Yard water problem???

[EricS55902]

Hey all,

I bought a new construction home in 03 and the front yard has a slope down to the sidewalk. When I planted a tree in the front yard I found a lot of clay/gravel underneath the sod. Now, 6 years later I have mini 'rivers' that have cut paths into my front yard and they all seem to flow under one piece of the sidewalk in front of my house and have started to erode away underneath of it and it is starting to bow the sidewalk in.

My question, what is the best plan of attack for the front yard? I don't think it would be very beneficial to just bring in loose dirt to fill in the grooves that have formed because it will just erode away again? Was thinking of getting someone to scrape the lawn flat with a Bobcat to get rid of the grooves and then adding the dirt on top of that? Will aeration help so that the water seeps in rather than run down towards the sidewalk? Sorry so long and thatnks for any help!

[Quetico]

Ok this a problem that if I could see it, I could probably give you a book length answer to this problem. I'm great with drainage problems but its easiest to see them.

You need to start my locating the source for these rivers. You need to know where its coming from. Do all these river originate from the same relative source- your neighbors property, gutter downspouts, your driveway, other source of run off?

Go to the source and put in a rain garden. Its just one option. Do not allow anyone to tell you that rain gardens do not work in clay soil. I've spent my career working with rain gardens and have successfully put several hundred into slay soils.

Another option would a be a french drain or dry well system.

Basically you need to stop the water from flowing across your lawn. If you don't stop the flow, all other efforts will be wasted. Get the water in the ground and stop the flow.

No one post any response saying that you can't get the water into the ground due to the clay soil. Water will infiltrate clay soils, just at a slower rate.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Ok this a problem that if I could see it, I could probably give you a book length answer to this problem. I'm great with drainage problems but its easiest to see them.

You need to start my locating the source for these rivers. You need to know where its coming from. Do all these river originate from the same relative source- your neighbors property, gutter downspouts, your driveway, other source of run off?

Go to the source and put in a rain garden. Its just one option. Do not allow anyone to tell you that rain gardens do not work in clay soil. I've spent my career working with rain gardens and have successfully put several hundred into slay soils.

Another option would a be a french drain or dry well system.

Basically you need to stop the water from flowing across your lawn. If you don't stop the flow, all other efforts will be wasted. Get the water in the ground and stop the flow.

No one post any response saying that you can't get the water into the ground due to the clay soil. Water will infiltrate clay soils, just at a slower rate.

You can't get water into the ground due to the clay soil.

Anyways, Quetico is right. Without seeing the issue, any help will only be general. Find the source of the water and eliminate that. If it can't be eliminated, then it needs to be diverted.

How that's all done will solely depend on your property and your drainage pattern.