I need help please. When there is heavy rain this is what happens in my yard, all of this water is running to a ravine that lines the edge of my property so the water has a place to go but floods many areas on its way there. Any help/advice/opinions is much appreciated! Thanks!
by gameofcoinbase
49 Comments
Some developer bull-dozed a creek bed flat and sold it to you, a schmuck.
Either return the space to seasonal creek bed, or spend $$$ to pipe it underground.
Restore the river. It’s the only option.
I would put a dry creek bed in there that can handle the amount of water. Also maybe a retention pond. You might need to get a civil engineer to help. This is more than a french drain situation.
I see truckloads of rip rap in your future if you don’t pipe it underground like someone else commented.
At least it’s away from the house. Needs some hardcore work but that also looked like a torrential downpour.
Have you considered poking a hole in it?
Pool should drain fine after that.
So, your backyard is the last stop before the big ravine that takes all the neighborhood runoff? It floods when it rains? But the water all has a place to go? And when it’s not pouring, the backyard is usable?
If the water runs through and doesnt leave you a muddy mess of puddles for days after, you dont have a drainage problem. Unfortunately for you, youre at the bottom of the hill, which means you get everyone else’s water. Your yard is part of the drainage system for the area, and the second to last stop at that.
If its not washing out, you dont have a problem. If it washes out, fill the big washes with 4-6″ stone and move on.
Setup up some natural pools along with the river suggestion
Kick that can
Looks like you live in the floodplain. That’s nature my guy.
Sir you have a small river. You probably need to put rocks all along there. Or a big A drainage system thats going to cost a small fortune
Don’t fight the natural flow. Work with it. Grade and swale along natural course line , rockscape the high edge near crown of yard for back up in 100 and 500 storm events.
Looks like it’s draining
Dig a stream. Fill and reinforce with rip rap stone.
Looks good to me everything drains away from the house which is exactly what you want
It looks like it’s doing what it is supposed to do.
Time to rent some equipment and dig a creek
I’d build a little river and pond, lots of plants too
Build a rock creek landscape into the hill.
With multiple waterfalls
CONGRATULATIONS you are now the proud new owner of a creek
Drainage doesn’t seem to be the problem. The problem is that someone has tried to use the land for a different purpose.
Nature will take care of it.
Your house seems high enough. I would do nothing and let it work.
Create a natural low path for the creek to run, then enjoy your dirt bike course with a bridge/ jump over the creek bed.
I wouldn’t worry about it honestly. The water is being adequately kept and directed away from your house. Just let it be unless you start seeing erosion issues.
If you deflate the pool the water won’t be able to stay there. Hope this helps!
To me the existing drainage is pretty successful. The water is ‘controlled’ and away from your house.
Keeping all the water that is always going to be there in a large rain event would be a very expensive retro project. The developer should have been compelled to have invested $100’s of thousands on a proper solution along system along the water course’s full length, which can include underground concrete pipes, or a system of surface channels and basins – often a requirement of the development placed on the developer by the local authority.
That said (essentially don’t worry about it) I’d be more worried about the loss of material and erosion on your land (assuming the water is within your boundary). Dig at a few well considered locations to slow the flow. Use some 80-150mm rock ballast.
But talk to a civil engineer, take extensive photos of where the water comes from and goes, and develop a solution that you can then incorporate into a considered landscape.
You could dig trenches where those runoff lines are and fill them with gravel and a drain tile (perforated pipe) then cover it back up with dirt, but that is a massive undertaking unless you have a trenching tool or rent a ditch witch thing. Basically a giant French drain system leading to the ravine.
Feel free to share some of that rain with me…
That water seems like it’s a safe distance from your home and following it’s way to some creek. Let it be and do its thing
Where does your property end? I would build up and regrade most of the back yard and add drains to get the water from problem areas to the stream.
Just build a dock. It’ll flow…
What’s your budget? Because that’s going to determine what possible solutions you have because a proper job will be expensive.
Looks like when they build the house they filled in a creek that used to be there.
Looks to me like a developer sold you a creek bed
A river runs through it – a true story
Do a little digging and you got yourself a nice little moat
As an engineer, I would suggest
1 look at flood plane maps (checkout Zillow or Redfin who have these map overlays). Or just Google.
If you’re in the flood plane, it’s a different answer than if you’re not
2. You’ll need to regrade you yard — consider a water-route that’s carved-in away from your home,
With a berm/levy to master the flow of water when it does rain heavy. If in the flood plane
There are one hella lotta rules and regs.
3. You’ll need to w/w the county, but maybe the original General Contractor’s plan was done right;
So the county/city can go back on them.
4. You’ll need a bank loan if you don’t get some Official to pay for the excavation.
I had the exact same issue in my yard. Build a 13,000$ dry creek. After maintaining it for 3 years I wish I would’ve spent the 18,000$ on the 20” drainage pipes. It’s split my yard in half as it would yours.
Someone said French drain, let’s not be crazy. This needs area drains several, and piping.
Another example of some developer clearcutting the land for a bunch of McMansions and forgetting to tell nature to stop doing its thing. There isn’t a river in your yard, your yard is in a river. The water is doing exactly what it did before they cut down all the trees and graded your lawn. You can bury a giant culvert or maybe dump a bunch of rocks to create an artificial creek bed (more aesthetic).
You need to regrade the whole thing, or make a bunch of ditches
Do you have flood insurance?
As a general rule. You have to look left where the water is coming from. And look right where the water is going. Your solution has to work with both of those above. Other wise you are wasting time and money on your own solution.
[going to Aintry](https://share.google/9EBnZUMSVYNedj0LB)
My biggest concern are those trees who can easily blow over after a big rain and then wind event.
It’s away from your house 🏠
Trench where the water is coming from and going.. trench should be declined towards where the water needs to go. Full rocks in the trench, then mud and grow grass over it.
Then every 3-5 feet, add a drain vent for the water to fall into the trench…
That would be my take, but get a contractor please, an experienced one might have a better idea.. definitely take at least 3 opinions and quotes..
It stays away from your house. All is well.
Look man. Free moat
If it’s not washing your soil away, just live with it a few times each year. If it is making ruts, then create a dry creek with weed barrier and rocks and/or landscaping. The other rut option is to collect the water up at the high area in a drain and again half way down and tile it down to your lowest area of your property, but so many feet away from the boundary line according to local rules.