How to Put Drainage Down My Fence Line
Drainage routes water along a predetermined path. The ideal drainage catches water flowing off of a hill aimed at the yard or a house's foundation and routes it to a location where the water can gather safely, such as a pond or valley. Building a drainage ditch along your fence line can be accomplished without having to tear up your existing fence. The ideal drainage ditch is within a few yards of the house but placing it along the fence line catches any water flowing from outside the property.
Step 1
Dig a ditch 2 feet deep and one foot wide. Position the center of the ditch two feet in from the edge of the fence. You can position the ditch two feet outside the fence if you have permission to dig there. Make sure the ditch follows a steady decline away from the fence and house, and terminates at a point where the water can be safely released.
Step 2
Fill the bottom few inches with pea gravel. Lay the perforated pipe on top of the bottom layer of rock with the holes in the pipe pointed downwards.
Step 3
Fill the remainder of the hole to within a few inches of the surface with pea gravel. Backfill the remaining few inches with dirt. Leave a slight mound as the dirt will settle into the hole.
Tips
- Water follows the path of least resistance. The bottom of the ditch needs to sit at a slight down angle along the whole path, even if that means the hole will be deeper when it intersects a small rise in your yard. A string with a level on it stretched along the base of the hole will indicate if you have the proper level to the bottom of the ditch.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
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