Drainage Solutions

“The nicest thing about the rain is that it always stops. Eventually.” - Eeyore

Here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, you may find that your lawn and landscaping may be unable to withstand downpours and constant rain showers that frequent our area. Beyond its appearance and inconvenience, flooding and standing water can provide a breeding ground for pesky mosquitoes, cause basement or foundation problems, prevent you from mowing, and kill your grass. Flowing water can expose tree roots, penetrate your home’s foundation, and leave unsightly ruts throughout your yard. Therefore, it is imperative that you protect your home and landscape from future expensive repairs. Don’t drown in despair! Let’s explore some solutions for water drainage issues in your landscaping.

Permeable Pavers

An increasingly popular solution to runoff water for homeowners is permeable pavers that use various materials. Solid, non-porous surfaces used in traditional patios and driveways typically direct water to drains, while porous surfaces allow water to filter and flow through the joints of the pavers and below to layers of aggregate. The use of permeable pavers for driveways or patios is very useful in spaces where proper grading is difficult due to adjacent retaining walls, buildings, pools, or hills. Not only are they functional, but also there are many color and style options to provide a very aesthetic addition to your property.

Rain Garden

Another attractive method to decrease the impact of pooling water in your yard is a rain garden. Rain gardens collect rainwater, either naturally or from downspouts and drains, in a shallow low spot that is specifically planted with moisture-loving plants. These plants help to filter out pollutants in the stormwater, thus increasing water quality. Popular plants to include in rain gardens are Coneflower, Daylily, Coral Bells, Winterberry Holly, Yaupon Holly, Summersweet Clethra, River Birch, Flowering Dogwood, and American Holly, as well as an array of native perennials and ornamental grasses.

The rainwater runoff that is collected by the rain garden is able to slowly soak into the ground rather than rush into nearby storm sewers or waterways. Because of their size and location in the yard, they are able to collect a large amount of runoff at a high rate. For this reason, rain gardens are considered a highly effective solution for stormwater management. In some cases, we purposefully create an area surrounded by berms to serve as your rain garden. With a lot of hard clay in our region, we usually have to remove the native soil and replace it with loose topsoil or even rain-garden soil (if available). For more tips and information on rain gardens, visit https://www.mywatersheds.org/rain-garden-101.

Retaining Wall

Building retaining walls may be the more expensive route to solving drainage problems in your yard, but they offer long-lasting solutions that can provide multiple benefits. Retaining walls are useful on heavily sloped yards where erosion occurs or where there is improper grading. The addition of retaining walls will certainly add aesthetic interest to your property as well as create level areas either for playing or easier maintenance. Walls allow us to regrade areas of the yard for better drainage away from the house. We usually use either railroad ties, brick, cinder block, segmental block, or stone veneer. The type of wall we install will be determined by house style and budget. Oftentimes we can match the brick or veneer on your house to create a more consistent look. Many sloped properties in our area can benefit from the addition of retaining walls. Check out some retaining wall pictures in our Gallery page!

Trench Drain

Using a trench or channel drain is a good solution for drainage problems near patios and hardscapes. It can collect runoff on a patio, walkway, or driveway where the pitch runs towards the front stoop, steps, entryway, or porch of your home. This will catch the water before it goes towards the house, and a connected pipe will redirect the water elsewhere. Its long length and narrow width allow for collecting rainwater that is spread over a wide surface area. The water is then redirected, via underground pipes, off-site or into a rain garden. Trench drains have decorative grate covers and varying strengths for load-bearing capability, such as a driveway.

Dry Creek Bed

This is made by adding a swale or gully that follows the natural pitch of your property and covering it with decorative stones. We like to use a combination of 2"-4" and 4"-10" river rock with a few boulders. Adding plants along the creek bed can add natural appeal and help to soak up water. Generally, we make our dry creek beds about 3-4 feet wide and 18-24 inches deep with natural, meandering curves to give it a real-life stream look. Creating a dry creek bed not only is a clever and sustainable way to divert storm water, but also adds natural visual appeal with low maintenance to your property.

French Drain

This method is one of our most common types of drainage solutions that we install in Chattanooga. A lot of homeowners have issues of stormwater coming from neighboring lots. French drains are great at collecting surface water between lots or along the foundation of your house. It’s important that they are located along the low spot so that water naturally flows to it. Also important is that the pipe is open-ended at the lowest point (not buried underground) so that water can easily flow out. The pipe typically has a sheath on its outside to stop debris from entering and is buried in a trench surrounded by a bed of aggregate. We often connect nearby gutter downspouts to reduce the amount of stormwater around the house. Benefits of using a French drain system include being effective, inexpensive, and hidden underground.

Catch Basin

Catch basins are effective where water tends to pool in a smaller, more constrained area. Set in a low-lying place on your property, a catch basin has a top grate that catches water and a pipe that extends from it at a slope to divert the water. These are usually used in corners or under downspouts. Just like with the French drain, it is important the pipe underground has proper pitch and is open ended at the lowest point. Decorative rocks can be placed on top to help hide the grate and help with filtering out debris and mulch.

Downspout Extension

Must homeowners don’t realize how much water comes off their roofs. If the downspouts from your home’s gutters are causing water runoff issues, then we can extend them further out underground to get them away from the house. There must be enough slope from the downspout to the exit point, however. We usually use corrugated pipe, but in cases where there is not a lot of pitch, we can use pvc pipe. The smooth walls of pvc pipe allow the water to flow easier without as much pitch. Extending gutter downspouts can be used in conjunction with other drainage solutions, if needed, to divert water.

Other Ideas

Some other ways to help mitigate rainwater problems include rain barrels, mulch, new sod, sump pumps, and regrading areas of the yard.

The answer to storm water drainage issues may be one or a combination of several of these solutions. A landscape professional can help you determine what will work best for your property and implement it. If you feel your yard can may be in need of help, let Full Circle Land Design help you come up with an effective drainage plan for storm water management. Our experienced team can determine the best strategy and provide solutions that will not only be functional but attractive as well. Let us serve you in Chattanooga and these surrounding areas: Cleveland, Ooltewah, Apison, Harrison, Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain, East Brainerd, Hixson, Red Bank, and Soddy Daisy.

Full Circle Land Design also offers an array of services including custom patios, outdoor kitchens, landscape renovations, designs, artificial turf installation, and more. Call us at 423-385-4955 or fill out our convenient Contact Form today!