French Drain Questions

[succeed]

I'd like to put in a French Drain to drain off the water that pools in my backyard.
1) Is there a machine I can rent to make this easier? I've heard of someone using a Trench Digger, though when I google it, there are a variety of different things pictured. Has anyone ever seen a Trench Digger (or something similar) for rent in Ontario?
2) How does one end a French Drain? Previous owners had one here, and the end was open (and all sorts of critters could get into it). I don't want to simply put screening over it - it has to end in my front yard, so I've got to find a more attractive solution.
3) Because the water would have to be diverted to the front of my house anyway, it would be great if it could go into the City drain. But there is a sidewalk between my front yard and the drain. In order to not flood the sidewalk, is my only choice to dig a drywell? I suppose that would solve the above question about how to properly "end" the French Drain.
4) I've never heard of anybody digging a drywell in their front yard in suburbia. Is that something the City would likely frown on, or are we free to pretty much do what we want (after checking for buried cables, etc)?
Thanks for whatever help you can provide.

[hystat]

I just filled the end of the trench of one I did recently with pretty round rocks - not crushed stone that will pack tight, but round river rock so it can't pack in.
There are 4 rental places in my town, and 1 has a trencher.
I ended up just digging it, and I used 3" perf pipe from TSC instead of 4" to cut down on the digging.

not sure about the pit... I used a willow tree, but I'm more rural...allergies and mess come from willows

[succeed]

I just filled the end of the trench of one I did recently with pretty round rocks - not crushed stone that will pack tight, but round river rock so it can't pack in.

Excellent idea to use the rocks - thanks for that. I could even make a rock arrangement around the outside opening of the french drain too - nobody would even know it was there.

[redzone]

ideally you want to build a small pit 3-4 ft deep with stone in it for a bit of water storage space (depending on the water tablet that is)

[succeed]

ideally you want to build a small pit 3-4 ft deep with stone in it for a bit of water storage space (depending on the water tablet that is)

Well, that's the thing. It would be great to keep the entire french drain underground and have it end at a drywell, but I have no idea if I'm allowed to dig a drywell in the burbs. I know nothing about water tables, and I don't want to mess up anything by digging a drywell and having that interfere with anything municipal.

I saw a picture online where they suggest you can create a drywell from a big plastic garbage can. You puncture holes in it, fill it with stones, and bury it. I'm guessing that will allow for a more controlled release of the water that has accumulated.

[redzone]

you can get a free locate form onecall. if you digging less then 48" you dont need one. technicly lines shoudl be lower then that.

[dirtmover]

you can get a free locate form onecall. if you digging less then 48" you dont need one. technicly lines shoudl be lower then that.

Haha, tell that to Bell and Rogers. Both have their cables very close to the surface in my yard. I severed Rogers only last year about 4 inches below the surface.

[PhuFighter]

Haha, tell that to Bell and Rogers. Both have their cables very close to the surface in my yard. I severed Rogers only last year about 4 inches below the surface.

yeppers. I have 2 coax lines running just beneath the lawn surface. I didn't sever them though - just left them in place while I built my flower bed on top of it.

[Techhead]

Get yourself one of those 55GAL plastic barrels and use that as the end point.

One way to test how water will soak in around your barrel is to get a 4" round drain pipe, 4 foot long. Dig that into the ground and fill with 5 liters of water and see how fast the water drains out. if very slow then your soil will already be quite damp and you might have to go deeper. If the 5 liters drains out quick then you should be good to make that the dry well area.

IF you start to see water as your digging down, that will be the water table and not a good place for a dry well.

[GTT1]

Just my opinion but I believe your drain from the back to front yard ending close to the sidewalk will solve your problem if constructed well. I assume you have a slight grade from the area to be drained sloping toward the front. If the drain trench is deep enough and the bottom lined with stones a lot of the water will be spread out and seep into the soil beneath.

Don't know about your subdivision but ours and our previous place had all kinds of stuff running horizontal to front sidewalk on the side close to the house, Gas, cable Bell Water hydro. Some may be down 4 ft but I wouldn't count on it. I can almost guarantee Bell and Cable will not be that far down.

[succeed]

Don't know about your subdivision but ours and our previous place had all kinds of stuff running horizontal to front sidewalk on the side close to the house, Gas, cable Bell Water hydro. Some may be down 4 ft but I wouldn't count on it. I can almost guarantee Bell and Cable will not be that far down.

I intend to call Ontario One Call to mark what I have and where. But are they able to give me an idea as to how deep the lines are buried?
Not only am I thinking of putting in a French Drain, I definitely have to do some digging to fix the [lack of] slope on that side of the house as well.