Yard Grading
Today we are going to talk about yard grading in a residential setting. If heavy rains or snowmelt leave pooling water behind, grading is a good way to get rid of that pesky mess once and for all. In the past I have talked to all kinds of people about yard grading. Some want to keep their pets from making a muddy mess or the kids from playing in a soggy area of the yard. In the worst cases, they want to repair large areas of dead grass that have resulted from the ponding effect after a rain event.
Grading your yard will allow water to flow across the surface to a more desirable area and prevent these scenarios from happening when done properly. Professional help is a major plus factor since most contractors have better tools than the average homeowner for measuring and creating the optimum slope and for moving large amounts of materials.
A brief overview of what yard grading entails:
- All vegetation will be removed in area, in some cases even trees
- Topsoil is removed (organic soils hold onto moisture)
- Area will either be cut down or filled in with clean fill material
- Compaction of fill material to prevent unwanted settling
- Irrigation systems will be addressed during the grading process, either raised or lowered
If there are any structures that would obstruct grading, such as sidewalks, driveways, and property lines, we would most likely look into underground drainage with catch basins.
Grading is an excellent way to get rid of pooling water that it is caused by rain events or snowmelt, but may not correct pooling water that is the result of an active water table.
Please let us know if you have any questions about how grading can eliminate pooling water in your yard.
