Locating a septic drain field...

[Cuda416]

Started digging a trench for power to my barn, thinking I was well and clear from the drain field, when we ran into some rock we didn't expect. We stopped immediately just in case and I double checked with the county. Previously they said to contact the installer who is an OS2 level septic guy and he said, just stay away from the green rectangle. So that's what i did at first, well, I called the county again and they sent the original permit with the drawings and requirements which is a good start. problem is, according to the drawings, my trench should have cut right through one of the field lines, which we did not, even with the "suspect" material.

So, other than digging things up, I've been trying to find someone to do a location based on scanning the ground, or running pipe snake into the line and then tracing a signal like can be done with a signal wire attached to other water lines etc. Seems around here, there is a lot of "guessing" going on and I don't want to ever have a problem with having dug too close to the field. 10' is the distance required by the county.

Are there other ways of locating the lines that are precise enough to say, "Yeah, I'm 11 feet from the field" and believe it?

Any ideas (except dousing, that's just silly ) are appreciated.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Climb up on the roof and look down for rows of green grass.






. . .not on the roof but in the yard.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Devining rods isn't silly! I've had plenty of success using them-

In your case it maybe hit or miss due to the fact that there isn't constant water present.

 

[Radix2]

what style of field do you have ? how deep?

for a conventional shallow field, a probe rod works pretty well.

they didn't install any inspection ports I guess?

If you can find (dig) just one pipe, you should be able to find the rest pretty easily from the design drawings.

 

[66Caprice]

Here in Washington State the County Health department in the County the house is built in has what is called the (AS BUILT) sketch on file. Some are available on line.

 

[machsnell]

Devining rods isn't silly! I've had plenty of success using them-

In your case it maybe hit or miss due to the fact that there isn't constant water present.

I located my drain field last year so easy when I was regrading and planting.

Dowsing is so far from silly. It is my go to actually. If you have a rough idea of where the electrical line, septic line, cable, pipe irrigation whatever it is you can find it easy.

You dont need water. That is a myth. I located the fiber line yesterday on a job because miss utility didnt mark it to the area we needed. I find sleeves and irrigation under driveways and sidewalks every week. I pinpoint within a few inches the location and usually within 1. My guys dig and it's there. They are sitting under my seat right now.

They dont have to be copper. I use metal marking flags and it's the same.

You can locate exactly where your lines are just look at plan and run perpendicular to the lines. Drain lines are parallel (except the diversion box lines) to each other and you just walk up and down perpendicularly to locate drain lines then walk perpendicular to those (in between them) to find the pipes feeding each line. They are all together.

Mark it with paint as you make you passes and connect the dots.

No BS no sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. It works EVERY time! As long as you have a general idea if direction because you want to be fairly perpendicular to the line and there isnt a bunch of other lines to confuse and re direct.

Drain field easy because very geometric and no competition.

There is a touch to it if you cant get it to work PM me and I can walk you through it. Basically bottom of L your thumb holds and rounded corner rests on your index finger. Lean it forward a hair to keep straight ahead.

Thank me later.

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[Cuda416]

Alright, maybe it was uncalled for to call dousing silly, but I don't buy into it and I'm not here to debate it. If you believe it works for you, awesome. Not gonna stand up in a court of law when the county comes after me for something and I say, well the guy with the dousing rods said it was here.

Don't get me wrong, i appreciate your offer to help, its' just not the help I am asking for, thanks anyway.

Anyway, to answer some questions, I have the original permit, is that different than the "As built" drawing? it calls out the length and width and clean out locations, but I've found a clean out not where the drawing indicates it's supposed to be. It does NOT call out the location of the corners, which seems like would have been a good thing, just the tank, which I've verified visually and against the GPS coords recorded in the paperwork I have.

One idea I had was to run a fish tape into the clean out (inspection port ?) that's located on one edge and find the corners, then once I know those distances, poke around the corner and go until I hit the next corner, which should give me enough to draw a rectangle. Not sure if its doable, the dousing guys are surely laughing at me right now, but that's OK.

Anyway, with all the reading I've done in the last few days, it seems like it would be easy to find someone with a ground scanner, or something but not so much....

Thanks again.

 

[Cuda416]

Climb up on the roof and look down for rows of green grass.



. . .not on the roof but in the yard.

That's what got me into this mess The guy who installed it, who doesn't seem to have records, said just stay aware from the green area. Pretty easy in South Texas, since everything is brown.

 

[Radix2]

I know in my county that the permit drawing is the only one, and there is no new "as built" drawing made if the installer adjusts some based on rocks, lay of the land, lunch time or whatever, so if you need a exact distance you have to do a on site locate.

Good installers do have inspection ports at the dist box and end of run, so that makes it east to find.

 

[Cuda416]

I know in my county that the permit drawing is the only one, and there is no new "as built" drawing made if the installer adjusts some based on rocks, lay of the land, lunch time or whatever, so if you need a exact distance you have to do a on site locate.

Good installers do have inspection ports at the dist box and end of run, so that makes it east to find.

