High and Dry
Hello again! Well, since we had so much rain and a lot of us learned about the flood areas of our properties, I thought I would address some minor things that can help alleviate some water issues. However, before I go on I would like to point out that you will need to do your homework on your individual property, addressing the building codes for such projects.
One of the best materials for ground surface is small stone. This is always a good investment in areas that become mucky after rainfall. It’s not that expensive and I recommend buying it in bulk from a landscape supply place and having it delivered, (the delivery fee will be much better than you taking your own vehicle and making multiple trips to the hardware store for bags.) It also lets water drain off unlike concrete which will pool. Also with concrete the water may undermine weak spots along the edges and get underneath.
French drains: These are generally corrugated pipes that are put into the ground surrounded by small stone. It works on gravity so the place you want to move the water to will have to be lower than the spot you start from, meaning digging a gradual sloped trench. The materials for French drains are very reasonable and the labor is worth it to do it right. I see French drains at different properties here on Folly Beach and many are laid upon the ground higher than the low spot making them ineffective.
Sump Pumps: These are small, electrical pumps that people will sometimes install in places where a gravity fed drain isn’t an option. They are set in the lowest spot on the property, usually in a sump drain or box to prevent the pump from sucking up debris. When the waters rise the pump kicks on and discharges the water either through a hose or even better a PVC pipe to a spot away from the house. These can be installed wrong and I saw a lot of these in the last storm that would pump water into a high area that eventually drained back to the same house! Also, there were some folks that were pumping this water out into the dunes and causing a lot of run off and even some loss of sand. I’m doing more research on the Dos and Don’ts, and also the legality of these so I hope to address this soon in yet another article.
Well folks, back to work and try to stay dry! Aloha!
Charlie Stonecypher is the owner/operator of Suncoast Irrigation and Landscaping. They help people (mostly residential) troubleshoot their landscape and outdoor areas, and specialize in products that work smart without wasting resources. Contact Charlie at (843) 327-8642 or suncoastirrigation@gmail.com.
