Need ideas for draining my pool without flooding the yard

I’ve actually tried doubling up with two hoses - worked alright, but you’ve gotta make sure both are primed properly or one just sits there doing nothing.

Yeah, I’ve tangled with the two-hose setup before and you’re right, it can be a bit of a circus if one loses suction. Ever try running the hoses downhill to really get gravity on your side? I’ve found a gentle slope away from the house helps control where the water goes, but sometimes it’s a guessing game with soil saturation. Sump pumps can be hit or miss, but I keep wondering if a mid-range one might actually be worth it for bigger jobs... or is that just asking for trouble?

Honestly, I’ve had better luck with a decent sump pump than messing around with hoses, especially when you’re moving a lot of water. The mid-range ones aren’t too bad if you don’t go super cheap - just make sure you’ve got a spot for the water to go that won’t turn your yard into a swamp. Gravity helps, but if the ground’s already soaked, it’s always a bit of a gamble. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles and hope for the best.

- Had a similar issue last year with a rental property - pool needed draining, but the backyard was already a muddy mess.
- Ended up renting a higher-capacity sump pump and running the hose all the way to the street gutter (checked with the city first, just in case).
- Honestly, those cheap pumps are more trouble than they’re worth if you’ve got serious water to move.
- Learned to avoid draining after heavy rain... made that mistake once and basically created a pond where my lawn used to be.
- If you’ve got any slope at all, use it. Gravity’s free, but only if the ground isn’t already saturated.

- Been there with the cheap pumps - felt like I spent more time unclogging them than actually moving water.
- If your yard’s already soggy, sometimes it’s better to wait a day or two for things to dry out, even if you’re itching to get started.
- I’ve found laying out a few sections of gutter extension tubing helps direct the flow further, especially if you don’t have much slope.
- City rules can be weird - my neighbor got a warning for draining into the street, but I never had an issue. Guess it depends who’s watching.

City rules can be weird - my neighbor got a warning for draining into the street, but I never had an issue. Guess it depends who’s watching.

Isn’t that the truth? My place is so old, I half-expect the city to fine me for “historic water runoff.” I’ve tried the gutter tubing trick too - works unless a squirrel decides it’s a new home. Ever tried one of those pool cover pumps? They’re slow, but at least they don’t turn your yard into a swamp. Hang in there; the struggle is real.

I hear you on the city rules - sometimes it feels like they’re just waiting for an excuse to hand out a citation. I’ve had my share of headaches with pool drainage over the years. Tried running a long hose out to the back alley once, but the slope wasn’t quite right and I ended up with a mini lake behind the garage. Not my finest moment.

Those pool cover pumps are handy for slow, steady draining, but I’ve found they can clog up if there’s any debris. I actually rigged up a temporary dry well with a few bags of gravel and some landscape fabric. It’s not fancy, but it keeps the water from pooling in the yard and gives it time to soak in. Not sure if it’s technically “to code,” but it’s kept the city off my back so far. Just takes a bit of planning and a willingness to get your hands dirty.

Man, I’ve been there with the “creative” drainage solutions. City rules are a pain - like they’ve got binoculars trained on my backyard. I tried the gravel pit trick too, but my soil’s basically clay, so it just turned into a soggy mess for a week. Ended up borrowing a neighbor’s sump pump and running it out in short bursts to avoid a swamp. Not perfect, but at least no angry letters from the city... yet.

- Been there, done that with the city rules - feels like they’re just waiting for a puddle to show up.
- Tried the gravel pit too, but my “drainage” was basically a mud pie for a week. Clay soil is relentless.
- Ended up running a garden hose out to the street at night, slow and steady, hoping nobody noticed. Not exactly legal, but hey, desperate times...
- Sump pump’s a solid move, but those things can get pricey if you don’t have a neighbor willing to share.
- Honestly, I’ve started timing my drains with dry spells - less mess, fewer complaints, and my lawn doesn’t look like a rice paddy.

I swear, whoever designed these old houses never imagined we’d be wrangling with pool water and city ordinances at the same time. My place is basically a sponge with bricks - clay soil too, so I feel your pain on the mud pie front. I once tried digging a “French drain” with my brother-in-law, but it turned into more of a French disaster. Water just sat there, mocking us.

I’ve had the best luck with a combo of slow draining and a rain barrel setup. I rigged up some PVC to route the water into barrels, then used it for the garden over a week or two. Not exactly high-tech, but it keeps the neighbors happy and the city off my back. Only downside: you’ll be watering tomatoes for days.

If you ever figure out a way to make clay soil cooperate, let me know. I’m convinced it’s plotting against me.

Clay soil really is a nightmare for drainage. I’ve seen some folks try gravel trenches with mixed results - sometimes it just turns into a muddy mess, sometimes it helps a bit. The rain barrel idea’s smart, though. I’d just worry about overflow if we get a big storm. Maybe a combo of barrels and a shallow swale could help direct the excess? Not pretty, but it might keep the tomatoes from drowning.

Yeah, clay soil just doesn’t play nice with water, does it? I’ve tried the gravel trench route too - sometimes it just makes a soggy mess. Swales aren’t glamorous but they really do help redirect runoff. You’re on the right track mixing solutions. It’s all about trial and error with this stuff.

Swales aren’t glamorous but they really do help redirect runoff.

Funny you mention swales - I once tried digging a makeshift one behind a flip I was working on, just to keep the basement from turning into a wading pool. It wasn’t pretty, but it actually worked better than the fancy French drain I put in at another place. Ever tried using rain barrels or redirecting the pool water to a garden area? Sometimes that clay soil will surprise you if you give it somewhere useful to go. Curious if anyone’s had luck with dry wells or if that’s just asking for trouble with heavy clay...

