A river runs through it.

[Inventive1]

Is there any place on this property where soil can be excavated? This would save the cost of buying fill dirt. A second benifit is that the soil removed could potentially help reduce the chance of flooding. This can be accouplished by digging drainage ditches, as has been previously suggested. A second option is to removing soil between the garage and the stream. Lowering the soil level near the stream will in effect lower the flood level.

 

[lupinsea]

Only issue is that you need the right kind of soil. No top soil. And it needs to be free of organic material that could rot and settle over time.

Some of the picture make it look a bit more dramatic than I think it might be. For sure there is a lot of water, but it's also dumping down into the excavated foundation trench. If you look at the surrounding water it doesn't look "that" deep.

If the OP can't move the building to a better site then it seems that building the foundation wall higher and bring in structural fill to lift up the slab and adjacent grade would be an alternative. It might not need to be lifted all that high. Not sure, hard to judge by the pictures.

If he could build the road bed higher, great. But if it's not in the budget I would say at least get the garage floor to higher ground.

 

[scheu]

Any updates?

 

[Rockey]

After showing the pictures to the guy building my block wall, he took a laser and shot fromt he top of the wall to the tree closest to where the water was rushing in and found that the block wall was 3 inches above the water level. We added another block to the height and he diverted the water on that side of the garage. In the end I asked myself how much I was willing to spend to avoid a one in 500 year flood. I decided there were definitely other areas of my life that deserved more attention before I start worrying about water damage. If you ever saw my ride my KTM 600 ATV in the mountains you would understand perfectly. Here is an updated pic of the progress.

[/IMG]

 

[PurdueSD]

Oh my... the block wall was 3" above the water level? SO what your saying is the floor level was over a foot under water? You do realize your overhead doors don't stand a chance against blocking water from entering. They will fold up like a lawn chair.

I'm glad its not my shop... Might be a good boat house though!

 

[Rockey]

Oh my... the block wall was 3" above the water level? SO what your saying is the floor level was over a foot under water? You do realize your overhead doors don't stand a chance against blocking water from entering. They will fold up like a lawn chair.

I'm glad its not my shop... Might be a good boat house though!

Your confused. The floor level will be 6"-9" above the water level in the picture. This plus the fact that the side and back of the garage have been excavated to divert the water away. The garage is going to house my seven quads that are regularly driven through water. If I experience the one in a 500 year flood I''l do the same thing that you will be faced with if one of those mature trees near you falls on your garage. Pick myself up, dust myself off and get on with my life. My livelyhood isn't staked on this.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I'd scrap the garage idea and build a boathouse instead. Holy cow...

 

[Rockey]

I'd scrap the garage idea and build a boathouse instead. Holy cow...

I'll keep that in mind. I could easily make money back renting it out to Floridians during the hurricane season.

 

[Boiler]

Depending on the costs of building up, locations available on the property, likelyhood of seeing that kind of rain again, etc, I think I might have made the same decision you did.

 

[Rockey]

Well today was the first time the creek overflowed its banks since last spring. The extra block that I raised the building was a smart move as the water came nowhere near the garage. I also helped divert the water by digging out with a skidsteer on the side of the garge that is pictured before I put the gravel drive in.

 

[Pointbock]

Congrats on a dry garage floor! But that's alot of water two years in a row. Will you be dealing with a flood situation every year?

 

[Rockey]

Congrats on a dry garage floor! But that's alot of water two years in a row. Will you be dealing with a flood situation every year?

Good question. Right now we are on track for the highest rainfall in a one month period in recorded history here in southwest ohio. We have had downpour after downpour for 7 days with two more days forecasted that will put us over the top for the month of April. The creek in the back has not come up much more than what is pictured and never was even close to making it near the garage. I had another 1o ton of gravel put down and dug a ditch on the side of the driveway to keep the water even further away. I feel so much better now that it has survived a real test.

 

[reddog289]

As it storms again up here in Detroit, I can't complain after seeing what you went through. Yet my Garage floor is wet and my basement floor is dry. With all this rain in April, Well in May there should be some Damn Pretty Flowers, Good Luck to you Rockey.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Good question. Right now we are on track for the highest rainfall in a one month period in recorded history here in southwest ohio. We have had downpour after downpour for 7 days with two more days forecasted that will put us over the top for the month of April. The creek in the back has not come up much more than what is pictured and never was even close to making it near the garage. I had another 1o ton of gravel put down and dug a ditch on the side of the driveway to keep the water even further away. I feel so much better now that it has survived a real test.

I ahd water in my garage about 3-4 times last year, same storms as you pretty much. Now that I raised the floor, it's been dry and it's been raining just as hard.