Rain water irrigation system?

[Maverickcnd]

As the rain water runs off the roof, down the piping it just drains onto the lawn right beside my garden. The water doesn't have Anywhere to go so it just pools in the area causing major problems (yard is sinking taking patio, deck and stairway along with it)

So what I was thinking was having it drain into my garden which is situated right beside the drainage. I was going to lay bed rock at the bottom of the garden, run large diameter piping (probably 3-4") throughout the bedrock with holes throughout the pipe to allow the water to drain into the garden into the bedrock. I was then going to continue the pipe out of the garden, under the lawn to the back of the yard away from the house.

I have to get this water away from the house but I thought having it run through the garden might not be such a bad idea...or is it?

 

[Philphine]

i've done some of that, but i'm far from an expert to say what way would be best. none of what i tried runs through a garden though. not because i think it is or isn't better, it just wasn't the idea at the time (i was thinking use harvested water in a future garden during dry periods).

i try to harvest a lot of it in some big tanks, some runs into a little pond system, and the overflow from both run out to a drainage ditch that runs bettween the houses behind my house. it doesn't work perfectly, and if it rains enough it all gets overpowered anyway, but i think it helps at the beginning of rains (or shorter showers) and maybe drains the yard off a little quicker.

it's kind of it's own adiction though, once you start fooling with it. if it's a warm rain i'm liable to be out in it looking to see how it's all working and what i can improve (i'm considering a small version of what you're describing on the other side of my yard. an artificial dry creek bed). i sometimes wonder what people who might see me standing around in the rain might be thinking.

 

[Maverickcnd]

So I have a drainage ditch in my yard as well, that's where I was planning on having the water run too. As you can see in the pic, the drain running down the post and it dumps onto the lawn, which is now all brown and dead (doesn't help it hasn't rained all year yet). The garden is raised at the edge of the deck, at the top of pic. The stairs are to the left and patio is between house and garden (all currently under re-construction). My fence is immediately to the left of pic (just out of view) therefor no room for a tank. We do have one on the other side of house but doesn't collect much water. 90% of the rain off the house comes from the one drain you see.
View attachment 583

I was going to run the drain down to the far end of the garden and back then down to the gutter in back between houses.View attachment 584

My concerns are, will I over saturate the garden with water even if I'm putting it at the bottom of the garden and if I do spread the water out is it going to solve the initial problem in the first place? If I do run the water under the garden will it even do much anyway or would it just drain into the ground, not assisting in watering anyway?

 

[loopyloo]

We are looking for the rain barrels with the hose on the bottom to help with our rain water problems. They only hold 60 gallons but if we use them to water our gardens then it should keep the levels from getting to overfull I hope. It will also take a little pressure off our water bill which keeps going up and up.

 

[Philphine]

View attachment 583

.View attachment 584

pics wouldn't show for me, but i'm not the expert to know the best answer anyway as far as runing it through your garden goes.. in any event, i think i'd try the dry creek idea weather you run it through your grden or not. this thread's got me re-thinking on it myself.

 

[Philphine]

you probaly wouldn't want one in the front yard or in obvious plain site (and i guess water would have to run off your house just right to position it out of the way), but if you keep an eye on craigslist you can get one of those palletised 275 gallon tanks for about the same price as a store brought rain barrel. i caught a deal where i got a couple together for $40 each, but i've seen them for in the $50-75 for a decent clean one (clean enough for garden stuff. can't say for anything more than that)

it might seem like overkill, and there would be a little diy involved (just having to work out your own in/outlets, not too hard), but they're great. i can nearly go from spring to fall and hardly use the tap for anything back yard related. i even found out last year that if it's pretty full, there's just enough pressure to use with a soaker hose.

 

[Maverickcnd]

We are looking for the rain barrels with the hose on the bottom to help with our rain water problems. They only hold 60 gallons but if we use them to water our gardens then it should keep the levels from getting to overfull I hope. It will also take a little pressure off our water bill which keeps going up and up.

I have one of those but it doesn't actually receive much water from where its located, on the down side it's about the only place I have to put one. I can't put one where my problem is. My suggestion to you is to watch the hose. The end of our clips up to the top of the barrel to prevent draining while not in use, the problem I have is that it is now kinked and doesn't work well. I would suggest putting it on a 4-6 inch base above ground and put a tap on it to be able to remove the hose after each use. The other thing is the end of the hose has to be below the level of the water to get anything out of it so elevating the barrel and putting a hose bib attachment is the only way one becomes more convenient but that includes more work to one. I would suggest just buying a regular one (probably plastic) and drill a hole and attach a hose bib from local hardware store. If your not so handy with tools or plumbing related stuff I suggest getting help.

 

[ChanellG]

I have to get this water away from the house but I thought having it run through the garden might not be such a bad idea...or is it?

I collect rainwater in large tubs and then I store it in jugs because that's what I'm capable of at the moment. I also have one of those extra large water bottles to collect the water that drips from the air conditioning unit (it flows out of a narrow pvc pipe) on the side of the house. It's so moist in that area that it's all damp and mossy most of the time.

Which brings me to my suggestion for you; if you want to collect the rain water coming from the downspout on your gutters, you'll need barrels and a filter system (or an underground tank). The reason I think this is the best option is because a) you don't want to overwater your garden and b) you don't want it to turn into a bog. Your garden is already getting rained on so it's best to save the rain water and use it for days when it hasn't rained and isn't expected to.

Another option would be to divert the water to another area and have it collect in a tank or cistern. This might be the best idea if your garden is quite large.

With the two tubs (and rain water got into the extra large bottle and flooded it) I have more water than I have space to store at the moment. Because it isn't expected to rain until the end of the week, I'll use up a few gallons (I have a container garden) of the excess, but I won't need to store any extra for a while.

 

[headfullofbees]

If you use one or more linked water butts to store some of the water, you could easily put a tap at the top of the side of the last, and connect a hose to that tap.
You can then lead that hose exactly where you want.

 

[davefrommd]

if your garden gets to much water it will kill the plants.