| In Houston, yard drainage issues are very serious due | | | | Gutter downspout tie-ins. Downspout tie-ins are |
| to our flat topography, dense clay soils, and heavy | | | | designed to take water from the gutters to the |
| forested lots compacted by years of construction | | | | landscape drainage system. These tie-ins are made of |
| that have increased impervious surfaces. These | | | | plastic, metal or brass and sometimes have a side |
| factors have caused more streets and homes to | | | | cleanout with a see-through grate so they can be |
| become flooded during the heaviest rainfalls. | | | | easily inspected for clogs. |
| Consequently, local ordinances are beginning to follow | | | | Yard Drainage: Affect on the Landscape |
| the model used by the Memorial Villages that require | | | | Yard drainage impacts residential landscape |
| minimum pipe sizes, flow rates, temporary drainage | | | | maintenance in several ways. Since it drains water |
| systems, engineered drainage plans, calculations, | | | | from low-lying areas, it prevents standing water that |
| topographic maps, and as/built plans. | | | | can cause slippery surfaces, mosquito breeding |
| Within those broad strokes, a well-designed yard | | | | grounds and drowned landscaping. A proper landscape |
| drainage system provides proper grading, which | | | | drainage system is essential for proper lawn |
| creates positive drainage away from structures. It | | | | maintenance as it moves water off of your property |
| also takes into account adjacent properties and being | | | | in a timely manner, thus encouraging healthy grass |
| careful not to drain onto them. Another aspect | | | | and allowing your maintenance crew to perform their |
| involves identifying and addressing existing problems | | | | regular lawn service duties. |
| such as poorly-placed downspouts, naturally-occurring | | | | Drainage systems and irrigation systems can work in |
| low areas or an addition to the house that creates | | | | concert with each other. Professional landscape |
| dams and changes the originally-intended water flow. | | | | designers or landscape architects have the ability to |
| Yard Drainage: Parts and Pieces | | | | develop a whole-system approach so that the nuts |
| Catch basins, or yard drains. Catch basins can be | | | | and bolts of both systems are hidden as much as |
| placed under downspouts when it is undesirable or | | | | possible. Custom decorative drain gates can be used |
| not possible to tie into the gutter. They tie into a | | | | to reduce the negative visual impact of your patio |
| PVC main drain line instead and carry water out | | | | design. The design and location of the two systems |
| through the landscape drainage system. Catch basins | | | | should be seamless with the rest of the landscape |
| are usually a plastic or concrete box that uses a | | | | design. |
| plastic or metal drain grate cover to filter out leaves | | | | When installing a yard drainage system, it is |
| and other waste debris. | | | | recommended to hand-dig trenches around trees to |
| Channel drains. These long narrow strip drains are | | | | minimize damage to them. It is best to tunnel under |
| used between main structures and paving or at the | | | | tree roots by using compressed air. This tree |
| edge of a patio or deck. | | | | preservation method exposes tree roots so they are |
| Deck drains. Deck drains are installed in patios, | | | | not torn. Alternately, pressurized water can be used |
| decks and walkways so that water is either sloped | | | | to dig deep trenches and expose roots, which also |
| toward drains or drained into the landscape beds. | | | | minimizes damage. |
| They have special drain covers, usually decorative, | | | | "If drainage contractors embark on a storm drainage |
| made of metal, brass or stone. Deck drains are | | | | project without a thorough understanding of all these |
| smaller in size than catch basins and are only intended | | | | demands-at the city or county level, the |
| to drain patio surface areas. | | | | neighborhood level and the ground level-homeowners |
| French drainage. Designed to take water away | | | | may find themselves in the middle of a big, |
| from saturated soil, French drains are small ditches | | | | expensive mess," says Jeff Halper, landscape design |
| that are filled with undersized rocks or gravel. | | | | specialist with Exterior Worlds. |