Water, Water Everywhere ........ in NoVA

[Bluerauder]

The last couple days in Northern Virginia have been rather wet ... to make an understatement. Last night we had another 5.5 inches of rain. Lots of flooding with roads underwater in several areas. Haven't seen this much flooding since June 1972 when "Agnes" went through.

The Capital Beltway around Washington, DC was closed in both directions in Alexandria, VA due to flooding. Route 1 near Fort Belvoir, VA was also closed. Little streams and creeks that you barely notice were raging rivers throughout the area.

My little 13 mile commute took a full 2 hours this morning. :( Some days I hate living in Northern Virginia. Sure hope things get back to normal before the evening commute. The good thing is that the MM is in the shop for a routine check-up, 2 front tires (35K) and the haunted windshield wiper exorcism. I will be glad to get her back tonite. :D

[Tom Doan]

I had over 12" in a bucket this morning and Rt.29 is still closed with water 10 feet deep last night. Tom

[CRUZTAKER]

I warned you guysit was coming.:depress:

We just finished the cleanup around here.

Nearly every house down hill of me has wet carpet out on the treelawn.

[Vortex]

Send some our way pleeze, we are on water restrictions and my yard hasnt seen a descent rain since January!

[DEFYANT]

Did someone say WATER?

The builder did not grade a drainage ditch properly. It over flowed alittle into our yard. We notified the builder and he sent out a guy with a bobcat to regrade it.

As you can see, he did a fantastic job :fire:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1851.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1852.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1853.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1854.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1850.jpg

[G-Man]

Did someone say WATER?

The builder did not grade a drainage ditch properly. It over flowed alittle into our yard. We notified the builder and he sent out a guy with a bobcat to regrade it.

As you can see, he did a fantastic job :fire:


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1852.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Defyant/DCP_1853.jpg





Hey Charlie,

Not to get off topic, but let me know how you ultimately solve this problem. My yard looks exactly the same. I still have't found a solution that works.

[Bluerauder]

I warned you guysit was coming.:depress:
Barry, shut the faucet off at your end. The wether man says that this is supposed to continue until well into Wednesday. So far since Saturday, we've had about 11" of rain. Probably 5" more on top of that in the next day or so. I have seen this much water since 1972.


Not to get off topic, but let me know how you ultimately solve this problem. My yard looks exactly the same. I still have't found a solution that works.
From the pictures, it doesn't look like grading or ditching is gonna do the trick. In the first pic, I see part of an 18" culvert that dumps onto Charlie's property. They should have run that culvert completely across and into a natural drainage ditch. I assume that culvert runs under your property line and carries water from the street/gutters.

As long as that flow is travelling across open ground, it will continue to dig a channel and erode the ground. Your property will become the drainage area.

You need the contractor to install a concrete V-Ditch .... preferably with periodic cross weir dams to slow down the flow. It can be done; otherwise you are gonna lose alot of ground to the neighbors on the low side of your property.

[sailsmen]

Bet we had more water. This is our I10 evacuation route. After a $40 million drainage system was installed.

[Haggis]

Charlie, there is not much they can do when the ground is wet. You will just have to wait until the rain ends it drys out.

[DEFYANT]

Charlie, there is not much they can do when the ground is wet. You will just have to wait until the rain ends it drys out.

Gordon, this was right after the rains came.

There is more. The gully was in more of a V shape before with a little run over. They came out and made the "repair" :down: .

Here is the builders response:

Charlie,
I stopped by the property this morning to inspect the area of your concern. The storm water management system of the entire development has been installed, inspected and approved by the County and the design engineers. The swail that that is along the property line of your lot and lot #15 is working as designed, especially since we were there last week and we regreded and stabilized this area with matting. However on heavy rain storms, and flash floods such as what we have been experiencing that past few days these designed channels can become over loaded, and sometimes overflow. Under normal conditions you will not have this overflow of water onto your rear property. I hope this clarifies your concerns on this issue.

:puke:


Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call

[DEFYANT]

You'd think the "Designed channels" were NOT designed correctly, eh?

