Alex Vickers on Drains – 5/Mar/2008
Alex kindly came to address the CAG for the second time this year – another standing room only meeting at Hale Barns CC.
He was able to show us with demonstration equipment how water moves through layers of particles with different sized granules. This reinforced the message from his earlier talk on “Rolling” that water tends to stick within the cavities between the finest grained stuff so that a layer of fine sand (for example) can stop surface water draining through to coarse chippings above a drain pipe – which sounds to me a lot like your typical land drain.
He showed slides of existing drainage systems that didn’t work – some of which had been constructed recently and at great cost.
I will not attempt to further summarise a really interesting and detailed talk – except to say that Alex’s major recommendations were –
(1) Find out the cause of the problem.
(2) There may be several remedies – cost these out and include the annual maintenance which most drainage systems will require if they are not to cease to be effective within a year or two.
(3) Get expert advice – it may cost a bit but it could save you a lot more.
Finally a word of thanks to Hale Barns for use of the room and especially Ann Johnson for a great buffet.
DT 7/3/2008