Another field drainage question....

LKSF

Member
Mixed Farmer
I'm trying to improve the drainage on this field, it's clay and gley with all kinds of different causes, remedies and issues. The main question is what do you think is the cause of this wet area between the two dotted lines?
Do you think it is the edge of the water table?

20220311_132804_LI.jpg


The pic was taken after about 2 weeks of dry weather, previous to that a lot of rain fell.
At the red dotted line is an old Victorian land drain which is why the field is wet above and dry below.
The land drain consists of a line of flat stone slabs, onto these are built two drystone walls to form the sides, a cap stone is then put on top followed by about a foot of clay and soil.

If the existing land drain is not allowing enough water to permeate it (as it has clay all around it) then i'm wondering about digging a trench along side it and filling it with gravel.
Or am I wasting my time and money as it'll need something like 3 new land drains across that wet bit to make it work?
I could do a test by doing that^, but just along a 10ft section perhaps and see what happens.
Any thoughts?
 

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