It's that dreaded moment when you walk out into your yard after a rain and discover a drainage problem, or soggy spot in your grass. It's even more frustrating to discover this wet spot in your yard days after the rain has stopped. Then it puts you over the top when you step in this soggy, muddy, wet spot in your yard with your good shoes on.
It's not something we all enjoy, but it is a drainage problem a lot of us face.
Today, I'd like to share with you a few of the in's and outs of this particular drainage problem.
When a spot in your yard seems to not be drying out a few things could be happening to cause it, but I'd first like to approach the reason it exists.
You see, water seeks the lowest point, and if you have a low spot in your yard, well, water is going to go to it. But that's not all, just because you have a low spot doesn't mean water is going to sit there. This is because you soil can be very good at draining. It's simply a matter of realizing the low spot or bowl the water is draining to must have enough holes under it to dispose of the water properly.
So why would water be sitting there? Isn't all ground supposed to drain well. I mean it's dirt right, water should flow right through it, shouldn't it?
You are right on a few things, but not everything. Ponds are built by packing clay around a low spot or hole in the ground. Clay is almost impenetrable by water. This means it's really great for making ponds, but not so great for draining water from your yard.
So what are you supposed to do with this drainage problem, dig out all the clay from your yard?
Sure, that would be a fun and muddy project to take on, but it's not the answer.
Here are a few things which can both reduce the water which flows to the low spot, and reduce the chances of water sitting in the low spot for very long.
THINK LOGICAL
The first thing to remember is we need to let the water drain, and this is as simple as pulling out the stopper in your sink or bathtub.
You can always install a drain entrance similar to something in the bottom of your shower. This can take the drainage water off your yard, and when it arrives at the low spot, it will drain into the pipe, and dump in a better place.
The other thing you can do is install what's called a "French Drain." Some people are familiar with the phrase "French Drain" but aren't to familiar with how it works.
A french drain is meant to vacuum the water out of your soil and into a pipe, and take the water to a better place. It's a silent snake, laying in your watered down soil. It unsuspectingly sucks the water from the soil and into the pipe similar to a trap for a pest. Then before the water realizes what happens, it's taken the water and dumped it.
Something else to think about is; usually these low spots can drain a little bit of water, but not the high volume which is coming it's way now.
A good rule of thumb is to look for places where extra water is dumping on this poor wet spot in your yard.
Place to look would be;
1. Your neighbors yard!
Perhaps your neighbor's water is dumping into your yard?
2. Your roof!
Maybe the water off your roof is dumping down and ending up in that wet spot.
3. Your gutters!
Perhaps your gutters are taking all the water off your roof and dumping it into this wet spot.
Drainage problems can be a nightmare, but with the proper care you can have your yard back in one piece.
Perhaps you've had a problem similar to this you'd like to share, or maybe you have questions. Feel free to comment below.
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