My back yard stinks

[motoman]

Subscribing. I'm having a similar problem with my backyard retaining water. My guess is there's no drainage in the ground at all.

[black2002ls]

Subscribing. I'm having a similar problem with my backyard retaining water. My guess is there's no drainage in the ground at all.

First thing to do is identify high spots. If you are in a subdivision, the lot should have had an established drainage plan, it only takes a small high spot to creat a lot of standing water.

Just talked to my grade contractor. They will be out April 18th to re establish my grade/drainage. Then it is silt fence and curlex to create an area for the dogs until i get some grass established. I may go ahead and put up the fence and start killing the weeds on the biggest portion of the yard

[lincolnboy]

I thought about puting in catch basins and running it all to the right side beyond the fence, but in reality, the cost doesn't compare to regrading. I can get it done for a couple hundred dollars at most, and there should be enough dirt to move around that I won't need more than a load of top soil, if that. There is abou 95% weeds and 5% grass back there. So starting over wont hurt! Hopefully I can get a hold of my grade contractor today and get on his schedule in a week or two. As long as we don't get anymore heavy rain, It should dry up enough to get a tractor on it

Unless you have bad top soil now you shouldn't need to buy topsoil. Just scrape some off the top before regrading.

[lincolnboy]

Could also look into underdrain for varias location in the backyard. Help relief the water underground to let the top soak in.

[black2002ls]

Unless you have bad top soil now you shouldn't need to buy topsoil. Just scrape some off the top before regrading.

The top soil would be to raise the overall elevation of the grade. I feel like there is enough dirt to move around to level everything out, but there are quite a few low spots.

[lincolnboy]

Too bad you didnt need dirt i need some hauled off.

[matts5.0]

Who ever graded your lot sucks.

[black2002ls]

Who ever graded your lot sucks.

The house is 20 years old. Over time, trees have matured and moved dirt around, new side walk installed along the fence on the left aide of the home (I believe this is to blame for part of the problem). Couple that with 20 years of rain water witjout gutters eroding the lot and home owners/tennants who don't understand drainage (big planter constructed in left rear corner), it makes it hard to blame the original grade!

[lincolnboy]

Wonder if it just hard compact dirt that wont allow it water to drain thru the ground too.

[matts5.0]

The house is 20 years old. Over time, trees have matured and moved dirt around, new side walk installed along the fence on the left aide of the home (I believe this is to blame for part of the problem). Couple that with 20 years of rain water witjout gutters eroding the lot and home owners/tennants who don't understand drainage (big planter constructed in left rear corner), it makes it hard to blame the original grade!

Didn't take into account 20 plus years.. But I'd move the dirt from the side walk side I bet that cures the bulk of the problem.

[black2002ls]

Wonder if it just hard compact dirt that wont allow it water to drain thru the ground too.

This is quite possible. The lady i talked to about the soil said this very thing.

Didn't take into account 20 plus years.. But I'd move the dirt from the side walk side I bet that cures the bulk of the problem.

I have no doubt that is the case! I started digging it out by hand but gave up. I was ~6" below the bottom of the fence and got one section done. I realzed I was going to have to move a shit ton of dirt and said screw it! Once that area is knocked down it will allow about 1/2 to 2/3 of the yard to drain. There would still be a couple of low spots, but it would be better. The right side is a whole other issue! Most of that water is in the neighbors yard, then between the houses in the "front" yard, there are a couple of large tree roots damming up water. The front yard on the left side has a few low spots and the the left side between the house and sidewalk stays pretty soggy.

I am hoping my gutter guy can get me fixed up in time to run the gutter drains before they grade it.

[lincolnboy]

Then it be almost good to scrap 4-6 of the top soil and then excavate the sublayer of soil and throw it out and replace the top soil and and more top soil.

[black2002ls]

Then it be almost good to scrap 4-6 of the top soil and then excavate the sublayer of soil and throw it out and replace the top soil and and more top soil.

Yeah.....I'm not that worried about it! Get the yard graded so the water drains off and it will be fine

[lincolnboy]

You plan on doing one grade from your house to the back fence.

[black2002ls]

You plan on doing one grade from your house to the back fence.

It will need to carry the water to the left and back away from the house. Directing it to the rear fence will put more water on the neighbor behind us' back yard. Thus causing them issues and most likely increasing the mosquito problem