This week’s rains provided a welcome quenching for our brittle, fire-ravaged land. For those with low depressions in their yards or poor soil conditions, this glorious rainfall can lead to flooding and damage to landscapes and house. The goal is to manage all that rain and make it work for your landscaping, not against it. The solution is a multi-faceted approach of soil conditioning, proper landscape design and preventative measures.
Clear your drains and gutters. Make sure the drains on your property are kept free of leaves and other debris. You can place wattles (those straw-filled netted “sausages”) around the drain to filter silt and debris. Cleared gutters will prevent backed up waterfalls from dumping onto your property.
Prevent soil erosion. A well-established landscape that is deeply mulched will protect and hold the soil. Likewise, one of the best long-term flood prevention measures is to build fertile, well-conditioned soil. Healthy soil will absorb water and recharge the water table better than nutrient-poor dirt.
Design yards to redirect and absorb rain. Proper yard grading, and building swales/berms and catchment ponds are all attractive ways to direct the rain to help recharge the water table and prevent flooding.
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Dig Deeper:
For more tips on preventing backyard flooding, click here.
It’s always good to be prepared, so check out Sunset Magazine’s article, 15 Ways to Prepare Your Yard for El Niño.
If you want to transform your flood-prone yard into a beautiful rainwater harvesting landscape, we can design and build a plan that fits your space and budget. Call us at 707-789-9786.
