POTHOLES AND WHY THEY FORM

 HERE IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY POTHOLES ARE A PART OF LIFE.  WHETHER IT IS KALISPELL, COLUMBIA FALLS, WHITEFISH OR CORAM THE POTHOLES ARE ALWAYS AN ISSUES.  THE MAIN REASONS YOUR GRAVEDRIVE WAY HAS POTHOLES ARE AS FOLLOWS.  FIRST RAIN AND SNOW ARE THE ENEMY OF THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY.  RAIN WASHES AWAY GRAVEL.  BOTH RAIN AND SNOW MELT SOAK INTO THE DRIVEWAY WEAKENING THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY GRAVEL BASE THAT LEADS TO VEHICALS AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT CAUSING DEPRESSIONS ON THE ROAD.  NEXT, THE VEHICALS CONTINE TO RUN OVER THE SAME DEPRESIONS PUSHING GRAVEL DOWN ON TO THE DRIVEAY OUT TO THE SURROUNDING DRIVEWAY.  EVERYTIME A VEHICLE DRIVES IN THE DEPRESION IT SPLASHES OUT WATER AND GRAVEL.  SOON THERE IS A POTHOLE.  FREEZING TEMPRATURES CAUSE THE WATER THAT HAS SOAKED IN THE DRIVEWAY TO FREEZES AND EXPANDS FORCING CRACKS, CRUBLING, AND SURFACE SCALE.  ALL THIS EVENTIALLY LEADS TO POTHOLES.

OKAY SO WHY DO THE POTHOLES KEEP COMING BACK?  YOU FILLED WITH NEW GRAVEL BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE POTHOLES ARE BACK.  THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSEE THE POTHOLE BOWL BECOMES HARDPAN WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY HARD AND COMPACTED LAYER.  WHEN YOU FILL THIS HARDPAN BOWL WITHOUT BREAKING IT UP FIRST WATER GETS TRAPPED IN THE BOWL AND WILL MIX INTO THE NEW GRAVEL AND EVERY TIME SOMEONE DRIVES OVER THE POT HOLE WATER AND GRAVEL WILL SPLASH OUT CAUSING THE POTHOLE TO REAPPEAR. 

TO PROPERLY FIX POTHOLES YOU NEED TO CLEAN OUT ANY DEBRIS AND MUCK.  NEXT YOU WILL NEED TO GET A PICK AXE OR A TOOL THAT CAN BREAK UP THE ENTIRE BOWL OF THE POTHOLE.  WHEN POTHOLES ARE DRY THE HARD PAN SURFACE SEEMS AS HARD AS CONCRETE.  BE PREPARED TO PUT SOME ELBOW GREASE IN TO BREAKING UP THE POTHLES.  ONCE THE BOWL OF THE POTHOLE IS BROKEN UP AND YOU ARE ABLE TO FREELY RAKE THE EXISTING GRAVEL, YOU CAN START ADDING NEW GRAVEL AND 3/4” ROAD BASE.  COMPACT THE POTHOLE WITH A TAMPER.  DRIVING OVER THE POTHOLE WILL ALSO COMPACT THE POTHOLE