Yay flooding

[rosemarythyme]

Yikes!!
it doesn't go much higher.

Good news so far, the rain stopped for now and while the creek is still spilling over the bank and shooting across the lawn, it's already started receding in other areas. We dumped 5 bags of dried leaves in the front half of the run to make a drier mat for the chickens to walk on, and they're all out and scratching about. The back half of the run still has water streaming past so no point in trying to dry that out right now. We're supposed to get more rain tonight and tomorrow but if it's not too heavy we should see the creek level drop enough that we won't have excess water spilling into the lawn at least.

 

[Mimi13]

It is currently raining buckets in my part of Alabama and I HATE it. When my yard gets so water logged I call the ground, “rotten.” You know how rotten stuff gets all squishy!

Anyway, you could try one of three things to hopefully alleviate water running through the run.

1. Fill sand bags and place all around the run, at least on three sides. Hopefully the runoff would continue away from the coop/run.
2. Install a French drain around the perimeter with a drain pipe connected to run the excess water on across to the far side of your yard.
3. This would be more expensive, but you could bring in dirt and build up the landscape so the coop/run actually sat atop a small hill with cross-ties or landscape bricks as the retaining walls.

Just my thoughts. I feel your pain watching the water slowly rising.

Maybe if the water isn’t too high (<6”) you could lay some pallets down in the run so the birds don’t have to stand in water.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just my thoughts. I feel your pain watching the water slowly rising.

Maybe if the water isn’t too high (<6”) you could lay some pallets down in the run so the birds don’t have to stand in water.

Thanks for the suggestions. Hubby likes the sandbag idea but I know the reality is I'd be the one lugging them around haha.

As far as drains we really don't have a drainage issue... we actually don't flood during heavy rainfall unlike most other lots around here that consistently flood yearly, but with the creek overflowing, nothing can absorb that volume of water.

I might try building up the run floor a bit more through the upcoming year, now that I have a much better idea of how the water moves over the property. Much of the water was already diverting around the run - even during the worst of the flooding the front of the run sat high enough to divert the waters (so the temporary "river" was flowing through the very back of the run and around the front, but not through it). The front "river" has now stopped so the water is just going around the back of the run.

The chickens are currently out of the water, thankfully. They're opting to stay in the front of the run which is the drier portion. I only added dried leaves to give them a better surface to stand on so it's not a fix, just an improvement.

Snapped a new photo just a minute ago for comparison. First pic was yesterday morning (which wasn't even the worst of it) and second is this afternoon. Though we're slated to get more rain tonight or tomorrow...

Yesterday

Today

 

[aart]

I might try building up the run floor a bit more through the upcoming year, now that I have a much better idea of how the water moves over the property.

That was my thought, course then the creek will never flood again
Luckily you've already gotten it built up juuuusssst enough for this event.

 

[rosemarythyme]

That was my thought, course then the creek will never flood again
Luckily you've already gotten it built up juuuusssst enough for this event.

It probably won't flood again, just to spite me! Before we bought the house we had the foundation checked for evidence of flooding and there was no sign that the water's ever reached the house, so this really is probably the worst it's been in the last 40 or so years. Yesterday afternoon the water came within about 2' from front corner of the house.

 

[123RedBeard]

I agree with building up elevation a bit ... or, just get ducks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree with building up elevation a bit ... or, just get ducks!

I would actually consider ducks but we have no good way of fencing off water for them to use. Would be silly to resort to giving them a kiddie pool when we have a 1 acre pond as well as the creek! We get a lot of wild ducks coming through and usually see 2 to 3 batches of babies each spring.

 

[Mimi13]

so this really is probably the worst it's been in the last 40 or so years. Yesterday afternoon the water came within about 2' from front corner of the house

I am just mentioning this because I’ve seen this at my own home. My property is on an approximate 35* slope, with some steeper and some flatter spots. With that slope comes water runoff when it rains, which in turn causes erosion that can be significant. Just keep in mind that with each successful flooding event some erosion will occur. It might also be a good idea to build up landscaping 5+ feet from your house’s foundation in order to ward off any possible water damage through the years.

PS: Maybe, as far as lugging the sandbags around, you could instead incorporate them into the landscape. That way, once and done.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am just mentioning this because I’ve seen this at my own home. My property is on an approximate 35* slope, with some steeper and some flatter spots. With that slope comes water runoff when it rains, which in turn causes erosion that can be significant. Just keep in mind that with each successful flooding event some erosion will occur. It might also be a good idea to build up landscaping 5+ feet from your house’s foundation in order to ward off any possible water damage through the years.

Luckily/unluckily(?) our lot is quite flat. Guy installing our coop said the site was almost level, maybe a 1 degree "slope," so easy install for him. The county controls and maintains waterways and does yearly walkthroughs, and our neighbor says they do dredge it from time to time if deemed necessary.

We actually do have some landscaping around front and side nearest the creek, the rest is gravel and drains well (which is why it looks like the creek receded so fast).

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here's the latest photos... I knew the soil drained well here but I'm still pretty surprised at this result. These were snapped today, approx. 48 hours after the initial photos.

2 days ago


Today


So I didn't get good "before" photos in the run (mostly because it was so miserable) but the swath across the center of orange-y leaves had a puddle about 8 sq ft with 2" of standing water. This morning it has completely drained through and is not even squishy. Far back corners, there's still 2 sticky muddy patches, but no noticeable puddles. 24 hrs ago the "cross lawn river" was still running right up against the back fence line.


We still have water over the banks at the back of the property, but thankfully the "river" is no more. Did have a good scare this morning as a 30' tall tree fell across the creek while I was out in the run, looks like beavers did that one in.