One resourceful homeowner’s solution to flooding and erosion is impressing the landscaping community. The Reddit user shared a video showing off their artificial river bed, which features rounded river rocks, effectively diverting water from their yard to the gutters on the street after a storm.
The homeowner said the system, now in its third year, “is still working great.” There is no denying that the creek successfully diverts water between two trees to the street, protecting lawns and property in an aesthetically pleasing way.
“Without the river bed, water would still flood into the area, destroying plants and eroding the soil,” they revealed. “Now it is controlled and flows cleanly.”
Reddit users loved the design, with the OP noting that the functionality of the yard looks good even when dry, and earning praise. They also say maintenance is minimal.
“As a civil engineer who primarily deals with stormwater design, this makes me very happy to see,” one commenter wrote. “here you go.”
“I built a very similar system for myself,” another user revealed. “The neighbors thought I was crazy until they saw how well it worked.”
Their implementation did spark some further discussion about their legality and practicality. Other commenters noted that directing runoff to streets may not be permitted in certain areas or under HOA regulations.
For homeowners in this situation, they came up with the idea of a rain garden as a more suitable alternative to artificial creeks, using native plants to absorb rainwater and reduce flow.
“Try planting some native wetland species in and along the creek bed to reduce flow rates and promote pumping water into the soil, helping to retain groundwater,” one wrote. “You can also divert some of the flow to a rainwater collection system to help water your lawn and gardens.”
In addition to the stormwater runoff provided by rain gardens, homeowners can enjoy many advantages by switching to a lawn of native plants.
These selling points include reduced maintenance costs and effort, as well as lower water bills. Options such as clover, buffalo grass and xerophytes offer diverse, low-maintenance alternatives. Even partially replacing a traditional lawn with these options can have significant benefits.
One user apparently seems to have the best of both worlds.
“I did the same thing about two years ago and it was great,” they wrote. “Stopped my soil erosion and now I have some wildflowers growing in it.”
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