My back yard stinks

[black2002ls]

Literally. We were finally able to get the back yard mowed (solid weeds) yesterday. Let the dogs out and they found something with the most horrific smell and rolled in it. At first I thought it was from a weed, and having it cut released the odor. I finally realized it is the ground, it smells as though it is rotting.

We have TERRIBLE drainage in the back yard, never mind the fact we have had a month worth of precipitation. Water stands after a hard rain during a dry spell. I am working on getting one of my grade companies out with a skid loader to take care of it. In the mean time, what can I do about this aweful effing smell?

[krazy kris]

Stop shitting in the backyard

[Chas_svo]

Step one, fix the drainage. Then after that you can determine if you have a second problem.

[Denny]

How big of a yard are we talking about? I wouldn't try too much to chemically treat it if you have dogs and kids that use it.

I'd just go with getting the dirt work done quickly to avoid any standing water.

[Denny]

Stop shitting in the backyard

That's completely out of the question.

On that note, though, do you pick up the dog shit?

[black2002ls]

That's completely out of the question.

On that note, though, do you pick up the dog shit?

We haven't been, due to the amount of rain we have had. However, the area that smells is not an area they do their business in. I talked to a friend who is a master gardener and has a horticulture degree. Sounds like it is probably rotting organic matter due to the standing water.

I have two options at this point, wait for it to dry enough to get a skid loader on it, or rent/borrow a tiller and do it by hand. Let me upload some pics.

[Z06killinsbf]

Get a rake and get after it, mow it short and pick up the clippings.

[black2002ls]

This is the left side. I am a corner lot.



Left rear corner of the house



Right side



Left side on outside of fence



These were all taken at different times, none of which during the most recent rain. So you can imagine how bad it has been. The area between the fence and that side walk is ~6" too high, I have 3 trenches dug out to allow the water to drain. So that all needs knocked down and sloped to the side walk. The back yard, a good prtion of it "drains" to the outside, however there is a large low spot along the way that holds a lot of water. Along the back fence line, the trees on the other side of the fence have pushed the dirt up on my side causing a "rolling hills" type condition. On the right side, the majority of the water that stands on that side is in my neighbors yard, only the outside portion sitting in my yard. There are a few issues in the front yard and along the right side, but they are minimal compared to the back

[Baron Von Crowder]

french drain.

[black2002ls]

french drain.

I thought about puting in catch basins and running it all to the right side beyond the fence, but in reality, the cost doesn't compare to regrading. I can get it done for a couple hundred dollars at most, and there should be enough dirt to move around that I won't need more than a load of top soil, if that. There is abou 95% weeds and 5% grass back there. So starting over wont hurt! Hopefully I can get a hold of my grade contractor today and get on his schedule in a week or two. As long as we don't get anymore heavy rain, It should dry up enough to get a tractor on it

[Rick Modena]

french drain.

Yes, I was going to post this as well. And the dogs shitting back there has alot to do with it too. It looks to me like the entire back yard is retaining water.

[black2002ls]

Yes, I was going to post this as well. And the dogs shitting back there has alot to do with it too. It looks to me like the entire back yard is retaining water.

Pretty much, there are a few high spots but the majority is a pool! I have gutters coming, hopefully this weekend (I found someone with a reasonable quote if anyone needs contact info). That should help divert some water. Once those are in I plan to run drains underground to get that water out away from the house and the yard. The roof on the back side is one large plane that dumps water back there. So not only am I getting the rain water, but also everything the roof is directing straight back onto it.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I thought about puting in catch basins and running it all to the right side beyond the fence, but in reality, the cost doesn't compare to regrading. I can get it done for a couple hundred dollars at most, and there should be enough dirt to move around that I won't need more than a load of top soil, if that. There is abou 95% weeds and 5% grass back there. So starting over wont hurt! Hopefully I can get a hold of my grade contractor today and get on his schedule in a week or two. As long as we don't get anymore heavy rain, It should dry up enough to get a tractor on it

At my house, they sloped the grade to a trough in between the houses, and one side doesnt have nearly enough slope to carry the water away. Combined with my neighbor's runoff from their sprinklers that seem to be on way more than they ever need to be, I have a mud pit on one side of my house that is also shaded for all but about an hour of the day.

When I moved in, I rented a trencher and got a load of gravel and the perforated corrugated pipe that has the fabric wrapping, and it did wonders pulling the water from there to the front yard. Cost me a couple hundred bucks and the better part of a day. I need to clear the top layer again and put down more gravel now a couple years later. I think I'm going to pea gravel that side since we cant keep grass growing over there.

[black2002ls]

At my house, they sloped the grade to a trough in between the houses, and one side doesnt have nearly enough slope to carry the water away. Combined with my neighbor's runoff from their sprinklers that seem to be on way more than they ever need to be, I have a mud pit on one side of my house that is also shaded for all but about an hour of the day.

When I moved in, I rented a trencher and got a load of gravel and the perforated corrugated pipe that has the fabric wrapping, and it did wonders pulling the water from there to the front yard. Cost me a couple hundred bucks and the better part of a day. I need to clear the top layer again and put down more gravel now a couple years later. I think I'm going to pea gravel that side since we cant keep grass growing over there.

My biggest concern in that type of situation would be the distance between the houses and the amount of water that may pool around the foundation! We typically put in catch basins and drain pipe that carries that water to the street! (I have zero experience with true french drains, just a comment on what I have seen excess water around a foundation do!)

The distance between myself and my neighbor is quite a bit, we have a few low spots between us in which a french drain may be a viable solution, though the amount of water in the back needs to "get out"!

[95DRGT]

Two large basin drains into the fabric wrapped coorrugated 6" pipe with a 3" base of gravel underneath will disperse a lot of water. You could use a solid pipe to and take it to street also.