to the front of our property, discharged near the street.
1) Any opinions?
2) Anyone ever heard of or used J-DRain SWD? http://www.j-drain.com/resources/LAN...12breakout.pdf
1) Any opinions?
2) Anyone ever heard of or used J-DRain SWD? http://www.j-drain.com/resources/LAN...12breakout.pdf
#2
The first issue is where will the water go? Water flows downhill. The product you linked does not "absorb" water or magically make it disappear. It's another version of a drainage pipe. If you install it you need to make sure you do it properly so that it has fall along it's entire length to it's outlet.
#3
From what I see, the effectiveness of the system you propose is highly dependent on the type of soil and top soil you have in your yard. - Sand acts differently from clays/tight silts.
I live in a development that abuts another development and there is a long(about 600') swale between the 2 developments, but the drainage is a little more obvious than yours. For 2/3 of the length, it is an open free flowing drainage swale (usually dry) and the lower 200' feet is flatter and turns into a wider low, swampy area (tall swamp grass and whatever will grow). I was on the HOA board and very quickly found out that any changes are out of the question because the drainage was permitted and improved by the DNR and the county because changes could affect what was permitted and has worked and the changes could also affect anything downstream.
Your plans may not be a major change, but you never know what any authorities will say if that changes the run-off and temporary water storage (in and below ground) can have if the surface drainage is dumped into the street surface and someone complains. - Not likely, but somehow possible since you never know. As long as the deer wander through every morning and evening everyone in the 2 developments is happy so everyone is happy.
Dick
I live in a development that abuts another development and there is a long(about 600') swale between the 2 developments, but the drainage is a little more obvious than yours. For 2/3 of the length, it is an open free flowing drainage swale (usually dry) and the lower 200' feet is flatter and turns into a wider low, swampy area (tall swamp grass and whatever will grow). I was on the HOA board and very quickly found out that any changes are out of the question because the drainage was permitted and improved by the DNR and the county because changes could affect what was permitted and has worked and the changes could also affect anything downstream.
Your plans may not be a major change, but you never know what any authorities will say if that changes the run-off and temporary water storage (in and below ground) can have if the surface drainage is dumped into the street surface and someone complains. - Not likely, but somehow possible since you never know. As long as the deer wander through every morning and evening everyone in the 2 developments is happy so everyone is happy.
Dick
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There are no issues with where the water is going, because it goes there naturally. I just want it to do so underground through a pipe for a 75' section, and dry out my lawn quicker. The product I linked will gather the sub-surface water in our yards and move it into the solid pipe, connected to the catch basin, which will run down hill to the front of our lot, into the swale.
Here is a drawing of the lot with contour lines and my plan. My house is marked 1181, with the front of it toward the street on the left in the photo. Hopefully that clears up what I'm trying to do. Pictures are much more clear than words in these cases. The water bends that way, towards the proposed catch basin because my neighbor (above me in the photo) has built up landscaping beds across the whole rear of his property in an attempt to try to channel the water, adding to my issues with it really, which is why I want it taken care of. I drew a generic oval to represent where the water comes from, but that area is not to be taken literally. It is to give a general idea. In reality the oval should cover more surface area, extending to the right, and obviously not oval shaped.
Oh and the soil is in SW OH. A lot of clay.
Thoughts? Anyone use hear of the J-DRain stuff?
Here is a drawing of the lot with contour lines and my plan. My house is marked 1181, with the front of it toward the street on the left in the photo. Hopefully that clears up what I'm trying to do. Pictures are much more clear than words in these cases. The water bends that way, towards the proposed catch basin because my neighbor (above me in the photo) has built up landscaping beds across the whole rear of his property in an attempt to try to channel the water, adding to my issues with it really, which is why I want it taken care of. I drew a generic oval to represent where the water comes from, but that area is not to be taken literally. It is to give a general idea. In reality the oval should cover more surface area, extending to the right, and obviously not oval shaped.
Oh and the soil is in SW OH. A lot of clay.
Thoughts? Anyone use hear of the J-DRain stuff?

Last edited by lamping.ap; 03-10-16 at 03:15 PM. Reason: Adding info
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No. I've read the county regulations. There are mainly only laws with disturbing other homeowners land. Anyways, I'm only moving the water further along where it naturally travels on our properties. It will eventually end up in the street, where it does naturally. Can we discuss the plans and the material I am questioning?
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Can we discuss the plans and the material I am questioning?
I looked that the pdf that you linked. I don't know why that system would be any better than the using round flexible 4" pipe sold at Home Depot. If you used the perforated pipe, not all of the water will reach the street which is ok. It's your choice.
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...I looked that the pdf that you linked. I don't know why that system would be any better than the using round flexible 4" pipe sold at Home Depot. If you used the perforated pipe, not all of the water will reach the street which is ok. It's your choice.
It kinda looks like:
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Then wrapped up, making it rectangular.
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Greater permeability. Reduced ability to clog. Easier installation.
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It is $200 for a 165' roll. A little less than 2x the cost when compared to the crappy corrugated stuff (if not this J-DRain stuff, I'd use rigid pipe with the holes which would cost more). There is also no rock to fuss with and easier trenching. Less time installing, where time = money of course. Amount of sand needed is < amount of rock needed for both types of perforated pipe = cost savings as well.
#12
The problem with the J-Drain is it appears impossible to clear if/when it does clog. A regular 4" pipe can be easily sleeved. They even make sleeves just for that purpose. If it ever does clog it's easy to clean out like any other sewer or drain line. And, a round pipe has the maximum area inside for the flow of water especially compared to a tall thin rectangle.
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The problem with the J-Drain is it appears impossible to clear if/when it does clog.