Why is My Yard Flooding? Top 3 Water Drainage Solutions for Auburn, WA Properties

The Pacific Northwest Drainage Challenge

Living in Auburn, you love the lush greenery, but you know that beautiful landscape comes with a price: rain. When the ground stays saturated, water can quickly shift from a nuisance to a major threat, causing dead spots in your lawn, attracting mosquitoes, and—most critically—damaging your home's foundation.

Dealing with standing water requires a professional diagnosis. As local experts in both landscaping and construction, ALM is equipped to handle both the visible and invisible causes of poor drainage.

Here are the top three professional solutions we use to solve the most common drainage problems in King and Pierce County properties:

Solution 1: Surface Drainage Correction via Regrading

The most fundamental issue is often the simplest: improper grading. Over time, soil settles, heavy rain erodes material, and minor construction projects can inadvertently create a negative slope that directs water toward your home.

What is Regrading?

Regrading involves reshaping the soil around your house to establish a positive slope that pushes water away from the foundation.

• The Goal: A minimum slope of 6 inches over the first 10 feet extending from the foundation (approximately a 5% grade).
• The Process: We bring in dense, compactable fill dirt (not just topsoil) and carefully sculpt the yard using professional equipment to ensure the slope is gradual and consistent. We also ensure that the final grade leaves a sufficient gap between the soil line and your siding.
• Best for: Addressing water pooling immediately against the house, which is the biggest threat to your foundation and crawl space.

Solution 2: Subsurface Drainage with French Drains

If the water is coming down a slope and pooling in the middle or bottom of your yard, or if your soil simply refuses to absorb water quickly (a common issue with heavy clay soils), a subsurface solution is required. The French drain is the gold standard.

How a French Drain Works

A French drain intercepts subterranean water or heavy surface runoff before it reaches a critical area and channels it harmlessly away.

1. The Trench: A graded trench is dug from the problem area to a safe discharge point (like a storm drain or a dry well).
2. The Pipe: A perforated pipe is laid at the base of the trench, wrapped in a filter fabric to prevent clogging.
3. The Gravel: The pipe is covered with crushed stone or gravel.
4. The Magic: Water sinks rapidly through the porous gravel, is collected by the perforated pipe, and is then channeled away via gravity.

• Cost Insight (Seattle Area): Exterior French drains typically range from $10 to $35 per linear foot installed, depending on depth, soil type, and complexity. This is a vital investment to prevent thousands in water damage repairs.
• Best for: Wet basements, perpetually squishy lawns, and redirecting runoff from large upper areas of your property.

Solution 3: Managing Roof Water with Downspout Extensions & Catch Basins

Your roof sheds a huge volume of water during a King County rainstorm. If your downspouts simply dump that water next to your foundation, you are actively eroding your grade and overwhelming your soil.

The Solution: Going Underground

1. Underground Extensions: We connect your existing downspouts to sealed PVC pipes buried a few inches below ground.
2. Redirecting Flow: These pipes are routed to discharge water safely at a designated location, often 10–20 feet away from the house or connected directly to a network of catch basins.
3. Catch Basins: A catch basin is essentially a box installed at ground level with a grate over the top. It intercepts concentrated surface flow (like water from a driveway or concrete patio) and channels it into the underground piping system.

• Best for: Preventing erosion, protecting newly installed landscaping, and reducing the total volume of water saturating the soil nearest to your home's structure.

The ALM Advantage: Construction Expertise Meets Landscaping

Fixing a drainage issue is not a cosmetic project, it’s a construction project. It requires excavation, proper grading knowledge, and an understanding of pipe systems.

At ALM Landscape & Construction, we provide a unified service:

• Comprehensive Diagnosis: We assess your entire property, not just the wet spot, to find the true source of the water problem.
• Precision Execution: We use the right heavy equipment to execute grading and trenching accurately and efficiently.
• Restoration: Once the drainage system is installed, we meticulously restore your yard, leaving you with a beautiful, functional, and dry outdoor space.

Don't let standing water threaten your biggest investment. If you see pooling water near your foundation in Auburn, WA, the time to act is now.

📞 Call ALM Landscape & Construction LLC today at (253) 388-4713 for a professional drainage assessment and a free estimate.