By: Wesley Sexton, Client Relations Manager
Eco-friendly Yard Drainage Solutions
Water is an essential part of our lives and of the landscapes in which we live, and the sky generously offers it free of charge.
Serious problems can arise, however, from large rain events that cause water to pool or run undesirably in your yard or garden.
The Cincinnati area usually sees around 44 inches of rain each year, as well as an additional 15 inches of snow, so planning for water’s passage through your landscape is an absolute necessity.
Photo credit: Theo Crazzolara
Standing water, in addition to being unsightly and limiting access to parts of your landscape, can be detrimental to plant and wildlife health. What’s more, if water pools for more than 36 hours following a rain event, your yard will quickly become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other unwanted pests.
Unplanned-for water runoff can present other problems as well, including erosion, pollution of local waterways, basement flooding, and even structural damage to a home or building.
While we cannot control when it rains or how much, there are a number of ecological solutions to the various problems posed by water.
Our Land Organics regularly designs and installs rain gardens, dry creeks, bioswales, and permeable hardscapes to successfully manage the collection and flow of water through a home or garden.
While the best solutions to water management problems are always site-specific, learning how to control the movement of water through your landscape will enable you to enjoy your landscape in all seasons.
Photo credit: Nic McPhee
Where Do Yard Drainage Problems Begin?
In natural, undisturbed landscapes, Mother Nature employs several innovative techniques to aid rainwater in its voyage through the water cycle.
When rain falls in the woods or in some other wild environment, at least 50% of that water is infiltrated into the ground with the help of naturally occurring soil microorganisms and water-tolerant plants.
Much of what does not enter the soil immediately evaporates, and what remains is often temporarily stored in areas like bogs and wetlands until it can be infiltrated into the ground.
In our modern, intricately built worlds, however, water often has a long way to travel before it comes into contact with any soil whatsoever. Due to the extent to which we have surrounded ourselves with non-permeable surfaces like asphalt, concrete, and glass, water that might otherwise have filtrated into the ground now runs across our built surfaces (carrying along with it any pollutants such as gasoline, fertilizer, pesticides, or pet waste).
Compared to the 50% water infiltration rate that occurs in natural areas, the rate of water infiltration is often closer to 10% in urban environments. This means higher volumes of water are forced into runoff situations, which can result in temporary flooding and erosion where water runoff is most severe.
In the Greater Cincinnati area specifically, the problem of runoff is often accentuated by naturally occurring slopes and hills.
An Our Land Organics landscape design that successfully manages drainage using native plants
A Way Forward with Water Management
The good news is that an ecological approach to landscape design and management offers many good solutions to the issue of water runoff.
At a municipal level, for example, many American cities are investing in green infrastructure to replace older drainage systems that pipe runoff to water treatment facilities (see examples of that here!).
On the scale of individual homeowners, an ecological approach to water management offers multiple non-invasive ways to keep your landscape functional, accessible, and beautiful, no matter the weather.
If you are experiencing unwanted water pooling or running in your yard or garden, consider some of these nature-inspired strategies in your planning and remodeling.
Freshly seeded beds just watered. Chlorine-free rain water allows soil life to thrive.
Strategy #1: Rainwater Collection
Because our modern building practices force more and more rainwater into runoff situations, any drop of water we can collect off our impervious surfaces will further our cause.
Rain barrels are a simple and cost-effective way to manage water runoff from a roof or other built structure. The water collected, while not recommended for drinking, can be used to water ornamental plants, vegetable gardens or can be released gradually between rain events.
Also, strategically positioned and installed rain gardens can store water runoff temporarily until it can be filtered into the ground (more on rain gardens later!).
Crushed limestone pathways are a great alternative to impermeable walkway surfaces
Strategy #2: Permeable Surfaces
Whether this means replacing existing hardscape surfaces or designing new ones, incorporating permeable surfaces into your landscape will help rain naturally move through the water cycle and reduce runoff.
There are any number of good options for permeable hardscape surfaces, such as pavers, gravel, or crushed limestone. We use all three in our landscape designs and installations depending on he site in question.
Joe Pye Weed in its full glory, ready to absorb water run off
Strategy #3: Lawn Alternatives
While lawns are a staple of the American landscape, grass can be finicky to maintain and is not particularly well suited to wet conditions.
Increasing biodiversity in your landscape can help you manage excess water runoff while benefiting native pollinators and insects. Meadows and prairies are excellent ways to encourage water filtration into the ground.
This rain garden is capturing 1000’s of sq. ft. of surface run off from across this lawn. This was the lowest point in the front yard and therefore constantly saturated and un-mowable.
Strategy #4: Rain Gardens
Like a bog or wetland area, a rain garden mimics nature’s way of handling excess water runoff by temporarily holding it.
At Our Land Organics, we ensure that rain gardens can successfully manage the excess water runoff we send toward them by creating a nutrient-rich environment with compost and hand-selecting water-tolerant plants.
If installed properly, a rain garden can quickly process unwanted run off from driveways, parking lots, patios, and roofs. For a deep dive into rain gardens, see our blog post on the subject.
This dry creek directs flow from a downspout and is buffered by moisture loving goldenrod.
Strategy #5: Bioswales & Dry Creeks
Where collection or dispersal is not possible, controlling the flow of water runoff using bioswales and dry creeks presents a cost-effective and non-invasive option.
A bioswale is structurally similar to a berm, which is used to control the flow of water, except that in a bioswale the elevated areas are planted with water-tolerant plants to increase water absorption.
Both bioswales and dry creeks offer ecologically friendly ways of deliberately dispersing water throughout a landscape. Whether you simply want to direct water away from your home or send it into a rain garden or stream, bioswales and dry creeks can help.
Rain garden design from Our Land Organics