Building a Gravity-Fed Trench to Redirect Yard Water

When rainwater pools in a yard, it can wash out beds, put a home's foundation at risk and turn the grounds into a muddy mess. A hand-dug drainage trench gives that water a route to follow, solving the problem of water that sits or gathers. For the water to move well, the trench should run downhill or on a gradient so gravity carries the runoff off the property. The channel's bed can be filled with gravel or stone, or it can be covered with grass if the owner prefers to hide it.

Clearing the Route

Step 1

Strip grass, plants and other growth from the line the trench will take. A shovel works for scraping the surface, while a hoe is useful for stubborn, deep-rooted grass and plants.

Step 2

Excavate the trench with the shovel. As soil comes out, dump it into the wheelbarrow and keep it rather than throwing it away. At the trench's highest end it should measure 1 foot wide and begin at a depth of 1 foot. Continue digging so the trench descends gradually, and keep that downward pitch along its length so water drains correctly.

Step 3

Place large stones or coarse gravel along the bottom of the trench. If gravel is used, choose pieces heavy enough that flowing water cannot shift them and clog the channel. The stone layer keeps water from scouring the trench floor and making it wider or deeper.

Hiding the Trench Under Turf

Step 1

Spread a thin, even sheet of landscape fabric over the stone or gravel bed. This is only needed when grass will be planted on top to conceal the trench.

Step 2

Put down a 1-inch layer of soil on top of the fabric. Fresh potting soil works, or the soil dug out of the trench can be reused.

Step 3

Scatter grass seed over the soil and water it. Grass will spread across the trench. The channel keeps its pitch and slope, so water still flows away from the yard and house, while the trench becomes less noticeable in the lawn.