Downtown drainage project

Talk about a fixer-upper! This customer's house was built in 1911, not longer after statehood.  It is located just a few blocks from the capital building and is in a very historic neighborhood.

The problem this family was having is that their yard was a little bit higher than their their driveway and water running through their downspouts dumps right on their drive.  As you might expect, this is a recipe for trouble.

Here is a shot of the really cool house.  They've done a great job fixing it up and making it very attractive.

It's important to consider the drainage of the entire property before any dirt is moved. Fortunately in this case, the backyard was not contributing to the problem.

The stain on the driveway next to the trash can is evidence of the water that was being retained and the obvious starting point to moving dirt.

It's important to shoot grades throughout the project to keep a close eye on things.

Mid-project...

The final product...now water can move away from the driveway and out onto the field. As an added bonus, I raised the level of the yard where the water was leaving the driveway.  Now it is being properly re-directed onto the street where the city's storm water system can collect it appropriately.