Yard drainage in St. Bethlehem and north Clarksville
Drainage help for the busy growth corridor along U.S. 79 and Interstate 24.
St. Bethlehem was once its own community northeast of downtown before Clarksville annexed it. Interstate 24 was built just north of it, and the area around Exit 4 and Wilma Rudolph Boulevard (U.S. 79) has filled in with shopping, apartments and subdivision after subdivision since then.
Why new subdivisions have drainage issues
Most lots in a new neighborhood are graded to drain to the street or to a shared swale along the back or side property lines. When a homeowner adds a fence, a shed, a raised garden or a patio across that swale, the water backs up. When backfill around the foundation settles in the first few years, it can start sloping toward the house. Both are common calls here.
Check the plat before you dig
Many subdivisions have recorded drainage easements, and some route water to detention ponds managed by an HOA or the developer. Before regrading or piping water across a property line, check your plat and HOA rules so the fix doesn't block a shared swale or send water onto the neighbor's yard.
Common jobs
- Reopening blocked side-yard swales
- Correcting settled backfill along the foundation
- Downspout lines to pop-up emitters or the curb
- French drains in soggy back yards
Common questions
My new house has water problems. Is the builder responsible?
It depends on your warranty and contract. Check the builder warranty first and document the problem with photos during rain.
Can I put a fence across the drainage swale?
Check your plat and HOA rules first. Blocking a recorded drainage easement can cause flooding on your lot and your neighbors'.
Services in St. Bethlehem
- French drainsGravel-and-pipe trenches that drain soggy lawns and intercept water running toward the house.
- Downspout drain linesBuried lines that carry roof water away from the foundation to a safe outlet.
- Yard grading and swalesReshape the yard so water flows away from the house and along a channel to a safe outlet.
- Sump pumps and crawl space waterPump out water that collects under the house and fix the sources feeding it.
- Dry wells and channel drainsCatch water at driveways and patios, or store it underground when there's no outlet.
Nearby areas
Standing water in the yard or a wet crawl space?
Call now and a local drainage contractor will help you figure out where the water is coming from.