Dan Leggett
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2002
- Professional Status
- Certified General Appraiser
- State
- Mississippi
Do you really need to know your elevations as compared to sea level and such? If so hire a surveyor. Or do you just need to know if the water line of your proposed lake is X number of feet below your spring?
I've used the following po' boy technique for installing three french drains, each about 50' in length, might work for you - might not. If nothing else may make a few readers chuckle.
I shimmed-up under the legs of a short step ladder to where a small level could be placed on the top step and swung left to right about 60 degrees and remain level. I set up perpendicular to my intended path for each drain line and had Red hold a 6' folding carpenter's rule.
Red would follow the intended path of the drain line and would stop about every 10 feet of ground travel, and I would take a "shot". As I was concentrating on sighting over the top plain of the level I couldn't focus on the top of the level and the numbers on the rule at the same time, but I could detect when she moved her finger up rule to where I could see it. She would call off the number and I would log them.
From these numbers I knew how many inches deep I needed to be in the ground at each point of ground travel.
Now, let's be realistic. You're talking about a 5 acre body of water and much greater distances than I was working with so you're going to need magnified vision. You may can rig up a rifle or spotting scope with a level on a camera tripod. Why not go to the local Rent-All and rent a contractor's level and measuring stick?
Call me when it's filled with water and the steaks are on the party barge's grill!
I've used the following po' boy technique for installing three french drains, each about 50' in length, might work for you - might not. If nothing else may make a few readers chuckle.
I shimmed-up under the legs of a short step ladder to where a small level could be placed on the top step and swung left to right about 60 degrees and remain level. I set up perpendicular to my intended path for each drain line and had Red hold a 6' folding carpenter's rule.
Red would follow the intended path of the drain line and would stop about every 10 feet of ground travel, and I would take a "shot". As I was concentrating on sighting over the top plain of the level I couldn't focus on the top of the level and the numbers on the rule at the same time, but I could detect when she moved her finger up rule to where I could see it. She would call off the number and I would log them.
From these numbers I knew how many inches deep I needed to be in the ground at each point of ground travel.
Now, let's be realistic. You're talking about a 5 acre body of water and much greater distances than I was working with so you're going to need magnified vision. You may can rig up a rifle or spotting scope with a level on a camera tripod. Why not go to the local Rent-All and rent a contractor's level and measuring stick?
Call me when it's filled with water and the steaks are on the party barge's grill!
