Ways To Prevent Flood Damage Due To Yard Drainage Problems

One of the facts of life about making a home in the San Antonio area is that the summers can be brutally hot and dry. Then, when rain finally does come, it pours so hard that we expect to see a guy float past us in an ark, with a bunch of animals onboard. Flash flooding is definitely something we deal with on a regular basis. Understanding what causes it can help homeowners to avoid yard drainage problems and water-related property damage. So here’s a brief look at the factors that make flash floods occur.

Too Much, Too Fast

Flash flooding results from rain falling heavily on soil that is either already saturated or is poorly suited to absorbing moisture. The water stays on the surface, where it follows the contour of the land, running downhill into low-lying areas. It happens most often in regions like south Texas, which usually receive little or no precipitation.

Another type of flooding occurs when rivers and streams overrun their banks. This is a particular problem for persons who live near such bodies of water. Poor landscaping, absence of retaining walls, and other examples of inadequate preparation for such events inevitably lead to property damage and sometimes loss of life.

Hurricanes and tropical storms are major causal factors in both types of flooding. Every year in Texas, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent rebuilding and recovering from floods. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize or even avoid the effects of such disasters.

• Retaining Walls and Drains

Levees, drains, and reservoirs combat flooding in two ways: by preventing water from reaching sensitive areas and by channeling it into dry lakes and streambeds. Here at Ultimate Construction, we’re experts at building structures like these. With our help, you can have a system in place to direct floods away from your home and outbuildings, keeping you from having to face insurance hassles, high repair bills, or even homelessness.

• Landscape Grading

Water always seeks the lowest point on a piece of land. A properly contoured yard or building site can turn away floods by placing houses and other structures on high ground. Even grazing pastures for livestock can benefit from the formation of ridges and small hills to deter runoff from heavy rains. Let us come out and survey your property for yard drainage problems. We’ll be happy to identify which spots can benefit from landscape grading.

• Grass and Other Plants

Bare soil is a flood’s best friend. It erodes quickly, forming gulleys and trenches for water to follow. The result is ugly, scarred patches of land that turn into oceans whenever it rains. The obvious solution is to plant hardy forms of grass, such as Zoysia, Buffalo, or St. Augustine. Their strong root structure binds dirt together, making it shrug off the effects of precipitation.

However, for planting to be successful, the land must be properly prepared. At Ultimate Construction, we specialize in the types of preparation needed to ensure that grass seeds gain a strong foothold in the dirt, so they grow quickly and form a protective shield between your land and floodwaters.

We’ll be happy to give you a friendly, no-obligation free estimate before we do any work.

Our Other Services

We can also perform a number of other projects for you, including building demolition, gravel road construction, and all types of bobcat work. We’ve been in business for over 20 years and have hundreds of loyal, satisfied customers who can attest to the quality and care we exercise with each job. Browse the rest of our site and give us a call if we can help you in any way.