Yard grading and drainage swales
On a flat lot, an inch of grade can decide where water goes. Here's how regrading and swales work in Chatham County.
Surface water follows the ground, and in Savannah the ground is close to level. Settled soil, built-up flower beds, a new patio or a fence across the side yard can be enough to send water toward the house instead of away from it. Regrading restores a slope away from the foundation, and a swale gives runoff a shallow grassed channel to the street, a ditch or a low corner that can handle it.
Signs grading is the problem
- Mulch or soil level with the bottom of the siding or above the slab edge
- Water running in from a neighbor's yard or the street
- Puddles that always form along the same wall
- A side-yard swale blocked by a fence, shed or garden bed
What's involved?
- Map the water. The contractor shoots grades or watches the yard in a storm to see where water comes from and where it can leave.
- Check permits and 811. Regrading disturbs the shallow layer where utilities run, and some jobs need city or county sign-off.
- Shape and compact. Soil is moved so it slopes away from the house, then compacted so it doesn't settle back.
- Stabilize. Sod or seed and straw protect the new grade from washing out in the next downpour.
Fill, flood zones and permits
Trucking in dirt to raise a low yard sounds simple, but it's regulated here. The City of Savannah says all development requires a permit and asks owners to check with Development Services before filling or regrading. Its floodplain guidance says development shouldn't reduce flood storage, and the usual remedy is compensatory storage, digging out as much earth as the fill displaces. Raising your lot can also push water onto the neighbors. In unincorporated Chatham County, ask County Engineering. FEMA flood maps can be viewed for free through SAGIS.
Pricing comes from the contractor after a site visit, once they've seen how the lot sits, how high the ground water is and where the water can be sent. We don't quote prices, and any figure given over the phone before someone walks the yard is only a rough guess.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I just bring in fill to raise my yard?
Check first. In Savannah, filling or regrading needs a check with Development Services, and fill in a flood zone may require offsetting storage.
What is a swale?
A shallow, usually grassed channel that carries surface water across a yard toward a street, ditch or other outlet.
Related services
More background: Chatham County drainage guide.
Yard still underwater a day after the storm?
Call now and a local drainage contractor will help you work out where the water should go.