Thanks, I called the county again and they are doing a hand search for the documentation. Hopefully they have something I don't. They also pointed out, like you did, that the installer is allowed to vary the design as long as the square footage called for, in my case, 1000 sqft, is maintained, it's OK.

 

[bullnerd]

I found the edge of mine pretty easy with a probe. You can feel the rocks pretty easily.

Just a thin, pointed steel rod with vise grips clamped on it for a handle. (I use to use an old arrow, but kid shot into the woods.)

 

[Cuda416]

I found the edge of mine pretty easy with a probe. You can feel the rocks pretty easily.

Just a this, pointed steel rod with vise grips clamped on it for a handle. (I use to use an old arrow, but kid shot into the woods.)

It might come to this. I really only need to know where one edge is for now. Knowing where the whole thing is would be great, but only one edge is holding me up with this. it's pretty deep though, docs say the excavation was 36".

 

[Cuda416]

So this writing is on the permit as notes, along with the GPS coords of the tank. Obviously this is something about inspection ports, but other than that, I have no idea what it's telling me.

 

[Samh]

As far as dousing goes, my father swears it works. I don't believe it. I did fashion some out of some welding wire once and tried it. they did cross when passing over a inground sprinkler pipe. That being said, not sure it still actually works, and I didn't subconsciously tilt it when crossing over it.

 

[Cuda416]

As far as dousing goes, my father swears it works. I don't believe it. I did fashion some out of some welding wire once and tried it. they did cross when passing over a inground sprinkler pipe. That being said, not sure it still actually works, and I didn't subconsciously tilt it when crossing over it.

Just going to point out, if you did it "subconsciously" your conscious mind wouldn't know... but yeah, YMMV.... now on to reality.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I've seen dousing work. I've also seen guys swear they could do it but not be able to locate anything correctly.
Probing works but it is very helpful to know what you are looking for.
County records are usually pretty good for recent systems. Lots of old and DIY installs aren't. I found 1 aerial photo that clearly showed mine but it was lines of brown grass in a green lawn. After seeing that one I was able to make it out in some others.

 

[larry4406]

Climb up on the roof and look down for rows of green grass.






. . .not on the roof but in the yard.

Google Earth - timed flyovers let you go back in time which can help see the field.

 

[58Yeoman]

Dousing worked for me a few years ago while at work. We found a leaking underground water line. Damn if I can get it to work for me at home to find my water lines or septic field. My county doesn't have any drawings of where my field is.

EDIT: Google maps only go back to 1994 for me. My house was built in 1979.

 

[Cuda416]

Google Earth - timed flyovers let you go back in time which can help see the field.

I'll give that a shot. it was 2007. Thanks!

 

[Radix2]

It might come to this. I really only need to know where one edge is for now. Knowing where the whole thing is would be great, but only one edge is holding me up with this. it's pretty deep though, docs say the excavation was 36".

you have quite a bit of clay in texas? - so you may have a decently deep drain bed

The 36" is probably to the bottom of the gravel bed. Typically the pipes are closer to the surface with 6-12in of cover since you want good evaporation and aerobic breakdown of your effluent

 

[frank001]

As far as dousing goes, my father swears it works. I don't believe it. I did fashion some out of some welding wire once and tried it. they did cross when passing over a inground sprinkler pipe. That being said, not sure it still actually works, and I didn't subconsciously tilt it when crossing over it.

I can't believe anyone thinks dousing actually works.

 

[Cuda416]

you have quite a bit of clay in texas? - so you may have a decently deep drain bed

The 36" is probably to the bottom of the gravel bed. Typically the pipes are closer to the surface with 6-12in of cover since you want good evaporation and aerobic breakdown of your effluent

Soil class III, 48" Clay Loam, interspersed with limestone and some caliche at the bottom.
50% Clay, 25% silt, 25% sand.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

I can't believe anyone thinks dousing actually works.

Dowsing works.
Many years ago we went from Virginia to Danville Vermont to a dowsers convention.
There were a couple of old timers who did an amazing demonstration. They found underground water. Then marked it. Then they said something like "how deep...is it? Less than 300 feet?" (Just Dowsing rods crossed.) "Less than 200 ft.?", again...crossed. "100 feet?"...rods did not cross. Then they said "100...110...120" so on until they got to 150 feet...rods crossed.
Then then said "how many gallons a minute?" They counted...rods crossed at, say, 15 gallons/minute (whatever it was).
Amazing part to me was two guys, dowsing rods crossed for each same time. Then they had well drilling equipment, and drilled for verification. They were spot on.
Some people used something like a willow tree branch, shaped like a "Y".
They had classes at this convention.
To this day I'm not sure exactly how/why or who's the best at it...but it works.

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[PCustoms]

Subscribed. I need to find mine as well, and am trying to avoid digging out from the tank. Lots of gravel and a steep wooded bank so haven't had much luck so far.

 

[Cuda416]

Seriously, it doesn't matter who thinks dousing works or doesn't work, it's not the question.

