Soggy lawn area

10 years ago

Hi, my first time on the Garden Web forums, Here is my problem. I have an area about 1' x 3' that is very soggy and moist. It is on a slope near the patio . I do not have any other soggy, spongy areas anywhere else. I dug down to try to determine the source of the water. There is no plumbing nearby, and the sprinkler head nearby is not leaking . I can see water kind of oozing out of the ground in two areas, where I dug down.
We had the patio installed, and landscaping done this spring. We have heavy clay in the area. The sod guys put down topsoil on top of the clay, then the sod.
I can't figure out why we are getting water funneling to this area and creating this soggy area, the rest of the grass is fine.
I would appreciate any solutions to this problem. I wouldn't be so concerned, except that it is right near the step off from the patio. Thanks, Bob

Comments (7)

PRO
Yardvaark
10 years ago
Though a nearby sprinkler head is not leaking, there could be another component of the irrigation system that is. Try digging further to see if the source of water can be traced. Is the wetness constant or intermittent?
motownbob
Original Author
10 years ago
There are no other sources of water . Nearest source of any water would be the drain for the gutter which is buried and comes out about four feet away , on a straight line with no bends. The valves for the sprinklers are located on the other side of the house. We also have not had any rain for 10 straight days now, however, the late spring and early summer brought us record rainfall. there is a constant seepage of water into the small ditch. I am getting about a quart of water in an hour. It seems to be oozing out of the ground around the part of the ditch closest to the patio. Bob
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PRO
Yardvaark
10 years ago
If there is water, it has a source. Unless it also appears at another location, I don't know of any way to trace it other than to dig further. If pressurized PVC pipe runs nearby, there could be a bad glue joint or crack in the pipe that is the culprit. It does not need to be an implement or device.
maplerbirch
10 years ago
A leak in the irrigation line. A leak in the water line coming in from the street. A natural spring.
A clay hardpan can get water to travel quite a distance before it finds a place to ooze. I would dig deeper, until I see it entering from one side of the hole.
nandina
10 years ago
Step 1. Using the process of elimination, the first place to check is your water bill which would indicate a rising rate if there is a problem in the irrigation system. Also, try turning off the irrigation system for a week to see if the flow stops.
rosiew
10 years ago
A bit of a different take on Nandina's suggestion. Leave the irrigation system on, take a reading at the meter, use NO WATER in the house, take another reading 4 or 5 hours later.
littlebug5
10 years ago
Did you have water there before your new landscaping this spring? If not, you should research what that project could have disturbed.

I agree that water can travel quite a distance top of, or underneath of, clay until it finds an outlet to go either up or down.