# Help solve yard drainage issue



## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

I am having some pretty serious drainage problems. The pics below are just of the back yard from right to left. There are issues on the sides on the house too. I dont know where to start? Regrade the whole back yard? dry well somewhere? The real issue is there isnt really any slope to work with to get the water out to the street. Any suggestions? Do I have a high water table?

More info: the back yard is wet all the time. I have yet to see it dry (been living in the house about 3 months). Even the parts where the elevation seems higher is soggy too? 

The pics below are after about a 10 day in a row rain so this is the worst ive seen it.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Regrade the land so the low point is at the edge or the corner. Dig a dry well there and install a sump pump in it to empty it out if it fills up.


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## papachuck (Jan 17, 2013)

Hello, First if I may ask were are you located? And what kind of soil do you have? if your water table is that high and wont drain A sump pump may never shut off. and you may not be able to pump to A ditch or street per codes .the way it looks your surrounded by houses and such.looks like grass rot the only thing that looks like it is doing well is the shrubs. witch with A raised bed it would.it is also in some areas to regrade A parcel of land to drain on other lands illegal in some states. do you know if there is A drainage ditch that the city or town would let you hook into?there is ways to fix this but there is also sometimes rules.


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

I live in Alabama. The snow you see on the ground is very rare haha. I am unsure of the soil type but I figure it contains alot of clay. Also I am at the bottom part of a hill, surrounded by houses. I believe a regrade would be best but it seems that it will take alot of dirt to raise the elevation and slope it to the street. Any suggestion on how to regrade the land? The problem is that water doesn't really drain on the sides of the house either so I don't know how I would regrade to get the water to the street. I'm not sure if I can tap into the sewer. Is that an expensive thing to do? Could I do it or would a professional need to do the work? 

Thanks for the replys thus far!


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

Can you post some more photos of the areas beside your home?

Do you have any eavestroghing to move the water from your roof away from house?

Asking questions is free, so keep them coming.


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

I will post some pictures up when I get off work. And yes I do have gutters.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There not going to let you hook up directly to the storm drains. That's been againt the law for many years.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

jabrock1 said:


> I live in Alabama. The snow you see on the ground is very rare haha. I am unsure of the soil type but I figure it contains alot of clay. Also I am at the bottom part of a hill, surrounded by houses. *I believe a regrade would be best but it seems that it will take alot of dirt to raise the elevation and slope it to the street. Any suggestion on how to regrade the land? * The problem is that water doesn't really drain on the sides of the house either so I don't know how I would regrade to get the water to the street. I'm not sure if I can tap into the sewer. Is that an expensive thing to do? Could I do it or would a professional need to do the work?
> 
> Thanks for the replys thus far!


Ayuh,.... Insteada Raisin' the whole thing,...

Cut pitched swales to direct the water away, 'n outa the yard...


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## redman88 (Oct 5, 2012)

looks like the gate might be a low spot. rent one of these http://www.engineersupply.com/CST-berger-RL25H-Rotary-Laser-Complete-Package-RL25HCK.aspx
and map out your back yard. get a bunch of http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25e...d=-1&keyword=flags&storeId=10051#.UP9kXie5PUk, yes there are better deals out there for these, and mark the low spots or the high spots.


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

The gate is definitely a low spot. The problem is I don't have anywhere to drain the water. It's probably close to 100 feet to the street with almost no slope to work with. 

I will get pictures of the side of the house soon btw.


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,.... Insteada Raisin' the whole thing,...
> 
> Cut pitched swales to direct the water away, 'n outa the yard...


Could you elaborate a little more on this?


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## redman88 (Oct 5, 2012)

http://www.google.com/search?q=dry+...q=1&oq=dry+river+bed&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

just had this idea, put one in under the gate, and along the fence line althe way around the house.


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## jabrock1 (Jan 17, 2013)

I'm unsure if this will make sense but here it goes. 

For this question just say I have a level grade on the side of the house from the back side of the house to the street. Also the land is even with the street. If I was to dig a drainage ditch that sloped 2 feet from the back of the house to the street. Meaning the drainage ditch would end up 2 feet below street level. Would this do anything to help? I know water would be puddling toward the street, but would it overflow onto the street and then to the sewer?


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

jabrock1 said:


> I'm unsure if this will make sense but here it goes.
> 
> For this question just say I have a level grade on the side of the house from the back side of the house to the street. Also the land is even with the street. If I was to dig a drainage ditch that sloped 2 feet from the back of the house to the street. Meaning the drainage ditch would end up 2 feet below street level. Would this do anything to help? I know water would be puddling toward the street, but would it overflow onto the street and then to the sewer?


Ayuh,.... Unless you can set up a level, to _See_ how much drop you have, this is all just Guessin'....

If you actually have *No* pitch to work with, the only answer left is to install a drywell...
Then either pitch the surroundin' ground to it, or use sub-grade drainage pipin'...

The 1 Given, that can't be changed is,....
Water flows Downhill....


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