Dry wells in heavy clay are a bit of a gamble, honestly. I tried one at my last place, thinking it’d be the magic bullet for my soggy backyard. Dug it deep, filled it with gravel, all by the book… and then watched it turn into a mini pond every time we got a decent rain. Turns out, if the water’s got nowhere to go, it just hangs out and mocks you. Clay soil just doesn’t drain fast enough for dry wells to really shine unless you get lucky with a sandy pocket or something.

Rain barrels are a different story though. I’ve had good luck hooking them up to downspouts and using that water for the garden - at least until they overflow during a big storm. Redirecting pool water straight to the garden is smart if you don’t mind a little mud and your plants can handle the chlorine (I usually let the pool sit uncovered for a couple days so the chlorine burns off first). Swales are ugly as sin but man, they move water where you want it to go.

One trick I picked up from an old neighbor: he ran a cheap corrugated pipe from his pool pump discharge all the way out to the street curb. Not exactly code everywhere, but it kept his yard from turning into soup every time he drained the pool. Sometimes you gotta get creative when clay’s involved.

If you’re stuck with clay, honestly, anything that keeps water moving away from your foundation is worth trying - even if it’s not pretty. I’ve learned to embrace ugly solutions as long as they work.

Can’t argue with you on the dry well front - mine turned into a mosquito breeding ground the first spring. Clay just laughs at gravel. I’ve had better luck with a long, shallow trench (French drain style) lined with landscape fabric, then filled with stone and topped with sod. Not pretty, but at least it doesn’t scream “swamp” every time it rains. And yeah, those corrugated pipes to the curb are lifesavers, even if the city gives you the side-eye. Sometimes ugly gets the job done.

The French drain method really is a workhorse, even if it’s not going to win any beauty contests. I’ve tried the dry well thing too, and yeah - mosquitoes love it more than I ever did. The clay around here just refuses to let water go anywhere, so it’s like building a little underground pond for bugs. The trench approach at least moves the water along.

- Corrugated pipes to the curb: total lifesaver, but I swear my city inspector has a sixth sense for spotting them. Still worth it when you see your neighbor’s yard turn into a lake and yours is just damp.

- Landscape fabric under the gravel: can’t recommend this enough. Without it, you end up with mud in your stones and have to redo the whole thing in a season or two.

- Topping with sod: not pretty, but you’re right - it blends in and keeps the neighbors from asking questions.

One thing I did last year was run a temporary above-ground hose from the pool out to the street when draining. Not exactly subtle, but it kept everything from flooding. I had to babysit it so it didn’t slip and start watering my foundation instead, but honestly, less hassle than digging another trench.

Have you ever tried one of those pop-up emitters at the curb? I’ve seen them in catalogs and always wondered if they actually hold up or just end up getting clogged with leaves after one season...

Pop-Up Emitters: Not a Fan

- Gotta say, I’m not sold on those pop-up emitters. Tried one at the old place - looked neat at first, but it clogged up after the first big rain. The hinge got stuck with grit and leaves, then it just sat half-open and water pooled right there. Ended up yanking it out and just running the pipe straight to the curb.

- Corrugated pipe is great, but if you’re worried about city inspectors, maybe consider rigid PVC? It’s less “temporary-looking,” and if you bury it deep enough, most folks won’t even notice. I’ve had mine in for years with no complaints from the city or neighbors.

- On landscape fabric - I’ve had mixed luck. If you don’t overlap it right or use the heavier grade stuff, roots and mud still sneak in. Sometimes feels like fighting a losing battle, especially with older yards like mine.

- Temporary hoses work in a pinch, but I always end up babysitting them too. Once had one slip overnight - woke up to a soggy crawlspace. Never again...

Just my two cents - sometimes simpler is better, even if it’s not pretty.

I hear you on the pop-up emitters - looks great in theory, but in practice, they’re just another thing to clean. I’ve seen more than a few get jammed up with mulch or even just a stubborn acorn. PVC is definitely the way to go if you want something that blends in and doesn’t scream “temporary fix.” Plus, it’s a lot easier to hide with a little creative planting.

Funny enough, I’ve used landscape fabric for a few patio projects and honestly, it’s hit or miss. If you don’t get the heavy-duty stuff, it’s basically just an invitation for weeds to throw a party. And hoses... yeah, I’ve had one snake its way under my deck and turn the whole area into a mud pit. Not my finest moment.

At the end of the day, simple usually wins out. If you can tuck the pipe away and keep things tidy, nobody’s going to care what’s underground. Just make sure whatever you do, it won’t leave you with surprise puddles inside - or outside - your house.

Couldn’t agree more about the pop-up emitters - on paper, they sound like a neat solution, but in reality, they’re just another maintenance headache. I’ve had to dig out more than one that got clogged up after a windy day. PVC is definitely the way I’d go too. I’ve seen folks try to get fancy with all sorts of drainage gadgets, but honestly, a simple buried pipe with a good slope does the trick and you barely notice it once it’s in. As for landscape fabric, I’ve ripped out so much of the cheap stuff over the years... weeds just laugh at it. You’re on the right track keeping things straightforward - less to go wrong, and way less cleanup down the road.

Funny thing - I inherited a French drain system from the previous owner, and I swear, every time I think about adding some fancy gadget, I remember the time roots clogged the whole run. Took me a weekend to sort it out. Have you ever tried using a gravel trench instead of PVC? I’ve found it blends better with the old brick paths, though I’ll admit, it’s not as low-maintenance. Sometimes I wonder if the simplest route is just the best, even if it’s not the prettiest.

Totally get where you’re coming from - sometimes the “fancy” stuff just means more things to break. I’ve had better luck with gravel trenches too, even if they need a bit more babysitting. At least they don’t crack or clog as easily as PVC. Simpler can be smarter.