MAJOR Flooding

soopa1 · 08-20-2009, 02:07 PM

I have a serious problem in my back yard. The builders who built my neighborhood a few years back built my house lower than the ones behind me.They are basically on a hill, and I'm at the bottom of it. What that means is that when it rains the runoff from 3 houses converge in my back yard and totally floods it. The builder "fixed" the issue when my house was under warranty 2 summers ago, but this year is the first year that we have had significant rain since then. Any advice? Do I have any legal options, or do i just have to deal with it. I attached a picture.

soopa1 · 08-20-2009, 02:14 PM

I posted the wrong picture. That picture was from 2 summers ago. Since then I have added pine straw and river rock( which gets washed away) This is a current picture

jomama45 · 08-20-2009, 06:54 PM

IMO, that is completely unacceptable on so many different levels.

I would try dealing with the builder again (if I was the builder & saw those pictures, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night) or go straight to your municipality to see if they can help resolve this.

Good Luck with this, I don't think ANYONE should have to put up with this for a few years.

Scuba_Dave · 08-20-2009, 07:40 PM

What did the builder do to fix it?
Can you dig behind the wall & put in a drainage pipe that will lead off to the right (or left) to a lower area?

Can you do the same at the top of the hill by the fence?

soopa1 · 08-20-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba_Dave

What did the builder do to fix it?
Can you dig behind the wall & put in a drainage pipe that will lead off to the right (or left) to a lower area?

Can you do the same at the top of the hill by the fence?

Well to answer both of your questions, right where the rocks meet in he middle ( you know where ALL the water is running off the wall) there is a 12x 12 catch basin with pipe that drains into my cul de sac. Which in itself may be some sort of violation. As you can see by the pciure that doesnt help

handy man88 · 08-20-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soopa1

Well to answer both of your questions, right where the rocks meet in he middle ( you know where ALL the water is running off the wall) there is a 12x 12 catch basin with pipe that drains into my cul de sac. Which in itself may be some sort of violation. As you can see by the pciure that doesnt help

With that amount of water, a 12x12 catch basin will not cut it.

That amount of water coming from 3 homes requires a storm water drain that drains directly into the sewer system, not over grass.

How close does that water come to the house, and has it come into the house?

soopa1 · 08-21-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handy man88

With that amount of water, a 12x12 catch basin will not cut it.

That amount of water coming from 3 homes requires a storm water drain that drains directly into the sewer system, not over grass.

How close does that water come to the house, and has it come into the house?

*sigh* It comes right up to my concrete slab/patio and pools up there. This is how it goes..

1. Picture 1 flows to...
2. My slabio where it pools and then...
3. Flows under my fence (picture 2) then..
4. Flows though my front yard out into the cul de sac (picture 3)

Gotta love that NC red clay!

handy man88 · 08-21-2009, 02:16 AM

Looks to me like it's following its natural swale based on the grade of the turf.

The width of that runoff is wide...much more than a single 12x12 can handle.

The lowest cost option is to regrade and to create a dry creek river bed.

Don't let the water pool around the slab b/c it could wash out the dirt below the slab and jeopardize the slab's integrity.

On the first picture that you posted that shows the fence on the top edge of your backyard, that soil will need to be somehow secured such that there is no mudslide which would cause that fence to collapse. I think you may need a tiered retaining wall.

Are you in the midwest which received a ton of rain and tornadoes recently?

Do you get snow? If so, be aware of snow/ice damning during deep snows followed by melting.

soopa1 · 08-21-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handy man88

Looks to me like it's following its natural swale based on the grade of the turf.

The width of that runoff is wide...much more than a single 12x12 can handle.

The lowest cost option is to regrade and to create a dry creek river bed.

Don't let the water pool around the slab b/c it could wash out the dirt below the slab and jeopardize the slab's integrity.

On the first picture that you posted that shows the fence on the top edge of your backyard, that soil will need to be somehow secured such that there is no mudslide which would cause that fence to collapse. I think you may need a tiered retaining wall.

Are you in the midwest which received a ton of rain and tornadoes recently?

Do you get snow? If so, be aware of snow/ice damning during deep snows followed by melting.

I tried the dry creek bed. Maybe I need bigger rocks, because the water just blows them away. I live in NC.

Bondo · 08-21-2009, 07:50 PM

Ayuh,... Unfortunately,...
The Only way to fix That is on the Other side of the fence in the 1st picture....

A Dam maybe,...

Daniel Holzman · 08-21-2009, 09:25 PM

This is a DIY site, not a legal advice site. You should consult an attorney if you feel that you may have legal recourse against the builder.

As for the drainage, you should consult a registered professional engineer in your state with drainage expertise. Judging from the volume of water, you are going to need a serious drainage system, not something that can be designed by a DIY group over the internet.

handy man88 · 08-21-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soopa1

I tried the dry creek bed. Maybe I need bigger rocks, because the water just blows them away. I live in NC.

Make sure you dig a trench for the swale, lay down lawn fabric, and then put rocks on top of that.

handy man88 · 08-21-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soopa1

I tried the dry creek bed. Maybe I need bigger rocks, because the water just blows them away. I live in NC.

You should probably investigate and talk to neighbors up the hill to see how the water is coming off their roofs and whether they are directing water right at you.

soopa1 · 08-22-2009, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Holzman

As for the drainage, you should consult a registered professional engineer..

Ironically, hidden between snarky remarks, you gave maybe one of the most helpful tips. Thanks man!

soopa1 · 08-22-2009, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handy man88

Make sure you dig a trench for the swale, lay down lawn fabric, and then put rocks on top of that.

Yeah, I did all of that. Maybe I'll mortar them down, and try bigger rocks.