Diverting rainwater away from pool

[Death Dream]

Thanks Robertmee.

Also, here are more pictures of my yard that give more angles to how things are going. 12 photos: Online Album

I will probably be taking the current rock bed out and see what is going on this weekend. I'll also post pictures of what that looks like as I go.

 

[engrav]

here are more pictures of my yard that give more angles to how things are going.

Lots of vegetation in the "rock bed". Suggests that it has morphed into a "planting bed" filled with dirt. Had a neighbor once with a rock drainage system that he cleaned it every year. Painful to watch but he did it. So cleaning seems like a logical start, and might find a clogged pipe at the bottom.

 

[chiefwej]

Since the goal is to divert the water from the pool, what about replacing the rairoad ties with a seat height wall. The runoff you are trying to divert isn't a regular event, so since it only happens rarely the wall would force it to run to each end. Protecting the pool from a huge sheet of water running into it.

 

[Death Dream]

Lots of vegetation in the "rock bed". Suggests that it has morphed into a "planting bed" filled with dirt. Had a neighbor once with a rock drainage system that he cleaned it every year. Painful to watch but he did it. So cleaning seems like a logical start, and might find a clogged pipe at the bottom.

I'll be cleaning it but I do not think it is a rock bed at all. That top layer is just rocks with a black protective mesh under the rocks and then probably 5 inches of dirt. I am not 100% certain until this weekend when I take what is there apart. As for the plants, those are weeds and crab grass. No matter how many times I pull them out, they grow back quickly.

Since the goal is to divert the water from the pool, what about replacing the rairoad ties with a seat height wall. The runoff you are trying to divert isn't a regular event, so since it only happens rarely the wall would force it to run to each end. Protecting the pool from a huge sheet of water running into it.

The idea of building a tall curb would be kind of a wall. I thought about getting bricks and making a nice wall but I'm not sure how you could water proof that and stop it from falling over from the huge rush of water.

I want it to be known, that sure... this will probably happen rarely and I just had really bad luck these two months. But SLAMing it takes a month out of the swim season. In Iowa, the swim season isn't long.

 

[kimkats]

I think you have a VERY solid plan and I wish You luck and LOTS of beer this weekend for this job you have before you.

Kim

 

[DaninFLA]

death dream - I just sent you the sketches we talked about to your private email. take a look at them and let me know if you have any questions.

the bricks would be a nice touch. I would use the bricks for the side of the wall facing your pool, you could use them as your "form" on the front end of the wall, and use concrete for the back half and down into the ground with the sketch I sent. should look nice and will be plenty waterproof for its intended use.

 

[kimkats]

So what did you find this weekend?

Kim

 

[Death Dream]

I just sent you the sketches we talked about to your private email. take a look at them and let me know if you have any questions.

I see them, thank you!

So what did you find this weekend?

Not much lol. My girlfriend decided to bring her family over to look at the place for the first time. So we spent the majority of the time painting walls that I was in the middle of patching. During cleaning the pool I did stop over by the rock bed and dig a lil bit. Some parts have more rocks than others. So my guess is that the rocks shifted around as more dirt got in.

 

[kimkats]

NEVER turn down painting help! I had to paint every wall in this house. It was NOT fun but..................so worth it!

It will come in time. Is your poor pool clearing up now?

Kim

 

[Death Dream]

Is your poor pool clearing up now?

No, it is still brown as ever. Last time it took me two weeks to finally get some hint of green in the middle of the SLAM. It is truly amazing how much dirt gets into the pool.

 

[kimkats]

And you swimming time is so short already

HUGS and hope you can stop this from happening again.

Kim

 

[robertmee]

No, it is still brown as ever. Last time it took me two weeks to finally get some hint of green in the middle of the SLAM. It is truly amazing how much dirt gets into the pool.

Having experienced Mudslides twice consisting of Clay Silt, it does take time, but in both cases in less than a week I had crystal clear water. For me, things I learned:

1) For the first two to three nights, shut the pump off. Let all the particulate settle. You can even add a little Floc if necessary. I know this is contrary to 24/7 pump with SLAM, but you are dealing with silt along with possible algae.

2) In the morning vacuum SLOWLY to waste. I can't emphasize enough that go very slow and do not stir up any of the particulate. It would take me 2 hours or more to vacuum in this manner, filling with a garden hose in between.

3) After the 3rd day, add DE to your sand Filter. Backwash first to start clean, then begin adding DE at the skimmer, 1/4 cup at a time. Watch your pressure at your Sand Filter and when it starts to climb, stop. Let that run for several hours with pump at fast speed (greatest suction). Keep your Main Drains open as most of the silt will settle to the drain, not float through the skimmer.

4) After a few hours, backwash, and repeat.

5) During this whole time, SLAM, with FC above your shock level. I had 30 CYA, so a slam target of 12, but I never let it drop below 15. There's lots of organics in mud, so better to keep it elevated.

6) After about the 5th day, you should be able to see the bottom drains (at least in my case). The DE is really the key, because Sand filters are only good to filter down to the 15 micron level. In my case, my mud was clay which is in the less than 5 micron range. So without the DE and without Vacuuming to waste, all the sand filter does is recirculate it back into the pool and it will never clear.

7) Once I saw the bottom drains, it was only two more days both times for crystal clear water. Hopefully, you can experience the same!

- - - Updated - - -

Just as an example, this is what I started with

and ended with

 

[pabeader]

 

[Swampwoman]

Hi DeathDream! +1 on Robert's suggestion to clear the mud

I just want to add a few ideas to your fix -- or rather, re-emphasize a few things.

We bought a foreclosure with an inground vinyl installed in a former catch basin at the bottom of a huge hill with a property that then continues down the hill to the river, the latter of which is in a flood plain. Add to that two septic tanks and at the time a failed French drain, and lets just say, we were quite worried about sorting it out, but loved the place.

We hired a hydrogeologist to assess and test the drainage, as we were worried the former owners did a DIY job.

What we actually found out was that we had in our hands a very well-engineered set up that was easily solved once the crushed (underground/closed) French drain (crushed when they installed the second septic) was resolved was very effective and handling storm water.

In ours, the combo that works is a triple terrace/staged retaining wall built into the side of the hill with the "trench" drain around the entire perimeter of the pool (covered in larger, eg 2-3" decorative stones) which then connects to a set of French drains that travel down either side of the rest of the property to the storm water ditch -- into which our downspouts also tie.

In our case, there is also a sump under the deep end that can be pumped out using the pool pump by closing the skimmer valve and opening the sump valve.

In your case, I don't see why either a catch basin at the far end connected to a trench drain, or even graded landscaping that terminates at the pool trench drain wouldn't nail it ( provided you can get out to the street) -- but it might be worthwhile to hire a hydrogeologist to confirm the notion

Like Yev, I can say trenching around the pool works like a charm...and I just lived through a 100-year flood 2 years ago to prove it Pool and home were undaunted...lower lying or improperly drained neighbors, not so much. One had to kayak to get into her home, but she was on the river side and it breached. Her husband has a float plane and she joked that at least they always had a way out

 

[Death Dream]

For me, things I learned:

Thank you! I have not tired DE or Floc out, but I will give that a try. I always notice the filter spits the dirt right back out, that was one of the main reasons I got a robot (Dolphin Plus) to try and stop that dirt going through the filter.

 

[DaninFLA]

any update?

 

[Death Dream]

any update?

No. I don't have time to work on it during the work week. This is strictly a weekend project. I have only done a bit of online searches for retaining wall bricks that I could possibly use so far.