Looking after your yard is the best way to keep it looking lush and green.
Proper lawn maintenance will keep your yard looking its best, but sometimes you can have issues out of your control that puts the state of your lawn at risk.
Sometimes, you might notice water coming out of the ground in your yard.
This is a serious problem that can lead to the grass and plants in your yard drowning but can also be indicative of even more serious issues. But why does this happen, and what can you do to fix it?
If your yard has water coming out of the ground, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.
In this handy guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about excess water coming through the ground in your yard, from what might be causing the issue to the best ways to fix it. So let’s stop wasting time and jump right in!
What Causes Excess Water In The Ground Of Your Yard?
The most common cause of excess water coming out of the soil in your yard is excess rainfall. When there are heavy rains or storms, runoff can occur and collect in low-lying areas like yards.
If you live in an area with high precipitation levels, you may want to consider installing some sort of rainwater collection system.
These systems divert all the excess rainwater into storage tanks for later use. You can then use the stored water to irrigate your garden or landscape.
Another reason you could see excess water come out of the ground in the yard is if you’re experiencing flooding.
Flooding is a similar issue to heavy rainfall; excess water over-saturates the ground in your yard, forming puddles and soaking through the soil. If you notice any signs of flooding in your yard, call your local emergency services immediately.
They can help you assess the situation and determine whether you should evacuate your home.
Natural causes aren’t the only reason why your yard might have water coming out of the ground. There can also be issues resulting from human-made sources.
For instance, a broken water line can leave water pouring into the groundwater, quickly saturating your yard. While this is bad enough with an incoming water line, an outgoing one can cause serious damage to your yard (as well as some terrible smells).
If your yard has excess water and you notice your water pressure drop, you need to get your water line repaired as soon as possible.
Leaking sprinkler heads from an irrigation system could also be the culprit, as these will continuously be putting out water into your yard.
Similarly, over-watering your yard can also leave the ground saturated. Other forms of irrigation damage can be an issue too, including damaged gutters or downspouts (see also ‘Downspouts Go Into Ground? What The Inspectors Have To Say‘).
Keeping your irrigation system in good condition is a great way to prevent excess water from flooding your yard.
What Damage Can Excess Water In The Ground Do To Your Yard?
As mentioned before, having water coming out of the ground in your yard is a serious issue that should be sorted out as quickly as possible.
This over-saturation of rainwater can cause some serious damage to your yard if it isn’t dealt with, regardless of the source (although some causes are more dangerous than others).
One of the biggest issues that excess water can cause your yard is the harm it can do to the grass and plants.
If there is too much water in the soil, it can cause the grass, flowers, and other plants in your yard to drown and die. This won’t just leave the coverage of your lawn patchy – it can leave the soil in a poor state.
Over time, this can lead to erosion and even leaching of nutrients out of the soil. It’s important to keep an eye on your yard during periods of heavy rainfall.
Water coming through the ground can also affect the pH of your yard and cause damage to the soil as well as any plants you have or want to plant in the future.
This can be even worse depending on where the water is coming from; rainwater can be more acidic in some areas, while decaying plant life can also influence the pH of the soil.
If there are harmful materials carried within the water – for example, if the flooding is caused by a ruptured outgoing water line – then your yard can quickly become smelly and stagnant, and even be dangerous to be around.
In cases like these, you need to get the issue fixed quickly to avoid the flooding worsening or causing serious long-term problems.
It isn’t just your yard that can be affected by water coming out of the ground, however.
A waterlogged yard can have an impact on the infrastructure in and around your home, having a knock-on effect that causes even more problems.
It can also spread water to your house, leading to water damage and possibly spreading harmful water-borne bacteria.
How To Deal With Water Coming Out Of The Ground In Your Yard
Now that we’ve taken a look at why there might be water coming out of the ground in your yard as well as some damage it can do, it’s time to cover how you can deal with it.
In most cases, your best bet is to get a specialist out to help you; a professional plumber is more likely to have the right equipment and know-how to deal with a waterlogged garden.
This is an especially good idea if the problem is a burst water line, which can cause major damage if not fixed quickly and correctly.
With that said, however, there are still some ways you can sort out a waterlogged yard yourself.
Finding The Cause Of The Water
The first thing you’ll have to do is figure out why there is so much water in your yard in the first place.
This is done easily enough if you’ve been experiencing heavy rain or flooding in the area, as this will be the most likely culprit. Otherwise, you’ll have to do some detective work.
As mentioned earlier, you can tell if the incoming water line to your house is ruptured because the water pressure to your house will drop.
If your yard is soaked but you’re struggling to get any water from your taps, this is a likely cause.
A break in the outgoing water line is a bit trickier to notice at first, but you’ll be able to tell very quickly; the outgoing water line will be taking wastewater from toilets, drains, and sinks away from your house.
If the water from these are saturating your yard, you’ll notice a bad smell coming from the water soon enough.
A damaged irrigation system is a harder issue to detect, but you can look at the performance of your sprinklers, gutters, and downspouts to see if they’re in top form.
You should be maintaining these on a semiregular basis anyway, so check to see if there is any damage or wear on the irrigation systems in your yard to see if you can find any malfunctions that could be causing water to collect.
If you still can’t figure out what the source of the water is, it might be time to call in an expert.
Dealing With Excess Water In Your Yard
Some issues have specific fixes that involve repairing or replacing certain things. For example, a burst water line pipe will need to be replaced, along with damaged irrigation systems.
These are more specialized jobs that are fairly self-explanatory, and can either be done yourself or with the help of a professional.
These might not get rid of the water, however, and might just stop any more from saturating the ground. Here’s how to get rid of the water in your yard.
One way to get rid of excess water from your yard is to aerate the lawn. This will improve the drainage in the soil and will let oxygen access the water and soil in your yard.
This reduces the build-up of bacteria and makes it easier for the water to evaporate, as well as helping the water to drain.
You can also introduce a new irrigation system such as a ditch, gutters, or other methods. These regulate the amount of water in your yard (see also ‘What Is A Swale Drain For Yards And Should You Get One?’) and help to drain excess water to prevent too much water from saturating the soil.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with a waterlogged yard can be intimidating, and at the end of the day, you’ll pretty much always be better off calling a professional for help.
With that said, however, there are steps you can take yourself to reduce the amount of water in your yard and prevent this issue from happening again.
Simply use the tips in this guide to help you and your yard will be back to normal in no time!
