Dirtwork term
Swale
also called: grass swale, drainage swale
A shallow, vegetated ditch shaped to carry surface water away from a structure or down a property line.
A swale is a shallow open channel, usually grass-lined, cut into the existing grade to move surface runoff in a controlled direction. Instead of putting in a pipe, you regrade the dirt so water naturally flows where you want it. Done right, a swale handles routine East Texas storm runoff for years with almost no maintenance.
Swales are the cheapest fix for a lot of yard drainage problems when there's room for one. They fail when they're cut too flat (water sits and breeds mosquitos), too steep (the grass washes out and erosion starts), or when they dump into the neighbor's yard. Sizing is by watershed area and expected storm volume, not eyeball.
In Houston Black clay, swales work but need to daylight somewhere the water can actually leave the property, otherwise you've built a long shallow pond.
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Related terms
Other words that come up alongside this one
French Drain
A gravel-filled trench with perforated pipe at the bottom that collects sub-surface water and routes it to daylight.
Daylight
Where a drain pipe or channel exits to the open surface, water has to daylight somewhere it can leave the property.
Watershed
The area of land that drains to a single low point, every drop of rain that falls inside it ends up at the same place.
Finish Grade
The final surface elevation a site is brought to before turf, paving, or other surface treatment goes on top.
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