How to Solve Water Problems on a Dirt Driveway

Dirt driveways are simple, cheap and easy to maintain unless you have a water problem. Poor drainage wreaks havoc on dirt driveways, causing erosion, pits and waterlogged areas that are difficult to drive over. Solving water problems will greatly improve the look and quality of a dirt driveway. Installing a basic drainage system and improving the existing driveway is a project that will take at least a weekend to complete, but the results will last.

Shovel
Gravel
4-inch PVC perforated drainpipe
Sand
Grass seed
Tamping tool
Rake

Instructions

- 1
  Dig two ditches parallel to the driveway with a shovel. They should be at least 8 inches wide and 18 inches deep and within a foot of the driveway to capture excess water and carry it away. Slope the sides of the ditches so the bottom dips.
- 2
  Fill the ditches with 6 inches of gravel. Shift the gravel with the back of a shovel so the surface declines 1/8 inch for every foot of distance.
- 3
  Lay perforated PVC drainpipes 4 inches in diameter down the center of the ditches. Cover the pipes with another 6 inches of gravel.
- 4
  Mix the dirt you removed to dig the ditch with equal parts sand and fill the remaining hole. Plant grass seed on top to slow the flow so water seeps down to the drain pipes.
- 5
  Fill any ruts or low areas with a mix of dirt and small gravel and tamp it down with a tamping tool until the area feels firm.
- 6
  Add a 2-inch layer of dirt down the center of the driveway and rake it into a crown so water will naturally flow toward the drainage ditches and into a street gutter.

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