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After particularly ferocious weather conditions, water and debris may run down any sloping landscapes to infiltrate your lawn, damaging the health and appearance of your outdoor space. This can become a troublesome issue for any homeowner, and may become exacerbated if the runoff is sourced from someone else’s sloping land. To prevent runoff from ruining your lawn, follow these five easy methods and safeguard the longevity of your outdoor space.
How To Stop Runoff Ruining Your Lawn
Build a Berm
Through constructing a small hill and covering the hill with either plants or grass, a diversion is created which ensures that the runoff will flow in the direction desired and away from the lawn which you are aiming to protect. Of course, this method requires the runoff to be transported into a different direction and not to be banished from existence; a suitable alternative route is therefore required.
If adopting this method, you can choose to either install plants or grass into the small hill, depending upon your preference. Plants may be an easier option to maintain as the berm can grow into the landscape. Alternatively, grass will have to be mowed and the length of the grass blades may provide differing results. Whichever choice you make, building a berm is a relatively easy way to stop runoff from ruining your lawn and will not destroy the appearance of your outdoor space.
Dry Well
To stop runoff from ruining your lawn, you could create a dry well which routes water effectively and prevents the water from running down to your lawn. To create a dry well, choose a spot which is usually dry yet when it is raining attracts a good deal of downfall. Dig deep into the ground and install a layer of geotextile fabric that will absorb the water and percolate through to the soil.
A consideration to make if you are considering installing a dry well, however, is to ensure that the location of the dry well is safe and is located away from children and pets. Precautions could be made to prevent anyone or anything from getting trapped in the dry well, such as using a layer of mesh over the top of the hole.
Intercepting the Water
It is possible to intercept the water to prevent runoff from ruining your lawn, creating a shallow ditch that possesses gradually sloping sides. The sloping sides will pull the water and debris down into the shallow ditch and away from the lawn. Alternatively, a French drain could be used which involves creating a shallow ditch that contains a perforated pipe at the base. The ditch is then compacted with gravel which prevents debris from traveling with the water.
Impermeable Surface Replacement
Replacing some surfaces can be a good choice for some homeowners to prevent runoff ruining your lawn. However, this is an expensive choice, although it can be an infallible solution to the problem. The perfect choice would be to replace a surface such as concrete with a choice of gravel or pavers to allow water to be absorbed into the surface, eliminating the chance of runoff penetrating your lawn area.
Grade Board Surfaces
If the runoff which you are experiencing is attracted to your house, your patio, or your shed, then a grade board surface may be a perfect choice. An excavator will probably be required to complete this task and so could become an expensive choice in preventing runoff from entering an undesirable location. However, utilizing a grade board surface is a good choice for preventing situations such as a flooded basement or under space.
