Water always finds its level
The frustration homeowners have with drainage is the unrelenting determination of water to find its level.
You can fill one low spot, and excess water will find another a few feet away. That may be laughable at first, but soon, the reality sets in. You need to make strong moves.
The goal is to engineer a solution that will handle the worst storm. That’s what engineers are tasked with by the local municipalities that hire them.
This is why drainage solutions can get complicated.
Calculus solves water problems
The challenge with water drainage is determining the minimum capacity required to transport the maximum amount of expected water to its destination. That capacity depends on the flow rate necessary to prevent flooding and minimize property risk.
Solving drainage problems involves studying water flow, specifically the rate at which it moves through a space. As you know, calculus is the mathematical analysis of change, and that’s why most drainage problems are calculus problems.
The typical drainage solution is a swale between two properties. Water drains into the swale from each of the neighboring sites. The swale carries it downstream to an underground sewer system, a lake, a drainage pond, or possibly a series of larger swales that carry it much further.
The one thing this scenario has going for it is space. Larger spaces can carry and move larger volumes of water quickly and efficiently. Any bottlenecks are readily observed and easily remedied.
Most of our drainage solutions feed into these larger systems. They are typically adaptations to new upstream conditions, such as soil erosion or settling. Yet, more often our solutions are a response to hardscape features that alter the rate of water flow.
Patios, sidewalks, retaining walls, and other landscape elements reroute or accelerate water flow on residential properties. We design workarounds that adapt to those changes and restore the original intent of the property’s grading plan.
There are many ways to do this, using both above-ground and below-ground systems. Key decision criteria for choosing them are appearance, safety, and functionality. The trade-offs for each present options for managing the budget.
Here’s an illustration.
The complicating factor is that water drains quickly off the back patio. This creates a wet area near the play set because the swale was not designed to move the influx of water that cascades from the patio.
Our solution is a system of catch basins connected to drain tile that quickly moves the water off-site. A less expensive solution would be digging a deeper swale. However, that could become a safety risk for young children using the play set.
Typical drainage solutions
Carl and I are both Certified Drainage Technicians. This training equips us with the skills to employ more specialized systems for addressing complex drainage issues. Some of these may be familiar, with a few that only work in special situations, such as the featured manufactured dry well.
Surface Drainage Systems
Grading and Sloping – This is often the best solution for properties that have settled or undergone minor changes over time.
Surface Swales – Wider or deeper swales may be necessary to transport water more quickly to its intended destination.
Catch Basins – These are invaluable for solving problems on sites that are mostly level or with new hardscape surfaces.
Channel Drains – Often used along hard surfaces that cascade heavy water flow during even moderate storms.
Sub-Surface Drainage Solutions
French Drains – These systems collect water underground and dispose of it through a system of perforated or solid pipes.
Dry Wells – These are underground containers that hold water for gradual infiltration into the soil.
Drain Tile Systems – A collection of underground pipes that are often interconnected to carry water from downspouts, hard surfaces, or catch basins.
Soil Amendments – Used to improve the permeability of garden or landscape beds where other systems may not be practical or necessary.
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