The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-09-30
IMPORTANCE OF DRAINAGE
Kidding ROADS OF STORM AND
UNDERGROUND WATER.
Thoughtful Paper Sent Out BY United
States Office of Public Roads.
Bulletin on Concrete Drains.


Bulletin on Concrete Drains.
With an average of $1,000 tons
of water falling in the form of rain
on each mile of public road in the
United States annually it is scarcely
to be marvelled at that the ten com
mandments of the road builder can
be summed up succinctly in the word
drainage"
The saying has truth for basis,
as good drainage is the primary
requisite for all roads. Even in
sand roads this holds true, for there
good drainage" means such as will
safely remove the storm water with
out erosion or outlying and still re-
tain the surface moisture.
To secure good drainage one must
take into consideration both the sur
face water and the underground wa
ter. The surface water must be re-
moved quickly and completely and
without subjecting the road to ex-
cessive scOur or erosion. For this
reason the center of the road should
be raised and the slope towards the
side bitches should be from one-half
TO one inch to each foot distance. or
so that the water will run freely to
the side bitches and not flow down
the road or remain in puddles on the
roadway. The side bitches should be
OF ample size to care for the seyerest
storms with a fall of not less than
SIX inches to each 100 feet. Ere
quent and ample cross drains should
be constructed and every opportunity
taken to get the water away from
the road as quickly as possible. ANY
road along which you see water
standing in the side bitches or on
which puddles of water have col
lected or which has been badly Gull
lied and eroded by the rains has poor
drainage and is in need of immediate
attention. In fact, earth roads near
~ always require a little attention
after each rain. The split-log drag
is essentially tool to maintain good
drainage on our earth roads, and
should be used after each. rain. On
heavy clay or umLo soft the drag
when properly used tends to puddle
the road surface, keep it free from
ruts, dense, smooth and hard thus
securing the best surface drainage
possible.
But in many places the under
ground water is too near the surface
and must be removed before a good
road will be possible. This means
that some form of sub-drainage must
be resorted to, usually tile drains,
of clay or concrete Water from
whatever source must be gotten rid
of effectively, for water plus clay or
gumbO invariably equals mud when
mixed in spring and summer. Water
becomes ice in winter and as water
in freezing expands one-eighth it's
volume the road heaves out of shape
and when the ice melts the road dis
appears beneath the rising tide of 4
mud constantly fed by rains. melt
ing SHOWS and underground springs.
In seepy and Doggy places the sub
drainage in order to be fully effect
i've should lower the water level to
not less than three feet below the
road surface. If tiles are used they
should be carefully laid, true to
grade. Most failures in tile drain
age can be attributed to carelessness
in laying, or too fiat grade. Tile
less than four inches in diameter
should rarely be used, nor should
grade of less than six inches to the
100 feet be used unless absolutely
necessary. In a very dense soil it is
always advisable to cover the tile to
at least a depth of six to twelve
inches with coarse sand or fine
gravel Care should always be taken
to secure free outlet for the drains
and to protect the outlet with a con-
crete bulkhead or catch basin. which |
can always be kept clean and the
outlet free
The kind of tile to be used de-
ponds on local conditions. Concrete |
tile If properly made are equally as |
good as clay tile. Which kind to use |
is entirely local question of dollars |
and cents. If concrete tile can be |
made more cheaply than clay tile |
can be had use concrete; if not use
clay tile.
One great advantage of the con-
crete tile is that they can be easily
made by the local users at or near
the place where they are to be placed.
so that the freight charges are dis
pensed with as well as the large
breakage losses due to handling.
Placed in the ground both are dura-
bic. If concrete is used great care
should be taken to see that a good
grade of Portland cement is selected.
and that the drains are properly con-
structed The impression, which pre-
walls to some extent, that tile dis
integrates is erroneous.
A bulletin is now in course of
preparation by the United States
Office of public roads telling how to
make concrete drains. This bulle-
tin will treat the subject fully, ex-
planning carefully every point that |
may arise in making drain pipes ard |
culverts