Yard Drainage for Standing Water and Soggy Ground

Why yards hold water

There are a handful of common causes, and most properties have more than one.

• Negative grading — the ground slopes toward the house instead of away
• Dense clay soil that absorbs water slowly and drains it even more slowly
• A low spot with no outlet where runoff naturally collects
• Downspouts discharging directly onto the lawn with no underground carry
• A hard pan layer below the topsoil that prevents percolation

Solutions we use

The fix depends on the source. Regrading changes the surface shape so water moves away from the house and toward an outlet. A French drain intercepts subsurface water moving through the soil. A catch basin collects surface water in a low spot and carries it underground to a storm connection. Downspout extensions move roof water away from the foundation instead of dumping it at the base of the wall.

We do not recommend a solution until we have walked the property and identified where the water is actually coming from. A French drain in the wrong spot is an expensive hole full of gravel that does nothing.

Drainage and landscaping together

Good drainage and good landscaping are not in conflict, but they do need to be planned together. We can work with your existing garden and hardscape, or coordinate with a landscaper if a larger regrade is part of the plan. The goal is a yard that is usable within a day of rain, not one that turns into a swamp every winter.