Hi All,

I have a sloped backyard with a gravel pathway which has slowly been eroding after each rain storm. I have a gutter end-spout that is on the elevated portion of the pathway...thus, the main reason why water naturally travels down the pathway.

What are my options to limit or even eliminate this issue in the future?
1) Would a catch basin be effective?
2) Attach an even longer gutter downspout that carries ALL the water down and away from the path?
3) Or should I completely rebuild this and install a Honeycomb Pathway Stabilizer Grid (with a heavy-duty landscape fabric barrier as the base)? https://www.amazon.com/Core-Path-Sta.../dp/B013KOTO40

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

 

The water flow is the issue, you need to remove the water from the path.

Trench and use pipe to get the water to the bottom of the slope!

 

That is a common problem for paths that are not pitched correctly. First, I would extend your downspout pipe so that water isn't being dumped onto the path. Second, the path needs to have side slope. Yours appears level side to side so all the water runs straight down the path. If you add slight side slope the water will run off the side before it can build mass and speed to erode the gravel.

 

The downspout extension pipe is a tripping hazard. All piping from the downspout needs to be under ground and run to the bottom of the hill.

 

Decrease peak flow-
Nice garden there, I'd check into diverting the downspout into a rain barrel (or two.)

Divert some flow-
How large in sqft. is the section of roof that drains to this down spout?
Any chance of re-pitching the gutter to the OTHER side of house; or perhaps dividing the gutter into right/left ?
What's under the porch? There might be enough space at the lower end for a water buffalo tank/cistern.

Prevent scour-
Get about 80' of recycled plastic landscape edging.
Cut into strips as wide as your path.
When you re-grade, bury sections of that plastic garden border about 1/4" to 1/2" UNDER the gravel,
locate them every 2-5 feet and make sure they're level. Also make sure they're vertical or sloped slightly uphill.

That should be sufficient to create terraces and laminar flow, i.e. the water never which should not have enough velocity to scour

Here's an image of a terraced Japanese orchard, notice how the steps do NOT give the water a direct path, but instead force it to zig-sag so the water never builds up enough force to erode.

 

Bump -

Here's an interesting Inca solution, note the horizontal diversion stones...