Muddy runoff down slope

yng7

We have an entrance door at the bottom of a sloping ground. Each time when it rains, water, mud and debris run down the slope and collects just outside the entrance door. The garden bed next to the entrance is slowly filling up with mud from the runoff.

What is the best solution to stabilise the slope and/or to prevent further dump of soil at the low point, ie. at the entrance door?Muddy entry

MartyH

Tricky one @yng7. You would need to do some serious landscaping, with very expensive retaining walls to make a significant difference I would think.

Do you get water flowing into the entrance? If so, a plumber might need to be called in to advise on drainage solutions.

Prawns

The only thing I can think off might be cheap - Those wooden garden beds, maybe run somthing similar but alongside the path a couple inches high so the mud stays on the lawn /ends up directed towards the garden instead? - Might work as a temporary fix at least? maybe only on the high side though else the path might end up a slippery slide of water

Jason

That's a good idea @Prawns.

@yng7, you might consider using these - https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-1180mm-garden-edging-strip_p3042362

We used them for our side garden project and I think they look very effective. Here's a work in progress shot from last year...

Prawns

Unfortunatly with a tree that size as well - getting grass to grow near the trunk will probably be a ongoing issue (so potentially permanent "surface" dirt there which can wash away?) Maybe you can use jasons idea and also surround the tree with a gravel boundary maybe 1metre around the trunk - hides the (permanent?) bare dirt issue and may also might help the erosion issue a little also as a bonus? eg as pic red=jasons edge striping to hold a bit of gravel (orange) which if deep enough - should filter and trap dirt?red=edging, orange=gravel

yng7

Thanks for your response, @MartyH. When it rained heavily in the past, water used to flow back into the foyer, until I got a handyperson to remove the timber sleeper piece next to the entrance to allow water to flow onto the garden bed. The garden bed is slowly filling up with mud from the runoff, causing mud/soil to accummulate just outside the entrance door, ie. nowhere else to flow to.

Regarding engaging a plumber, is he the right tradesperson to consult, or should this be done by a landscape gardener?

yng7

I did think of something similar, @Prawns. But only to the lowest part (next to leftside garden bed). I agree that this can only be a temporary measure as over time there will be a build-up of soil and debris at that end. Then what?

Prawns

The only permanent solution I can think of is also what was mentioned by Marty - with a retaining wall to level the yard a little and slow down the water / stop the erosion issue and give the dirt more time to soak it up before it gets near your door (does your soil soak up water ok? if not maybe try some "water wetter" or start throwing out buckets of water from your washing machine excess seems to work too) Extra drainage will have to be planned carefully too as mentioned. Im a noob at all this just chucking some suggestions out there that might help for the interim I guess, hope you work out a permanent solution the problem does seem tricky for sure

yng7

Looks good, @Jason. Worth considering. I wonder if terracing the slope with pieces of these edging strip might do the trick of slowing down the flow of water? What do you think?

Jason

I would think you need to talk to a plumber @yng7. The water has to go somewhere so I would expect you need to add drainage. Perhaps the plumbers in the community can make some further suggestions for you.

Jason