I tried something similar last summer when I had to drain part of my above-ground pool. I actually used a couple of old tarps and some leftover landscape fabric, overlapping them to make a sort of “water slide” out to the street. Anchored the edges with whatever I could find—mostly bags of mulch and a few big rocks. It wasn’t perfect, but it kept the water from turning my yard into a swamp. I agree, those mats or tarps can be surprisingly useful if you’re careful about how you set them up. Just gotta watch for spots where water sneaks underneath... learned that the hard way.
Yeah, I've done the tarp-and-rock trick too, but I started using a cheap roll of plastic sheeting from the hardware store last year. I cut it to size, overlapped the seams, and sealed with duct tape. Not fancy, but it worked better than the old blue tarps for keeping water from sneaking under the edges. One thing I’d add—if your yard slopes even a little, try to start your “slide” on the highest side and let gravity do most of the work. Makes things way easier and less messy.
- Agree on the plastic sheeting—way more effective than the classic blue tarps, especially if you’re dealing with uneven ground.
- Overlapping seams is key, but I’d suggest running the tape both along and across the seams for extra security. Water always finds a way if there’s even a tiny gap.
- If you’ve got landscaping fabric lying around, layering that under the plastic can help prevent punctures from rocks or sticks. Learned that one the hard way after a sharp pebble tore straight through my setup last spring.
- On slopes, directing runoff toward a gravel bed or a temporary trench can help avoid pooling at the bottom edge. It’s not pretty, but it keeps the mud situation under control.
- One thing I’d tweak: if your slope is really steep, anchor the top edge with something heavier than rocks—like sandbags—so the plastic doesn’t slip once water starts flowing.
I’ve tried the gravel bed trick before, but honestly, it got a bit messy when the water flow picked up—gravel started migrating downhill. Ended up with a weird little rock pile at the bottom of my yard. Ever tried using those perforated drain pipes under the plastic? I’ve seen them used in some landscaping projects to channel water more predictably, but I’m not sure how well they’d work for a big pool drain.
I get the appeal of those perforated pipes—they do work wonders for slow, steady drainage in garden beds and even around old foundations. But when it comes to draining a whole pool, I’d be a bit wary. The volume and speed of water is just so much higher. In my experience, those pipes can back up or even collapse if the ground shifts or if there’s too much pressure at once. I’ve seen neighbors try it, only to end up with soggy patches where the water found its own way out. Sometimes, a simple open trench (even if temporary) gives you more control, though it’s not the prettiest solution. Just my two cents from dealing with an old property that loves to surprise me every rainy season...