Drainage problem in yards. Can I just do this?

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johnv713

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Got some drainage issue in both front and backyard probably due to uneven grading and clay soil.

For the backyard can I just dig a hole and back fill with pebbles, small stones without drainage pipe routing water to drain elsewhere? I just don't have any place to drain water to and certainly don't want water to drain to my neighbor's.


Thanks!
 
You would want to do a perk test to see if the subsoil will absorb the water. Or you might just have a hole to put x amount of water into.
 
What you are talking about is essentially a drywell. We have installed many of these. If you go that route dig your hole and line it with filter fabric or a weedcloth then fill with gravel, the bigger gravel will have bigger voids and will hold more water. If it is not draining now it may not drain any better after you dig the hole but it will hold some water so for light rain it might be ok but once it gets full your yard will be back to where you are now. Or it could solve your problems.

Like Neal says you might want to do a perk test but the way we do perk tests require you to dig that hole anyway.
 
Well I dug a pond not too long ago in my backyard and clay is present at 4ft down. The clay soil absorbs water slowly over time. How deep should I dig the pit? I plan on using 1" gravel if that feasible. Thanks!
 
Ambitious enough to dig a pond 14x12x4. My arm shockers are about to fall off lol. Guess I have to do what I've got to do, stagnant water is getting on my last nerve. Probably will go with 2x2x2 pit.
 
Another year or two you will be able to ship the water to Chris collect and he will be happy to get it.
 
I would be happy to have that water now. The rest of the country floods and we are in a drought. Go figure.
 
Yup! We complain about the heat like most complain about winter. All in all I live in a beautiful place.
 
Regrading is a secondary measure, I'm fairly certain it's the clay soil that's retaining all the water. When it rains, my yard takes a full 3-4 days to semi-dries.
 
If he hooks up to the Storm Drain then he will have to pull permits and draw plans. Not the end of the world but also not the cheap fix.

Is your back yard higher than the front and do you have a curb? Here in CA about 90% of homes have a drain line from the back yard through a cored hole in the curb to drain.
 
Here all the new lots have a hook up for downspout water perimeter drain and yard water, When new line is installed in older area the stub is there for you to hook up to.
 
Here in CA about 90% of homes have a drain line from the back yard through a cored hole in the curb to drain.

In wet areas, you either have a ditch at the road or some kind of system, or the house at the bottom of the hill would be flooded weekly. In cold areas surface drains at the road freeze in the winter, really neat on a hill.
 
I do have a drain line but it only drain approx 1 yards radius, if that, due to various obstructions ( patio, fence, etc) and the location of the drain isn't ideal either(corner).
 

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