Strange hole in my garden

Mr.H

So We recently bought a house in Corbally Limerick. The reason I mention the area is that it is close to a canal and flood risk area. The house thankfully is not in a flood risk area but areas about 200 meters or maybe a little further behind us are a flood risk.

So thats the background of the story.

I cut my front lawn for the first time yesterday and came across a hole........... now my first thought was this doesnt look like an animal made hole but I have no experience in this field (pardon the pun).

I looked into teh hole which appears to just go downwards about a foot and at the bottom of this hole there is visible water. Now it had been raining alot last week but would water still be there??

So Im not sure what to do.

my concerns:

1) it is an animal hole made by a rat, mouse, vole etc and it leads to a den so if it just fill the hole it may not stop an eventual issue

2) it is a canal animal such as a sewer rat or an otter or something (dont know if they exist??)

3) there is a plumbing or flooding issue

Is it safe to just go and fill it or should I do something else first??

Mr.H

Here is another image. I cant get a clear image of how it goes down to the water but it basically just goes straight down

Effects

Fill it in and see what develops.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Mr.H wrote: »

So We recently bought a house in Corbally Limerick. The reason I mention the area is that it is close to a canal and flood risk area. The house thankfully is not in a flood risk area but areas about 200 meters or maybe a little further behind us are a flood risk.

So thats the background of the story.

I cut my front lawn for the first time yesterday and came across a hole........... now my first thought was this doesnt look like an animal made hole but I have no experience in this field (pardon the pun).

I looked into teh hole which appears to just go downwards about a foot and at the bottom of this hole there is visible water. Now it had been raining alot last week but would water still be there??

So Im not sure what to do.

my concerns:

1) it is an animal hole made by a rat, mouse, vole etc and it leads to a den so if it just fill the hole it may not stop an eventual issue

2) it is a canal animal such as a sewer rat or an otter or something (dont know if they exist??)

3) there is a plumbing or flooding issue

Is it safe to just go and fill it or should I do something else first??

I've a few thoughts,

1) if you fill in the hole, what kind of an issue are you expecting? my initial thought was that it might be serving as a drain - is the garden bowl shaped at all - as in, is this the lowest point. how far down does it go? can you see any pipe down there at all?

2) no problems here, sewer rats and otters do indeed exist. :pac:

3) see my thoughts in number 1. you could always put some porous material in here (gravel, or 20mm stone) this will stop anyone twisting their ankle, but will also allow water to pass down through it. Dont overfill, as the lawnmower will send stones flying.

Harry Palmr

Have you simply dunked a jar into it to see if the water looks "domestic" or "natural"? I would and use a fork or spade and give it a prod along the bottom to see if it's hard to soft.

_Brian

It would be consistent with a rodent sized hole, however there would seem to be no activity or paths on or out somif it were its abandoned.

I doubt it's any type of drain as it would silt up over time.

I be filling it in with anything, gravel if you wish.

the_pen_turner

Probably a hole left by previous tenants removing something.

How deep is it.

JamesM

The estate agent had his sign there ?

Mr.H

So I began filling the hole. It seems to go down about 2 foot.

You know what, I think it might have been where the estate agent had to for sale sign. ..... wow that never occurred to me. I really did think it was a rodent hole but having an alternative possible explanation will put the bother half's mind at rest.

Thanks everyone. Gonna start a flower garden today so I'm guessing I'll be back looking for solutions on how to fix a garden that you totally destroy by next weekðŸ˜႒

Mr.H

JamesM wrote:

The estate agent had his sign there ?

I think your right. Really never crossed my mind

seagull

Mr.H wrote: »

I really did think it was a rodent hole but having an alternative possible explanation will put the bother half's mind at rest.

Does she know you call her that?