10041 Polk Street NE Minneapolis, MN 55434

Outdoor Drainage Project Example

Drain Tile and Underground Down Spouts to Fix Wet & Soggy Side Yard Lawn in Edina

Examples of KG Landscape's Drainage Repair Work - Before, During & After Pictures of a Side Yard Drainage Solution

Before picture showing a clogged channel drain in driveway

The Outdoor Drainage Problems and Symptoms

The Drainage Problem: The Side yard stayed very wet, making it mushy and difficult to mow without leaving muddy tracks

This customer had a relatively flat side yard with clay soils that easily became soggy and difficult to mow even weeks after rain events or running the irrigation system, due to the soil’s poor drainage properties. Clay soil has tiny, compact particles that retain water, preventing it from absorbing deeper into the soil profile and dispersing efficiently. When rainwater or runoff accumulates, it saturates the ground, creating standing water or muddy conditions that linger for days.

Since this customers side yard did not have enough slope built in, there was not enough pitch in the lawn to help water drain away without the majority of water soaking into the top layer of clay, worsening the problem.

As a result, the soil remains soft and sticky, making it difficult for lawnmowers to maneuver without sinking or causing ruts. Over time, constant moisture can lead to thinning grass, weed growth, and an overall messy, unmanageable yard.

Evaluating Options & Providing Drainage Improvement Recommendations

During KG’s on-site drainage consultation with this customer, we took yard elevation measurements in the side yard to determine if there was enough slope from the backside of the house to the street, to regrade the swale and speed up the flow of drainage. We determined that the swale was already graded as well as it could be, given the limited elevation change available to work with.

There was just not enough slope to effectively solve the issue with grading alone, because the drainage swale was so slight (there so little slope in the swale from end to end) that too much water was soaking into the clay soil while water slowly ran through the existing swale.

As a result, we determined the best course of action was to use landscaping drain tile below the lawn in the side yard to allow water that soaks in along the length of the swale, to then drain out of soil within the problem area and then run underground via that drain pipe toward the street, where it could exist the drain tile via a pop-up an outlet drain in the lawn near the curb line.

We also decided that the down spouts draining into this section of side yard should be tied into this primary drain tile. A large section of the house and most of the garage roof sections were emptying into the side yard lawn space, which was certainly contributing to the soggy lawn problem in this area. Our solution, allows all of the water from those sections of roof to now run underground and into the drain tile, meaning that water will no longer contribute to the wetness in the side yard lawn spaces.

If your interested in learning more, check out our outdoor drainage webpage to learn more about all of the drainage solutions we offer.

More Information on Underground Downspouts and Drain Tile Solutions

Underground downspouts and drain tile in the lawn can work together to help dry out a wet clay yards by efficiently directing excess water away from the area and giving that water somewhere else to go. Underground downspouts extend the discharge from gutters away from the foundation and diverting around/below problem spots, preventing roof runoff from pooling in the yard and adding to the wetness in those spaces.

Meanwhile, an underground drain tile system, consisting of perforated piping collects and redirects excess groundwater that would otherwise saturate the clay soil. Since clay retains moisture and drains poorly, these systems help prevent standing water by guiding it to a more suitable drainage outlet, such as a dry well, storm drain, near the street or to a lower part of the property. By reducing surface water accumulation and improving drainage, the yard becomes drier, making it easier to maintain and mow while preventing erosion, muddy spots, and foundation issues.