French Drain At The Vineyard

mostly orange image of sloping vineyard with setting sun, sea and mountains in background, excavator arm in foreground, showing a darkened trench on the ground
mostly orange image of sloping vineyard with setting sun, sea and mountains in background, excavator arm in foreground, showing a darkened trench on the ground

Project Details

Fun fact: French drains aren’t French, they’re named for Henry French, who is credited with popularizing them in the mid-19th century.

A French drain is a trench inlaid with perforated pipe (sometimes without pipe) and filled with gravel, allowing easy penetration of water where flooding or pooling is a concern. Water is then conducted to existing drainage or recycling.

As an alternative to full-scale tile drainage installations, French drains allow surface water management at a fraction of the cost, and with minimal disruption.