The **herringbone** drainage system is the most used scheme in sports fields and other areas that require rapid runoff — but the intimidating name hides a simple logic. In this article, you will understand what it is, how it works, when it makes sense to use it instead of the parallel system, and the installation precautions that determine whether the system will work or not.
What is the herringbone drainage system
The name comes from its resemblance to the vertebral structure of a fish: a main collector pipe acts as the spine, and a series of lateral drains connected to it at an angle — the “bones” — cover the area to be drained. It is one of the three classic underground drainage arrangements, alongside the parallel system (equidistant straight lines) and the random system (used only in wet spots on irregular terrain).
How it works
The lateral drains (smaller diameter) collect the water infiltrated into the soil along their stretch and direct it to the central collector pipe, normally of larger diameter so as not to throttle the system when the volume from several laterals converges into it. This convergence is precisely what gives the herringbone its main advantage: greater flow rate for the collected water volume, compared to a system with the same amount of pipe laid out in parallel without a dedicated collector.
Subsurface absorption around each drain occurs in an “absorption arc” shape — which is why the spacing between lateral drains cannot exceed 2.5 meters in shallow installations (the typical depth in sports fields). Greater spacing leaves an uncovered gap between the arcs, and this gap appears on the surface as water accumulation between the drain lines.
Herringbone × parallel system: when to use each
The parallel system (straight, equidistant lines, all of the same diameter, without a central collector) is simpler to design and works well in large, regular areas, such as extensive farmlands. The herringbone system, on the other hand, compensates for a smaller or more irregular area with concentrated flow — which is why it dominates in sports fields (Beach Tennis, soccer, lawns), where the terrain is defined and rapid drainage is critical to avoid interrupting the use of the space on rainy days.
In practice, the decision depends on the shape and size of the area, the expected water volume, and the available discharge point — there is no universal “best” between the two arrangements.
Most common applications
The most frequent use of the herringbone system is in sports fields and lawns — see the complete guide to Beach Tennis court drainage, which details sizing, sand type, and geotextile required for this specific case. The same principle applies to soccer fields, multi-sport courts, and other grass or sand areas that cannot be left with puddles.
Installation precautions
- Spacing: maximum 2.5m between lateral drains in shallow installations, to avoid leaving uncovered gaps between the absorption arcs.
- Slope: an average of 1% is sufficient, but it varies according to the project — the essential thing is to maintain a uniform slope along the entire stretch.
- Bedding layer: must be homogeneous, without “bumps” under the pipe — irregularities in the bedding hinder flow and can damage the pipe depending on the sizing.
- Pipe material: HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) is recommended for being non-toxic, flexible, resistant, and durable — Techdreno is the specific line for this use.
- Geotextile: it is recommended to wrap the drains with a geotextile fabric (Bidim) — it filters fine particles that would clog the pipe and physically separates the soil/sand layers above and below the installation.
Frequently asked questions
Because the scheme resembles the vertebral structure of a fish: the central collector pipe acts as the spine, and the lateral drains connected to it at an angle represent the bones.
It is not universally “better” — each serves a specific scenario. Herringbone concentrates flow through a central collector and dominates in smaller/irregular areas like sports fields; parallel is simpler to design and works well in large, regular areas, such as extensive farmlands.
2.5 meters in shallow installations, such as those used in sports fields. Otherwise, an uncovered gap forms between the absorption arcs of each drain, which appears on the surface as water accumulation between the lines.
It is recommended. The geotextile (Bidim) filters fine soil particles that would reach the pipe — preventing clogging — and physically separates the material layers above and below the installation, which is especially important in sand courts on soil.
