Lawn flooding can be caused by a variety of factors. Sometimes these issues can be man-made, and other times they are caused by a bad combination of your climate and terrain. In any case, a landscaping professional will be able to identify the cause of your lawn drainage problems. Here is a short list of some of the most common causes for lawn flooding and drainage issues.
Sloped yards
Sloped yards are notorious for causing flooding issues. This is especially bad if your yard is sloped towards your house, as it can cause your basement to flood.
If you have a sloped yard, the water drains quickly down the slope. This means that the top of the slope is dry, while the bottom is wet and flooded. When the water drains in this way, you’re also going to face soil erosion problems. The soil and its nutrients are washed away from the top of the slope to the bottom.
Compacted Soil
Certain types of soil, like those high in clay can’t absorb water fast enough to stop it from pooling on the surface, which causes flooding. Soils that are high in clay hold the moisture for long periods of time and will need more effort to amend.
Compacted soil can also occur when the ground is pressed down, and therefore lacks the proper airflow and ability to dry out. You can spot compacted soil if there are cracks at the top during drier times. These can be caused by a variety of human activities. For example, if you’ve noticed that you have a flooding problem after a builder has come to your home, their heavy equipment may have compacted your soil.
Another thing to look out for is lawn clippings. If you have a lawn filled with old grass clippings, these can dry up and become hard for water to penetrate through. It’s a good idea to remove these clippings before they cause larger flooding problems later down the line.
Erosion
Erosion can start a vicious cycle. Once flooding occurs and the runoff water begins to erode your soil, your soil now becomes more susceptible to further erosion. Sometimes the initial erosion is caused by manmade factors.
For example, if you’re blowing leaves off of your lawn too frequently, you’re reducing the amount of organic material available to absorb the water. Then when it rains, the rain quickly gets rid of the topsoil, which means the ground is less able to absorb the rainfall, especially if the soil is composed of poorly absorbent component like clay. This makes your soil even more susceptible to erosion, and more likely to flood the next time it rains, and so the cycle continues.
Inadequate Downspout
You might think that your downspout is helping to prevent flooding, but an inadequately installed downspout can actually be a contributor to both basement and lawn flooding problems. When water runs down your downspout, it needs to be directed away from your house.
A poorly designed downspout may cause the water to be collected from your roof and directed right next to your home’s foundation. This water can end up in your basement, and during heavy rains it can even contribute to flooding.
Furthermore, a poorly designed downspout will contribute to flooding problems in your lawn, as it can wear away the soil, and cause water pooling.
If you’re encountering lawn drainage problems, do not fret! There are millions of homeowners around the nation who deal with lawn drainage problems just like you. Since this is such a common problem, landscaping professionals have perfected the art of lawn drainage. Here are some of the most common solutions that Americans choose to implement in their own yards in order to counteract poor drainage.
French Drain
A popular solution to lawn drainage problems is the installation of a French drain. French drains are used to divert water from one area of your yard to another. These are best used when you have an issue with water pooling in specific parts of your lawn, or if water frequently leaks into your basement through your foundation. A French drain can be utilized in both of these scenarios to divert water away from those trouble spots to another area further away.
A French drain is installed by first digging a trench at a slope, in order to direct the water. The trench is filled with some crushed stone, and the stone is covered with a water permeable landscaping fabric. The pipe, which is perforated, is then laid over the landscaping fabric. Landscaping fabric is then wrapped around the piping, and the rest of the trench is filled with gravel until it is level with the ground.
French drains are an efficient drainage solution, as you can choose exactly where you want the water to be drained towards. They are relatively cheap, especially when you put them up against other basement waterproofing methods, and lawn drainage solutions. They are relatively quick to install, however this may depend on the scale of your project.
However, there are some problems that can occur when installing a French drain that are best handled and assessed by a professional landscaping service. For example, water lines, gas lines and other underground utilities all present potential safety hazards when digging a trench for the drain. Furthermore, if they’re not installed correctly, French drains can end up getting clogged, which will cause more harm than good, as you’ll have more unexpected flooding issues to deal with.
