Tiller, Water Level Used To Dig Drainage Ditch
Instead of renting a ditch digger to install drainage tile around my house, my wife and I got out our old garden tiller and a couple of shovels. I ran the 40-year old Troy-Bilt tiller up and down the 190-ft. long ditch and then cleared out the loose dirt with shovels.
To get the grade right we used a water level, a low-tech tool that’s easy to put togetherand easy to use.
I attached the ends of a 15-ft. length of plastic tubing to 2 yardsticks and filled the tubing most of the way with water. When the yardsticks are held at the same height, the water level in the tubing is at the same height on both yardsticks. Set one yardstick on an 8-in. concrete block and the other on the ground next to the block, and there will be an 8-in. difference in the water levels on the yardsticks. The higher level on the stick is on the lower level yardstick, which is down grade from the upper yardstick.
Checking depth in the ditch as we worked was simply a matter of moving the 2 yardsticks down the length of the ditch. It was easy to check and easy to adjust the dirt as we worked. We just had to be careful not to lift one yardstick too high in the air, as the water would then run out of the tubing at the other end.
The grade in the finished ditch was as we hoped. To double check, I stuck a hose in the upper end and let the water run. Only one low spot was identified, and it was quickly adjusted.
Next step was to lay weed mat, followed by perforated drain tile and then fill the ditch with washed rock. The final step will be placing stones to the edge of the ditch to give it the look of a dry stream.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jim Ruen, 33750 Forster Rd., La Crescent, Minn. 55947 (ph 507 895-2229; farmshowjim@gmail.com).
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Tiller Water Level Used To Dig Drainage Ditch BUILDINGS Houses Instead of renting a ditch digger to install drainage tile around my house my wife and I got out our old garden tiller and a couple of shovels I ran the 40-year old Troy-Bilt tiller up and down the 190-ft long ditch and then cleared out the loose dirt with shovels To get the grade right we used a water level a low-tech tool that’s easy to put togetherand easy to use I attached the ends of a 15-ft length of plastic tubing to 2 yardsticks and filled the tubing most of the way with water When the yardsticks are held at the same height the water level in the tubing is at the same height on both yardsticks Set one yardstick on an 8-in concrete block and the other on the ground next to the block and there will be an 8-in difference in the water levels on the yardsticks The higher level on the stick is on the lower level yardstick which is down grade from the upper yardstick Checking depth in the ditch as we worked was simply a matter of moving the 2 yardsticks down the length of the ditch It was easy to check and easy to adjust the dirt as we worked We just had to be careful not to lift one yardstick too high in the air as the water would then run out of the tubing at the other end The grade in the finished ditch was as we hoped To double check I stuck a hose in the upper end and let the water run Only one low spot was identified and it was quickly adjusted Next step was to lay weed mat followed by perforated drain tile and then fill the ditch with washed rock The final step will be placing stones to the edge of the ditch to give it the look of a dry stream Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jim Ruen 33750 Forster Rd La Crescent Minn 55947 ph 507 895-2229; farmshowjim@gmail com
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