Drainage Issue

[Bro. Williams]

I am curious as to how to search out draining land.

On the 2 acres I own, about 1/2 acre gets real boggy during the spring. There is a small decline in it towards a small finger of trees that sets in a "gulley" lay that is only about 5-10 wide, but which does carry some of the water down towards the creek at the back of the property.

I am not sure what the issue with the section that gets boggy. I don't know why it is not draining as it should be, with the small decline that is present. The land was used for corn before I owned this section, but it hasn't been used for such in about 6 years.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions or questions that might help? Thanks

[DaleK]

A lot of drainage issues have more to do with what's underneath the ground. Soil type, depth, compaction. Maybe there's a spring feeding it so that it'll never drain well. Hard to tell you much without being able to see it. Some of the worst wet holes on my farm are on hill tops or sidehills where the springs bubble up. Got one 60 acre field where there's a spot on a steep sidehill where water bubbles up out of the ground and runs across the field even in the middle of the worst drought... unfortunately too far from the buildings to pump the water.

[postroad]

Sounds like a good place for a pond.

[travlnusa]

I agree you need to figure out why it is so wet. Maybe dig a hole (post hole digger deep) and see if it fills up right away.

Make a small change that you think might fix where your hole filled up and try it again.

Once you get a handle on what the cause is (spring, rock subsoil, etc) then you can make a plan.

If you cant win, dig out a pond, but know that in many states the local DNR is going to have all kinds of permits required.

That is why I did not dig a pond, rather I had to get some dirt for another fill project. It just so happend I took the dirt all from the same area.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

Old time way is to trench it. Read about V trench, W trench, etc. by using Google. You most likely need to trench it toward the "gulley".

RF

[Darren]

I have some wet spots that are related to topography. Two are in a bottom near the toe of a slope. It figures water running off will collect in both locations.