Standing water, constantly soggy lawn and water collecting near the house can all indicate that something is not working properly in your landscape.
However, the puddle you see may only be the symptom.
Before trying to fix a water problem, one of the most important questions to ask is: where is the water coming from?
Understanding how water enters and moves across the property can help you determine what type of solution may be appropriate. When planning yard drainage solutions in Edmonton, looking at the entire landscape is often more useful than treating each wet spot as a separate problem.
Start by watching the water
One of the simplest ways to understand a drainage issue is to observe the yard during a significant rainfall.
Look at where the water enters the property.
Does it come from a downspout? Is it moving down a slope? Could runoff be coming from another part of the property? Does it collect in a low area before slowly disappearing?
Then watch where it goes.
Water naturally follows gravity and low points in the landscape. Observing its path can reveal more than simply looking at the property once everything has dried.
Also pay attention to how long wet areas remain saturated. Water that disappears shortly after a storm is different from an area that remains soggy for days.
These observations can provide valuable information when discussing drainage as part of your landscape plans.
Consider the entire property
Water problems are connected to the shape of the land around them.
Sending water away from one area without considering where it will end up may simply move the problem.
For example, changing grading or directing runoff without looking at the larger property could cause water to collect somewhere else.
That is why drainage should be considered as part of the overall landscape rather than as an isolated feature.
Thoughtful landscape planning in Edmonton can consider slopes and water movement alongside patios, gardens, pathways, trees and other planned features.
For formal drainage plans, utilities or construction specifications, additional technical expertise from the appropriate professional may be required.
Check simple sources first
Not every drainage problem requires a complicated solution.
A downspout depositing a large volume of roof water immediately beside a problem area may be contributing to excess moisture. A small low spot or poorly shaped landscape area could also influence where runoff collects.
In other cases, the issue may be related to larger grading conditions or compacted soil that does not readily absorb water.
Identifying the source first can help avoid spending money on an elaborate solution that does not address the actual cause.
Grading can influence water movement
The shape and elevation of the landscape play a major role in drainage.
Water naturally moves downhill, so subtle changes in elevation can significantly influence where it travels.
Landscape designers can consider general slopes and elevations while determining how different spaces relate to one another. However, homeowners should recognize the distinction between conceptual landscape planning and technical grading or drainage engineering.
Complex drainage problems, significant grading changes or concerns about water near a home’s foundation may require assessment by qualified drainage, grading or engineering professionals.
Consider a swale
A swale is a shallow landscape feature designed to guide or temporarily manage water.
Rather than using a visibly engineered channel, a swale can sometimes be integrated naturally into the landscape.
Depending on the property and technical requirements, the surrounding area may include lawn, planting or other landscape features.
The objective is not simply to force water somewhere else. Any solution needs to account for where the water will ultimately travel and whether that destination is appropriate.
Rain gardens can make water part of the landscape
Some properties may provide opportunities to manage rainwater by incorporating it into garden design.
EarthWorm Landscape Design Co. has highlighted rain gardens as a way of collecting rainwater and allowing it to soak gradually into suitable landscape areas.
A rain garden generally uses a low area designed for temporary water collection along with plants that can tolerate periods of additional moisture.
This approach changes the mindset from treating every drop of rain as something that must immediately leave the property to thinking about where water can safely support the landscape.
A suitable rain garden depends on property conditions, location, soil and other factors, so proper planning remains important.
Incorporate drainage considerations before landscaping
Water movement is much easier to think about before a patio, garden or other permanent feature is installed.
If you are already planning significant changes to your property, an Edmonton landscape design company can help you look at how slopes and existing site conditions relate to the rest of the landscape concept.
EarthWorm Landscape Design Co. considers site conditions while creating conceptual plans for homeowners. Their services can help establish how various landscape elements relate to one another, while specialized technical issues can be referred to the appropriate professionals.
This distinction is important. A landscape designer can help you understand the property as a whole, but formal drainage engineering and construction specifications fall outside the scope of conceptual residential landscape design.
Work with water instead of against it
Water will always seek somewhere to go.
Successful landscape planning recognizes that reality rather than simply trying to remove water as quickly as possible.
Sometimes that means directing it safely through the property. In other situations, appropriate areas may allow water to soak into the landscape. More complicated problems may require professional drainage or grading work.
Before digging trenches or installing drains, spend some time observing your property.
Watch where water begins, where it travels and where it stops.
Once you understand that movement, you can begin making decisions that solve the actual problem instead of simply moving the puddle somewhere else.
This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com