I dug two 3 foot deep holes for a clothes line and hit water. What to do next?

Question

When I was digging the holes with the post hole digger, everything was dry. I even stuck my arm way down in the holes to check them out. I left to return the post hole digger to the rent a store and when I came back, water was in the hole.
I asked my boyfriend to come look and he said I must have hit an underground spring or something. There is a well about 20 feet from the holes I dug today. Ok so now what, do I go ahead and put the concrete in tommorrow or dig new holes in a dry spot. I am sure there are no water lines under the holes because the city man said I am about 30 yards away from the water lines. Everyone thinks this is amusing and I am just pissed. I have put a lot of work into the clothes line.
Should I just go ahead and put the concrete in or start all over? The post hole digger was a monster for me to handle. It was heavy and almost threw me over. Plus I paid $30 to rent it for 2 hours.

Answer 1

Go ahead and finish your project. I bet tomorrow when you check the hole there will not be any water in it....as long as you didn't hit a water main or pipe.

Answer 2

As long as you haven't tapped into an underground stream or a water pipe, which means its simply standing water, you can use the holes you dug. However you might want to purchase some concrete tubing. The tubing is constructed of layers of thick paper and is designed to allow the concrete to set in a uniform shape and helps add stability.

Insert the tube into the hole, the place the posts inside the tube. Secure the posts, making sure they are plumb, true and level. Then simply pour the concrete into the tubing. The cement will displace the water. Finish the project by filling around the outside the tubes (after the concrete has set) and tamp the earth for a more secure finish. Semi-dry clay with gravel would be the best combination; it won't absorb any water and will become nearly as hard as the concrete. A crowbar works as a good tamper.

Answer 3

Use the holes you already dug. What I might try is a dry concrete mix you don't have to mix with water before using. This mixture is designed for setting post and poles. You can buy at most home stores. Set your poles in the holes and just pour the dry mixture from bag into the hole around post and then add water with your garden hose to the dry mix you just poured in the holes. That way is doesn't matter if there was any water in the hole when you started. Good luck!

Answer 4

Well, let me amuse you for a second. when my wife and I bought our place we got 5 acres with the house and my wife decided she wanted a clothes line to hang the wash on SOOOO I had the clothes line poles and started digging right where she pointed that she wanted them. I got down about 2 feet and hit what I thought might be a foot so I thrust the post hole digger in the ground just a little bit harder and the root started hissing at me. I had hit the gas line to our house.
We were glad it was June.
I would go ahead and set your poles. Chances are if you go to another location on your property it will do the same thing. That is probably the water table height. You really didn't say if both holes were with water I am guessing yes. I say set the poles and give the concrete time to set up before you go stringing the rope.

Answer 5

Regular concrete will not harden properly in a pool of water. There are special types of cement that are available at building supply stores. Your best bet is to wedge your poles into place with chunks of rock or hardened concrete then pour in the water curable cement. Is the water level in the holes the same as that of the well? If so you have a high water table and it wouldn't matter where you dug the holes..

Answer 6

is your soil sandy or clay? also, how large of a clothes line is it?, single line, or the "T" style with multi lines? also, are the poles wood or metal? if wood, i would put about 6" of gravel into the holes first, then use the quick set concrete that doesn't require pre mixing, just add water. if you are using metal poles, you could probably just use the quick set concrete without the gravel. like the first answerer said, you would most likely hit water if you did try to re locate the holes, so might as well go with what you got. good luck, hope this helps.

Answer 7

First of all. You should have just bought a post hole digger for 30 bucks.

Second, dont worry about it. put your pole in the hole, and pour your dry cement mix into it.

The cement mix will mix with the watter and harden.

Iv dug many post holes in my day, and every one is still standing.

1. dig hole
2. put in post
3. put in dry cement mix
4. put in watter (this part already done for you, mix the water and cement)
5. level pole
6. rest. im freakin tired. 2:30 am

Answer 8

I have done this many times with fences etc..we had a well and a shallow water table..no problem here..go to any major hardware store..buy sacrete..or quick set bags already premixed sand/gravel/mortar..simply dump it in the holes on top of the water..do not mix first..this product is made for these type applications...pour it untill the water absorbs in it..add more dry mixture...make sure poles are level..spray more water over that layer....pour more dry compound/sacrete in to the top..water it well into it..n o mixing required..it will be fine

Answer 9

Depends on how hard you work and what you have to dig through. There are places on my ranch that when you reach 2 1/2 feet you hit white clay stuff. It is harder and more durable than concrete when dry. When wet it is sticky and nearly impossible to get of shovels. Digging through this stuff takes days. I hope you husband is not erm indisposed.

Answer 10

go ahead use a cement called POST SET just pour it in dry you have plenty of water no need to add sounds like you went pretty deep they must be big poles . post set will set up in about 1hour make sure you use a level home depot has cement you need they might call it a different name just tell them you want( post set)