Drainage Problems Solved

Drainage problems are one of the top issues for Minneapolis & St. Paul homeowners. Proper drainage is key in preventing erosion, overly-wet spots in the yard, and damp basements. There are a number of ways to solve the problem. Whether you are looking for stormwater management solutions or simply want to keep the water away from the house, the following options should be included in a landscape design:

  • Grading. It’s important to start with a slope (or grade) directing water around or away from the house.
  • Gutters/Downspouts/Drain tile are essential. This drainage combination will direct water to a creek bed or rain garden. They are the next line of defense after grading.
  • Channel Drains for Patios, Pool Decks, and Driveways. These prevent water from puddling on hardscape surfaces.
  • Dry Creek Beds. Decorative and planted to make a colorful landscaping statement, dry creek beds serve a purpose and are not dry all the time. Basically a gully, they come in all shapes and sizes and carry stormwater in-between homes, around a house, to a garden, or to another body of water.

Don’t Wait.....Soggy spots in the yard, a wet basement, or erosion all indicate a drainage problem. Contact a landscape designer to assess the problem and present a solution.

Stone walkway and bridge over a landscape drainage creek

Dry creek bed handles drainage around the swimming pool.

up close view of permeable pavers

Permeable pavers keep your basement dry by allowing heavy rains to be absorbed by the ground, not your foundation.

Landscaping front entry gardens in Prior Lake landscape design

This garden drains into a retention swale where water can collect and soak into the ground instead of polluting the lake with fertilizer runoff.

drainage stripe along the property line

Drainage solution between neighbors.

new construction with a rain garden

Rain garden handles drainage from the roof.

permeable lake house drive way and sustainable garden plants

Permeable paver driveway keeps landscape runoff from draining into the lake.

backyard without grass has a dry creek bed to help manage landscape drainage

A dry creek bed keeps water from pooling in this backyard by allowing it to flow down hill.

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