Solving Hillside Drainage Issues: How We're Tackling Muddy Driveways in Knox County

Double B Excavations & Grade LLC

YOU GOTTA KNOW HOW AND WHERE TO CUT 'em!

If you've got a hillside driveway in Knox County, you probably know the struggle - every rain turns your driveway into a muddy mess.

It's not just annoying; it can make getting in and out of your property a real headache.

And even when we've had dry weather like lately, these problems don't just disappear on their own.

We see this issue all over our area.

Water always wants to flow downhill, and when it doesn't have a proper path, it creates problems.

Your driveway becomes slick, mud builds up, and over time, you might even get erosion issues that can cost serious money to fix.

Let me break down what a swale is in simple terms.

Think of it like a gentle, planned valley in your landscape.

It's not just a ditch (though some folks might call it that).

The difference is all in the design.

A swale works with the natural flow of water, guiding it exactly where you want it to go instead of letting it create its own path.

When we build a swale on a hillside property like this one, we're essentially creating a smart path for water.

Instead of rushing straight down the hill and across your driveway, the water gets caught by the swale and follows our planned route.

It's like giving water its own dedicated lane to travel in.

Getting this right starts with having the right equipment in good working order.

That's why we took the time yesterday to fix our skid steer's track and replace its tensioner.

Might seem like a small detail, but when you're cutting precise grades for water flow, your equipment needs to be running perfectly.

Here's how we tackle these projects:

First, we look at how water's naturally moving across the property.

In this case, we could clearly see where it was coming off the hill and causing problems.

 Then we plan our swale's path - it needs to be wide enough and deep enough to handle the water flow, but not so steep that it causes erosion.

We're cutting this swale wider than what was here before, angling it just right to catch water from both the hillside and the driveway.

The grade has to be perfect - too steep and you'll get erosion, too shallow and water won't flow properly.

Years of experience have taught us exactly what works in Knox County's soil conditions.