Improving the rainwater run-off situation in my yard
April 7, 2017 12:48 PM Subscribe
Yes, it's another gardening question from me! We're working hard in our new house to get the garden up and running and I'm having a think on the next stage of the project: the rainwater situation and my side yard. Difficulty level: small yard surrounded by lots of asphalt. Pics inside.
This picture probably explains most of what I'm contending with. As you can see, there's kind of a dual hill thing going on. The big hill is the one that runs from the front of the house to the back, but there's also a smaller hill that runs from the side of the house to the street. And then there's the short driveway, which basically acts as a spillway for water coming down the street, directing it into the back yard, which turns into a mudpit where indicated every time it rains. (You'll notice a downspout next to the garage--this runs directly into a pipe taking it to a storm drain. Perhaps in the future I can work on getting that out and into rain barrels/other water capturing trickery, but that is a project for another day. As it is, roof run-off does not really contribute to the overall run-off issue here.)
I'm looking for some ideas on what kinds of combination of landscaping (rain gardens, eensy weensy swales, terracing) and hardscaping tricks I can use to improve the overall situation here, especially in such a way as to allow reclamation of that water rather than just shunting it into the nearest storm drain. I'm open to anything that can be DIYed and looks attractive. Note that the gate right next to the garage door is one of the primary ways we enter and exit the back yard, so that can't be blocked.
Here's a bigger picture of the whole back yard indicating the direction of the slopes and how the water tends to move.
This picture probably explains most of what I'm contending with. As you can see, there's kind of a dual hill thing going on. The big hill is the one that runs from the front of the house to the back, but there's also a smaller hill that runs from the side of the house to the street. And then there's the short driveway, which basically acts as a spillway for water coming down the street, directing it into the back yard, which turns into a mudpit where indicated every time it rains. (You'll notice a downspout next to the garage--this runs directly into a pipe taking it to a storm drain. Perhaps in the future I can work on getting that out and into rain barrels/other water capturing trickery, but that is a project for another day. As it is, roof run-off does not really contribute to the overall run-off issue here.)
I'm looking for some ideas on what kinds of combination of landscaping (rain gardens, eensy weensy swales, terracing) and hardscaping tricks I can use to improve the overall situation here, especially in such a way as to allow reclamation of that water rather than just shunting it into the nearest storm drain. I'm open to anything that can be DIYed and looks attractive. Note that the gate right next to the garage door is one of the primary ways we enter and exit the back yard, so that can't be blocked.
Here's a bigger picture of the whole back yard indicating the direction of the slopes and how the water tends to move.
If you put some sort of barrier (soft or hard) at the junction of your driveway and the street, to encourage water to continue down the street rather than flowing down the driveway, would that help? Not like a hard curb, more like a shallow speed bump.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 2:43 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by Huffy Puffy at 2:43 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: I think you could do sort of a tear drop/paisley pattern rain garden with the pointy end at the corner of the fence and letting it slope down as it goes into the secondary larger part. If you're looking for specific plants it depends on your zone and region and how often that part spends under water. If mostly dry with occasional pooling, maybe some cool ornamental grasses--there's one for everyone and just a pool of neat grasses there would be nice.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:21 PM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:21 PM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm in 6b, and it will start to pool after one day of steady rain, but how often that happens varies by season.
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:27 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:27 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: You can have pretty or easy, or honestly, pretty easy?
This grass is my favorite. Beautiful with anything but if your conditions are dry, asters or echinacea as companions. If wet, Siberian iris. That grass is really versatile and totally stunning.
There's a lot of directions you could go in depending on whether you want to just solve the problem or go for something separate that you're into.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:57 PM on April 7, 2017
This grass is my favorite. Beautiful with anything but if your conditions are dry, asters or echinacea as companions. If wet, Siberian iris. That grass is really versatile and totally stunning.
There's a lot of directions you could go in depending on whether you want to just solve the problem or go for something separate that you're into.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:57 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: I would go with a rain garden in the front yard along the path the water currently takes (you could make a nice little dry waterfall with recirculating water fountain at the bottom where the stone wall is) plus another rain garden in the corner within the fence that gets the standing water and continue that rain garden along the fence to direct and absorb the water (again, a dry stone riverbed can direct the water attractively) The area that is a walkway that also gets a pool of water I would dig down a foot or more, fill with gravel and place a non-slip stone path on top (slightly higher than the current elevation) to encourage the water to drain. There are lots of local resources from your library, master garden group, extension office and local nurseries that can give you a place to start - look for native plants like dogswood and cranberry bushes as well as the usual flowering natives that like wet feet, plus the grasses already mentioned. Would it be possible to break up the asphalt driveway and replace it with gravel or ground cover with paved strips for car tires?
posted by saucysault at 8:10 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by saucysault at 8:10 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: We seem to have all the exact same garden problems, are you in PA?
You don't have to answer that, but every few years my city's extension does a class on rain gardens. They gave us a this book and it's been helpful. They focus on rain gardens but also have different rain management strategies and a list of thirsty plants for each zone. Our city's Master Gardeners also have a make-your-own-rain-barrel-on-the-cheap class every year so you might want to look out for what you county offers now that spring is starting up. If you want to go short term intensive/long term lazy, I treated an area in front of my downspout like a rain garden - I dug down and added drainage and looser earth and made a berm, but I just let the grass take it back over.
Along with what saucysault said, elderberries/raspberries are a little bigger but they'll take all the water you give them. I don't know what your plans for your yard are, but if you want a tree serviceberry will do a good job too and the fruit is tasty.
posted by Bistyfrass at 8:29 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
You don't have to answer that, but every few years my city's extension does a class on rain gardens. They gave us a this book and it's been helpful. They focus on rain gardens but also have different rain management strategies and a list of thirsty plants for each zone. Our city's Master Gardeners also have a make-your-own-rain-barrel-on-the-cheap class every year so you might want to look out for what you county offers now that spring is starting up. If you want to go short term intensive/long term lazy, I treated an area in front of my downspout like a rain garden - I dug down and added drainage and looser earth and made a berm, but I just let the grass take it back over.
Along with what saucysault said, elderberries/raspberries are a little bigger but they'll take all the water you give them. I don't know what your plans for your yard are, but if you want a tree serviceberry will do a good job too and the fruit is tasty.
posted by Bistyfrass at 8:29 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
My plan would be two-fold: 1) arrange for the water to run along your fenceline, outside your fence to be back of the property, 2) look at the street (by the black pickup) and see if there're ways to reduce the amount of water entering the property.
For fold 1, I'd cut a trench with a shovel, 3 inches deep maybe, all along that fence.
Do vehicles go in and out of that garage? Regarding that T which connects the main paved slope and the path to the garage.. is that paving which has cracked, or is that pavers which've been added? Either way, I might consider removing material (both paving and dirt) to expedite flow to the trench.
posted by at at 8:10 AM on April 8, 2017
For fold 1, I'd cut a trench with a shovel, 3 inches deep maybe, all along that fence.
Do vehicles go in and out of that garage? Regarding that T which connects the main paved slope and the path to the garage.. is that paving which has cracked, or is that pavers which've been added? Either way, I might consider removing material (both paving and dirt) to expedite flow to the trench.
posted by at at 8:10 AM on April 8, 2017
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posted by saradarlin at 2:30 PM on April 7, 2017