Technical “
system that is chosen, but so too should the available maintenance budget. As a general rule the higher the specification of the pitch, the more it will cost to maintain its performance; clubs need to ensure that they do not create a pitch that they are unable to maintain properly. A good example of this is the standard pipe and slit system, which has been the mainstay of sportsfield drainage for several decades. Few would argue at its effectiveness, and it is still the system of choice in many situations, but many installations have failed prematurely through lack of maintenance, rendering much of the investment made a waste of money. The first consideration should be pipe drains and, in my opinion, the more the better. Correctly installed, with a fine, clean gravel backfill, these should last over twenty years easily. Be warned though, too coarse a backfill material can lead to them failing in under ten years.
Pipe drains effectively control the water table under a pitch, preventing the soil becoming saturated and, therefore, allowing surface water to percolate through the soil profile. If they are topped off with a free draining material, they will also enhance the surface drainage within a metre or so of the drain. The next consideration will be surface drains.
These are used where the composition of the topsoil and subsoil is such that natural drainage is minimal, and are designed to provide a free- draining route for surface water to reach the underlying pipe drains. Traditional sand slits, incorporating sand and gravel backfill, can be used where significant lateral movement of water is required to carry water between drainlines that are up to 10m apart. In situations where pipe drains are closer together, then slits containing only sand can be installed to remove surface water.
In general, surface drains are less robust than
pipe drains: even the best sand slits rarely remain efficient longer than ten years, whilst the lifespan of gravel bands and sandbands can be considerably less than this. Longevity is also affected by the level of use and ongoing maintenance. If you can retain a sandy playing surface, then surface drains will continue to work well, but allow mud to form and they will quickly cap off, reducing their efficiency significantly.
With the above in mind, clubs need to be
realistic about what is achievable and what offers the best value for money in the long term, especially with grant-funded projects that allow a significant one-off investment. If there is a good budget, with money available for future maintenance and further drainage installation, then an even split between pipe drains and surface drains will be the way to go. This could take the form of a traditional pipe and slit system or close-centred pipes with Koro Topdrains, both of which will offer high rates of surface drainage. At the other end of the scale, where future funds are likely to be limited, then spending a greater portion of the budget on installing pipe drains would be more appropriate. An example would be close-centred pipe drains, perhaps at 3m centres, with sandbands installed if the budget allows. This type of system will give a good foundation to the pitch for many years, and one which can be added to in the future should funds become available. Next time, we will look at what cultural and mechanical practices are available to build on the foundations of a well installed drainage system.
DIAMOND GEEZERS
BRUCE BROCKWAY - MR DRAINAGE
This year, the Land Drainage Contractors Association celebrates its 30th anniversary. At its helm for the majority of that time has been Bruce Brockway, or ‘Mr Drainage’ as he is often referred to.
Bruce says part of the continuing novelty of being Secretary of a small Trade Association like the LDCA is that no two days are the same. Conscious that he is often the mouthpiece for the industry, he recalls one week when, on a Tuesday, he had a meeting with a Government Minister from DEFRA, Wednesday he was speaking at a conference then, on Thursday, he
was standing in a queue at a post office to buy some stamps for an LDCA mailshot!
Bruce says the sportsturf industry should be proud of how much the standard of sportsturf facilities has improved over the last 30 years, and that drainage contractors have played a key role in this.
But, behind the scenes, it is Bruce who holds everthing together in a calm and efficient manner. He has overseen more product innovations and new techniques in the last ten years than other comparable industries.
Mr Drainage, take a bow. PC APRIL/MAY 2015 I 117
Without an adequate drainage system, it is often impossible to achieve a suitable playing surface at any level
Where future funds are likely to be
limited, then spending a greater portion of the budget on installing pipe drains would be more appropriate
”
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