The question is simple, what are good ways (that don't involve magic fairy dust sprinkled on the earths lines of force) to accurately locate a septic field.

 

[Cuda416]

Subscribed. I need to find mine as well, and am trying to avoid digging out from the tank. Lots of gravel and a steep wooded bank so haven't had much luck so far.

get your popcorn, might be a magic show coming ....

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

In an age of information, it is difficult to comprehend how anyone could be so closed minded to dismiss something as real and verifiable as dowsing. It's simple. It works. But you go get yourself some ground penetrating radar and maybe a borescope and you go spend your money. Those that know it works will just be smiling.

 

[machsnell]

So correct. Wow.

In the age of information ignorance is a choice. And certainly the OP's

Closed minded fools like to learn the hard way. Life is probably tough for you I would imagine huh? Dismissing my honest and thoughtful help and mocking it speaks to hard headed and ignorant you must be.

I got no skin in this game other than now hoping you go rent some kind of sonde and locater and run it through your own **** and spend a good amount of time doing it.

Have fun and enjoy pulling that line out of your terds. That way you wont have to believe in the fairy dust I am selling on here.

While you are at it reinvent the wheel.

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[Cuda416]

In an age of information, it is difficult to comprehend how anyone could be so closed minded to dismiss something as real and verifiable as dowsing. It's simple. It works. But you go get yourself some ground penetrating radar and maybe a borescope and you go spend your money. Those that know it works will just be smiling.

Ok, I'll play your silly game. Show me one reputable scientific journal that shows proof that dousing works. It is in this age of information, in which we displace myth from reality. By the way, the age of information, if you are talking about the internet, is a cesspool of false garbage. You thing the earth is flat too? Never went to the moon? Crop circles are real? Just because someone put it on the internet, doesn't mean its true. You do know that right?

Of course, if you can come out to my place and begin blindfolded, walk around my property telling me where every buried pipe, wire, vein of gold or oil is, maybe I'll believe... probably not, but maybe.... Phht...

 

[Cuda416]

So correct. Wow.

In the age of information ignorance is a choice. And certainly the OP's

Closed minded fools like to learn the hard way. Life is probably tough for you I would imagine huh? Dismissing my honest and thoughtful help and mocking it speaks to hard headed and ignorant you must be.

I got no skin in this game other than now hoping you go rent some kind of sonde and locater and run it through your own **** and spend a good amount of time doing it.

Have fun and enjoy pulling that line out of your terds. That way you wont have to believe in the fairy dust I am selling on here.

While you are at it reinvent the wheel.

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Feel free to come and demonstrate on my field. Prove it...

 

[machsnell]

No I would rather you dig it up or take a few more trips to the county and do it your way. I was just lying to sound cool. It backfired I guess.

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[Cuda416]

No I would rather you dig it up or take a few more trips to the county and do it your way. I was just lying to sound cool. It backfired I guess.

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Of course... that's what I thought...

 

[Cuda416]

No I would rather you dig it up or take a few more trips to the county and do it your way. I was just lying to sound cool. It backfired I guess.

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Oh and in case you missed it, this is the information age, I get all that **** emailed to me.... Geez so close minded are you....

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

When I was fixing my foundation the water department came out and use dowsing rods to locate my water pipe and it worked perfectly....

When he first started doing it I looked at him like he was playing a joke on me....i asked him what kind of stupid **** is that??

I marked it with paint and when i dug it was right on the money... For the record my water line is 9 feet deep in the soil and the rods picked it up

I don’t know if you can call that scientific evidence or not but it worked perfectly


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[machsnell]

Oh and in case you missed it, this is the information age, I get all that **** emailed to me.... Geez so close minded are you....

My apologies. Bad assumption. You must be slightly more intelligent than you sound.

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[Cuda416]

My apologies. Bad assumption. You must be slightly more intelligent than you sound.

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Typical that you attack me instead of defending the silliness. If you have nothing intelligent to add, why add anything at all? No please, really, educate me in the world of the unproven... I'm all ears. Until you have any real proof, your childish attacks just show your own ignorance.

 

[machsnell]

Like they say you can old lead a donkey to water.....

Good luck.

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[Cuda416]

Like they say you can old lead a donkey to water.....

Good luck.

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Oh look, more name calling... surprise....

 

[kelpaso1]

Ok, I'll play your silly game. Show me one reputable scientific journal that shows proof that dousing works. It is in this age of information, in which we displace myth from reality. By the way, the age of information, if you are talking about the internet, is a cesspool of false garbage. You thing the earth is flat too? Never went to the moon? Crop circles are real? Just because someone put it on the internet, doesn't mean its true. You do know that right?

Of course, if you can come out to my place and begin blindfolded, walk around my property telling me where every buried pipe, wire, vein of gold or oil is, maybe I'll believe... probably not, but maybe.... Phht...

Get the Mythbusters to confirm this.....er.. wait, they aren't on anymore......

 

[TheLurker]

Where's your washing machine?

Might have hit that one if it wasn't marked.