Dry Well
If you have severe flooding and runoff problems caused by storm water, then a dry well might be a good choice for you. If you already have a French drain installed, you might consider linking it up to a dry well. Dry wells are usually installed at the lowest point of the yard, in order to prevent severe flooding. The water is also fed to the dry well through pipes and other channels, like the French drain. There are many different types and sizes of dry wells. A landscaping professional will be able to tell you what kind suits your specific drainage problem and yard.
Once an area is dug out for the dry well, it is usually reinforced and filled with filtration materials such as gravel and stone. A grating is then placed at the top of the well.
Before installing a dry well, you need to make sure that your soil is suitable. This can be done by preforming a percolation test which determines how fast water is absorbed by your soil. The faster the water absorbs, the more suitable it is as a dry well site. A landscaping professional can help you determine whether or not an area is suitable for a dry well. Furthermore, you should make sure that your dry well is big enough to hold enough water in a worst-case storm situation, otherwise it may end up causing further flooding in an unprepared area.
Catch Basins
Another frequently utilized lawn drainage solution are catch basins. These are large drains, usually placed in lower areas of the yard to catch surface water runoff. The drain leads to a large box underneath the ground, which can then be routed to other areas of the yard. These differ from French drains in that they capture surface level water, and they are used to quickly collect and move it. This provides a different functionality than the slower, underground features of a French drain that relies on the groundwater soaking into the soil over a longer period of time.
Catch basins are usually used as part of a larger drainage system. They are used to stop sediment and debris from entering your drainage pipes and causing a blockage. If you’re interested in incorporating a catch basin into your own drainage system, a landscaping service will be able to design, install and maintain a drainage solution that incorporates a catch basin.
Channel Drains or Trench Drains
Channel drains, also known as trench drains, are a great drainage solution for areas that have excessive rainwater run off from pavements and concrete areas. They can also be used to clear lawns of stagnant water. Unlike French drains, these are considered surface level drainage systems and are better equipped for soil that does not readily absorb rainwater. These drains have large grates at the top, which make them perfect for stopping large amounts of surface water run-off, making them ideal for areas with a lot of storms.
Underneath the grate of the channel drain, the water is diverted to a drain point. They can be hooked up to a dry well, a storm sewer or other drainage points.
A landscaping professional can install a channel drain that not only looks great, but also effectively diverts water away from your property in order to prevent unwanted flooding and pooling.
Swales or Dry Creek Beds
A swale is a broad and shallow ditch that is used to slow down the flow of water. The ditch is usually lined with vegetation which helps to absorb the water and decrease its velocity, so that it’s more easily controlled. Swales are best used in instances when you want to slow water down so that it doesn’t cause flooding, and erosion. While they are used on their own, they are also commonly incorporated with other drainage solutions, such as a dry well.
Depending on your needs, you may need to implement a larger swale in order to effectively control the flow of stormwater on your property. In this case, a landscaping professional will be able to use their earth moving equipment, and other drainage tools in order to create an effective drainage solution for your needs.
An outdoor drainage system will prevent flooding, soil erosion, property damage, and ensure the health and beauty of your lawn. Landscaping professionals have deep expertise and years of experience, especially when it comes to lawn drainage, since it’s such a common lawn problem that many property owners face every day.
A landscaping professional will know exactly which drainage solution is needed in your particular situation. If you’re unsure where to start, and what’s needed to fix your particular drainage problem, a professional will be able to recommend an effective drainage design.
Landscaping professionals also come equipped with the right tools for the job. Thick and hard underground structures like roots and stones may be a roadblock for you when you’re attempting to dig your own trenches, however, landscapers will have the heavy machinery needed to preform digs like this. They also have the proper materials needed for your drainage system and will know which materials provide best long-term value for your lawn.
Finally, if your lawn drainage is an urgent matter due to a flooding basement or other unwanted repercussions, a landscaping service can get the job done quickly with their advanced tools, expertise and crew ready to go.
Drainage is a vital aspect of maintaining your outdoor area, choosing to higher a professional landscaper to create a quality and effective solution for your property is a worthy investment.