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French Drains – A Practical Solution for Water Management

A French Drain is an underground water management and drainage system developed and popularized by Henry French, a Concord, Massachusetts judge and farmer, and discussed in his 1859 book, Farm Drainage. Though his actual drainage system predates him by several centuries (the ancient Romans utilized a version), the French drain continues to be one of the most efficient and widely used methods of redirecting water today.

The French Drain’s Humble Beginnings

Henry’s original idea came to him through careful observation. His findings – water runs downhill and loves to accumulate in the most inconvenient locations. Henry observed water behavior and the laws of nature until he figured out the best way to make sure it would run in the direction he wanted. His system was developed around the already existing idea of a ditch/trench or gutter/pipe system of drainage. But this system could easily become clogged, requiring constant and costly maintenance. Instead, he utilized gravel as a screening element to minimize clogging over time and would allow water to flow freely according to the laws of gravity. Though it has undergone many improvements over the intervening years, it continues to be one of the most efficient and widely used methods of redirecting water.

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