Thread: Runoff from driveway

Originally Posted by nebsta

Hi all,

I currently have a unusable driveway as it is too short and narrow to get my car into. I would like to landscape to remove the steps and allow a car to fully pull in and the gates closed - I've measured up and based on the fall this all seems achievable.


My main concern is that I am sloping the driveway towards my block of land. This could cause an issue with water runoff as it would be very difficult to install drainage at the end of the slope due to the stormwater pipe being at street level (see where downpipe is on the left of the image below). My plan is to remove the brick pavers and install two strips of cobblestone for the cars and keep as much grass as possible e.g.
Beautiful and exceptionally done cobble stone and grass driveway in Essex, Connecticut. | Grass driveway, Driveway landscaping, Driveway entrance landscaping

This is what the current driveway looks like:


https://imgur.com/TOCRkl5

Does anyone think runoff would be a major concern if I go ahead as planned with no strip drain installed at the end?

If I read this correct, you intend to make a new driveway from the front of house to the gate leaving the stairs at the side of the house in place as they are, so you won't have any more run off than you have now. ??
If you are concerned with water, is it possible to raise the drive so water runs to the street.? although that in turn may involve changing the stairs, and, I must warn, you some councils require a grated drain at the fence line to catch any runoff and piped direct to kerb to stop runoff going across the footpath.

How much back yard do you have?

Could you run a strip drain across the drive (or alongside the house) and into agi pipe in the back yard? This wouldn't deal with torrrential downpours, but would prevent puddles from normal day-to-day...

where does the water that runs off from the steps area go now?
cause the steps look like they step down the block so there must be water run off solutions down there?
strip drain at the end of your new drive taking it to wherever it goes now?

If I read this correct, you intend to make a new driveway from the front of house to the gate leaving the stairs at the side of the house in place as they are, so you won't have any more run off than you have now. ??
If you are concerned with water, is it possible to raise the drive so water runs to the street.? although that in turn may involve changing the stairs, and, I must warn, you some councils require a grated drain at the fence line to catch any runoff and piped direct to kerb to stop runoff going across the footpath.

To clarify I would be removing the stairs and sloping the land down towards the gate where this photo is taken.

Currently, there is no stormwater management for this area and it is not a significant problem given the grass is flat and would be able to absorb most of what falls onto it. Also, stairs are a fairly small area so don't produce much runoff. I think it would be difficult to run agi to the backyard as there is a concrete slab all the way down the side plus a few trees (and tree roots) in the way.

I can see a downpipe on the front of the house.
presumably there are others at the back of the house?
where is the water going from the house roof

There is a downpipe on the other side of the house at the back that just goes into a rainwater tank. The house is 100 years old in Sydney's Inner West so trying to retrospectively fit storm water management into the block is a real challenge.

You mention you will be using cobble stones and grass strips. That will help.

If runoff becomes a problem you could add a strip drain with a pit and a submersible pump with an integrated float, to send it back to the storm water drain.

I just don't think it'll be much worse than it is now