Doesn't this just make you smile? She always makes me smile. Belonging to the neighbor across the street, Guera, is the happiest dog I have ever met. E.V.E.R. Enemies are unknown and all her friends. As in your long lost friend. You know the one whom you haven't seen in ages and the both of you are giddy with excitement at seeing each other. Except with Guera she acts this way every time she sees you. What is not love about that?
And the reason for the company of the neighbor's dog, you ask. Well that would be because she is a nosy neighborhood dog and we were out front. Guess she decided that installation of a drainage culvert required her assistance. In every step of the way.
Before the culverts could be installed, we had to ensure the flood hub was met. Living in a flood zone does have it challenges, especially after the storm. Since Hurricane Harvey, the county is making sure all the drainage ditches are kept clean, that new driveways are installed to the correct elevation, and that standing water is corrected. All this done in efforts to maintain their FEMA standing. IE their FEMA monies. No skin off my back, standing water in drainage ditches leads to mosquitoes and nobody needs or wants more of them.
Trying to ensure the ditch was the correct height was a little challenging as the culvert hub was lower than the dirt in the ditch making line of sight difficult. Drawing a string line was the best way to achieve this without the use of fancy equipment.
Having had Guera's stamp (her bottom) of approval, the first of four culverts was laid. The sting line was then ran inside the culvert. If the line touched the concrete, more dirt was removed until the line was clean and clear.
After the first culvert was laid, a smaller grove was dig using the backside of a shovel. As it turns out this was the perfect width to match the bottom of the culvert. Not that a culvert has a bottom as it is a circle but you get what I mean, right?
Subsequent culverts were laid and tested with the string line.
Once depth was confirmed, the culverts were pushed together until tight. Rinse and repeat two more times and ta-da. One 24' culvert laid. The string line remained pulled through the culvert until the county gives the OK and we receive the final, and most important, stamp of approval.
Sand fill was laid to cover just to the tops of the culvert. The Planner says this is not the most correct way as the sand does not compact as tight and could lead to sag. But if this is how the county does it, then why spend the extra money on more base.
A light layer of base was installed to cover the sand. Once the seal of certificate arrives, the Planner will continue with the driveway. It was a full weekend's worth of work but man-o-man it sure is nice to have a driveway. Even if it is just a partial drive way.