[Bluerauder]

You'd think the "Designed channels" were NOT designed correctly, eh?
Exactly !!! The ditch on the low side is not sized to handle the maximum flow coming from the 18 inch culvert. That's why it has overflow the edges of the ditch. The cross sectional area of the ditch should at least equal the cross-section of the culvert (254.5 sq. in.). A V-ditch to carry the same flow would have to be 12 inches deep by 42.4 inches wide at the top. It doesn't look that big to me. Obviously, a deeper V would not need to be as wide.

The second problem is the rate of flow. A 2 to 3 degree grade is typical for culverts and drainage. This is adequate for the "flow" to be self-cleaning. However, from the pics it appears that the slope of your ground is at least 2 and maybe 3 times that grade (i.e. about 5 to 10 degrees). That type of flow is gonna cut into the ground and wash away everything. A lined ditch or channel would be a good solution. Asphalt liner is cheaper than concrete. What is there is not working too well. The comment about flash floods and heavy rains is a smokescreen IMHO.

[Haggis]

Gordon, this was right after the rains came.

There is more. The gully was in more of a V shape before with a little run over. They came out and made the "repair" :down: .

Here is the builders response:

Charlie,
I stopped by the property this morning to inspect the area of your concern. The storm water management system of the entire development has been installed, inspected and approved by the County and the design engineers. The swail that that is along the property line of your lot and lot #15 is working as designed, especially since we were there last week and we regreded and stabilized this area with matting. However on heavy rain storms, and flash floods such as what we have been experiencing that past few days these designed channels can become over loaded, and sometimes overflow. Under normal conditions you will not have this overflow of water onto your rear property. I hope this clarifies your concerns on this issue.

:puke:


Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call

Wait till I post pics of my 'MOAT'. :shake: I will have Chris download the photos soon.

[jabird56]

My little 13 mile commute took a full 2 hours this morning. :( Some days I hate living in Northern Virginia. Sure hope things get back to normal before the evening commute. The good thing is that the MM is in the shop for a routine check-up, 2 front tires (35K) and the haunted windshield wiper exorcism. I will be glad to get her back tonite. :D

That is one reason why I moved to Omaha. When I lived in Waldorf, MD I had to commute to Reston every morning,...1 to 1.5 hours each way.

Now I get upset if it takes me more than 15 minutes to get to Offutt AFB.... I can see the end of the runway from my deck. :sunshine::sunshine:

[Bluerauder]

Now I get upset if it takes me more than 15 minutes to get to Offutt AFB.... I can see the end of the runway from my deck. :sunshine::sunshine:
I was at Offutt AFB one night for 3 days !! :rofl: Darndest freak snow storm that I have ever seen. January 1975.

[jabird56]

I was at Offutt AFB one night for 3 days !! :rofl: Darndest freak snow storm that I have ever seen. January 1975.

Well, it's at least real snow out here that the road crews know how to handle, instead of that icy cramp that the DC area normally gets. People know how to drive in it out here also, enough said....not wanting to hijack your thread.

[Mebot]

Even though it stopped raining, my softball games have been canceled tonight in Fairfax because of excess water on the fields.

Still, we needed this rain.

[DefyantExWife]

The last couple days in Northern Virginia have been rather wet ... to make an understatement. Last night we had another 5.5 inches of rain. Lots of flooding with roads underwater in several areas. Haven't seen this much flooding since June 1972 when "Agnes" went through.

The Capital Beltway around Washington, DC was closed in both directions in Alexandria, VA due to flooding. Route 1 near Fort Belvoir, VA was also closed. Little streams and creeks that you barely notice were raging rivers throughout the area.

My little 13 mile commute took a full 2 hours this morning. :( Some days I hate living in Northern Virginia. Sure hope things get back to normal before the evening commute. The good thing is that the MM is in the shop for a routine check-up, 2 front tires (35K) and the haunted windshield wiper exorcism. I will be glad to get her back tonite. :D


We had a lot here too. I dont remember Agnes though, I was only 18 months old :rolleyes: :D

[Bluerauder]

I dont remember Agnes though, I was only 18 months old :rolleyes: :D
:( Dayum ...... I gotta go take a nap. :geezer: :geezer: