There’s no doubt we’ve had a very wet start to 2022. In fact, so far, the Coffs Coast has been constantly drenched with hundreds of millimetres of rain. Well, the farmers like it, and the ducks are loving it! But what about your yard? Most yards can stand a certain amount of rain, and the excess will steadily drain away. But eventually, the ground becomes waterlogged. Consequently, wet and soggy areas will start to appear and hang around for days or weeks. Trouble is, the grass will die if underwater for too long, you can’t mow the wet areas, and it’s basically unusable. Therefore, it’s time to look at a drainage solution. So, with the wet weather likely to continue, here are a few good drainage solution ideas for you to consider.
Quick Drainage Solution – Extend the Downpipes
Some properties have gutter downpipes that drain directly onto the ground. These can cause water to build up in puddles around the house. If this happens, buy an angle joint and some additional pipe to extend the water exit point away from the house. Also, if possible, direct it towards an area sloping away from home.
Underground Drainage Pipe
Once you’ve identified the wet areas of your yard, consider digging in an underground pipe to drain the water to a lower point where it can safely dissipate. So, you’ll need to create a gently sloping trench from the inlet to the outlet. A grade of around 3mm per 300mm is adequate. Next, connect a plastic catch basin at the inlet to the PVC drain pipe in the trench.
Alternatively, install a French drain. A French drain can be used as above; the difference is that the pipe is perforated along its length. This allows the water to drain over a larger area underground. Plus, you’ll need to fill around the pipe with gravel to keep it working correctly. French drains are often used when building retaining walls.
Natural-looking drainage solutions
If you get a fair bit of water flowing over your yard or making a large wet area, consider creating a creek bed. First, dig a wide trench from the high to low flow points. Next, fill the bottom with stones, pebbles and gravel. Finally, use larger rocks for the edges and put some bedding plants in. Creek beds are an effective way to move excess water, plus they look good even when there’s little or no flow.
On the other hand, why not take advantage of the wet area and create a rain garden? First, create a border around the area and then plant it with water-loving plants. It’ll look good, and the plants will help soak up any further excess water.
