A view of my backyard
What can I do with a backyard that floods?
by
Susan
+8
I have close to an acre backyard which I would love to make usable unfortunately, it floods approximately twice a year. I have spent over $6,500 for fill dirt and ditch drainage on each side of the property. I even had the creek, which runs between the yard and the hillside of trees in the background, dug deeper and wider but that too was a waste of money. After the fill dirt job the ground was bare. I sowed it with mixture of fesue grass seeds which is recommended for the area I live in and covered it with straw. However, the crab grass won out. The ground beneath the crab grass and dandelions is hard and infertile soil even though I have been generous with fertilize and topsoil. Although the flood water doesn't get very deep it is swift and has washed away flowers, shrubs, young trees and yard ornaments. The only tree I have left is in the pic at the edge of the yard. A willow that isn't doing all that well. The water has never gotten in my home, for which I am thankful, but it does get near the back deck where only a small group of Primrose has survived. So I'm reaching out for any ideals for helping to make my yard look more attractive.
Flood water at the edge of back deck
Primrose, still surviving
In the fall, when the rain isn't so prevalent, plant several pine trees around the area. They can drink up to 50 gallons of water a day! Maybe try making another drainage ditch running from the backyard to the current ditch. Or, put in French drains with pea gravel. Worked for my mom's back patio.
Only thing I could think of would be put in large diameter conduit pipe for the stream to flow through out past your ditches, and cover with dirt. Its the kind of conduit pipe they use under roads where the road has washed out previously.
Sounds like your property is a flood plain.
My question has not been resolved. I clicked that by accident. Please feel free to add your comments.
How about a nice pond with bog plants? You'll need some cheap goldfish to keep the mosquitoes killed.
Have you contacted your local Flood Control department? They may be able to offer a solution. Also it sounds like you are not the only home affected, have you tried to put a meeting of the other homeowners to find a solution?
Clearly without finding the actual upstream source of all that water, controlling at your end will be impossible. Again, call the flood control people.
Thank you for your suggestions Wayne. I really appreciate your input as it has inspired my memory bank. I do recall a neighbor inquiring if the state would replace a culvert that runs under the main highway with a larger one. No luck there. I believe you are right on putting together a meeting. I'll get started on that right a way. Thanks again.
Hi Susan, It is very hot why isn't your pets inside your house? Or did I get it wrong?
I mean hot ...not ho lol