Drainage woes

New guy here to the forum and I hope you can help me...

We have been in our home for about 7 years and the whole time we have not been able to get our backyard established. We hired a guy to put our yard in and we brought in topsoil for the front yard and it is doing well (although I plan to change the design pretty significantly) In the backyard, however, he counseled us to not do topsoil and that "grass grows anywhere". Well, he pushed the dust and rocks around and put a sprinkler system in and then we put down sod. What we (or he) had not realized that we had a serious water problem. The ground is made up of clay and a LOT of rocks and therefore water just sits before slowly going away AND our neighbors had ll brought in topsoil which raised their yards several inches so, as a result we get a lot of runoff.

I attempted to install a french drain, but, that was a novice attempt and seemingly futile. I had a landscape company come by and look at it and they are convinced that the real solution is to excavate the yard by about 8 inches and bring in good soil...for the sum of about $7,500. I have included a picture of our deserted yard with hopes that you may have some ideas for us.

Thanks,

-gl

Sorry I can't help, but I hope someone offers you a practical solution. That backyard view is too beautiful to miss out on! Coffee back there in the mornings would be awesome!

Thanks for the encouragement. I agree with you on the view - it's even better looking over the back of the fence.

-gl

If your neighbor made changes to their property which resulted in a change in drainage causing water to come onto your property when it hadn't before, then you may have legal recourse against them to have them help with resolving the problem. In most places, where water flows naturally due to gravity is just something you're stuck with, but if you make alterations to your property which result in water draining onto a neighbor's property in a way that it didn't before, you are legally responsible to fix the situation.

As a fix though, I would probably bring in topsoil and raise your yard up to be even with the neighbor's yard, maybe leave a ditch between the two yards to catch water and share the cost of installing a drain there to route the water to somewhere appropriate.

That had been my approach to the problem in my mind. I think I will revert to it again unless it doesn't really address the main issue of where the water goes.

At least every one has seen some before pictures...I'll post the after images hopefully at some point.

-gl

Gosh, we had the same problem on our property in Washington. We had to put in several french drains and finally after 5 years of swamp land it is normal. Our first attempt was to haul in top soil and sand but it didn't help much until the drains were installed.

My experience has been that you install the drainage system before the new topsoil to avoid problems. You can always raise the top of the drain basin, you can't lower it.

You might have to pay a little extra, but, go to a business that has a license and/or lots of experience in drainage. And check out one of their previous projects that is similar to yours.

You have a real challenge ahead.

An admitted novice here - hi. Just wondering - could this be a case for xeriscaping? I take it that the environment is pretty dry where you live?

Utah is a great place to xeriscape...but that won't fix the drainage problems, those need to be addressed first.

Ok Ecrane, before I upset anyone else with the lingo problems I seem to have, what is xeriscape, I cant work this out, but we prob have another name for it, help me out here please. WeeNel.

Nel,

Planting with low water use in mind, plants that need little or no extra water.

Once established your plantings will survive and grow on rain water alone.

Xeri- greek word mean dry, scape is shortened from landscape = dry landscape.

Generally means no annuals flowers, just trees, shrubs and woody vines that are adapted to the climate you live in, without extra water (once established).

I think Dale explained it perfectly! You'll probably run across some people who think xeriscaping means planting things that don't need much water at all like cactus and other desert plants, but really xeriscaping is about planting things that are adapted to your climate and won't need additional water beyond what your natural amount of rainfall is.

i also have drainage problems on one side of the house and have for years--i live in texas and we have had downpours every day for weeks!! crazy weather and more rain in forcast for the week--my newest idea is to try working with a gutter man--we have gutters and have had adjustments made in past--one area he put in much wider gutters and wider downspout to keep water from one area--i am going to have him put in another downspout in my poor drainage area and ask about how and where to divert the water--i made my own little tunnels to draw water away from house but of course it is temporary--i will let you know if the gutterman helps!

I am looking at 'them there' hills in that picture thinking that in this area xeriscaping may well be 'zeroscaping' if it is as dry as them there hills look to be.

I know that desert like land often means water - water - water so the sprinkler system may well have been a good idea but if you have other problems and no experience then you may well have to bite the bullet and pay the money for the pros to come in and fix the problem, then you can landscape, in otherwords have them fix the drainage and the soil conditioning and then you take over from there. That might be a comprimise between the 2?

I am including a picture of the terrain where i used to live and then below a picture of a garden done in that terrain. Which looks somewhat similiar to your situation.


This message was edited Jul 2, 2007 6:23 PM

It is possible to landscape in rock and clay!!!!

But I know for a fact they water every day and sometimes twice daily!

This message was edited Jul 2, 2007 6:24 PM

i guess as long as the neighbors water you won't have to. lol. you'll be more successful if you take the conditions you already have and plant accordingly. that's including the runoff
from the neighbors

Thanks Dale and Ecrane, got it all sorted now, think we call it scree gardening, little soil, hardly any rain and left to fend for themselves almost. Take care, Weenel.

Thanks all. I know this thread is a tad bit old but, I have been struggling with what to do. Xeriscapign is not an option in this case as my wife wants a green backyard (and so do I actually). I think I am just going to hire someone to make it work. We have dropped a lot of sweat and money into this already and I don't want to waste any more resources.

-gg

Xeriscaping doesn't just mean cactus and sand--you can have a beatiful lush green garden. Obviously it's a personal choice, but I didn't want you to give up on xeriscaping without really knowing what sort of plants are available to you--check out High Country Gardens website, they've got lots of outstanding plants (including lawn grasses) for dry climates. Not everything they sell will get by without any supplemental watering, but they will use less water than a lot of things (using low water plants will make you much happier when you end up in a drought year with water restrictions--people who have low-water gardens will still have flowers and plants to enjoy while everybody else's thirsty gardens and lawns are drying up and dying).
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/

greengills,
I agree with ecrane. I've ordered a couple of things from Highcountry Gardens but most of their stuff is for your side of the country. I love their choices though--they have some beautiful stuff. And, as ecrane says, xeriscaping isn't just the cactus look. There are some really beautiful plants you could use and have an outstanding yard that would be easier to maintain than if you try to go with standard type flowers. Your neighbors would be jealous over your lower water bill too!