"Dwight" wrote in message
...
We have surface water from uphill which collects in a 40 foot long puddle
ten feet uphill from our house during large storms.

After it saturates the soil, water comes into our basement at a depth of
eight feet.

We have lived here 35 years and the pattern is quite clear - with flooding
only two times in that period, and so I hope we might use a shallow French
drain to move the water sideways to an open slope.

(I know that the ideal French drain goes all the way to the bottom of the
problem, but that would cost many thousands of dollars in our case.)

I would start at a depth of one foot and run 100 feet to a two foot depth
at the exit.

I would use rock and landscaping fabric around the pipe.

Your opinions about this approach?

Can I get away with a 1/8" per foot slope?

Should I use 2, 3, or 4 inch drain pipe?

Should I use landscaping fabric aroound the rock as well?

Thank you for your ideas.

Sincerely,

Dwight Gibb

French drains aren't rocket science, and one as simple as a foot deep can
give relief to a very large area if it is sloped correctly. Be sure to
include a clean out so that if the pipe does become obstructed with silt or
sand, you can send a hose down there and clean it out. I am contemplating
one, too, and think I may just go with a 4" perforated pipe, but wrap it
with landscape cloth so the water can get through, and encase it in gravel.
We have a lot of sand here, thus, the cleanout.

Steve