Every time we get heavy rain, my backyard turns into a mini lake. It's not just annoying, it's starting to mess up my grass and plants. I've tried digging a small trench to redirect the water, but um...that didn't really work out. I'm thinking maybe some kind of gravel pit or drainage pipe could help, but honestly, I'm not sure where to start. Has anyone dealt with something similar or got any tips?
Had a similar issue at one of my properties. A French drain worked pretty well—basically a trench filled with gravel and a perforated pipe to direct water away from the yard. Key is making sure it slopes slightly downhill away from your problem area. Might be worth looking into, especially if your soil doesn't drain well naturally...
French drains can definitely be effective, but I've seen situations where they weren't quite enough, especially if the yard is really flat or the soil is heavy clay. In those cases, pairing the drain with a dry well can help a lot. Basically, you dig a deep hole, line it with landscape fabric, fill it with gravel, and direct your French drain pipe into it. Have you checked how deep your water table is? That can make a big difference in how well these solutions work...
Good points about the dry well—I hadn't thought of that. I'm dealing with heavy clay soil too, and honestly, it's been a bit of trial and error. French drains helped some, but like you said, not completely. I ended up adding some raised beds and planting shrubs that soak up water, which made a noticeable difference. Hang in there though, yard drainage can be frustrating but you'll definitely find something that works eventually...
The clay soil definitely makes things trickier. I've had similar issues, and dry wells were a decent start but not a full fix. Raised beds helped me too, especially with plants like willow shrubs—they soak up water surprisingly well. Have you considered adding a slight slope or grading to direct runoff away from problem spots? It sounds intimidating, but even subtle changes can make a difference. Yard flooding is tough, but you'll get there eventually...
